Nice to meet you

Church Fuel is a professional development community focused on helping you strengthen the daily business of your church so that you can embrace the roots of your calling. Our team members come from diverse backgrounds, but we all share one thing in common—a commitment to giving you practical tools and coaching that you can put to use right away.

WE'RE HIRING
Michael Lukaszewski

Michael Lukaszewski

Founder

Former youth pastor, church planter, senior pastor, and church consultant, you could say Michael’s lived nine lives—and he’s still going. Today, he writes books and articles and helps create courses for church leaders. Michael’s a graduate of Florida State University and did post-graduate work at Liberty University. Husband to Jennie and father to three kids, you can find him smoking ribs or grilling steaks on the Big Green Egg on the weekends.

Bobby Williams

Bobby Williams

Community Manager

Bobby’s our pastor to pastors—and he’s ready to serve you. When he’s not overseeing coaching and the community forum here at Church Fuel, Bobby also serves as pastor of The Ridge Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a church committed to reaching unchurched people with the Gospel.

Shannon Whitehead

Shannon Whitehead

Content Director

Shannon’s all about words (both reading and writing them). She takes that passion and applies it to managing content for our members and blog. A North Carolina native and graduate of East Carolina University, Shannon’s background combines church communications, digital marketing, and a brief stint in the fashion industry. After work, you can find her spending time with friends, with her head in a good book, or at a new restaurant.

Sophie Tolar

Sophie Tolar

Sales and Marketing Director

Sales and Marketing expert… or resident mastermind? Sophie does it all. More specifically, she creates, maintains and adjusts marketing campaigns and product deliverability, and designs the user experience and online course flow for members and customers. She is a wife to Tim, and dog mom to Tucker and Jamie. She’s known around town as a worship leader, business owner, coffee drinker, dog mom, and rock climber.

Meagan Ranson

Meagan Ranson

Product Director

Meagan has spent the last 15 years building teams, creating systems, and crafting messages that work. She co-hosts The Seminary of Hard Knocks podcast, sits on the Board of Directors for a local Montessori school, and kills every healthy plant she owns. Previously a Communications Director for a multi-site church in Southeast Michigan, Meagan has a passion for church health and church growth. Wife to Geoff, and mother to Emma, you can usually find Meagan with her nose in a book or hiking somewhere with her family.

Whitney Law

Whitney Law

Project Manager

Project Manager is the name, organization is her game. Whitney implements systems to make things run more smoothly. She is a wife to Kurt, a mom to Reese, and together they travel the US encouraging people to “Eat Mor Chikin.” In their spare time, you can find them exploring the new cities they live in, hiking, and drinking lots of good local coffee.
Makki Nelson

Makki Nelson

Director of Customer Success

Makki’s customer service career journey began over a decade ago selling wedding dresses. Since then, she’s navigated corporate America and is now the go-to gal for any questions Church Fuel customers have. When she’s not helping church leaders get the most out of our resources, she finds the time to volunteer with her four-legged friends at Bulldog Haven NW, have QT with her own bulldog, Maggie, bring her family and friends together over a homecooked meal, or enjoy a peaceful hike in the mountains (like the true PNW native she is).

Meet Our Ministry Coaches

Matt Anderson

Matt Anderson is the Lead Pastor of Surprise Church, a growing congregation that has begun to launch new churches in Bismarck, ND. He was involved in ministry for twenty years before starting Surprise Church in 2014. Matt’s ministry expertise includes strategic thinking and planning, community engagement, church planting, and preaching as a means of leadership. In his free time, he enjoys working out, writing, and fishing with his wife Lacee and their three energetic kids.

Ryan Brooks

Ryan Brooks is the Lead Pastor of Vertical Church, a church plant in the Durham, NC area. Ryan has served on staff for 10 years in churches with 200-5,000 members and has a heart for unity through the pursuit of the multiethnic church and discipleship. He is well-versed in discipleship strategies, leadership development, and systems. Ryan is married to his best friend, April, and they have four children together.

Joanne Hoehne

Joanne Hoehne co-pastors The Source Church in Bradenton, Florida alongside her husband, Ralph, with campuses in both Florida and Winnipeg, Canada. She is also an author, co-host of the TV show Source Live, and founder of an international conference, SHE Tour. Her areas of expertise are transformational preaching, teaching, and communicating, conferences and event planning, and women in ministry (including the importance of the balance of men and women and making room for women to rise). She is originally from Canada and now lives in Florida with her husband, four sons, two daughters-in-law, and two granddaughters.

Robbie Foreman

Robbie Foreman is the Lead Pastor at a brand new church plant called Together Church in Moncks Corner, SC. He has 16 years of ministry experience and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Youth Ministry, a Masters Degree in Worship, and a Doctorate in Biblical and Pastoral Counseling. His areas of expertise include worship planning, worship leading, speaking, sermon content, systems, and counseling. In his spare time, Robbie enjoys duck hunting, South Carolina Gamecock athletics, and grilling out. He and his wife, Allison, have three children and are currently in the process of adopting a son from Haiti.

Bobby Williams

Bobby Williams is the Lead Pastor and planter of The Ridge Church in Oak Ridge, TN and the Community Director for Church Fuel. He has been in full-time ministry for 20 years, previously serving in student ministry and worship arts, and has been coaching church planters and pastors for 10 years. His areas of expertise include church planting, discipleship and leadership models, systems, worship planning, and sermon content. Bobby enjoys fishing, BBQing on the smoker, and University of Tennessee athletics. He and his wife, Denira, have two children.

Ariel Nieves

Pastor Ariel is the former Discipleship Pastor at Christ Tabernacle, a 4,000 member Church in NYC. He is passionate about helping Churches turn first time guests into engaged members utilizing discipleship and leadership strategies. He is well versed in Growing Small Groups, Discipleship / Connection strategies, and developing leaders at your church.