Covenant GROUP FAcilitators

Alan Ahlgrim passed away suddenly on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. While his death comes in the midst of great dreams and plans for the ministry, Alan was prepared for the day!

It all began with an idea. “In a time when many are merely surviving, those who embrace a deeper life will begin to thrive. So, if you yearn to move beyond a life of drudgery to a life of high calling, from soul-crushing isolation to vigorous community, this if for you!” Alan wrote those words in the introduction to Soul Strength: Rhythms for Thriving his book challenging Christian to do the “hard work of heart work”!
Alan finished strong in his ministry and life on earth. We look forward to seeing him again and rejoicing!

Dr. Alan Ahlgrim has spent over half his life in Colorado. He is the father of three married children and six grandchildren. He and his wife for life, Linda, thoroughly enjoyed an active life, hiking, kayaking, biking and walking together with their Australian Labradoodle, Molly Brown, the Dog of Renown!

Alan served twenty-nine years as the founding pastor of Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Colorado, as well as helped to energize a national resurgence of church planting. He is now leveraged the agony and ecstasy of fifty years of ministry in his encore role as the Chief Soul Care Officer of Covenant Connections for Pastors.
 
Alan invested heavily in the hard work of heart work, helping other leaders serve well and finish well by connecting them in soul-enriching covenant groups. These small, in-depth communities are transformational and produce remarkable renewal and resilience.

Bio

Shan has been in ministry for over 25 years. He is a US Navy veteran who loves bacon, coffee, and hunting. Shan and his wife, Leslie, have three adult children. He teaches the Word in a conversational way that connects with the listener. Shan ministers with humor and preaches in such a way that people can understand and apply God’s Word to their everyday lives. Some of his hobbies include hiking, eating a good steak, and hanging out with his dog, Deacon.

Dr. Rick Grover serves as Lead Pastor of East 91st Street Christian Church (E91) in Indianapolis. Rick is a church planter at heart, having led the launch of a daughter church of E91 in New Orleans and is now helping with the multiplication of new churches through the church-panting arm of E91. Rick also works with pastors through Covenant Connections to focus on soul care for greater spiritual and emotional health. Rick is married to Laura, and they have three grown children.

Jay was extremely blessed to be in his first Covenant Connections Group in 2017 alongside Alan. Jay is currently the Outreach Minister at Worthington Christian Church in Columbus, Ohio, where he is learning to relax in the sovereignty of God one day at a time. Jay is leading his second Covenant Connections Group

Shan was the Lead Pastor of Rocky Mountain Christian Church since 2012 where he took the baton from Alan Ahlgrim, Founding Pastor. Just recently, Shan took on a new role at Central Christian Church in Arizona. Shan is married to Jen and has four kids: Grace, Maddie, Jake, and Luke.

Matt is married his best friend. He is a “boy-dad,” a root beer aficionado, a day-hiker, and a “Buckeye” fan. He prefers mountains over beaches. He is also a teacher.

After ministering for two decades, I realized I was better at caring for others than caring for myself and that I had very few people who truly knew me. Even though I was surrounded by people, I was exhausted and starving for a real community. It took the change of place, pace, and people of a Covenant Group to strengthen my soul and heal my heart. Ministering to ministers through Covenant Groups has taught me how vital authentic relationships are.

Adam has been a part of Covenant Connections since 2019. Without a doubt, being a member and leading a covenant group has been the most transformative experience of his life (outside of  salvation!). Prior to Covenant Connections, he would say his  spiritual rhythms were embarrassing, his leadership was running on fumes, and he struggled to be the kind of husband and father he wanted to be. That all changed because he joined a group… you can ask his wife!

Kent has been in the second-chair ministry for 50 years.  His roles have been to lead second alongside another who went first. His career unfolded to succeed well in executive roles building into leaders in large churches: E91st St in Indianapolis, Willow Creek in Chicago, Canyon Ridge in Las Vegas, and in Vineyard Cincinnati. He just finished a CC group and he pioneered the first CC for XPs in May 2024. He is married to Marcia, and they have four grown leadership kids and 11 grands..

I’ve been in ministry over 25 years. Over the past three years, I had the opportunity to be a part of a covenant group and it has breathed fresh air into my ministry. My covenant group was something I didn’t know how much I needed it. In my group, I found three other brothers in the trenches who held me close and held me accountable, with no judgement! They loved me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and laughed with me. After being a part of a group, I now know that every single minister needs a place where he can be heard and I’m passionate about helping provide that place for others. Join me this fall of 2024 as we join forces to work and care for our souls. You won’t regret it! I promise you!

