Leadership Team

How We are Governed

Our local church is overseen by a body of elders who prayerfully seek the guidance of Jesus Christ, the Head of the global church. We believe this design to be the pattern laid out in the New Testament and it has been a meaningful part of our culture since the beginning.

Meet the Elders

Brian Chance

Elder

Brian became an elder in 2018. He and his wife Kay married in 1993 and have two adult sons. Brian is employed in sales at a local material handling company. He teaches in ABF and loves hanging out with the young adults. Brian enjoys reading, traveling to Colorado any chance he gets, and spending time with family and friends.

Jim Chandler

Elder

Jim became an elder in 2009. He and his wife Dede were married in 1986. They have two married daughters and a grown son. Jim is a real estate broker and general contractor. He is active in the worship ministry, men’s ministry, and short-term mission trips. He enjoys exercise and playing golf.

Bill Daniel

Elder

Bill became an elder in 2003. A local boy, Bill left for Houston in 1970 to meet his wife Cecille and to obtain a BA and a Masters in Environmental Engineering from Rice University. They returned to Wichita Falls in 1983 and operated a family-owned restaurant until 2017. Bill and Cecille are now enjoying more time and freedom to connect with their grown children and six grandchildren.

Charlie Eipper

Elder

Charlie became an elder in 2009. He and his wife Yvette were married in 1994. They have one son and two daughters. Charlie has served on the Wichita Falls Police Department since 1993. He hosts a Community Group and enjoys opportunities to teach in Bible Fellowships. He also ministers with youth on short-term summer mission trips. Charlie enjoys lifting weights, running, reading, and writing.

Phil Ringman

Elder

Phil became an elder at Grace Church in 1995. He and his wife Jaynie have two children and two grandchildren. Phil retired in 2021 after 38 years as a financial advisor. He enjoys reading and weightlifting, and has written several articles for a major strength training website. Phil and Jaynie enjoy dancing and travel. He is a member of the Welcome and Benevolence Teams, a Community Group host, and a Dave Ramsey financial coach.

Bruce Romoser

Elder

Bruce became an elder in 2022. He and his wife Linda were married in 1990 and they have three sons and a daughter. Bruce enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, being outdoors, and hunting. He is a leader in the Bible Fun Fellowship, enjoys meeting with his Community Group, and participates in serving the Lord’s Supper.

Larry Schmeltzer

Elder

Larry became an elder in 2009. He and his wife Carol were married in 1974 and have two married children and five grandsons in Tennessee and Colorado. Larry retired from the U. S. Air Force after a 20-year career and is now retired after practicing dentistry for 40 years. Larry is an ABF teacher and enjoys travel, volunteering, reading, exercise, and yard work.

Kenneth Sultemeier

Elder

Dr. Kenneth Sultemeier became an elder in 2021. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1982 and then went on to medical school. He married Kathy in 1984 and says she’s “the best thing besides Jesus on this earth that’s happened to me.” They moved to Wichita Falls in 1988 where he’s been a pediatrician ever since. Through the years the Sultemeiers have been involved with Young Life, college ministry, and the young adults at Grace.

Meet the Staff

Under the oversight of the elders above, our staff each facilitate the daily operations of one or more areas of ministry within the overall structure of Grace Church. If you have any questions or would like to meet with any member of our team, please feel free to get in touch using the contact information below.

Amy Berry

Women’s Ministry Coordinator

Amy joined the Grace Church staff in July of 2021. She graduated from Midwestern State University in 2010 with her Bachelors in Nursing and later in 2016 with her Masters in Nursing Education. Through her part-time role as Women’s Ministry Coordinator, she serves, educates, and equips the women of Grace Church in their walk with Christ.

Amy has been married to her high school sweetheart, Blayne, since 2010. Together they have four children, Jude, Everett, Olivia, and Grayson. Amy enjoys being with her family in the outdoors, traveling, and sharing a good meal with friends.

