OUR PURPOSE
Who We Are
We are a family gathering around His Presence, raising leaders to reign in life and restoring cities to look like Heaven on Earth.
Be Discipled & Disciple Others
Be Followers of Jesus
Be Seen & Known
Growing In Likeness of Jesus
Growing In Health
Growing In Stewardship
Serving Communities
Serving In Your Sphere of Influence
Serving Through Signs, Wonders & Miracles
Isaiah 61
OUR
CALLING
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Our Leadership
Steve Backlund
Dara Bernard
Ron Book
Lauren Brownlee
Leif Hetland
Justin Stockman
Lauren Brownlee
Except for her time at Georgia Tech and attending BSSM in Redding, CA, Lauren has lived right around the corner from Bethel Atlanta’s campus her entire life. She currently lives in Peachtree City with a fond appreciation for the golf cart trails; the trails are her family’s favorite option for getting around town. Lauren married her husband Brent, whom she met in college. Together, they led a Redding, California-based home group that eventually transitioned to Georgia to help start Bethel Atlanta. Since the beginning, Lauren has been a staff member of Bethel Atlanta, from leading the School of Ministry for the first nine years to leading the Senior Team and the Send Branch. When she’s not at the church, Lauren and Brent enjoy all things outdoors, such as camping, trail running, and spending time at the lake with their three children, Lake, Reagan, and Wynn.
Blake Healy
Blake has been a part of Bethel Atlanta from the very beginning. He met Steve and Lindy Hale during their time at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding. Blake loved the culture that had been created around Bethel and was amazed at the amount of transformation that happened through the school of ministry, but he couldn’t help but wonder, “Could this be done somewhere else.” As soon as he heard that Steve and Lindy were talking with the Bethel leadership about starting a Bethel church and school in Atlanta, Blake knew that this was exactly the opportunity he was hungry for. A chance to take the seeds of one culture and plant them in new soil.
Ministry has been a foundational part of Blake’s life from the very beginning. He grew up as a missionary kid, living throughout different parts of Western Europe. He got involved in the prophetic ministry at the age of twelve and started serving on prophetic teams when he was thirteen. He began teaching about the prophetic at fifteen. He now travels around the world teaching about the prophetic and seeing in the spirit.
Since moving to Atlanta with his wife April, Blake has been serving in the Bethel Atlanta School of Supernatural Ministry, the Prophetic Ministry, and anywhere else that the church has a need. He is now the Director of Bethel Atlanta’s School of Supernatural Ministry and oversees the Prophetic Ministry at the church. He lives in Peachtree City, with his wife and his five children: Haydon, Finnley, November, Ender, and Sybil. Blake loves writing, reading, and just about anything else with a good story.
Justin Stockman
Justin grew up in Northern California, and married his high school sweetheart Jenn. He started pastoring in 2000 then went to Bethel school of supernatural ministry, where he graduated and continued Pastoring at Bethel Redding.
In 2013, he and his wife moved to Atlanta to join Bethel Atlanta. Justin has a deep passion for heaven’s culture coming to earth, family, and experiencing the presence and power of God from a heart that is growing in health from glory to glory.
Justin serves as a member of the senior team at Bethel Atlanta & is the founder of Bethel Health, which includes counseling, coaching, sozo and health groups. One of his greatest desires is to cultivate healthy families that display the love and power of God that transform culture, hearts, and nations.
Justin travels and speaks internationally, serving churches and communities. He lives in Tyrone, GA with his wife, Jenn, and their four beautiful girls.
Dan Weber
Dan has been married to his wife, Quin, since 2001. They have two children, one in high school and one in college. They are originally from Humboldt County, California. The Lord called them to Atlanta in 2016. After a life altering encounter with the Lord at Bethel Redding in 2002, he has given his life to the pursuit of the Presence of God. While he has been in church leadership since 2002, Dan also has a call to influence the business community. He has owned several businesses since 2003 and has a dream to see Heaven influence business leaders in the city of Atlanta. Dan is passionate about seeing people realize their identity and purposes in God and seeing cities restored to their Heavenly design. Some of his hobbies include basketball and ultra-trail running.
Lauren Brownlee
Except for her time at Georgia Tech and attending BSSM in Redding, CA, Lauren has lived right around the corner from Bethel Atlanta’s campus her entire life. She currently lives in Peachtree City with a fond appreciation for the golf cart trails; the trails are her family’s favorite option for getting around town. Lauren married her husband Brent, whom she met in college. Together, they led a Redding, California-based home group that eventually transitioned to Georgia to help start Bethel Atlanta. Since the beginning, Lauren has been a staff member of Bethel Atlanta, from leading the School of Ministry for the first nine years to leading the Senior Team and the Send Branch. When she’s not at the church, Lauren and Brent enjoy all things outdoors, such as camping, trail running, and spending time at the lake with their three children, Lake, Reagan, and Wynn.