Steve has been married to his Bride, Debi, for over 32 years, and they have four young adult children. Steve and Debi have served in Moscow, Russia, as missionaries, a local church in Indiana, and a church plant from scratch in California before moving to Houston in 2010 to lead a church turnaround situation. Steve loves being out in God’s creation and spending time with Debi, his family, and his friends.
Soul care for young men, especially those in the trenches of vocational ministry, is a passion for Steve. He saw the vision for this type of ministry shortly after he graduated from Bible College in 1994. Steve has a BBL and BTH from Ozark Christian College and MA in Practical Ministries from Cincinnati Christian Seminary. He is the author of “Confessions: Finding Hope Through One Pastor’s Doubt” and regularly posts on his blog, kingdomology.com.

Shawn is married to Amber, and they have two daughters, Adalyn and Norah. He is the Lead Minister of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington, Indiana, and enjoys running, cycling, hiking, and helping other guys experience the life-changing relationships that happen in a Covenant Group.

Didi was born and raised in Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) and was led to the Lord by American missionaries. He has been serving as a “missionary to America” at the Mount Carmel Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, since 1997.  Married to Shannon since 1992, they have four married adult children and three (with one on the way) granddaughters.  At the prompting of his wife and elders, Didi reluctantly joined a Covenant Group in 2017.  He imagined sitting around holding hands singing Kumbaya with four strangers, not something he wanted to spend his time doing.  How wrong he was. His Covenant Group experience was an inflection point to depths of growth Didi never imagined.  Being held close with a band of brothers was exactly what he needed as a man of God, a husband, a father, and a pastor.  Didi currently leads a group and is passionate about spreading the “secret sauce” of soul care that the Covenant Group model provides.

Lori owns TraitsPlus, a coaching company that helps move companies through change with an emphasis on understanding how God wired you.  She adheres to the philosophy that individuals who operate within their inherent talents and strengths tend to experience satisfaction and exhibit self-motivation.

For more than 25 years, Lori has shared a longstanding connection and collaborated in the realm of HR with Alan Ahlgrim, initially encountering him during their time at Rocky Mountain Christian Church. Lori has had the privilege of contributing her insights during select Covenant Connection retreats, helping to foster a greater understanding of the unique personality strengths possessed by each participant. Having observed firsthand, Lori can attest to the remarkable effectiveness and transformative impact that the Covenant Connection groups have had on individuals' lives.

Lori and her husband, Brian live in Sacramento, CA. She has a son, Derek and 2 grandchildren.

Glen served on staff at Pantano Christian Church in Tucson, AZ for 24 years and was the Lead Pastor for 15 years. He was part of a successful transition into that role and he oversaw a planned succession where he recently transitioned out of the role. He is currently invested in mentoring, coaching, and consulting pastors and leaders. Glen believes that healthy pastors and leaders lead healthy churches and organizations which advance the Kingdom of God.

Glen earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Hope International University. He served as Dean of Students at a Christian college and as a pastor in churches in Arizona, California, and Ohio. Glen has also served with mission organizations and on a variety of boards.

Glen and his family served as missionaries in Kherson, Ukraine from 1991-92 and 1994-98, primarily focusing on leadership development and establishing a mission outreach to Muslim peoples. They helped start several churches and a training institute (Tavriski Christian Institute) – the first Christian institute to be accredited by the Ukrainian government.

Glen has been married for over four decades and has two children and two granddaughters. He loves being outdoors where he regularly rides his bike, enjoys hiking, and loves to water and snow ski.

Glen’s motto is simply this: Faithfulness, not success.

Jennifer is a pastor’s wife, avid storyteller, and worship leader. She is passionate about developing personal stories that connect and inspire people to draw closer to Jesus. Jennifer and her husband, Keith, share 33 years of ministry experience. She understands the joy and challenges that come with leading in the church.

Jennifer and her husband, Adam, have served in vocational ministry since 2000. With their two children, AJ and Jadin, they moved to Loganville, Georgia, from Webb City, Missouri, in 2005 to serve at Corinth Christian Church. Jennifer has served in children, teen, and adult ministry for over 20 years and is currently serving on the praise and worship team. Jennifer is currently leading her first Strength Group at Corinth Christian Church and plans to begin a second group in the fall of 2023.

“I have seen how Soul Care has changed my husband exponentially. I now describe him as Adam 2.0. Being in a Covenant Group has changed how he leads our family, the church, and others around him. He is an even better husband, father, and pastor of our amazing church. I was fortunate to be part of one of the first women’s Covenant Groups led by Leigh-Angela Holbrook. The four of us have become Soul Sisters, and I can, without a doubt, lean on them through all the joys and trials of ministry life. What a blessing these groups have been in my life!”

Leigh-Angela is a life coach and speaker who offers a chance for people to be heard. For years, she has given clarity and guidance to the wandering heart.

Amanda is the Executive Pastor at Rocky Mountain Christian Church.   Amanda has worked in ministry at Rocky for 24 years holding various positions. Learning and growing with each role she has taken on.  Amanda is a Colorado native, loves movies, paddleboarding, being active, and loves people and their stories.  Amanda and her husband Dee have five adult children and nine grandchildren.