Michael has been on staff as Worship Pastor at Spring Road since June 2006. He was born and raised as a pastor's kid near Athens, Georgia, and graduated from Atlanta Christian College in 1992 with a B.A. in Christian Ministries. After graduating, Michael worked as a REACH intern through Christian Missionary Fellowship with a new work in Benin, West Africa. Upon returning to the States, he enrolled at Fuller Theological Seminary where he earned a M.A. in Theology. Michael served in student ministry, worship ministry, and as Associate Pastor for 14 years at Christ's Church at Whitewater in Fayetteville, Georgia, where he met and married his wife Emily. Emily is a great teammate in worship leadership as she sings and plays acoustic, electric, and bass guitar as well as violin. She is also one of our counselors on staff at Restore Counseling Center.

Michael and Emily have been married since 1999 and have three boys -- Jordan, Ethan, and Brennan -- and joyfully find themselves immersed in homework; soccer, baseball, and football games; golf; mountain biking; and refereeing sibling skirmishes. Michael loves the gym, reading, music, teaching the Bible, travel, and spending time with his family.

In May of 2016, Michael completed his D.Min. in Christian Ministry and Leadership through BIOLA University, and teaches as an adjunct professor at Point University. As a discipleship minister, Michael emphasizes living life with eternity in mind and the courage granted to us as Christ walks alongside us every day. As Frederich Beuchner writes, "Here is the world. Terrible and beautiful things will happen. Do not be afraid. I am with you."

Natalie's passion for students began literally at birth. She was born in Auburn, Alabama, where her parents started a campus ministry, Auburn Christian Fellowship. Her baby nursery was actually in the campus house among the students. Since then, she has remained passionate for the Lord and Christian community. Growing up at Southwest Christian Church in East Point, Georgia, along with intentional parents, Natalie's love for ministry never wavered. She graduated from Point University (Atlanta Christian College) in 2004 with a double major in Biblical Studies and Humanities. While at Point, she served in youth ministry for four years at Southwest Christian Church. She also had the opportunity to do a REACH internship during the summer of 2002 in Ethiopia, which ignited her passion for missions. After graduating, she attempted Campus Ministry at Georgia Southern Christian Campus Fellowship for two years and fell in love with college ministry. She then worked as an assistant campus minister at Georgia Tech Christian Campus Fellowship where she met her husband, Robert Braden. Together they were called to Birmingham, England; from 2007 to 2011, they and a team of others launched "Canvas," a CMF Globalscope Campus Ministry. Robert and Natalie married in 2008 and started their family, which now includes four wonderful sons -- Benjamin, Everett, Charlie, and Luke.

Natalie and her Feast staff are currently investing in our middle and high school student ministry also. This is an exciting opportunity, and they are relying on God's guidance for this journey with our youth.

Natalie is passionate about college students meeting the real and relevant Jesus through the unique community that comes from college-age ministry. She also enjoys getting to know middle and high school students and their interests, and she has a desire to impact them for Jesus while they are seeking direction for who they will be in the future. In addition to spending life loving on "her babies" (the student kind and her natural ones), Natalie enjoys art, books, coffee, traveling, and just living life with people she loves.

Alycia graduated in 2014 from Point University, earning a B.S. in Child and Youth Development. She worked as a FLI resident in the children's ministry here at Spring Road, and this is where she discovered how much she loved it! After finishing college, Alycia moved back to her home city of Covington, Georgia, to be a teacher. She and her husband Daniel were married in 2015, and in June of 2016 they moved back to Lanett. God then led her to accept the position of children's ministry director at SRCC in August.

Alycia and Daniel bought their first home here in Lanett, and together they have two dogs...Neville and Maggie. Alycia enjoys being with family, trying new foods, being outside, and exercising.

Alycia's goal in her ministry is that every child is treated with love and care, knowing that they are all created in God's image. She shares this thought: When you open the door to Jesus, you open the door to everyone He loves and everywhere He takes you.