Lance Bourgeois

Senior Pastor

Lance first joined the staff of Grace Church 1998 as Small Groups Pastor. Sixteen years later, he became Senior Pastor of a church in his home state of Louisiana, where he served until returning to Grace in 2019. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Fuller Theological Seminary (D.Min.).

Married since 1994, Lance and his wife Ellen have a son, Taylor, and a daughter, Anna Katherine. They remain committed to supporting their alma mater by making their annual pilgrimage to see LSU play in Tiger Stadium. More than that, he remains committed to teaching the Scriptures and equipping the saints for the work of ministry.

Blake Boyd

Worship Pastor

Blake joined the Grace Church staff in 2010 as an intern while completing his bachelors degree at Midwestern State University. Blake and his wife Caroline have been married since 2012 and have three children.

While serving as an intern he had an opportunity to lead worship for Junior High students. It was rough but it sparked a growing desire. Blake has a heart for worship ministry and using music as a way for the church body to draw near to God. Blake enjoys being outdoors, the occasional DIY project (when successful) and – most of all – spending time with his family.

Kristen Byas

Communications Assistant

Kristen has attended Grace Church since 2008. She has a background in church communications and was happy to join the staff in 2021. She and her husband, Jason have been married since 2010 and they have four kids together.

Aside from her responsibilities at Grace, Kristen is currently enrolled at Midwestern State University where she is finishing her bachelor’s degree. She is a dedicated soccer mom, loves getting her camera out at golden hour, and enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and dog Teddy.

Malea Cannedy

Ministry Assistant

Malea joined the Grace Church staff in February of 2024. She helps support the ministry team and is often the smiling face greeting you at the front desk. She has previously worked in the dental field and the loan department of a local credit union.

Malea and her husband Peyton have been married since 2016 and they have a very spoiled goldendoodle, Junie. Peyton enjoys good conversations over coffee, going on walks, and spending time with her family and friends.

Caleb Carmichael

Connections Pastor

Caleb joined the Grace Church staff in July of 2020 with the desire to walk alongside people as they explore what it means to follow Jesus and to help them find real community within the church. He received his BBA from Midwestern State University in 2012 and his MACE from Southwestern Baptist School of Theology in 2014.

Caleb and his wife Samantha have been married since 2013 and have two children, Grayson and Henley. Caleb loves spending time with his family, discovering new places to eat, and watching, playing, and arguing about sports.

Joe Cook

Shepherding Pastor

Joe joined the Grace Church staff in July 2019. He received his BBS from Hardin-Simmons University and his MABS from Grace School of Theology. In 2015, after 20 years of teaching in public school, Joe became a full-time Hospice chaplain for four years.

He grew up in Grandfield, Oklahoma, which happens to have a population the size of his wife Lynette’s graduating high school class. Despite this clash of cultures, they have been happily married since 1992. They have one daughter, Natalie, who graduated from MSU in 2022 . In his spare time, Joe enjoys camping and painting in oils.

Josh Fernberg

Children’s Pastor

Josh Fernberg joined the Grace Church staff in June of 2009 with the desire to help children grow in their knowledge of God’s character and discover how big His love for them is. After graduating from the University of North Texas in 2003 with a degree in Business Administration, Josh completed his Masters in Ministry degree at Grace School of Theology.

Josh has been married to his best friend Alli since 2004. They have three children; Ben, Sam, and Anna Claire. In his free time Josh likes to run and play any sport with a ball, but mostly loves hanging out with his family.

Derek Hughes

Executive Pastor

Derek first joined the Grace Church staff in 1999 as Youth Pastor. After serving as a Family Pastor in the Pacific Northwest for a while, he returned to our team in 2017. He is delighted to be a part of the pastoral staff at Grace and to journey alongside the people of Grace Church.

He is most energized when connecting and encouraging people to use God’s Word as their practical, day-to-day filter through which all of life is sorted. Derek and his bride Tammy have been married since 1988 and have two adult sons and one daughter-in-law. He enjoys traveling, being active, and watching sports.

