LIFE AT SOVEREIGN GRACE

There are many ways to be involved and serve at Sovereign Grace.


Children

Nurseries are provided for newborns through four-year-olds on Sundays and Wednesdays. Children of all ages are welcome to our age-appropriate Sunday School classes, and catechism classes on Wednesdays. Every summer we are excited to host Vacation Bible School. 


Youth

Youth are encouraged to attend Sunday School classes on Sundays and Youth Group on Wednesdays. The youth also have monthly social gatherings, and go on annual retreats and summer mission trips.  


Men

Men's ministry includes weekly Bible studies, a quarterly men's breakfast, bi-annual golf days, and an annual retreat in the mountains of North Carolina. 


Women

Women's ministry includes weekly Bible studies. The women have an annual retreat and various other social gatherings. 


Social

Life at Sovereign Grace Presbyterian Church is peppered with all sorts of social events including young adult gatherings, annual retreats, fellowship meals, Fall Festival, Scottish Fellowship evenings, away days at the lake, golf days, soccer matches, and more.     


Ministries

As well as our annual mission trip, Vacation Bible School, and Life Explored evangelism classes, Sovereign Grace also ministers to nearby retirement home, Brighton Gardens, every Sunday. Sovereign Grace also partners with local ministries including Hope Cancer Ministries, Brookstone School, Charlotte Rescue Mission, and Pregnancy Resource Center of Charlotte.  

VISION AND BELIEFS

Sovereign Grace Presbyterian Church wants to glorify God, grow together, and go to the nations. 


We were created to glorify God and we do so particularly in worship. God's Word is our focus when we gather together to worship.   


We want to be a people who are growing together in God's grace. The Christian life is one of togetherness as we form relationships with others, sharing in sorrows, joys, love and hope. This is why we gather for worship, prayer, and meals together. 


We want to be a people who go to the nations as Jesus Christ taught in The Great Commission. This is why we support and send missionaries to preach the gospel in Charlotte and throughout the world. 


Read the complete vision statement here. 


Sovereign Grace is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. For a full statement of our beliefs see the Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism, and Shorter Catechism. 

STAFF MEMBERS

With over 300 members it is important that godly men shepherd the flock. Our nine Ruling Elders shepherd by example and through praying for, teaching, governing, and disciplining members. Our 11 deacons follow Jesus Christ's example in caring for the needs of the congregation as well as the church property. See a list of our Ruling Elders and Deacons here. There are also multiple staff members:   

  • Rev. DR WILLIAM BARCLEY

    senior pastor

    Dr Barcley came to Sovereign Grace in 2007. He is also Adjunct Professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. Previously he was Professor of New Testament at RTS in Jackson, MS, and served as pastor of Lebanon Presbyterian Church in Learned, MS. He earned a BA in Biblical Studies from Gordon College, a MA in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a PhD in New Testament from Boston University. 


    He has written several books including The Secret of Contentment (P&R, 2010), Gospel Clarity: Challenging the New Perspective on Paul (EP, 2010), and 1 & 2 Timothy: EP Study Commentary (EP, 2006).


    Bill and his wife Kristy have six children.


    You can listen to his sermons here.

  • REV. DEAN TURBEVILLE

    pastor in residence

    Rev. Turbeville came to Sovereign Grace in 2012. Previously he served as senior pastor at All Saints Presbyterian Church in Charlotte NC. He earned a BA in History and Religion from the University of South Carolina and a DMin from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA.


    Dean and his wife Nancy have three adult children. 


    You can listen to his sermons here. 

  • Rev. Ben Thomas

    Assistant Pastor

    Rev. Thomas came to Sovereign Grace in 2021.  Ben served previously as a pastor at Midway Presbyterian Church in Powder Springs, GA and then overseas as a missionary in Sweden and England.  He earned a BA in English from Appalachian State University and an MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary.


    Ben is married to Heidi, and they have four children: Jack, Elliot, Kate, and Josie.

  • Rev. Arthur Rankin


    Pastoral Assistant

    Arthur graduated in 2018 from Texas A&M University in College Station with a degree in Classics and History. Afterwards he moved with his wife, Anna, to Charlotte where he completed his M.Div from Reformed Theological Seminary in 2021.

  • REBEKAH SHILLINGLAW

    OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

    Rebekah came to Sovereign Grace in October 2018. She received her BA in Philosophy and Religion from Erskine College in 2007, then had a career in Customer Service following her graduation. She spent the last ten years in various Marketing and Management roles at TruVista, a telecommunications company based in Chester, SC, ending as Director of Customer Operations for the company. 


    Rebekah has two children: Ezra and Hadley. 

  • KATHRYN BOWSER

    Director of WOMEN's Ministries

    Kathryn is originally from Buies Creek, NC. She graduated from Covenant College with a BA in English and completed her MDiv at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte in 2019. During her time as a student at RTS, Kathryn served as an intern at Sovereign Grace. 

  • Alice Church

    DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN's ministry


  • Kristin Bostian

    Director of Nurseries


  • MATTHEW SPARKS

    INTERN

    Matthew graduated from Boyce College in 2018 with a B.S. in Humanities. He is currently pursuing an M.Div at Reformed Theological Seminary. 

  • WiLL KEYTON

    INTERN

    Will was born and raised in a Christian home in Dothan, AL. He went to college at Auburn University where he earned his degree in Civil Engineering in 2017. For the next two years he interned with Reformed University Fellowship at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN. Since August 2019 he has been a student at Reformed Theological Seminary, pursuing an M.Div.

  • Ryan Kaufman

    InTERN

    Ryan is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Geneva College in 2016 with a B.A. in Biblical Studies. He moved to Charlotte in 2018 to begin the M.Div program at Reformed Theological Seminary.  

  • Ricky JohnSon

    Intern

    Ricky was born and raised in Augusta, GA.  He attended Georgia Southern University and graduated with a Communication Studies degree in December of 2016.  He then spent four and half years in campus ministry at Georgia College in Milledgeville, GA.  In this time, he met and married his wife Ciara.  In May of 2021, the two moved to Charlotte where Ricky is pursuing an M.Div at Reformed Theological Seminary.