This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. – Titus 1:5-9
The Holy Spirit appoints human overseers who must follow Jesus’ leading (Acts 20:28). The highest office of leadership in a church is that of elder (1 Tim 3:1–7). The elders must fulfill a wide range of responsibilities and address a variety of issues which grow in complexity as a church grows in size. Every church needs these three functions to develop in concert:
1. Govern: An overseeing body must ensure that proper systems and controls are in place to promote wise stewardship of all the resources entrusted to the organization’s care. Resources include the mission, leaders, finances, and people.
2. Manage: Delegated leadership is responsible for day-to-day decision-making and operations oversight.
3. Shepherd: Pastoral care includes preaching, teaching, counseling, and discipling the people of the church.
Elders & Their Families
Michael Cowgill
Pastoral Responsibilities:
Mike has serve as an elder at Aletheia Church Richmond since the Fall of 2008. He currently serves our church in the areas of general pastoral care, community group development, and financial oversight.
Family Life:
Mike met his wife Amanda while they both attend James Madison University. They were married shortly after graduation and reside in the near West End of Richmond. Mike is currently a business professional in the Richmond Metro area and Amanda is a Health & PE teacher at a local K-12 school and director of the volleyball program.
Amanda faithfully serves in numerous capacities in the context of our church. Recently, these include serving with Mike as a community leader and co-leader our hospitality ministry on Sunday morning.
Arrival At Aletheia:
Mike moved to Richmond with his wife Amanda upon graduating from James Madison University in December 2007. They were able to transition from Aletheia Church in Harrisonburg to the Richmond plant in Aletheia’s earlier stages in the capital.
Pastoral Passion:
Mike finds great joy in serving Jesus in the church, making disciples, and has a desire to lead by example in his marriage and in his daily pursuit of Christ.
John Rimmer
johnrimmer@aletheiarichmond.com
Responsibilities: 
John has served as an Elder of Aletheia Richmond since the fall of 2008. He currently serves our church in the area membership assimilation, preaching, and teaching.
Family Life:
John met his wonderful wife Mary Ann at Liberty University where they earned degrees in Biblical Studies and Family and Child Development. After graduation Mary Ann moved to Richmond where she began working as a preschool teacher.
The Rimmers were married in October, 2007 and were blessed with the birth of their first son, Emmanuel, in October of 2010
Arrival At Aletheia:
John joined Mary Ann in Richmond, when in the Summer of 2007 he received an invitation from Josh Soto to be a part of the launching of Aletheia Richmond.Since coming to Richmond and becoming involved with Aletheia, God has continued to bless and grow John and Mary Ann, enabling and allowing them to serve the body in many ways.
They have been involved with community groups, childrens and womens ministry, and various discipleship roles within the church.
Pastoral Passion:
John has a passion to teach the word of God in a way that is understandable and memorable.
Joshua Soto
Pastoral Responsibilities:
Josh has served at the Lead Pastor at Aletheia Church Richmond since the Summer of 2006. He currently serves our church in the areas preaching & teaching, strategic planning, and leadership development.
Family Life:
Josh met his wife Chantel while he was serving as the pastor of Faith Bible Church in Harrisonburg Virginia. They were married in the fall of 2006. Josh and Chantel are the proud parent of Judah Graceson Soto who was born in June 2010.
Chantel play a huge role in our church through the development of young women. She co-lead the our children’s ministry and serve with Josh as community group leaders.
Arrival At Aletheia:
Josh move to Richmond with his wife Chantel to join the planting team for Aletheia Church Harrisonburg. In the fall of 2006 with a team of 20, launched publicly Aletheia Church Richmond near the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Pastoral Passion
Josh find joy in the advancement of the gospel through the mission of church planting. His desire is train men for the cause the church planting and for the glory of Jesus.
Pastoral Staff & Their Families
The Pastoral Staff functions in an advisory role to the Elders for the purpose of helping them fulfill their biblical role as pastors and overseers of the congregation.
Richard Love
Responsibilities:
Ricky has served as the resident church planter at Aletheia Church Richmond since January 2010. He is currently planting Matthew’s Table Church in the Churchill are of Richmond. He also assist the elders of Aletheia Church Richmond in the area of preaching and strategic advisory.
Family Life:
Ricky met his beautiful bride, Audrey, through some wonderful friends at Southern. They married in March 2009 and are so thankful that God brought them together.
