Leaders and Staff At Pleasant Grove

Pastor Chris and his wife, Kelly, have been married since 1994. They have 3 kids—Gavin, Grace, and Abigail. Chris is is an ordained minister in the Global Methodist Church with a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and a Bachelor of Science in Textile Engineering from Southern Polytechnic State University. Pastor Chris began ministry in 2000 and has served four different churches in Georgia. Chris also has a passion for martial arts, training since he was 10 years old.  He is holds a 2nd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Favorite Experience: "One of my favorite experiences happened on a mission trip to Guatemala. A friend and I were sitting on the roof of a church we were helping to build.  Our feet were hanging off the edge. It was a beautiful day and we were just reveling in the glory of God’s creation and the privilege of serving Him. The sweet sound of a female voice came drifting to our ears from a house next door. She was singing something we couldn’t understand.  It was in Quiche (the local language of the village). We asked our translator what the words meant. He said, “She is thanking God for sending your mission team to help her church.”"

When not at church or with the family:  "I like to build or make things by hand. I especially like to start with a raw material like wood, leather, or metal and turn them into something useful and beautiful like a pantry, a pen, a book cover, or a knife. It is also neat to take something old and worn out and restore it to make it beautiful again."

Favorite Quote: “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.”, St. Francis of Assisi.

Music/podcasts I like to listen to: I enjoy all kinds of music, including Switchfoot, TobyMac, Third Day, MercyMe, Need to Breathe, Classic Rock, Bluegrass, Blues, and Classic Country. I also enjoy listening to audio books, and Disciple Dojo.

My life verse is: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”, Matthew 6:33. 

Amy and her husband, Jason, have been married in 2004. They have 2 teenagers, Jackson and Lindsey. Amy has been the youth director at Pleasant Grove U.M.C. since 2015 and has worked in youth ministry in the Methodist Church for three decades. Amy also works as a full-time paralegal.

Favorite experience: "Many years ago, when I had only been working in youth ministry for a few years, I was faced with a good bit of conflict and stress from the job and felt like I was being told to give it up and let someone take my place. We were on our annual youth beach retreat and I had been praying that God would direct my path in this ministry and in that time, I asked God why I should continue working in the youth ministry when it was causing me such hurt and grief. My favorite part of our beach retreats is communion on the beach. After each youth member is served communion, they go to a quiet place on the beach to reflect and pray. We had finished communion on the beach and my back was to the ocean and the youth members. As I turned around to go to my quiet spot, I saw 20 teenagers spread out across the beach, some with heads bowed, some with faces raised, all loving God and what he has done for them. At that moment, I heard a quiet voice say to me, "This is why." I have never felt so sure of anything as I was of my purpose in youth ministry at that moment. Two decades later, there is no turning back!"

When not at church I like to: "Watch sports or go to the lake. My life outside of church revolves around my children and their activities. We are a big sports family and most weekends you will find us at the ball field sitting behind home plate or at the gym cheering on our kids and their teammates. When our children's sports schedules allow, we like to take off to the lake during the summer."

Favorite Quote: "Just do it." - Nike (does that slogan count as a quote, because I find that I am regularly reciting those words over and over to myself and my children)

Music/podcasts I like to listen to: "I listen to it all--Contemporary Christian, Southern Gospel, Country (new and old), Classic Rock, and even the hip hop music that comes from my children's iPods."

My life verse is: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 NKJV I have witnessed personally the truth in this Proverb. My desire is to train up as many children as God places in my path.

David and his wife, Amy, were married in 1992. They have two kids—Tiffany and Sarah.  David is a retired educator and currently works various jobs including working with Jostens, Gadsden Music, music director for the Sounds of Joy and choir director for Pleasant Grove Methodist Church.  He performs with the Jericho Brass on alto horn, the Dalton Whitfield  Community band on French horn, Spatial Effects blue grass band on rhythm guitar and vocals, and the Pleasant Groove Praise Band on bass and vocals.  David began his music ministries at Pleasant Grove Methodist in 2014.  

Favorite Experience: "One of my favorite experiences was posting to YouTube a silly song about the experiences of raising children. It had over a million hits and led to the opportunity to have that song and several others professionally recorded at a studio in Detroit, MI."

When not at church or with the family I like to: "I like to hike, tinker in my workshop, write songs, sing with my family and friends, and watch movies where the bad guys get what’s coming to them."

Favorite Quote: "Just because it is what it is, doesn’t mean that’s the way it ought to be.”, Me.

Music/podcasts I like to listen to: "I don’t listen to any podcasts, I reckon I’m not hip enough, but I like just about all kinds of music."

My life verse is: "I don’t think I have considered a verse to be my, “Life Verse”, but having reflected after being asked to come up with one, I suppose, at this moment in my life, the verse could be, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”, 1 Peter 4:10. 

Jeremy Barfield is a live audio engineer with nearly two decades of national touring and event experience in the field of live audio, theatre, Houses of Worship, and live and studio broadcast.

While attending Troy University (Troy, AL) as a music education major, Jeremy was a member of the University’s band program, playing trombone in any and every ensemble available. After leaving Troy, He took a position in Atlanta, GA as a local stagehand. Showing a strong aptitude for stagecraft, especially live sound, he was picked up by a regional sound company.  While there, Jeremy was taken under the wing of a few long-time touring audio engineers. During this time, he had the chance to work with many various styles of music and work hand-in-hand with world class musicians and engineers.  He moved into the freelance world in 2005, working as a corporate event A2 and engineer for a few local rock-and-roll clubs, eventually earning the A1 position for many corporate events.

Since 2011, Jeremy has toured with Grammy™ Award winning and multi-platinum artists and has been the PA system engineer and monitor tech for music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Governor’s Ball NYC. He has worked with artists such as Julio Igesias, T-Pain, Austin Mahone, Michael McDonald, and many others.  In that time, Jeremy has been the production audio system engineer and RF coordinator for iTheatric’s Junior Theater Festivals and has been the mainstage FOH engineer for over 60 music theme charter cruises. 

Jeremy's day job is producing live and pre-produced content for a popular fitness technology company at their flagship studios in Chattanooga.

When not at church or with the family: “During soccer season, I join in with my Chattahooligan family in section 109 at Finley stadium, cheering on the boys in blue, supporting the Chattanooga Football Club.”

My life verse is: “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” -Matt. 25:40

 Angela and Ricky were married in 1994.  They have 4 children and 11 grand children. Angela has many years of experience as a faithful administrator. Prior to serving at the church, she was involved in sales as well as customer service and finance.

Favorite Experience: "I have many experiences that I would call favorite, however I love building relationships with people at church. Each one brings a special gift every time I see them and I find it interesting to watch people grow where they are planted. I love watching our children learn and grow spiritually as well."

When not at church with the family, I like to: "Run and work out. “Like” may be pushing it, however taking care of myself is my hobby."

Favorite Quote: “Remember that guy that gave up? Neither does anyone else.”, Coach Matt Lisle.

Music: "I like to listen to a variety of music. Current pop, (I feel it keeps me young), classic rock (because I lived it), worship music and hymns, (because I was raised on it.)"

Verse: “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”, Micah 6:8.