Category: Ministry Staff

Children’s Ministry Director – Early Childhood

Born and raised: Flint, Michigan, raised in Davison, Michigan

Education: Central Michigan University (Bachelor’s of Science in Education)

Ministry Experience: I served as the children’s director for a church plant in St. Cloud, Florida from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, I served in the children’s ministry at the main campus from which the plant was launched for 5 years. I began serving at the check-in desk, and slowly moved into volunteering in the nursery and preschool, followed by teaching in the first grade classroom for three years. I also helped to create a park outreach curriculum, which we used during the pandemic to connect unchurched children and families to God.

Spouse: Jordan Lyons (married since July 2014)

Kids: Olivia and Luke Lyons

Testimony: I was baptised on a chilly morning in Florida in March of 2018, though I accepted Christ prior to that day. My journey was a slow one, and I can’t pinpoint the exact moment that I was saved. It was a gradual unveiling of the truth and a slow acceptance of that truth. God had been pursuing me slowly since high school, but I had a lot of reservations as I grew toward college age. My family never attended church and I knew very little about God. I met my now spouse, Jordan, just before I left to attend college. He was raised in a Christian family and he invited me to attend some Cru gatherings with him at MSU. I went reluctantly, but I was not ready to accept Jesus at that time. Jordan didn’t give up, though! After many years of continual invites to attend church gatherings and services with him, I slowly started attending services at Celebration Community Church in Florida. I loved to volunteer and desperately wanted to meet friends, as we had just moved across the country for work and we had no friends or family there. So, when I met with the administrative assistant at the church and she expressed a need for check-in desk workers I readily jumped into the role. God used my love of children and my talkative nature to get me in the door, but His Word kept me there. I often say children’s ministry was the source of my conversion, as God used that time sitting at the check-in desk to expose me to his Word for the first time. As I sat listening to the children’s bible lessons in the adjacent rooms, God’s Word began to penetrate my heart. That, coupled with amazing expositional preaching during the services, gave me enough confidence to say that I wanted to learn and connect more. We joined a small group around that time, and the two couples leading the group became a source of wisdom and provided discipleship that I desperately needed. After three years of serving, learning, and being discipled, I finally felt ready to be baptized.

alyons@southlife.org

Student Ministries Pastor – High School

Born and Raised: Bedford, TX

Education: Criswell College (MA- Theological and Biblical Studies); Boyce College (BA- Humanities)

Ministry Experience: Associate Pastor for Students at Calvary Baptist Church in Valley Center, Kansas for almost five years; various interim jobs or internships at Churches in Texas, New York, and London, England.

Spouse: Nikki Chapman

Children: Owen, Graham, and Teagan

Hobbies: Reading, watching sports, making soda, playing basketball

Testimony: I was raised in a Christian family and heard the gospel hundreds of times growing up. However, I did not actually become a Christian until my senior year at Boyce College. During Sunday School one week, I began to be convicted of my sin and realized I did not know or love Jesus. I wrestled with this growing conviction all night and repented of my sin and gave my life to Jesus the next day. God has continued to sanctify me in the years since that day and will continue to make me more like him.

rchapman@southlife.org

Children’s Ministry Director – Elementary

Born and raised: Williamston, MI

Education: Michigan State University (BA Dietetics)

Ministry Experience: 8 years of Children’s Ministry in East Lansing.

Spouse: Brad Atchison (Married September 2011)

Kids: Jodi, Annie

Hobbies: Crafts, Board games, Any sport MSU is playing

Testimony: Through my entire childhood, my parents faithfully raised me in the church and taught me to love the Lord. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Through my teens and in college, I began to dive deeper in the Bible and was struck by how God’s redeeming love, in Christ, affects everything in life (especially my sin). As I continue to grow in grace, I am reminded in life and ministry of John the Baptist’s confession, “(Christ) must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).

satchison@southlife.org

Women’s Ministry Director

Born and Raised: I was born in Austin, MN and raised in Elkhart, Indiana

Education: BA Communications – Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids Baptist College)
Masters of Religious Education – Grand Rapids Theological Seminary

Ministry Experience: I have been the Women’s Ministry Director at South Church since 2004. From 1998-2002 I led Children’s Ministries in Okemos, Michigan.

Spouse: Doug Phillips, the Executive Pastor of Ministries at South, and I met in seminary and were married in 1998.

Hobbies: Traveling, being involved in missions, creating wearable art and teaching.

