About Verge Church

Jason Rising

Lead Pastor

Jason Rising is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Verge Church. Jason was born and raised in Massachusetts. He along with his wife Teri have been serving the local church over the last 25 years as evangelist, as well as staff pastors. Jason leads with a desire to equip people for the work of ministry. His passion is to see the church grow as a community of believers who love the Lord and reach those who have yet to experience Christ’s saving grace. He loves using humor and creativity to communicate the gospel message and is highly invested in developing leaders. His heart is to foster a community that will celebrate and empower people to fulfill their call to honor God and love one another. Jason feels that the greatest mission that the church could have is the one that Jesus assigned us with from the very beginning and that is to create disciples / followers of Christ and empower them to do the work of the ministry.

Teri Rising

Community Pastor

Teri grew up in Western Pennsylvania where she felt a call to ministry right after graduating high school. She attended the University of Valley Forge and received her Bachelor of Science degree in youth ministry. It is there, she met and married Jason Rising while touring with One 18 Ministries (formally known Holy Hands). They have 2 handsome strapping young man children, Joshua and Caleb and added a lovely daughter in Law (Megan) in the mix. Teri has a heart to inspire, empower, and come alongside women of all ages to walk in the calling and purpose God has created them for. She wants nothing more than to help them understand their true worth in Christ and what it means to live an authentic, Spirit-led life.

Juan Valdez

Youth Director

Juan Valdez was born and raised in a Catholic family in Kalamazoo, MI. He gave his life to Jesus personally when He was 17 years old. Juan graduated from high school and attended Word of Life Bible Institute in New York to study the Bible for an entire year. He met his wife Tara at Word of Life. After Word of Life, they attended the University of Valley Forge for a year before going full-time into the workforce in the construction industry. He currently is a small business owner. They have a calling to serve in youth ministry, evident over the past 15 years, where Juan and Tara have been active leaders in youth ministry locally before coming to help plant Verge Church. Juan and Tara have three energetic kids Cattleya – 9, Cato- 7, and Caden -5. Juan has always had a passion for student ministries. He is a relational leader who cares about students growing in their faith as they have fun growing up. Juan and Tara come to Verge as experienced leaders working with students. They have a vision for the students at Verge Church, and Juan is excited to serve as youth director at Verge.

Rebekah Reese

Connections Pastor

Rebekah brings over a decade of ministry experience to the Verge Team. While skilled in everything from preaching to team building to planning/leading outreaches, her greatest passion is disciple making. Rebekah’s heart to help people connect and learn to follow Jesus together is evident in all she does.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry from the University of Valley Forge, Rebekah jumped into ministry alongside Jason & Teri. She’s been serving with them for the past 12 years, connecting with nonprofits and churches throughout the Northeast. This next season planting Verge Church is one she’s looked forward to for years!

You can often find Rebekah discipling other women, reading a good book, listening to her favorite podcast or being the best Auntie in the world!

Alexis Ward

Outreach Director

Alexis spent her early years as a Christian being discipled through her participation in outreach and street ministry. Here is where her heart for outreach grew. She was impacted by meeting people where they were with the hope of Christ. These years unleashed a hunger in her to see people understand Christ’s love for them in creative ways. Alexis went on to receive her degree from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2014. Upon graduating she spent four years in hospitality design. She is a wife and mother of two girls. Throughout the changes of life, her heartbeat to see those come to sincerely know Christ and see their lives transformed through both the extraordinary and mundane has remained constant.

Brandon Ward

Development Pastor

Brandon is an experienced teacher with a passion for equipping the church for the work of the ministry. He has spent several years in various capacities: a small group leader, worship pastor, youth pastor, and in managing large volunteer ministries for a global parachurch organization. His desire is to see every believer mobilized through discipleship, leadership development and thriving in a ministry calling to edify the church and reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as they multiply and make disciples around them. He is excited to see God work to build the Church of Jesus Christ—and to get to come alongside Him in that work as a “living stone”, as God build around the precious cornerstone of Jesus Christ, with the people God is collecting around us.