Mike Edwards
Michael and his wife, Kimberly, live with their dog Benny and are Peachtree City residents. Michael was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Southern Maryland. He’s held many positions, from Music Minister to Lead Keyboardist and Pastor to Senior Pastor. Michael wants his talents to bring glory to the Father, and his passion is fulfilled when someone realizes the Lordship of Christ. Michael, a former EMT, EMT instructor, U.S. Army Veteran, and Iraq war veteran, started a youth ministry called “The Movement’’ in 2007, in addition to being a project manager for a large rehab project. He wants Bethel Atlanta to thrive pastorally, establishing deep connections for many. He would describe himself as humorous, caring, and everyone’s big brother. Michael enjoys basketball, traveling, making music, and reading.
Steve Hale
Founder
Steve was the Senior Leader of Bethel Atlanta until October 2020, when he handed over the senior leadership to Lauren Brownlee, his daughter. Steve and his wife, Lindy, have kids and grandkids who are part of Bethel Atlanta and love the Lord with all their hearts. Steve and Lindy enjoy doing life together and are excited about the family, business, and church cultures they have built together. They have been able to stand with their children, their spouses, and grandchildren throughout the good and bad of life. Steve is an Isaiah 61 person, and he is passionate about building an Isaiah 61 church. He loves seeing broken people restored, so they can reign in life and partner in restoring cities. He is entering the “third chapter” of his life which includes helping his family and friends succeed in their dreams and goals.
Vanessa Hale
Vanessa grew up in Peachtree City but currently lives with her husband Josh and three children in LaGrange, GA. Josh is a realtor and investor in rental properties across the state and throughout Alabama. Vanessa is a Georgia Tech graduate passionate about building a worship team that doubles as a family. Vanessa has been a part of the Bethel Atlanta Family from before its birth as a church. Before Bethel Atlanta began, she spent a summer in Redding, Ca. at the Bethel School of Worship and immediately felt her heart was at home. Worship has been a life passion since she was an early teen. Vanessa believes worship is integral to seeing Heaven “invade” Atlanta and has a call to release the sound of Heaven over Atlanta.
Blake Healy
Blake has been a part of Bethel Atlanta from the very beginning. He met Steve and Lindy Hale during their time at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding. Blake loved the culture that had been created around Bethel and was amazed at the amount of transformation that happened through the school of ministry, but he couldn’t help but wonder, “Could this be done somewhere else.” As soon as he heard that Steve and Lindy were talking with the Bethel leadership about starting a Bethel church and school in Atlanta, Blake knew that this was exactly the opportunity he was hungry for. A chance to take the seeds of one culture and plant them in new soil.
Ministry has been a foundational part of Blake’s life from the very beginning. He grew up as a missionary kid, living throughout different parts of Western Europe. He got involved in the prophetic ministry at the age of twelve and started serving on prophetic teams when he was thirteen. He began teaching about the prophetic at fifteen. He now travels around the world teaching about the prophetic and seeing in the spirit.
Since moving to Atlanta with his wife April, Blake has been serving in the Bethel Atlanta School of Supernatural Ministry, the Prophetic Ministry, and anywhere else that the church has a need. He is now the Director of Bethel Atlanta’s School of Supernatural Ministry and oversees the Prophetic Ministry at the church. He lives in Peachtree City, with his wife and his five children: Haydon, Finnley, November, Ender, and Sybil. Blake loves writing, reading, and just about anything else with a good story.
Jenn Stockman
Jenn grew up in Northern California and loves the pure, authentic gospel. She felt a radical call to move to Redding, CA, and attend Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in 2002. Her heart was marked for revival and became dedicated to a life of wholehearted surrender to the resurrected Jesus. She leads from a place of overflow in her relationship with the Holy Spirit. She loves to see revivalists trained and equipped to destroy the devil's works through intimacy with Jesus and reign in life from Heaven toward earth.
Jenn has lived in Tyrone, Georgia, since 2013. She has been married to the love of her life, Justin Stockman, for twenty years and has four incredible daughters, Kylie, Ava, Arabelle, and Liberty.
Justin Stockman
Dan Weber
Dan has been married to his wife, Quin, since 2001. They have two children, one in high school and one in college. They are originally from Humboldt County, California. The Lord called them to Atlanta in 2016. After a life altering encounter with the Lord at Bethel Redding in 2002, he has given his life to the pursuit of the Presence of God. While he has been in church leadership since 2002, Dan also has a call to influence the business community. He has owned several businesses since 2003 and has a dream to see Heaven influence business leaders in the city of Atlanta. Dan is passionate about seeing people realize their identity and purposes in God and seeing cities restored to their Heavenly design. Some of his hobbies include basketball and ultra-trail running.