Sarah Johnson

Lead Ministry Assistant

Sarah joined our ministry staff in 2023 and supports our Senior and Executive Pastors in addition to coordinating support for the rest of the pastoral team. She has been married to Jim since 2007 and they have one son, Jacob. They have been members of Grace since September of 2019.

Sarah is currently working on her Masters of Christian Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. When she has spare time, she can probably be found running, reading, and rooting for the Texas Rangers (finally World Series champs!) with her husband, family, or Community Group.

Caleb Levell

Student Pastor

Caleb grew up in Grace Church and first joined our staff as an intern in 2014. He graduated with a BBA from Midwestern State University in 2018 and is currently pursuing an MABS at Grace School of Theology.

He married his high school sweetheart Holly in June of 2017, and they have two daughters, Millie and Heidi Jo. He enjoys the great outdoors, is usually the first in line for a new superhero movie, and loves a night out with his family. Caleb feels blessed to minister to students during a pivotal stage in their lives and has a passion for helping them understand their worth in Christ.

Kim Little

Children’s Ministry Assistant

Kim has been working at Grace Church since 2002 as the Children’s Ministry Assistant. She and her husband Ross were married in June 1992.

Together they have three children, one daughter-in-law, and three sweet little granddaughters. In her spare time, Kim likes visiting and playing with her grandchildren, gardening, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Joe Lovato

Facilities Supervisor

Joe, an Army veteran, and his wife Tracy began attending Grace Church in 2022 when they moved back to her hometown of Wichita Falls. After praying for greater integration into the church, Joe joined our team in December, 2023.

Joe is a proud husband, father to three, and “GPa” to 7 grandchildren. When not working, he enjoys being outdoors, playing with their French bulldog Sebastian, reading, and generally being content with life.

Barbara McMahen

Early Childhood Director

Barbara is a local girl and third generation native Texan. She has been married to Rick for 43 years. They have three grown children, three children-in-love, four grandchildren, and seven granddogs. She has been a member of Grace for almost 30 years.

Barbara was a founder and the Executive Director of a local nonprofit maternity home for 17 years before joining the staff of Grace Church in 2011. She is blessed to share her love of God with children and their families. She also loves to garden, camp, and explore God’s beautiful creation.

Geoff Meador

Communications Pastor

Geoff has been on the staff of Grace Church since September of 2004. He holds (loosely) a bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry from Wayland Baptist University and an M.A. in Media and Communications from Dallas Theological Seminary.

Geoff and his wife Abby have been married since 2002 and have one son who is, rather suddenly, in high school. He is responsible for leveraging media and technology to keep our church family informed and, as the one responsible for our website, occasionally changes this paragraph for his own amusement.

Kimberly Ravelo

Worship Ministry Coordinator

Kimberly has attended Grace Church since she moved to Wichita Falls in 2014. She has served on our worship team for several years and joined the staff in 2021. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology from Hardin-Simmons University and her Doctorate in Audiology from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Kimberly loves supporting our team in a variety of ways including vocal coaching, hearing conservation, and coordinating worship team events. She can often be found discussing books or podcasts, and taking long lunches with friends and family.

Nolen Smith

Education Pastor

Nolen joined the Grace Church staff in August of 2014. He has served on staff at Grace in small group, high school, and now college ministry. He graduated from Texas A&M in 2010 and has served in youth and family ministries in College Station, Plano, and Wichita Falls, and is currently pursuing his MABS at Grace School of Theology.

He enjoys spending time with his wife, Susan, and their three children, Elliot, and Cooper, and Marley, as well as hanging out with friends and watching sports. He is passionate about the teaching process, and, most importantly, loves seeing people learn to trust Jesus.

Leah Walker

Special Projects Coordinator

Leah joined the Grace Church staff in 2004 and has served in a variety of capacities since then. Her passion is helping others live as disciples of Christ. She received a BBA degree in Marketing from Texas Tech University and graduated from the University of Colorado School of Bank Marketing.

She worked in corporate banking and health care for many years and enjoys using those skills and experiences in her ministry at Grace. Leah loves playing tennis, fishing, watching football and tennis on TV, and enjoying her cabin in the mountains of New Mexico.