Testimony: I grew up in a ‘ministry’ home. My father, Leroy Sheveland, was an evangelist and missionary. My two brothers are pastors and my mother was a gifted bible teacher. To say my upbringing was saturated with gospel truth is an understatement and yet it is fresh everyday as I am reminded of the grace of God. My greatest joy is helping train and equip women at South and in South Asia.

southwomensmin@gmail.com

Legacy Ministry Director

Born and raised: I was born and raised in the Lansing area. Most of my childhood was on a chicken farm in St. Johns. I lived in South Carolina for six years and returned to Michigan in 1986. My husband Gil and I live in Lansing in the home my grandparents built in 1938.

Education: Johnson & Wales Culinary University (Certificate Chef)

Ministry Experience: I was a Sunday School kindergarten teacher for over 25 years. My love is the kitchen ministry and have helped with meals at South Church sense 2009. During Covid I was able to lead Zoom classes for many Women’s Bible studies.

Spouse: Gil, he does a prison ministry with Keryx Ministries.

Kids: Together we have six children Murlin, Heather, Jaime, Shelia, Chad, and Levi. They have blessed us with 17 grandchildren.

Hobbies: Cooking, grandkids, and anything around water.

Testimony: When I was 7 a neighbor took me to Vacation Bible School. He then took me almost every week until he passed away when I was 12. I told a friend how upset I was, because I could no longer go to Church. Her family then picked me up for Church for many years because I did not have a Christian home. God in his Amazing Grace came and got me, and he has not left my side.

Connections Director

Born and raised: Grew up in Casper, Wyoming, attended college at San Diego State University

Education: Registered Nurse

Ministry Experience: Children’s Leader and Children’s Supervisor in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for 11 years. Disaster Response Nurse with Samaritan’s Purse since 2010, Crisis Response Counselor certification, Transport Nurse with Children’s Heart Project/Samaritan’s Purse.

Spouse: Chuck

Children: Twins; Brooklyn and Braden

Hobbies: reading, biking, softball, hiking, kayaking

Community Activities: South Medical Team coordinator, VBS Bible Teacher

Testimony: I grew up going to church on Sundays, but I didn’t have much knowledge of who God really was or that I could have a personal relationship with him. I really began seeking to know God more and reading my Bible after my dad died in a plane crash and I needed comfort and answers from God’s word. My life was completely transformed by knowing a deeper relationship with Christ, and living under His word. I have been working as a disaster response nurse since 2010 and that has drastically changed my perspective and passion. I’ve come to know a bigger God as I trust him in hard times while seeing great suffering in the world. Working at South has also been a blessing as I labor side by side with staff that is passionate about helping others grow in their faith and learn more about who Jesus is.

ksites@southlife.org

Pastor Emeritus

Education: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (DMin Homiletics); Biblical Theological Seminary (MA New Testament); Bob Jones University (BA Bible)

Ministry Experience: Served as an associate pastor in OH [1975-1980] Senior Pastorates: Cambridge, OH [1980]; Lancaster, PA [1983]; Greenville, MI [1990]; South Church, Lansing, MI [1995 to present]

Spouse: Nancy Denyes

Family: Five daughters and six grandsons!

Hobbies: Golf, baseball, biking, and travel. And don’t forget the books!

Honors: Graduated with Honors in NT studies at Biblical Seminary

Board Member: Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids [1997 to 2020], Asia Biblical Theological Seminary

Adjunct Professor of Homiletics: Grand Rapids Theological Seminary [2005 to 2020]

Testimony: During my teen years I attended a home Bible study which was led by a friend whom I greatly admired. One November night as the gospel was shared, I was under deep conviction and eagerly gave my heart to Christ. Hungry for growth and God’s Word, I began attending a strong Bible-believing church where I was spiritually fed by a wonderful, godly pastor. Soon I was leading Bible studies in my high school, working with Youth for Christ, and serving in my local church. Feeling that God was calling me into the ministry, I sought further preparation in Bible College.

The term “Emeritus” is an Anglicized Latin word referring to one who has earned his discharge by faithful service. It is often known as a title bestowed upon a person who has retired but is allowed to keep their title as an honor. In our context, the title may be seen as an expression of 1 Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching,” and 1 Thessalonians 5:12, “Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.” We look back on Pastor Don’s 30 years of pastoral leadership at South Church with respect and thankfulness.