Steve Backlund
Steve Hale
Founder
Steve was the Senior Leader of Bethel Atlanta until October 2020, when he handed over the senior leadership to Lauren Brownlee, his daughter. Steve and his wife, Lindy, have kids and grandkids who are part of Bethel Atlanta and love the Lord with all their hearts. Steve and Lindy enjoy doing life together and are excited about the family, business, and church cultures they have built together. They have been able to stand with their children, their spouses, and grandchildren throughout the good and bad of life. Steve is an Isaiah 61 person, and he is passionate about building an Isaiah 61 church. He loves seeing broken people restored, so they can reign in life and partner in restoring cities. He is entering the “third chapter” of his life which includes helping his family and friends succeed in their dreams and goals.
Leif Hetland
Michael Maiden
Paul Manwaring
Danny Silk
Steve Backlund
Dara Bernard
Ron Book
Lauren Brownlee
Steve Hale
Founder
Steve was the Senior Leader of Bethel Atlanta until October 2020, when he handed over the senior leadership to Lauren Brownlee, his daughter. Steve and his wife, Lindy, have kids and grandkids who are part of Bethel Atlanta and love the Lord with all their hearts. Steve and Lindy enjoy doing life together and are excited about the family, business, and church cultures they have built together. They have been able to stand with their children, their spouses, and grandchildren throughout the good and bad of life. Steve is an Isaiah 61 person, and he is passionate about building an Isaiah 61 church. He loves seeing broken people restored, so they can reign in life and partner in restoring cities. He is entering the “third chapter” of his life which includes helping his family and friends succeed in their dreams and goals.
Leif Hetland
Justin Stockman
Lauren Brownlee
Send Overseer
Except for her time at Georgia Tech and attending BSSM in Redding, CA, Lauren has lived right around the corner from Bethel Atlanta’s campus for her entire life. She currently and happily lives in Peachtree City with a fond appreciation for the golf cart trails; the trails are her family’s favorite option for getting around town. Lauren married her husband Brent, whom she met in college. Together, they led a Redding, California-based home group that eventually transitioned to Georgia to help start Bethel Atlanta. Since the beginning, Lauren has been a staff member of Bethel Atlanta, from leading the School of Ministry for the first nine years to leading the Senior Team and the Send Branch. When she’s not at the church, Lauren and Brent enjoy all things outdoors, such as camping, trail running, and spending time at the lake with their three children, Lake, Reagan, and Wynn.
Mike & Kim Edwards
Community Life Pastors
Kimberly, her husband, Michael, and their dog Benny are Peachtree City residents. Michael was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Southern Maryland. Kimberly attended high school in Sumter, South Carolina, where her Military father was based. Michael has held many positions, from Music Minister to Lead Keyboardist and Pastor to Senior Pastor. Kimberly is bi-vocational and has taken on ministry leadership roles since 2004. Michael wants his talents to bring glory to the Father, and his passion is fulfilled when someone realizes the Lordship of Christ. Michael wants Bethel Atlanta to thrive pastorally, establishing deep connections for many. He would describe himself as humorous, caring, and everyone’s big brother. Kimberly has excellent organizational and communication skills, loves people well, makes others shine, and is a team player. Michael, a former EMT, EMT instructor, U.S. Army Veteran, and Iraq war veteran, started a youth ministry called “The Movement’’ in 2007, in addition to being a project manager for a large rehab project. In the Army, Kimberly received an ARCOM Army Commendation Medal for helping save one of her leaders’ lives. For over two years, Kimberly has helped increase revenue for her company by being the top producer. Michael has been in real estate and ran for Tyrone's city council. Michael enjoys basketball, traveling, making music, and reading. Kimberly loves reading spiritual, motivational books about leadership and self-improvement.
Vanessa Hale
BA Music Overseer
Vanessa grew up in Peachtree City but currently lives with her husband Josh and three children in LaGrange, GA. Josh is a realtor and investor in rental properties across the state and throughout Alabama. Vanessa is a Georgia Tech graduate passionate about building a worship team that doubles as a family. Vanessa has been a part of the Bethel Atlanta Family from before its birth as a church. Before Bethel Atlanta began, she spent a summer in Redding, Ca. at the Bethel School of Worship and immediately felt her heart was at home. Worship has been a life passion since she was an early teen. Vanessa believes worship is integral to seeing Heaven “invade” Atlanta and has a call to release the sound of Heaven over Atlanta.
