Meet Our Team
Our Pastors
Garrette and Lesley Milliken
Garrette and Lesley Milliken joined Compassion Church in 2023 as lead pastors. They married in 2014 and are the proud parents of 3 beautiful children. Garrette has been serving in full time ministry since he was 17 years old, serving in various ministry roles over the years including lead pastor, student pastor, grief counselor, hospice chaplain, and missionary. Garrette loves sharing the simple gospel, evangelizing, and spending his free time with his wife and kids. Lesley spends her time serving in the ministry of the home – raising children, homeschooling, cooking and baking.
Fun facts about the Millikens:
Garrette is a lover of UT football, hot wings, fruity candy, and fast cars.
Lesley loves to be in the kitchen but hates cleaning it. She loves coffee, trying new restaurants, and raising chickens.
The kids are funny and loud and messy and free spirited – exactly as God designed children to be.
Justin Godwin
Executive Pastor
j.godwin@compassionchurch.cc
Justin is happily married to his wife Jessica and they have a bright teenage daughter Natlie. Justin is a dynamic spiritual leader with years of experience and a deep passion for following Jesus and helping others to do the same. With a heart for people and a passion for excellence, they steward our staff, systems, and resources so ministry can happen with clarity and health. By supporting the Lead Pastor and empowering leaders across the church, Justin helps create an environment where the whole church can grow and move forward together.
Kayla Arnold
Kids Pastor
k.arnold@compassionchurch.cc
Kayla and her husband Chase are passionate about creating a fun, safe, and faith-filled environment where children can encounter Jesus in a way they understand and enjoy. With a heart for families and the next generation, they are committed to helping kids build a strong foundation of faith through engaging teaching, meaningful relationships, and plenty of laughter. Every week, our goal is to partner with parents to help kids grow in their love for God and others.
Michelle McCaleb
Connections Pastor
Michelle@compassionchurch.cc
Michelle McCaleb is a hometown girl, born and raised in Waverly, TN. She started her journey with Compassion Church in 2013. After encountering Jesus in a new way, Michelle found community and purpose in serving and was hired as the Connections Pastor in 2017. She believes in the importance and power of connection – not just with individuals, but with their families as well.
Michelle takes an active role in her community. In 2013, she founded the non-profit Caring for Kids with Cancer that serves children who are fighting cancer and other serious illnesses. In addition to this, she currently serves as the chaplain for the Humphreys County Jail. She formerly worked as the Career Center Director at Work Force Essentials for Humphreys and Houston counties.
What you might not know about Michelle: She’s been married to her husband, Jeff, for 19 years. She has 3 amazing kids and 6 incredible grandchildren. Her favorite title is “Mimi”.
Quote: “But God.”
Jamie Rippy
Student Pastor
j.rippy@compassionchurch.cc
Jamie is dedicated to walking alongside middle school and high school students as they discover who they are and who God is calling them to be. With a passion for authentic relationships and biblical truth, they create environments where students feel seen, valued, and challenged to grow in their faith. Through relevant teaching, intentional discipleship, and a whole lot of fun, Jamie and her team prepare teenagers to become adults in the real world for Christ.
Austin Liverance
Worship Pastor
Austin@compassionchurch.cc
Austin Liverance became interested in music when he was 13 years old because of his desire to learn a Christmas song. Little did he know at the time, this was simply the first step down a path of discovering God’s purpose for his life. His love for music grew even more when he had the opportunity to work at a music studio in Nashville, TN.
Today, Austin is honored to use the gifts God has given him through serving as the worship pastor at Compassion Church. He loves that ministry builds a community of like-minded people that want to better themselves and, in turn, help others do the same.
What you might not know about Austin: He used to do BMX biking and his go-to coffee drink is 4 shots of espresso.
Quote: Esther 4:14 “…for such a time as this [and for this very purpose].”
JD Daniel
Outreach / Care Pastor
j.daniel@compassionchurch.cc
JD has a passion for people unlike any we have ever seen. He loves caring for people this world tends to forget about and he is gifted in connecting the church to the community. JD also loves to lead worship, especially within our student ministry. When it comes to JD, it isn’t hard to tell that he lives to make the name of Jesus famous.
Chaz Neely
Administrative Assistant
c.neely@compassionchurch.cc
Chaz reminds us of Anna. She has her hand in a lot of things around Compassion Church. She works extenisively with our connections team. Chaz is an amazing mother to two wonderful children and enjoys seeing new believers come to know Christ. She most enjoys working behind the scenes and serves in our student ministry. She has been known to run from spotlights, stages, and cameras.