Biblical Counseling Pastor

Born and raised: New Baltimore, MI

Education: CCEF Essentials of Biblical Counseling Certificate; Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv, concentration in missional studies); Ferris State University (BS Criminal Justice and graduate of the police academy)

Ministry Experience: 2015-2025 Sr. High Pastor; Youth Pastor in the Chicago area; ministry residency for a church plant called Paseo Christian Church in El Paso, Texas

Spouse: Cariann

Children: Ariyah, Willow

Hobbies: Lifting weights, running, and being outdoors

Testimony: It was in my middle school years that I really had my first exposure to the Gospel and to church, through a youth group bowling event. That was the start of my attending church to hear God’s Word (even though I was the only one from my family to do so). It was on a Sunday morning that I responded to an altar call and made my commitment to follow Christ. Soon after, as I grew as a Christ-follower, I also became a key leader in my youth group, encouraged and mentored by my youth pastor and a couple of the key volunteers in the youth ministry. During the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I worked with a ministry called Mission Arlington (in Texas), an experience that challenged me spiritually and physically, teaching me to rely on God more deeply than I ever had before. It was during that summer of ministry that I sensed God’s call to full-time pastoral ministry.

nnagy@southlife.org

Lead Pastor of Student Ministries – Middle School

Born and raised: Holland, MI, spent time living in Seattle, WA and Kijabe Kenya, East Africa

Education: Moody Bible Institute (BA Youth Ministry; secondary education Bible teaching certificate)

Ministry Experience: Jr. High student ministries at South since June 2002

Spouse: Shannon Wayner

Kids: Maliya, Joshua, Avery, Rylie, and Tate

Hobbies: All sports, especially golf

Testimony: I was raised in a Christian home, with parents who were deeply committed to Christ. From the time I was born, church was a major part of my life, as was Bible study and worship. I remember praying for salvation when I was 3 at our home in Seattle, WA. As much as I could understand what Christ had done for me, I believed with all my heart at that time. As I grew older and my parents and the church continued to teach me, my understanding of Christ and his death and resurrection as a substitution for my sin (so that His righteousness could be given to me) continued to grow. I’m a work in progress, but continue to understand more fully each day the depth of Christ’s love for me, and the depth of my sin which he has saved me from. The teaching of pastors Don, Doug, Ben and others continue to challenge me, along with personal Bible study. South has been an incredible place of growth for me, and I am excited to be a part of the ministry team here at South which is having such an impact on so many lives.

jwayner@southlife.org

College Pastor

Raised: Reynoldsburg, OH (near Columbus)

Education: Ashland University (Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Business Administration)

Ministry Experience: 25 years of experience with The Navigators (since 1997)

Spouse: Laura Parks (married since 2001)

Kids: Dawson, Mary-Elizabeth, Anna, Elijah, Lincoln

Hobbies: Cooking

Testimony: I came to faith at a Rick Cua concert at age 15. When i was in college is where I really became rooted in my faith and realized my call to colligate ministry. My life verse is I Thes. 2:8 “so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.”

travisandlaura@gmail.com

Worship Pastor

Raised: Woodstock, IL

Education: University of Southern California (MA Music Composition); Eastern Illinois University (BA Music Composition); Ministerial License from the Evangelical Free Church of America

Ministry Experience: Pastor of Worship Ministries at South since February 2011; Worship Pastor in an Evangelical Free church in Cleveland, OH for seven years; Cornerstone Community Church in Pasadena, CA from 2002-2003; For Heaven’s Sake—vocalist for non-profit music ministry that performed music workshops in high schools and performed concerts and led worship in churches throughout the Midwest, from 1993-1998.

Other Musical Endeavors: Conductor/Artistic Director of the Steiner Chorale, Contributing Arranger for PraiseCharts.com and Sovereign Grace Music.

Spouse: Carol Felgenhour (married since 2000)

Kids: Son Ari, daughter Kiran, son Asher

Hobbies: Paintball, camping, reading, WWII Naval history and gaming, sport shooting, Frisbee

Honors: Commission, Co-composed underscore for Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale California (2006)

Testimony: My mother introduced me to Jesus Christ when I was nine years old. I grew up Lutheran, but stopped attending church soon after my Confirmation. When I arrived at Eastern Illinois University, I was welcomed by several believers, among them Dave John, an aggressive evangelist and student leader in Campus Crusade. He took me through the Four Spiritual Laws, and I dedicated my life to Christ in my dorm room in October of 1991.

cfelgenhour@southlife.org