Jon Snyder
BA Media Overseer
Jon is originally from Parsippany, New Jersey, but now resides in Peachtree City. He and his wife, Kaye, have two sons, Joshua and Luke. Jon has vast experience in the media industry, where he owned and operated a wedding videography business. He currently owns and operates a commercial videography business with his wife. Jon has a passion for church ministry and bringing vision to the Bethel Atlanta Media branch.
Dan Weber
Operations Overseer, Resource Center Overseer
Dan has been married to his wife, Quin, since 2001. They have two children, one in high school and one in college. They are originally from Humboldt County, California. The Lord called them to Atlanta in 2016. After a life altering encounter with the Lord at Bethel Redding in 2002, he has given his life to the pursuit of the Presence of God. While he has been in church leadership since 2002, Dan also has a call to influence the business community. He has owned several businesses since 2003 and has a dream to see Heaven influence business leaders in the city of Atlanta. Dan is passionate about seeing people realize their identity and purposes in God and seeing cities restored to their Heavenly design. Some of his hobbies include basketball and ultra-trail running.
Carolyn & Ron Book
Missions Pastors
Ron and his wife, Carolyn, have been married for fifty years. Together, they have four children and eight grandchildren. Ron attributes his love and passion for missions to his first trip at age ten. He later visited Africa as a twenty-year-old and spent a year and a half in Zambia. Carolyn is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University and enjoys playing the cello and guitar and boating on the lake in the summer.
Jason and Denise Cooksey
Young Adult Pastors
Jason is from Kenosha, Wisconsin, close to the well-known shores of Lake Michigan, and Denise, originally from Saint Petersburg, FL, attended college at Point University. Before that, Denise earned a Bachelor of Science in Counseling & Human Services with a minor in Biblical Studies at Atlanta Christian College. This couple's story is truly magical. They would casually see each other at church but were formally introduced at a friend's birthday/going away party. They shared a group of mutual friends from Bethel's Saturday service, called "The Framily," who met at local restaurants after church. Through these social interactions, she and Jason quickly became friends. It was only a few months before they started dating. When Jason proposed, he recruited the help of "The Framily," surprising Denise during what she thought was one of their regularly scheduled game nights. They married shortly after and now have four beautiful daughters. Some of Denise's passions include teaching others to love themselves, God, and others. She also values the restoration and redemption of families, wealthy principles, and leaving a legacy. Jason has a musical inclination, as he plays keys and drums and even assists with writing original music for the worship team. He is passionate about being known for true agape love and helping lead others to live a life that reflects such love.
Eddie Fowler
Administration Director
Eddie is married to Luiza Knap-Serek and has worked in various career fields, including automotive, telecommunications, education, and church administration. He excels at identifying, developing, and implementing organizational systems that empower people to achieve their desired outcomes by living out their core values. Eddie has a high value for excellence, effectiveness, and efficiency. He hopes to inspire and empower others to live in the light of God’s presence, follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, and demonstrate the power of Jesus in their lives. Eddie enjoys various types of gaming while not at church, including video games, board games, and card games. He enjoys reading, cooking, tinkering with technology, and building things. He is also passionate about problem-solving and excellent craftsmanship.
Melanie Gillum
Spark Academy Director
Melanie graduated from College of the Redwoods with a degree in Child Development. She was raised in Northern California, in the heart of Humboldt County’s Redwood Coast. She recently moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area. She has been part of leading worship for nearly 30 years and has been a worship leader for 12 of those years. She has two sons, Payton, who lives in California, and Evan, who lives in New Mexico. She taught preschool for five years after graduating college. In addition to homeschooling her kids from kindergarten to 6th grade, from 2005 - 2018, she co-owned a hardwood flooring business and was responsible for its office management. In 2019, she traveled to Australia where she was a Youth Pastor for her church. During this time, she was a chaplain for a private Christian school for two of the three years she resided there. In her free time, she enjoys traveling. Melanie has lived in different countries throughout her life. She is excited to say she has almost visited all 50 states. Only Alaska, Hawaii, Kentucky, and West Virginia remain. She has loved the Lord since she accepted Him at five years old. She has been getting to know Him better for 45 beautiful, messy, painful, glorious, stretching, process-driven years. He never ceases to surprise her. He has revealed Himself to her as a good Father, Friend, and Comforter, and continues to expand her understanding of who He is.
