T.J. Helling has been serving as shepherd of The Porch since April of 2015.  Having grown up in Inola, Oklahoma, he deeply cares about the people of this small, rural community where The Porch meets in various locations all throughout the week.  He especially loves serving the people of Inola, and also feels called to serve other people all around the globe.  He believes in the Global Church and desires others to come to an understanding of who Jesus is and what He calls us to as His Church.  He has been given the incredible opportunity to be The Church in the Inola public school system where he teaches a Bible class in the junior high and high school and acts as the fourth grade science and social studies teacher.  T.J.’s favorite part of all of this full life is spending time with his favorite ministry partners: his (amazing, stunning, radical, incredible, basically insert any fancy adjective here) wife, Polly, and his four children, Anna Jo, Caleb, Isabelle, and Titus.   

Cruz Chavez has been the Youth minister of The Porch since August 2021. Cruz married his wife Jenna in October 2020.  Cruz is from Kaufman Texas and a graduate from Rogers State University where he ran cross country and studied Business Marketing.  Jenna is from Claremore and graduated from UCO in 2019 with a Masters in Nutrition.   They currently live in Inoa where he works bi-vocation in the insurance business and Jenna is working with OU Tulsa.  Their passions are student ministry and fellowship.   

Tim is married to his wife Kristi. They have two boys, Aidan and Kainan. Tim has been involved in kids ministry for the past 8 years. His desire is to help kids have fun, laugh and most of all learn a foundation that will last them a lifetime.