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Sundays at 9:15 & 11:00

Meet Our Team

Pastoral Team

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dr. Matt Shackelford

Lead Teaching Pastor

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In November 2019, Pastor Matt became the Lead Teaching Pastor of Central Church. After the Covid-19 reset, Central Church emerged with a new leadership, vision, and passion to multiply and mature disciples for Jesus Christ.

Pastor Matt’s personal goal for ministry is to glorify God by shepherding the flock of God and preaching Christ-centered expositional messages that bring glory to God and joy to God’s people.

Pastor Matt is married to Ashley, and together they have four children: Caleb, Selah, Phoebe, and Lydia. They enjoy hiking, movies, college football, and bonfires. Pastor Matt especially loves a game of “Settlers of Catan” with his wife and kids. Unfortunately, they have become shrewd and ruthless traders, who enjoy joining forces to defeat him.

Matt has also earned theological degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min.), and he is currently finishing a Ph.D. from Midwestern Baptist Theological.

Stay up-to-date with Pastor Matt at momentoftruth.org. If you’d like to inquire about a speaking engagement or meeting with Pastor Matt, please use the form below.

Click here to learn more about Pastor Matt.

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dr. Braden McKinley

Pastor of Worship Ministries

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I am married to my wonderful wife, Ashley (married 2010), and together we have five amazing children: Grant (b. 2012), Thatcher (b. 2015), Holden (b. 2017), Lorelai (b. 2020), and Clementine (b. 2023). Originally from San Diego, I graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2008 and have served the Church through worship since graduating college. Through the years, I completed a Masters of Worship Studies from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies, a Masters of Theological Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), and a Ph.D. in Worship at SWBTS. In my ministry, I’ve had the blessing to serve in churches in California, North Carolina, and Arizona.

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Justin Halverson

Pastor of Children and Families

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I was born and raised in Southern California. I originally went to school to teach High school math and science, but God had other plans. God gave me a heart for the church and teaching God’s Word to His people. After graduating from Talbot Seminary, I was a youth pastor for 7 years in California and then in Colorado. I am married to my best friend, Chloe, and together we have 1 daughter, Blakely. Chloe and I love board games and enjoying life with family and friends.

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dr. Matthew Castro

Pastor of Adult Ministries

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I am married to Lisa Castro. We have three children, Maggie (8), Lincoln (6), Teddy (2). I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I am a graduate of Collierville High School, Class of 2002 and the University of Tennessee and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I love all things British. I enjoy a good cup of coffee, a good book, and a beautiful autumn day. My family and I snow ski, disc golf, and cheer for the Vols on Saturdays. 

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Greg Sukert

Pastor of Evangelism and Equipping

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I am so thankful to God for my salvation, my cherished wife, and the privilege to steward the gospel.

I am the co-founder of Anchored North, an evangelistic ministry reaching millions with captivating, honest, and shareable videos that explore humanity’s greatest need: redemption through Jesus. In addition to Anchored North, I serve as the Pastor of Evangelism and Equipping at Central Church. I am currently studying for my Master of Divinity in Evangelism and Missions at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

I also run an Instagram account dedicated to guinea pigs. Check it out at @lovetheguinea.

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Tim Clay

Chief Operations Officer

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I joined the staff at Central in 1996. In 2020, I was pleased to take on the role of Church Administrator where I serve by partnering with Pastor Matt and the Elders to ensure the day to day operations of the church are running smoothly. I graduated from Crichton College and majored in Biblical Studies. When I’m not at the church you will find me spending time with my wife Allison and daughter Zoey.

Active Elders

Below is a list of our active Elders. Please use the form below if you would like to contact the Elders of Central.

Additionally, our elders publish minutes from their meetings for Central members to read. If you have any questions about the minutes, please contact the elder board.

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What is an elder?

These leaders are known by three titles all seen in 1 Peter 5:1-2, each of which reveals a separate aspect of their function. They are first called “elders,” indicating they are to be godly leaders whose wisdom and maturity are respected by God’s people. They are also called “overseers,” indicating their responsibility for the oversight of the church’s resources and the guardian of its people. They are also called “shepherds,” which is also translated as “pastors,” indicating their role of caring for and leading the church.

We see that within the New Testament model of church organization, authority for leadership is not granted to just one individual pastor, nor is it given as democratic rule by the congregation. Instead, the Scripture states that authority for leadership is conducted by a plurality of leaders who are appointed by the church and accountable to God. Some of these elders fill church vocational roles, and are therefore commonly referred to by the title of “pastor.” Other elders fill non-vocational roles, and are therefore commonly referred to by the title of “elder.”

