Mark Nelson
Teaching Pastor
Mark has been married to his wife Monica for 37 years. (Monica is a Professor and Director of the Pre-Nursing Program at Johnson U.) They have three amazing children (Michael, Matthew, and Meghan), two wonderful daughter-in-laws (Hillary and Carlyn), and two beautiful granddaughters, (Porter June and Frances Ayler).
Mark has served in ministry for 37 years, including 7 years of youth ministry in Knoxville, 10 years of campus ministry at Purdue University, and 15 years as the lead pastor at Crossings a church in downtown Knoxville he helped plant in 2007. He also has co-authored two books in the last few years: Reframation- Seeing God, People, and Mission Through Reenchanted Frames (with Alan Hirsch), and just recently released Lunchroom Theology- Pushing Tables Together in a Fractured World (with Dr. Heather Gorman).
Besides serving as the Lead Pastor at Thorn Grove Christian Church for the last two years, Mark also serves as the Executive Director of Three Rivers Collaborative, a Lilly Endowment funded learning community for churches in the Knoxville area.
Maddie Yoder- Tate
Family Pastor
Maddie has been in vocational ministry since 2021 and currently serves as the Family Pastor at Thorn Grove Christian Church. Maddie grew up in central Missouri and moved to Knoxville Tennessee to attend Johnson University, where she graduated with her Bachelors in Preaching and Church Leadership and most recently in 2024 her Masters in Ethics in Leadership. Maddie was also ordained at Thorn Grove in 2024. She married her husband Tyler in 2022 and the two have been adventuring together ever since. Maddie is passionate about multi-generational spiritual formation, women in the church, and a creating a space in the local church for people who are longing for Jesus. She loves to bake, read, and take walks her cocker spaniel Honey June.
Rylee Stansbury
Family Pastor Intern
Rylee was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky . She is a Sophmore at Johnson University studying Preaching and Youth Ministry along with Family Studies. Rylee is passionate about families and community and discovering God’s design for them. Rylee enjoys cooking and trying new foods, she loves her basset-hounds, and recently has enjoyed exploring new hiking spots near Knoxville. Rylee has been serving with younger youth for over four years now and is passionate about helping them discover their identity and worth in Christ.
She already has loved her time at Thorn Grove, and she is so excited to continue to get to know the Thorn Grove Community.
Kailyn Orahood
Creative Arts Pastor
Kailyn enjoys photography, music, hiking, animals, and her husband Daniel! She graduated from Johnson University in 2022 with a Creative Arts Ministry degree and has been at Thorn Grove ever since! She was ordained at Thorn Grove in January, 2023. She also owns a local photography business, Kailynorah Photography. When Kailyn isn’t exploring Knoxville, editing photos, playing Uno on a patio with Daniel, or swimming at Meads Quarry, she’s usually found at a local coffee shop. Her role her at TGCC ranges from leading worship with our amazing team, to creating graphics, to managing our social media pages.
Kailyn is absolutely in love with her role here and incredibly grateful for her TGCC family!