Our Team
LEAD PASTOR
Charlie
Loften
My journey with our awesome congregation at The Grove Church started in 2010. It’s been a pleasure to see our church grow into an incredible community where people can truly belong and hear and experience the gospel of Jesus.
As the Lead Pastor, I love teaching the complex truths of God’s Word in a way that feels accessible, so you can grow in your faith and ultimately dive into the Bible on your own. I am thankful to serve in a body where everyone can experience an environment that’s warm, welcoming, and encourages us to trust in and live out the gospel.
Since ’94, I’ve been married to my awesome wife, Heidi. Together, we’ve raised two amazing adult daughters, Maylee, and Lauren. Laylah, our youngest is still in the nest and keeps our days full and our hearts young. In addition to my passion for church and my family, you may catch me at anything and everything Arkansas Razorback basketball (Woo Pig!) or geeking out on movies.
I would love to welcome you to The Grove Church and help you find a place where you can connect with the hope of Jesus and a community where you belong.
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.
Our journey at the Grove started over ten years ago when we moved to NWA. We went from just attending, to becoming members, to joining staff. In this community we have experienced an authenticity of faith and friendship that is contagious and life giving!
We have two adult kiddos (Caleb and Brennen) and two still in the house (Jack and Darcy). 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 bocce here and there, traveling the world at every chance, and the (not so rare) occasion that I get to drink good coffee!
HEAD 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. The Grove has been my church since 2003 and has been a huge part of my life. My background is in counseling but I’ve grown to really love being on a church staff. I thrive being behind the scenes and helping with the details!
I live in Springdale with my husband Gregg, and our son Owen. We love watching sports and are big Razorback fans. I also love going to concerts and listening to music.
STUDENT PASTOR
Matt
Vaughan
I am from Ponca City, Oklahoma. I graduated from OSU in 2018 and found my way to NWA through Camp War Eagle, where I met my incredible wife, Katelyn. I jumped on staff at the Grove in the Fall of 2019. We now have two kids, Levi and Eden Joy, with another on the way!
I really enjoy outdoor activities, playing video games, listening to rock music, and having friends over for board game nights. 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
Natalie
Fink
I was born and raised in Fort Smith, but moved to Fayetteville for college and never left! I started attending the Grove in 2007 while I was in college and have been serving in Grove Kids for nearly that long. It is such an honor and privilege to be leading the ministry now! I am a former pediatric speech-language pathologist and stay-at-home mom, so transitioning to children’s ministry feels natural. As the Grove Kids Director, I schedule volunteers, prepare curriculum, plan events, and make sure Sundays in Grove Kids run smoothly.
My husband, Travis, is my high school sweetheart and the Grove’s resident carpenter and handyman. We have two crazy kids, Elliott and Marlie. I enjoy trying to reach my yearly reading goal, watching my kids’ activities, cheering on Razorback gymnastics, and volunteering with women’s ministry.
grove women's director
Loren
Lewis
The Grove has been a home for my husband, Taylor, and I since our college days! We have loved growing and serving here alongside our community.
As the Women’s Director, I enjoy helping the women of the Grove get connected, grow in their faith and love for Jesus, and help provide opportunities to serve our community. I consider it a great privilege to be able to serve and lead in this role and am so excited for the strong community we are building here at the Grove. I also have the privilege of working alongside our Creative Director to develop and implement marketing strategies for the Grove.
When I am not serving at the Grove, you can find me at my full time job, working at the amazing Camp War Eagle as one of their Summer Staff Coordinators. When not working, I enjoy trying new brunch spots in NWA, reading, beating my husband at board games, attempting gardening, and wrangling my sweet, wild boys, Fawkes and Field.
Creative Director
Abigail
Boone
I grew up in Northeast Arkansas but have lived in Fayetteville since 2014. The Grove was the first church I visited as a college freshman and I was quickly welcomed by so many families that I decided to stay and get plugged in. At the Grove I run all things creative media; whether it is slides, videos, social media, podcast or any other media area, I’m involved in making sure it depicts God and our church to our community.
I graduated with an art degree and since graduation have worked in multiple jobs surrounding all types of media. When I don’t work at the Grove I have a handful of other local clients that I do similar creative media work for. At any given time I’m typically working through a tv series, a book or documentary. I love spending time with my nieces and nephews. And, shocking, I enjoying working on my own personal creative projects!
Worship Leader
Anna
Rasmussen
My family started going to The Grove a few weeks after we moved to Fayetteville in 2011. We started coming and just never wanted to go anywhere else! We were drawn in by the warmth of the members, the authenticity of the leadership, and the heartfelt worship. My husband Dan and I joined a community group and began serving in a variety of ways. Eventually, we settled into our serving roles as trustee (Dan) and worship team (me). I made the leap from volunteer to staff member by becoming the Worship Leader in December 2023. Dan and I have been married for more than 20 years and we hail from Louisiana (Geaux Tigers!) but don’t hold that against us, NWA is home now.
Before having a family, I worked as a designer and photographer but since 2012 I have been homeschooling our three kids: Ellie, Julia, and Zach. In my free time I really love to hang out with my family, read, think, listen to music, run, cook, be in beautiful places, and try to figure out what enneagram number you are. Recently I decided to expand on my design background and become a color consultant. If I am not in NWA, you can probably find me with my family somewhere in Colorado.
It’s no secret that I am passionate about worship and as the Worship Leader, I am excited to grow into this role! It is a joy to serve my church in this way and I look forward to seeing how God uses this ministry in the regular re-orienting of our hearts back toward Him.
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