Kristen Hale
Children's Pastor
Kristen graduated from Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, CA, where she quickly dove deeper into the already well-rooted faith ingrained in her as a child. Originally from Fayette County, Kristen has spanned the country from California to Massachusetts to New York, finally returning home to her roots in the South. She grew up a friend and even a high school worship team bandmate with her husband, Stevie. Together, they have three sons and are currently renovating a small farmhouse in Sharpsburg. Kristen is passionate about the creative arts, gardening, and reading historical fiction whenever she can find the time.
Lindy Hale
Founder
Lindy has been married to her husband Steve for 43 years. Together, they founded Bethel Atlanta in 2007. Lindy graduated from Auburn University in 1977 with a Physical Education Degree. She attended Bethel Atlanta School of Supernatural Ministry from 2005-2007 and taught there from 2016-2022. She and her husband have four children, four children-in-law, and nine grandchildren. They have lived in close proximity to Bethel Atlanta, in Tyrone, GA, for 38 years. Her husband describes her as a person who can see the positive side of every situation; she is a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. Lindy loves Atlanta and wants to see the kingdom of Heaven influence Atlanta for Jesus. She enjoys praying, reading, hiking, and being a grandmother, or Mimi as her grandchildren call her. She enjoys Mimi Mondays, where all her grandkids come to her house to play. Some of her passions include Jesus, the power and intimacy of prayer, the kingdom of Heaven invading our lives and city, and seeing people over fifty years old realize they are powerful sons and daughters of God.
Blake Healy
BASSM Director
Blake has been a part of Bethel Atlanta from the very beginning. He met Steve and Lindy Hale during their time at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding. Blake loved the culture that had been created around Bethel and was amazed at the amount of transformation that happened through the school of ministry, but he couldn’t help but wonder, “Could this be done somewhere else.” As soon as he heard that Steve and Lindy were talking with the Bethel leadership about starting a Bethel church and school in Atlanta, Blake knew that this was exactly the opportunity he was hungry for. A chance to take the seeds of one culture and plant them in new soil.
Ministry has been a foundational part of Blake’s life from the very beginning. He grew up as a missionary kid, living throughout different parts of Western Europe. He got involved in the prophetic ministry at the age of twelve and started serving on prophetic teams when he was thirteen. He began teaching about the prophetic at fifteen. He now travels around the world teaching about the prophetic and seeing in the spirit.
Since moving to Atlanta with his wife April, Blake has been serving in the Bethel Atlanta School of Supernatural Ministry, the Prophetic Ministry, and anywhere else that the church has a need. He is now the Director of Bethel Atlanta’s School of Supernatural Ministry and oversees the Prophetic Ministry at the church. He lives in Peachtree City, with his wife and his five children: Haydon, Finnley, November, Ender, and Sybil. Blake loves writing, reading, and just about anything else with a good story.
Mike Healy
Maintenance Director
Mike is from Long Beach, California, and lives with his wife Jessica in Tyrone, Georgia. They both moved to Bethel Atlanta to be with their family in 2008. Mike has been invested in the Bethel Atlanta campus since its purchase. He loves spending time with his children and grandchildren and riding his electric bike around town with his wife.
Andy & Danielle Stinespring
Youth Pastors
Andy and his wife Danielle have served in Youth Ministry for over ten years. Raised in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, Andy is now a proud resident of Tyrone, GA. Danielle, born and raised in North Carolina, graduated from Elon University. Andy has been a part of thriving Youth Ministries since 2008 and has a bold vision for raising a generation of leaders who train and build other leaders. Danielle's passion is found in the hope that there can still be a true revival in the church by focusing and fanning the flame of what the Lord is doing in the lives of teenagers. Andy and Danielle have two beautiful children who all love being adventurous as a family any chance they get. You can find Andy cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves when he isn't helping teenagers find their identity in Jesus. Danielle loves serving her children and has an ardent proclivity for the Performing Arts. However, she mostly finds satisfaction in encouraging people to live their lives in the abundance Jesus died for.
Justin Stockman
Bethel Health Director
Justin grew up in Northern California, and married his high school sweetheart Jenn. He started pastoring in 2000 then went to Bethel school of supernatural ministry, where he graduated and continued Pastoring at Bethel Redding.
In 2013, he and his wife moved to Atlanta to join Bethel Atlanta. Justin has a deep passion for heaven’s culture coming to earth, family, and experiencing the presence and power of God from a heart that is growing in health from glory to glory.
Justin serves as a member of the senior team at Bethel Atlanta & is the founder of Bethel Health, which includes counseling, coaching, sozo and health groups. One of his greatest desires is to cultivate healthy families that display the love and power of God that transform culture, hearts, and nations.
Justin travels and speaks internationally, serving churches and communities. He lives in Tyrone, GA with his wife, Jenn, and their four beautiful girls.