Ricky and Audrey are the proud parents of Eva Noel Love who was born in March 2010. Audrey serves side by side with Ricky in the planting of Matthew’s Table. She serve the women of her biblical community through practical mentoring and the greater community through hospitality in her home.
Arrival At Aletheia:
After getting married, Ricky and Audrey prayed about where God would have them serve. Throughout this process, they were asked by one of his best friends, Josh Soto, a church planter in Richmond, VA, about the possibility of starting a new church among the urban poor in Richmond.
These conversations have transformed into a passion and a reality. Ricky is now the lead church planter of Matthew’s Table Church in the East End of Richmond.
Pastoral Passion:
Ricky is passionate about the word of God and make its truth accessible to the urban poor of our city. He finds joy in seeing men realize their responsibility in the home and in the context of the church.
Brady Rose
Pastoral Responsibilities:
Brady has served as the primary leader of the worship team at Aletheia Church Richmond since August of 2010. He currently drive the theology and practice of our Sunday worship gathering. He serve side by side with Josh to architect the internal system of the church and weekly disciples men as a community group leader.
Arrival At Aletheia:
Originally from North Carolina, Brady first moved to Virginia to attend Liberty University where he graduated with a degree in Pastoral Ministries. While there he met, ministered alongside and became close friends with Josh Soto and Ricky Love.
After serve with a non-proifitt in the volatile country of Sudan, Brady came to Aletheia Church Richmond in the fall of 2010.
Pastoral Passion:
Brady has a passion to see the gospel of Jesus Christ spread and take root throughout the world. He feels called to do this in the local church, through worship leading and teaching/discipling and through missions work in the community and overseas.
Elders-In-Training & Their Families
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. – 2 Timothy 2:1-2
Elders-In-Training are men that have been selected by the Elders to participate in a two year training program for the purpose of theologically and practically preparing them for future pastoral ministry.
Zach Crump
Responsibilities:
Zach is currently assisting Ricky Love in the planting of Matthew’s Table Church. Zach is a gifted teacher and rapper.
Arrival At Aletheia:
Zach graduated with a B.A. in Biology from Chistopher Newport University and holds a doctorate of Physical Therapy from Old Dominion University. Zach used to lead Bible studies in his parents’ home. A neighborhood friend told him about Aletheia at one of these Bible studies.
Zach went the following Sunday. Then the next Sunday. Eventually, he inquired about community groups, and was contacted by (his now dear friend and brother in Christ) Kyle Tower.
Ministerial Passion:
Zach is passionate about preaching the gospel through the medium of teaching and rap music.
Matt King
Responsibilities:
Matt is currently assisting the elders of Aletheia Church Richmond in that areas of preaching and teaching and community group development.
Family Life:
Matt was born and raised in the Richmond area. Matt met his wife Sandra on a mission trip to China in 2008. Matt and Sandra were married in October of 2010. Sandra has been involved in Aletheia since almost the very beginning, serving as a church planting intern, community group leader, and faithful member of the church.They both are proud VCU alumni and enjoy living in the Richmond area.
Ministerial Passion:
Matt and Sandra both share a passion to see the Gospel proclaimed among the nations.
Trent Roubleau
trent@aletheiarichmond.com
Responsibilities:
Trent is currently by God’s grace is laboring in Fairfield court in the planting Matthews Table Church as a leader and teacher.
Arrival at Aletheia:
Trent was walking across the compass of VCU when he heard a voice within a crowd of people yell “Rep Da King” the slogan that was on his Christian t-shirt, he was subsequently introduced to Kyle Tower and then Aletheia on the next Sunday.
Ministerial Passion:
Trent has a passion to see believers and unbelievers come to know and rejoice in the Gospel!
Kyle Tower
Responsibilities:
Kyle currently assist the elders in the elders of preaching and teaching. He serve as a church planting intern and leads Aletheia VCU.
Family Life:
Kyle, graduated from VCU in May 2011 and plans to teach mathematics at a local public high school. He was recently married to his best friend, Ashton Tower, whom God continues to use greatly in his life to point him to his great love, grace, and mercy.
He came to Aletheia because his friend Tim Sinclair, who he met at a summer camp where they were both counselors. He visited Aletheia while he was working as a youth pastor at another local church in Mechanicsville and pursued membership shortly after.
