Staff
The day-to-day ministry of our church is led by a team of full-time and part-time staff. Our staff are responsible for implementing the vision and direction set forth by the elder team through the equipping of our members. To contact our staff, please use the contact link in the menu and we will be in touch as soon as we can.
Ben Talmadge
Senior Pastor
Ben serves as the senior pastor of Grace Church. He has been on staff with Grace since 2008 and has been the senior pastor since 2016. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and holds a M.Div. from Beeson Divinity School. He is married to Anna Grace, and they are the parents of two children.
Tim Thomassian
Associate Pastor
Tim has served as the Associate Pastor at Grace since 1996. He oversees our small group ministry (Shepherding Groups), Deacon Ministry, and Ministry Teams. He is a graduate of Samford University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Bethel Seminary. He and his wife, Laurie, have three adult children.
Nita Hallman
Administrative & Community Life Assistant
Nita and her husband, Terry, are both native to Tuscaloosa. She joined the staff in April 1998. She also does lay-counseling with women and assists with our Community Life Ministries. She and Terry have been part of the Grace Church family since 2000. They have a son and a daughter and six grandchildren.
Shannon Gray
Children's Education & Women's Ministry Director
Shannon has been on staff at Grace since 2006 and has been part of the Grace Church family since 1979. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a Masters in Human Development and Family Life Studies. She is married to Alan—they have three sons, two daughters and twelve grandchildren.
Tim Wilson
associate Pastor
Tim began serving as a part time Youth Director in February 2016 while working full time in the business world. In 2022, after completing a Masters degree in Biblical Studies, he took on additional responsibilities and accepted the full time position of Associate Pastor. Prior to coming on staff he had been a volunteer with the student ministry since college. A 2010 graduate of the University of Alabama, he received his Masters degree from Birmingham Theological Seminary. He and his wife Karlie have four kids.
Leslie Hoyle
Music Director
Leslie has been a part of Grace Church since 2004 and became Music Director in 2017. She attended Bob Jones University where she majored in Music Education. Leslie is married to Lee Hoyle, and they have four children.
Collin Sherrill
Middle School Youth Director
Collin has attended Grace since 2006. He has volunteered with the youth since 2017 and accepted the position of Middle School Youth Director in 2020. Collin is a graduate of Jefferson State Community College with a degree in Physical Therapy. He currently works as a licensed physical therapist assistant and is married to Katie.
Jeremy Henderson
Assistant Pastor
Jeremy has attended Grace Church since 2004, and he became Assistant Pastor in August 2023. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama with degrees in communication and counseling. Jeremy is currently an instructor in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. Some of Jeremy’s “favorites” are basketball (sport), bbq ribs (food), Root (it’s a boardgame – look it up!), and The Lord of the Rings (book). Jeremy is married to Amber Henderson, and they have four children.
Elders
We are an elder-led church, meaning that we operate under the authority of a team of elders, all of whom are active members and all of whom possess equal authority in all decision-making and oversight of the church.
To contact the elders, please use the following email address.
Jeremy Henderson
Andy Paxton
Scott Spears
Grady Wilson
Keith Watson
Ben Talmadge
Deacons
Our deacons are servant leaders who oversee a variety of practical ministries connected to the congregation and who support the work of the church and the elders.