What are the biblical qualifications of an elder?

All elders and pastors shall be selected and held accountable to the standards of 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 20:27-32, and 1 Peter 5:1-3. All elders and pastors shall be in full accord with Central Church’s Constitution, Confession of Faith, and policies, as well as Central Church’s current Mission, Core Values, and Vision. Pastors additionally shall qualify for their positions according to giftedness and experience in the ministry position to be filled.

How are the elders structured?

The elders of Central consist of two groups: the Council of Elders and the Elder Board.

The Council of Elders consists of all elders of the church. The Elder Board consists of between seven to twelve elders from the council, the Lead Teaching Pastor, and the Executive Pastor.

What does an elder do at Central?

Generally speaking, the elders are given both the responsibility and authority to skillfully and lovingly lead the church, to teach church members through the accurate and insightful reading of the Bible, to care for church members through prayer and ministry, and to protect the church from harmful influences and beliefs.

The Council of Elders is the shepherding ministry of the church (1 Peter 5:1-4). The main role of the council is to promote the spiritual interests and unity of the church (Acts 6:1-6; Ephesians 4:1-3; 1 Peter 5:1-4). In addition, they select new elders to join the Council, select elders from the council to serve on the Elder Board, and they advise and support the Elder Board.

The Elder Board, in addition to their responsibilities as members of the Council of Elders, is ultimately responsible for the “oversight” of the church’s ministries and resources as prescribed in the New Testament (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). In particular, they are responsible for ensuring proper doctrine is taught in the church and enacting church discipline when necessary. Other responsibility include: to receive new members into the church; to ordain and install pastors, elders, and deacons; to oversee the service of the deacons; to oversee the Christian education of all age groups in the church; to approve offerings for special uses and church purposes; and to oversee the public worship of God.

Do you have deacons?

Acts 6:2 – “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables…”

In January 2023, our church body unanimously voted to include deacons as one of the offices of the church. However, we do not believe that deacons hold a leadership role in the church; they exist to meet the needs of the church body. By being the hands and feet of Jesus, deacons can take care of the physical needs of our facilities and our people.

Visit our Serve page to see how you can serve and to see a list of our active deacons.

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dr. Matt Shackelford

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Chris Allen

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Gregorio Barnett

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Changis Hakim

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dick Jacob

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Jim Lee

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Kelly McElrath

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dennis Rutledge

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Rich Ugarte

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Tommy Whited

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Jonathan Burk

Elder Intern

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Mike Ebbs

Elder Intern

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Steve Strong

Elder Intern

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Mark Whitby

Elder Intern

Staff

Family Ministry

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Justin Halverson

Pastor of Children & Families

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Suzanne Sizemore

Early Childhood Coordinator

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Brenda Ryan

Elementary Coordinator

Student Ministry

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Michael Caserta

Worship Leader

Abby

Abby Stephenson

Girls Coordinator

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Caleb Jones

Ministry Intern

College Ministry

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Michael Caserta

College Associate

Adult Ministries

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dr. Matthew Castro

Pastor of Adult Ministries

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Ellen Olford

Director of Women’s and City Ministries

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Greg Sukert

Pastor of Evangelism and Equipping

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Gus Schroeder

Director of Congregational Care

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dr. Jim Allman

Theology and Bible Teacher

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Carol Anderson

Women’s Ministry Administrative Assistant

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Rosa Creed

Women’s Ministry Coordinator

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Alicia Miehe

Senior Adults Administrative Assistant

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Angela Bath

Counselor

Worship Arts

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Braden McKinley

Pastor of Worship

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Michael Caserta

Worship Leader

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Dan Johnson

Technical Director

Administration & Finance

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Tim Clay

Chief Operations Officer

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Rusty Artz

Accounting Manager

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Martha Jennings

Payroll Administrator

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Jennifer Summerall

Accounting Assistant

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Tinsley Heston

Ministry Systems Coordinator

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Sean Stark

Communications Director

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Doris Donald

Executive Team Administrative Assistant

Facilities

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Bubba Beloate

Events and Custodial Manager

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Lourie Staton

Reception Desk Supervisor

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Kyle Kunstman

Resident Chef

Central Ministries

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Deborah Pafford

Central Learning Center Director

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Kevin Gordon

Central Learning Center Assistant Director

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Teresa Morrison

Central Learning Center Business Administrator

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Carlene Boldizar

Crosswalk Bookstore Manager

Pastor Matt Shackelford

Heather Batey

Parent’s Day Out Coordinator