Our Team
LEAD PASTOR
Charlie
Loften
I have been married for 20+ years to my beautiful wife Heidi and we have three awesome daughters, Maylee, Lauren, and Laylah. We moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2010 to lead The Grove Church and have loved every minute of it.
In addition to being a pastor, I love Razorback basketball, 80s music, and movies, lots of movies. However, my greatest passion is helping people find Jesus and then find their role in the awesome life that God has for each one of us.
EXECUTIVE PASTOR
Mark
Freeman
I am originally from the southwest corner of the state and attended a university in Arkadelphia. I met my amazing wife (Terri) in high school and we married halfway through our college career. That was 1997 and to this point we have lived in fifteen different homes, in near as many cities, to do all kinds of things we felt Jesus leading us toward.
Much of the adventure has taken us overseas and across cultures. We have two teenagers (Caleb and Brennen) and two toddlers (Jack and Darcy) in our home. I have to admit that I enjoy most the nights that I take my love on a date, the days we watch our kids activities, a game of disc golf here and there, traveling the world at every chance, and the (not so rare) occasion that I get to drink good coffee!
Administration
Leslie
Post
I’ve lived in Northwest Arkansas for most of my life, graduated from the U of A and decided to stick around Fayetteville. I married my husband Gregg in 2012 and we welcomed our son Owen in December 2016.
We watch a lot of sports at our house, especially the Razorbacks. I love being behind the scenes and helping with the details!
STUDENT PASTOR
Matt
Vaughan
I grew up in a big family in Oklahoma! I graduated from OSU and later jumped on staff at the Grove in the Fall of 2019.
I found my way to NW Arkansas through Camp War Eagle, where I met my incredible wife, Katelyn. We had our son, Levi, in September 2021.
I enjoy many outdoor activities, playing video games, listening to rock music, and running obstacle races! I can be super-hype or super-chill, it depends on how much coffee I’ve had.
My passion is to build relationships with students that encourage & lead them to live a Christ-centered life full of grace, truth & mercy.
Grove Kids Director
Katelyn
Vaughan
I grew up in Minnesota and attended Oklahoma Baptist University where I majored in elementary education and ran track and cross country. I then got hired to work at Camp War Eagle which is what brought me to NWA!
I worked there full time for a couple of years and met my husband (Matt) one fateful Western Night at the mallow roasting pit.
We enjoy hiking, camping, game nights with friends, traveling, and pretty much anything else outdoors. I love hanging out with the little ones and getting to know so many incredible people here at the Grove!
grove women's director
Loren
Lewis
Loren has been attending the Grove since her college days at U of A back in 2008 along with her husband, Taylor. They left NWA for three years in 2013, but came back to the Grove in 2016 with the addition of their son Fawkes.
Since coming back, Loren has enjoyed being involved in the creative team and is commonly known as “the facebook lady”, helping out with the Grove’s social media. Loren is currently the director of operations for Go Rogue X, a video podcasting company.
When she is not working, Loren enjoys drinking large amounts of coffee, attempting gardening, playing board games with her hubby, and chasing down her roaring, dinosaur-loving boys, Fawkes and Field.
Grove Worship Director
Cass
Harris
My wife Brandi & I & our three kids live in Springdale, AR. We’ve been a part of the Grove for over 18 years. I’ve been the worship pastor since 2013. Music has always been a huge part of my life.
I consider it an honor to be able to use music as a way of connecting us as a people with our Creator. When I’m not making music, I’m working with wood, hanging with my family, or cooking up a feast.
Creative Director
Bryan
Fittin
Bryan decided early on that he wanted to just try everything, mostly just for the fun of it.
Along the way, he tried and succeeded at podcasting, eCommerce selling, bot, and app creation, and even creative direction.
Bryan is husband to Alex and a father to four kids.
He enjoys photography and videography and has pursued this passion by starting his own creative agency, Go Rogue X.
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