The Team
WHO WE ARE
Matthew Stevenson
Lead Pastor
Rev. Matthew Stevenson has been serving in full-time ministry since 2006. He is a licensed minister with the Assemblies of God and has a degree in biblical studies from Lancaster Bible College. He and his wife Emily were the Executive Pastors of Evangel Temple Church in Fort Smith, AR from 2006-2017. In August of 2017, God started to shift their ministry to an itinerant traveling ministry. After nine months, God birthed a desire to Pastor again in their hearts. In June 2018 Pastor Matt and Emily felt called to Lakeview Assembly. They have two beautiful daughters, Kennedy Noel and Abbagail Rose.
“My wife and I have a passion to help people discover the hidden treasure of God that lies within them. My desire is that Christians and non-believers alike would take off their preconceived lenses and take a fresh look at Jesus to find that He is better than they could ever imagine Him to be.”
EMILY STEVENSON
Family Pastor
Emily has always had a love for the local church and began serving in ministry as a teenager under her parent's ministry. During these formative years, Emily served as a worship leader, teacher, and began operating in the gift of prophecy and intercession. Once married, Emily served alongside Matt at Evangel Temple in Fort Smith, AR as youth pastors and women's ministry organizer. During this season, she worked full-time as a school-based licensed therapist (LMSW).
Currently, Emily serves as a helpmate to her husband, is a mother to her two precious girls, and is investing in our LVA Kids ministry as a Family Pastor. She has a heart to disciple, develop, and impart. Her ministry's priority is to maintain presence and follow the prophetic leading of the Holy Spirit at all times. In addition, Emily provides pastoral counseling and oversees Sisterhood, LVA's women's ministry.
CODY AND JULIE OLIVER
Associate Pastors & Worship Overseers
Cody & Julie Oliver joined the LVA staff in April 2023. After serving on staff at a church in Atlanta for 5 years, they felt the Lord lead them into a season of transition - and so caught the vision of what God was doing here in Hot Springs, AR. Cody serves as the associate pastor, and Julie as the administrative pastor.
Their passion is to worship and lead others into encounter with God. By writing songs and preaching messages with language that stirs up faith and hunger, their hope is to spread the message of the Gospel and see people’s lives transformed.
They believe in the infallibility and foundation of the Word of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, the prophetic nature of the church, and the necessity of ministry to The Lord and His ministry back to us.
The Olivers enjoy life and finding the best family fun spots with their two amazing kids, Walter and Miriam.
MICAH MAY
Youth Pastor
Micah has over 20 years of youth ministry experience. His ministry started in college while attending Arkansas Tech University where he played football and graduated Magna Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering. Because of his heart for evangelism and the growing college ministry at Russellville First Assembly of God, Senior Pastor Larry Moore hired Micah as the Director of College Ministry while he attended college at ATU. After college, Malvern First Assembly hired Micah as their Youth Pastor. In 2007 God led Micah to come on staff as a home missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In addition to serving as our youth pastor, he is the Multi-Area Director for FCA over the southern half of Arkansas. During his time with FCA, over 10,000 students have decided to follow Christ as their Lord and Savior just in South Central Arkansas. He also serves FCA and the Center for Mission Mobilization as their national support raising solutions trainer where he has trained over 7,000 missionaries in their live two-day training called, “Boot Camp.” This training empowers missionaries to be spiritually healthy, vision-driven, and fully funded. In the student ministry here at LVA, Micah is passionate about students experiencing a deep, personal, and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Micah is married to his wife Lindsey, and they have three children: Zander (17), Zavery (15), and Zion (9). They live in Glen Rose next to Family Farm Christian day camp which is owned and operated by his family.
kenzie rien
Creative Pastor
Kenzie Rien serves as the Creative Pastor at Lakeview Assembly, bringing a diverse background to her role. Her journey began in the entertainment industry, where she spent her early years auditioning and working on film and TV sets, fostering a passion for production and media.
At the age of 11, inspired by her father's deployment to Afghanistan, Kenzie founded Brat Pack 11, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. From 2009 to 2020, this initiative fulfilled wishes for children of wounded and fallen military personnel. Her dedication earned her several accolades, including the "Military Child of the Year" award for the Army from Operation Homefront in 2014, the "Prudential Spirit of Community Award" as California's State Honoree in 2015, and the Gold "President Volunteer Service Award" in the same year.
A pivotal moment came when Kenzie survived a life-threatening car accident with her father, and she felt God calling her toward ministry. Leveraging her production background, social media expertise, devotion to the Gospel, and non-profit management experience, Kenzie now aims to share Jesus' message with all generations using various media platforms.
JUSTIN RYAN
Media Pastor
Justin has been in full time ministry since 2017. He and his wife Payge joined the team at Lakeview in September of 2019. Justin has a love and passion for music and audio/video. In today’s world of “church online” he desires to grow in the knowledge of tools that can be used to spread the Gospel via the internet as well as in person. Justin’s goal is to use these tools to inspire anyone watching or attending Lakeview to draw closer to the heart of God and to love the people around them.
Justin and Payge lead worship together and seek to not just lead songs in church, but to encourage the congregation to step through the open door into God’s presence. People joined in one accord in worship is where God inhabits and where miracles happen. We have as much of God as we want, so Justin and Payge are continually seeking more of God and His presence.
Justin and Payge grew up in Pastor Matthew Stevenson’s youth group in Fort Smith, AR. Many years of friendship and deep fellowship have tied them together and they look forward to the best that is yet to come. Justin and Payge have two beautiful daughters, Natalie Anne and Olivia Joy.
KAMRYN Alyssa
Youth Worship Leader
Kamryn has been in worship ministry since she was 14. She started leading by herself at the age of 16. Now, she has been leading worship in LVA youth ministry for over three years now. She has been an intern at Lakeview for over a year and is currently studying theology and worship at SUM and will be graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Worship and Music June 1st, 2024. She has a heart for people and strives to lead worship in spirit and truth.