• Matt Bistayi

    lead pastor

    Matt is the Lead Pastor of Valley Church. He and his family, along with some amazing people, launched the church in 2010. Before planting Valley, Pastor Matt served other churches in student ministry, discipleship ministry, and as lead pastor. 


    Originally from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area, Pastor Matt became a Bronco at Western Michigan University before attending Seminary. Afterwards, he married Shellie, who is a Nurse Care Manager. Together they have two grown kids, Amber and Alex, and a grandson, DJ. Ask him to show you pictures--he'd love to brag!


    Matt gets the most excited about seeing people impacted by the grace of Jesus. He believes that God's love has no boundaries and he is passionate about helping people discover and unleash their God-given potential. 


    Some of Matt's favorite things include cooking, crispy chicken wings, BBQ, traveling, hanging out with friends and family, the Chicago Bears, and finding hope (He's a Bears fan after all). He's a major foodie and is always up for grabbing a bite, hearing your story, and helping you take your next steps with Jesus!


    Email Matt >

  • Jeremiah Shirreffs

    Worship and Creative Arts Director

    Jeremiah has been with Valley Church since its founding in 2010, becoming the Worship and Creative Arts Director in 2016. Today he serves Valley in countless ways, from leading and organizing worship each Sunday to running tech during a pandemic to graphic design. He is also responsible for developing the look and brand of Valley.


    Originally from Battle Creek, he began studying at Ferris State University and moved on to receive a degree in Industrial Design from the Kendall College of Art and Design. He married Emily in 2016 and the two became parents to their first child, Elias, in September of 2019. They are also parents to Hank and Dallas, two fun-loving Huskies. 


    Miah's favorite moment when he serves at Valley is when the music and the people come together to experience God's presence in a real, tangible way. He works diligently behind the scenes each week to make this experience possible!


    Aside from church, Miah loves to play disc golf, play video games, eating Mexican food, and drinking Dr. Pepper. If you've got talents regarding music, tech, or other creative arts, Miah would love to get in touch with you!


    Email Miah >

  • Elaine Ebeling  

    Office Manager and Missions Coordinator

    Elaine is our organizer and planner in the office of Valley church.  She is devoted and passionate about keeping the behind-the-scene life at Valley running smoothly.  Elaine is an idea maker and event planner and loves to work with individuals and teams at Valley to create Mission & Outreach opportunities throughout the year. 


    Originally from Nebraska, Elaine moved to Michigan for college.  She and husband George settled in Allendale and have made this community home for many years, raising 3 great kids (and several dogs, guinea pigs, chickens, hamsters and even a gecko at one time!).


    Elaine has been with Valley Church since the very beginning when she heard Matt was launching a new church plant.  Helping build the office from the ground up and working with the team to develop systems and organization has been a fun journey.  Elaine’s passion for ministry, mission and the church is a reflection of the good works Valley Church keeps at the forefront of its vision.  


    Elaine loves good coffee, cooking, camping, creating art, gardening, reading and spending time with her family.   


    Email Elaine >

  • Mary Kate watkins

    Revive College and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator

    MaryKate is our College and 18-25 Coordinator. She began her ministry at Valley in 2022 but has been with the church since 2016. 


    MaryKate is originally from the east side of Michigan. She came over to the west side for college and met her now Husband Mason. They were married in 2019 and welcomed their Daughter Mae in 2022. She is also Parent to her two dogs Bella and Milo.


    She is so excited to help grow our 18-25 ministry and where God will take her on this next adventure! 


    MaryKate loves spending time with her family, going hiking, swimming at Lake Michigan, drinking coffee, reading books and listening to podcasts! She cannot wait to meet you and see where she can help you thrive on your faith journey! 


    Email Mary Kate >

  • Heather yzenbaard

    Unleashed Student Ministry Coordinator

    Heather is our Unleashed Student Ministry Coordinator. She began working in youth ministry in 2015 at a church in downtown Grand Rapids. Before joining the staff at Valley in 2022, she volunteered with our Unleashed ministry for a year. 


    Heather grew up in Jackson, MI. She moved to West Michigan to attend Grand Valley State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English Secondary Education. After graduating, she began working as an interventionist and later as a 7th/8th grade ELA teacher. 


    Heather has a passion for working with teenagers. She loves building relationships with students and walking with them through their faith journey. Heather enjoys watching teens step out and take ownership of their faith. 


    Heather spends her free time reading, traveling, biking, swimming, and heading to the beach with her friends.


    Email Heather > 

  • kaitlyn field

    Valley Kids co-director

    Kaitlyn has been at Valley for five years and has served on the worship team as well as the women’s ministry this last year. She grew up in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, and now lives in Comstock Park with her husband, Chris and their dog Loki. 

    She has a passion for kids between volunteering with Valley kids, nannying, and her past experiences working at a daycare. She is excited to continue watching God’s work in Valley kids, and being a part of the kids and families, spiritual growth and watching them thrive!

    Kaitlyn loves reading, baking, cleaning, (yes cleaning!) and going on adventures with her family and friends. She loves the outdoors as well as a cozy night at home. 


    Email Kaitlyn >

  • alyx kuyers

    VALLEY KIDS CO-DIRECTOR

    Alyx and her family have been at Valley Church since early 2021. She not only serves in Valley Kids but also works with children at Allendale Christian School. Allendale is her hometown and she attended Grand Valley State University right after high school for History and Women and Gender Studies. She just started taking classes again in 2021 to get her early education teaching degree. 

    Alyx loves teaching and sharing the love of God with children. She believes that at a young age children can share their love of Jesus with others and continue to do so as they grow. Alyx can’t wait to watch Valley Kids grow, glow, and share the goodness of God.

    Alyx enjoys coffee, reading, going on nature walks, more coffee, wood burning, spending time with her family while enjoying yet another cup of coffee. 


    Email Alyx >