Meet Our StafF
Senior Pastor
T.J. Helling
T.J. Helling has been serving and leading The Porch since April 2015. Growing up in Inola, Oklahoma has given T.J. a deep love for the community. Serving the people of Inola has always been a calling for him, not only as pastor of The Porch, but also within the public school system where he is currently acting as the high school assistant principal. T.J. believes in the global Church and passionately serves people all around the globe. His desire is to help others come to an understanding of who Jesus is and what Jesus calls us to as His Church. T.J.’s favorite calling of all, is being a husband to his wife, Polly, and father to his four children,
Anna Jo, Caleb, Izzy, and Titus B.
thelling@theporch.church | 918-639-8525
Interim Student Pastor
Grady Castleman
Grady Castleman has been serving as the interim student pastor for The Porch since July 2026. Grady is a hometown boy from Inola and a graduate of Inola High School. His passions are student ministry, fishing, and going out to eat with friends. Grady loves to be around students and have a positive impact on them--not only a positive impact, but an impact that reflects Jesus. Grady feels a calling on his life and wants to live that out the best way he can.
Grady | 918-373-6186
Leadership Director
Tim Schaefer
Tim Schaefer was born and raised in Oklahoma. He has been serving in ministry at the Porch for eleven years. He currently lives on a farm in Inola with his wife, Kristi, and their two sons, Aidan and Kainan. Kristi not only helps in lots of roles at the Porch, she also teaches high school students every day in the classroom at Inola High School. Tim and Kristi stay busy following all of their boys' school and sports activities. They deeply desire to see people come to experience the love of Jesus and to support believers in their discipleship in the way of Jesus.
tkschaefer1@yahoo.com | 918-231-9763
Worship Leader
Nykol Biggs
Nykol has been the worship leader at The Porch since 2017. She first started attending in 2015 when the doors first opened! She is newly married to her husband Nathan and they live with their chocolate lab, Pete. She works co-vocationally and has a passion for helping lead God’s people to the foot of the cross.
918-691-4522
Blast 2.0 Leader
Amy Reeves
Amy Reeves has been working with children with disabilities for 17 years. Her love for people with disabilities has brought her to serve in Blast 2.0 at The Porch for over three years. Amy, her husband Cameron, and their four kids love their community, church, and most of all, Jesus. Amy is currently a special education teacher at Inola Middle School/High School and pours the love of Jesus into every area of her life.
amreeves85@yahoo.com | 918-407-6090
Nursery Leader
Sarah Melone
Sarah’s heart for children and serving in ministry has been at the forefront of her life since an early age. Sarah served as a children's director in her twenties, a Tulsa Police Officer for a number of years before her calling led her to become a stay at home mother of four beautiful, energetic children. During that time she was actively involved in volunteering in various capacities within Inola’s elementary school. Now that her children are older, Sarah is looking forward to beginning graduate school in the Fall to complete her Master’s in Counseling, with an emphasis on child psychology and school counseling. She has a passion for imparting God’s love into each and every precious child, teaching them about their Heavenly Father and all the plans and purposes he has for their life.
smelone1981@yahoo.com | 918-607-5304
Nursery Leader
Suzanne Powers
Suzanne has been leading the team of Sunday morning nursery volunteers for more than six years. She guides the children she serves to know Jesus and passionately helps them understand God's vast love for them in a way that their developing minds can begin to understand. On all the other days of the week Suzanne and her husband, David, spend as much time as they can with their grandsons and the four-legged friends that live with them.
suzannerpowers@gmail.com | 918-200-5470
Blast Leaders
Matthew & Montanna
Matthew and Montanna Trolinger have been serving as the leaders of Blast Kids since 2025. They care deeply about children understanding the love of God from an early age and want the Blast kids to learn the same stories they learned growing up. They plan monthly mission trips and stay tethered to the Word of God in all their activities and lessons. Outside of their role as kids pastors they are parents to two boys and they spend their free time going on runs, fishing, and taking family walks.
matthew.trolinger5@gmail.com | 918-706-5852
montanna.stout7@gmail.com | 918-734-9743