Who leads at Ashe Alliance.
Pastors, elders, deacons, and staff — the people God has set apart to shepherd and serve this church.
Leadership at AAC follows the pattern Scripture sets out for the local church. Our elders shepherd the body spiritually — guarding sound doctrine, caring for souls, and giving an account to God for the flock entrusted to them (Acts 20:28 · 1 Peter 5:1–4). Our deacons serve the body practically — meeting needs, freeing the elders for the ministry of prayer and the Word, and embodying the servant heart of Christ (Acts 6:1–7 · 1 Timothy 3:8–13). Together, this team is set apart to care for and serve the church.
Every leader you see below has been examined by the elders and affirmed by the congregation. They are not perfect, but they are committed — to the gospel, to this church, and to the people God has put in their care.
Meet our pastor.
Nate Roten
Pastor & Elder
Nate was born and raised in Boone, NC. He holds a degree in Construction Technology from Appalachian State University and a Master’s in Discipleship & Church Ministry from Liberty University.
Before stepping into full-time pastoral ministry, Nate owned and operated a residential construction company. He later served with Samaritan’s Purse — Operation Christmas Child, training logistics teams in over 30 countries. He and his wife Kelly were longtime members of Alliance Bible Fellowship, where he served in various roles including as an elder. During that time, the vision for church planting began to take shape, and in 2022 the family answered the call to plant a church in the neighboring county.
Nate now serves as the pastor of Ashe Alliance Church, leading with a passion for discipleship, biblical faithfulness, and kingdom collaboration. He lives in the High Country with Kelly and their three children — Anna Gray, Sam, and Eliza. Nate enjoys biscuits and gravy, lifting weights (mainly to justify the ongoing consumption of said meal), and snow skiing whenever he can.
The elder team.
Alongside the pastor, our elders share the work of teaching, oversight, and pastoral care for the AAC family.
Dan Jarvis
Elder
Kendell Kauffeldt
Elder
Jordan Newman
Elder
Servants of the church.
Our deacons and deaconesses serve the practical needs of the body — meeting people in moments of difficulty, caring for the building and its rhythms, and freeing the elders to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word.
Joni Byker
Deaconess
Bev Kauffeldt
Deaconess
Connie Hanselman
Deaconess
Doug Cheshier
Deacon
Seth Cox
Deacon
Behind the scenes.
Tiffany Elliott
Administrative Assistant
Tiffany graduated from Southern Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies. She and her husband moved to the mountains when he started working for Samaritan’s Purse. They love the mountains, serving God, and taking family hikes together.
Want to talk to one of our pastors or elders? We’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch