LEADERSHIP
STAFF
Erik Estep
Senior Pastor
Matthew Phillips
Associate Pastor
Downtown Columbia
Campus Pastor
James Ballew
Worship Minister
James has been the Worship minister at VillageChurch since May 2008. He graduated with a BA in Music from the School of Music at the University Of South Carolina. He is married to Lauren Ballew whom he met while leading worship at Camp Longridge in Ridgeway, South Carolina and they have been married since 2010. They have 2 girls, Raylee and Rilynn. James is also an avid Crossfitter at Crossfit Valor. His favorite verse is Philippians 4:13.
Hamilton Mathis
Student Pastor
Will Bonniville
Middle School Pastor &
Downtown Columbia Campus Worship Leader
Amy Paolucci
Children’s Ministry Director
Dr. Wendell Estep
Staff Consultant
Dr. Wendell Estep
Staff Consultant
Many of you are familiar with Dr. Estep (Pastor Erik’s father) after seeing him preach on television as the pastor of First Baptist Columbia for 32 years. He grew up in Texas, served as a pastor for 50 years, and is the father of Stephanie, Erik, and the grandfather of 5. He and his wife, Lynda, have been a team for over 5 decades.
Toney Pressley
Building Superintendent
Bio coming soon!
Margaret Matthews
Administrative Assistant, Blythewood Campus
Bio coming soon!
Vanessa Holland
Administrative Assistant,
Downtown Campus
Bethany Tamke
Downtown Campus Children's Ministry Coordinator
Bethany, originally from New Jersey, made the move to the Carolinas after graduating from JWU in Rhode Island. She and her husband, Christian, are proud parents to two energetic and joyful boys, Connor and Micah. With a deep passion for her faith, a love of food, and a commitment to homeschooling, Bethany thrives on nurturing her family while staying grounded in her values.
Stephanie Dinsmore
Finance Office
Bio coming soon!
Kelly Steelman
Director of Village Women and Village Kid’s Admin Assistant
Jennifer Hanna
Children’s Ministry Assistant
Jennifer was born in Charlotte, NC but has lived in Northeast Columbia for most of her life. She graduated from USC and earned a B.A. in Early Childhood Education. Jennifer has been an active member of Village Church since 2008 and has served in the student and children’s ministries. Jennifer came on staff as Children’s Ministry Assistant in 2016 and feels truly blessed to work alongside Amy Paolucci and all the amazing staff at Village Church. Jennifer has been married to her husband Brantley for 27 years, and they are the proud parents of four daughters: Maddie, Mollie, McKenzie, and Macie. When not at church, Jennifer enjoys spending time with family and friends, doing crafty things, and being anywhere near the ocean.
Hughes Butler
Student Ministry Intern
Hughes graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2019. He has been a part of Village Church since 2018. He is currently attending Columbia International University, where he is pursuing a certificate in Bible. He loves Jesus, the Gamecocks, all things sports and fishing on Lake Murray. He is the nephew of Erik Estep and the grandson of Wendell Estep.
Macie Hanna
Student Ministry Intern
Macie graduated from Village Christian Academy in May 2024 and is currently earning her Associates Degree in Business Administration at Midlands Technical College. She and her family have attended Village Church since 2008 and she joined the Student Ministry team Summer 2024. Macie is most excited about growing the Middle and High School girl’s ministry and using Village’s social media platforms to expand outreach!
Anna Gillespie
Student Ministry Intern
Bio Coming Soon!
Greg Butler
Business Administrator
Greg is the Business Administrator for Village Church. He and his wife Mandy grew up in Indiana, and along with their children, Shelby, Kailey, Evan, moved to South Carolina in 2006. Greg has been a Village Church member since 2009 and on Staff since 2024. He is an Army Veteran, a graduate of Oakland City University (BS), Indiana Wesleyan University (MS), and is currently pursuing an MA in Theological Studies from Liberty University.