Staff

Senior Pastor Clark Whitten

Founding Pastor, Grace Church

Family: Married to Martha since 1972, have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.

Salvation Experience: I was saved at a James Robinson Crusade in 1969 which I attended with a friend who would not take no for an answer. I am grateful for God’s great grace and my friend’s great persistence!
Education: B.S. from East Texas State University; Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Ministry Experience: Founding Pastor of Gateway Church, Rosewell New Mexico – 1978-1984, Evangelist – 1984-1986. Senior Pastor Metro Church Edmond 1986-1995. Senior Pastor – Calvary Assembly, Winter Park Florida – 1995-2005. Founding Pastor of Grace Church – 2005-Present.

I have traveled all over the U.S. preaching, teaching and ministering in Prophetic Presbyteries.

Board of Directors: Exodus International, Marriage Today

Published Materials: Many articles in various Christian publications, contributing commentator: Spirit Filled Life Bible.
Book: Pure Grace released in March 2012 by Destiny Image Publishers.

Hobbies: Golf (the sport of choice for all exceptionally gifted athletes!) Spending time with my grandsons and granddaughter (I love these little people beyond reason!) Handy man projects, reading, spending time with my dear wife, Martha.

Personal note: I find great joy being involved with Grace Church. My life is full with family, friends, and those in the body of this church family. When I travel, I can’t wait to get home. When I am home, I don’t want to leave. Having the great privilege of having family close and seeing the changed lives of those around me as they experience the dynamic truth of the finished work of Christ, is an honor beyond compare. Working with people I love and admire is the icing on the cake! I have had more fun and enjoyed ministry more at Grace than ever before.

Pastor Bill Snell

Executive Pastor

Joined Grace Church Staff:  July 2010

Family: Married to Tammy since 1979, have four children, and two grandchildren.

Salvation Experience: I grew up in a Christian family attending church regularly.  There was never a time in my childhood memory that I didn’t know about God’s love for me, or His plan of salvation giving His only son, Jesus, to lay down His life for me.  Yet on a Sunday morning when I was around 10-years old, the pastor ended his message with an invitation for people to act on their belief in Christ to receive Him into their life as Savior.  I did, and have been delighted with that decision ever since.

Education: Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, Texas – Bachelors in Music Education (B-ME);  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas – Masters of Divinity (M-Div)

Ministry experience: served as a senior pastor in three churches in California and Oklahoma, executive and/or management pastor positions in churches located in Colorado and Florida, as well as directing an international mission organization in Orlando, FL, with missionaries in over 50 countries.

Business experience: includes mortgage banking, sales, small business ownership, and real estate.

Hobbies: includes exercise, riding motorcycles, golf, scuba diving, fishing, searching for my tools, reading, dates with my wife, playing with the grandkids, and cruising on the high seas.

Pastor Javin van Kaam

Children / Youth Pastor

Joined Grace Church Staff:    August 2007

Family: Married to Brooke since 2005. We have three children.

Salvation Experience:  I remember praying to receive Jesus when I was five years old with my Mom. In my teenage years, however, I chose to go my own way and only saw Christianity as a religious preference that I had. I lived life the way I wanted to and my fondness for music became my identity. After becoming severely depressed I tried to find relief through substance abuse. Nothing worked. It wasn’t until I visited my brothers Bible study that I found freedom. I brought a friend to the meeting with me and, to my surprise, He accepted Christ. I watched as He had a very real encounter with God which stirred a hope inside of me. Feeling I had nothing left to lose, I prayed once again and was delivered that night from depression and every addiction I had. God became very real to me in that moment and I have walked with Him ever since.

Education: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL – Bachelors in Liberal Studies (Public Relations / Creative Writing)

Ministry Experience: Evangelized on the streets of Orlando, FL and Tampa, FL for two years. I then started a music ministry with some friends that traveled across Florida for some years leading worship and performing original music that we wrote. I served as an assistant youth pastor and children’s ministry leader for a couple of years before coming to Grace Church and becoming the children and youth pastor.

Business Experience:  Includes sales and working in real estate.

Hobbies: Treasuring my wife, enjoying my kids, playing guitar and drums, recording music, playing basketball, snowboarding, video games, and building computers.

Pastor Abby Dolbear

Worship Pastor

Joined Grace Church Staff:  October 2005

Family: Married to my college sweetheart, Scott Dolbear in 1998.  We have three children of whom I am so proud of Ethan, Joaquin and Aiyana

Salvation Experience:   I was twelve when I asked Jesus into my heart.  I grew up in a Christian home where my Dad was the worship leader at church and my Mom sang on the team.  It was a unique childhood where I grew up singing about God’s love and goodness.  I distinctly remember one Sunday morning realizing that I had never asked Jesus into my heart, so I responded to the urging in my Spirit and began a relationship with God.  It’s been the most moving and transforming relationship I’ve ever experienced in my life.

Education:  Bemidji State University, Bemidji, Minnesota; Portland Bible College, Portland Oregon

Ministry Experience:  I’ve been worshipping my whole life!  I started leading worship when I was young and have led worship in several churches in Minnesota, New York and Florida.

Hobbies:  spending time with my family and friends, reading cookbooks, playing piano and singing, watching era movies, being in the kitchen/ baking or cooking especially holiday meals, fashion and shoes (what girl doesn’t?), exercising so I can of course eat all sorts of CHOCOLATE.

Carol Causseaux 

Executive Assistant

Joined Grace Church Staff: January 2009

Family: Married to Scott since 1982. No children

Salvation Experience: Gave my life to the Lord in 1990 after coming home one night with friends and ended up watching Dwight Thompson preaching on television.

Hobbies: Going on long walks, staying at Bed & Breakfasts, laughing, laughing and more laughing.

Mio Frye

Receptionist

Joined Grace Church Staff: November 2009

Family: married my college sweetheart Ryan Frye in 2003 and welcomed our amazing daughter into our world a year later.

Salvation Experience: I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know God’s presence in my life. My parents were Christians and raised my brother and I according to God’s word. But it wasn’t until one of my birthdays as a young child that I made the conscious decision to follow Christ. Ever since then I have seen how the Lord has directed my path and gradually revealed the depth of His grace in my life.

Education:  Southeastern University

Ministry experience: Served as a Children’s Church Coordinator for 3 years.

Hobbies:  Graphic and Interior Design, video editing, movie watching and singing terribly, I love spending time with my friends and family over good food and competitive gaming.

Randy Thomas

Communications Consultant

Joined Grace Church Staff:  April 2011

Family: Received the calling to lifetime celibacy in 2000. That said, I am quite open to a change of plans and taking “Awesomest Wife Ever” applications.

Salvation Experience: I was not raised in the church and became a Christian at the age of 24. My testimony is featured in Chuck Colson’s Book The Good Life and featured online here.

Education: Completed Two Years of College at Middle Tennessee State University and The University of Texas. I studied both social work and political science.

Ministry Experience: Served as a volunteer and eventually Executive Director of Living Hope Ministries in Arlington Texas from 1993 to 2002. In June of 2002 through August of 2011 I served at Exodus International in various roles eventually moving into the Executive Vice President position from 2007 to 2011. As President of ART by Randy Thomas I am now helping various ministries and churches with their online needs and outreach.

Business Experience: includes information technology specialist, media training, speaking, teaching, team building, project management, non-profit consulting and currently building and running ART by Randy Thomas, Inc.

Hobbies: exercise, right now … weight watchers, personal blogging.