Our Team

Senior Pastor
Bob Sawvelle

Dr. Bob and Carolyn are the founding and Senior Pastors of Vertical Church. Bob functions as the primary teaching pastor, oversees curriculum and course development, leadership training, and church business affairs. Bob has Doctorate (DMin) and Master (ThM) degrees in Ministry and Theology and is ordained with Global Awakening ministries led by Dr. Randy Clark. His doctoral dissertation focused upon the validity of Christian healing ministry as it relates to evangelism and church growth.

His newest book, Our Eyes Are on You: Principles to Prevail in Faith and Prayer, is available from Amazon.  He has written two books on healing ministry, Receive Your Miracle Now and A Case for Healing Today, and an encouraging book on living an extraordinary life, Fulfill Your Dreams: Seize the Day and Be Extraordinary, which can also be found on Amazon. Bob writes weekly blog articles that can be found at BobSawvelle.com.

In addition to his pastoral duties and writing, Bob is a DMin doctoral mentor for the Randy Clark Scholars cohort at United Theological Seminary (UTS). He also serves as an adjunct professor teaching masters level classes in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting with the Global Awakening Theological Seminary (GATS), and he is an online course facilitator for Global Awakening’s Christian Healing Certification Program (CHCP)  and Christian Prophetic Certification Program (CPCP).

Senior Pastor
Carolyn Sawvelle
Dr. Bob and Carolyn are the founding and Senior Pastors at Vertical Church. Carolyn functions in several key roles in the church, overseeing the church office staff and functions, Life Group ministries, and assisting in leadership development. She also provides pastoral oversight for the marriage and family, inner healing, prophetic, youth and children, altar team, and prayer ministries at Vertical Church. She is ordained with Global Awakening Ministries and has extensive training in prayer and intercession, the prophetic, healing, inner healing, and leadership. She has an AS degree in Computer Science. Carolyn loves spending time with Bob, family, and her Passion family.
Worship Pastor
Glenn Wristen
Glenn serves as the Worship Pastor. Originally from Canada, he has many years’ experience with church leadership and worship, having served on other worship teams and in various other leadership roles. Glenn has BA Admin and MAED degrees and is an ordained minister. Along with his wife, Moira, Glenn is also an elder at Vertical Church. Their heart is to see people saved, healed, and delivered through God’s amazing love and power. After work you’ll probably find Glenn in his garage thinking up some new project to create.
Wholeness Pastor
Sam Trexler
Sam is the Wholeness Pastor at Vertical Church. Sam earned a BS in Astronomy and spent his career in the software industry. Sam and his wife, Margith, have been walking together with the Lord since college, raising four kids in Southern California. In the 1980s they were introduced to healing ministry under John Wimber and went on to become directors of two healing rooms. In 2005 they moved to Green Valley, becoming directors of the Southern Florida Healing Rooms in 2007. After retiring from the software industry in 2019, Sam was ordained and joined the staff of Vertical Church. He oversees the altar team and is developing the Passion inner healing ministry, while he and Margith continue to direct the Southern Florida Healing Rooms. They also lead a Life Group in the Green Valley/Sahuarita area. Sam and Margith love to see people healed in body, soul, and spirit, and set into their destiny and purpose in Christ. When not at church, he enjoys getting out his telescope under the stars or off-roading with his wife.
Youth Pastor
Hannah

Hannah is the Passion Youth Pastor. She grew up at Passion and has a unique love and commitment to the people who call Passion their home. Hannah earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Florida with an emphasis on marriage and family. As Youth Pastor, Hannah oversees Passion youth meetings and events, and interacts with Passion parents and teens. She also administers the social media department and assists with the development of the marriage and family ministry. Husband, Tyler, is a leader in the First Touch ministry and assists with the youth. When they aren’t working, you will find them loving on their new baby!

Children’s Pastor
Brittany
Brittany is Passion’s Children’s Pastor overseeing nursery age through fifth-grade classes. She leads the volunteer team, selects and implements the curriculum, and loves on all the Passion parents and children. Brittany and her husband, Josh, are also Life Group leaders. Brittany has many years of ministry experience, including time as Youth Pastor, then Assistant Pastor alongside her husband in her father-in-law’s church. Josh also volunteers as the leader of the Passion Young Adult Connect group. As a mother of three, Brittany’s heart is for all children to develop a deep, genuine, and eternal heart after God. At home, you can find Brittany surrounded by family, pets, and plants!
Social Media
Danielle
Danielle is the social media and blog manager for Pastor Bob’s website, BobSawvelle.com, and assists with management of the Vertical Church social media sites. She, along with her husband Randy, leads a Life Group in their home. She holds a degree in Marketing from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. Danielle loves serving in the nursery and with the worship and dance teams here at Passion. In her spare time, she is a homeschooling mother of four as well as a small business owner… Pass the coffee, please!
Service Facilitator
Randy
Randy and his family came to Passion in 2012. With a heart for serving others, he is the head of First Touch Ministries, which encompasses several different outreaches here at Passion, including the usher and greeter ministry. Randy and his wife Danielle also lead a Passion Life Group. Randy has a degree in criminal justice and a background in law enforcement. Randy loves God, family, America… and bacon.
Administrative Assistant
Esteban Quintana
Esteban is the Administrative Assistant to Pastor Bob and Carolyn. He started attending Vertical Church in 2017. Along with assisting in daily office life, you can find Esteban assisting wherever is needed on Sunday mornings. Esteban and his wife Carly have served as Life Group leaders, in the Children’s and Youth ministries, and on the Worship team.
Connect Pastor
Elizabeth Heft
Elizabeth is the Connect Pastor and also serves as an administrative assistant to Pastor Bob and Carolyn. She has recently moved to Sunrise from Dayton, Ohio where she served in ministry in a large, Spirit-Filled Church. Elizabeth has also served as a missionary in Taiwan, South Sudan, and Bethlehem. She has a heart for God’s people and loves to serve in any way she can.
Media Team Member
Jonathan Ehler
Jonathan is our media team member and plays a role in capturing moments for the church in the form of both photo and video. In his off time he finds himself pranking people in the office and being an all around goofball when he can! You’ll likely see him around church with a giant camera!
Volunteer Leaders
Passion also has many dedicated volunteer leaders ready to serve you when you visit! Randy and the church staff are happy to show you around and help connect you with Life Group leaders and other leaders in the church.