Our Staff
Meet the dedicated team serving our church community
John Swanger
Senior Pastor
jswanger@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 926-3136Pastor John has been the Senior Pastor of Calvary Road since 2007. Pastor John and his wife Michelle were married in 1993, and have 2 grown children who are married, and three grandchildren. Pastor John graduated from Fruitland Baptist Bible College in 1998, and Calvary Road is his third Pastorate. He also served at Ochre Hill Baptist Church in Sylva N.C., and Middle River Baptist Church in Carnesville Ga.
Mark Golden
Executive Pastor
mgolden@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 926-3194Pastor Mark has served as Executive Pastor since 2019, having previously been the Associate and Youth Pastor beginning in 2012. He is married to KaLee Marie and they have two children, Ensley and Hudson. He holds degrees from Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, Liberty University, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Andersonville Theological Seminary.
Dan Benham
Pastor of Senior Adults
dbenham@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 246-9758Pastor Dan, originally from Florida, has served in Christian ministry for over 60 years with a particular gifting in music and a pastor's heart for caring for others. After serving as Minister of Music and Worship at Calvary Road, he transitioned to Seniors Pastor, ministering to both active and homebound senior adults. His ministry maintains connection with the church family through home visits, monthly fellowship meetings, local trips, transportation assistance, and spiritual care to strengthen seniors' relationship with God.
Matt Cowan
Pastor of Discipleship and Counseling
mcowan@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 246-9784Pastor Matt has served in church ministry in North Carolina for 12 years and has been married to Becca since 2013 with two boys, Michael and Joshua. He holds a Bachelor's in Psychology from Western Carolina University and a Master's in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2025, he completed his Doctorate of Ministry. He is passionate about helping people grow in their walk with the Lord through discipleship and counseling.
John Grasty
Student and Missions Pastor
jgrasty@mycalvaryroad.com +1(828) 926-3126Pastor John G. holds a Bachelor of Arts in Evangelism from Pensacola Christian College and surrendered to preach in April 2000 during his junior year at Tuscola High School. His ministry experience includes pastoring Cove Creek Baptist Church, serving at Old Pathway Baptist Church, and spending nearly seven years as a church planting missionary in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where he planted a church in Domžale. A native of Haywood County, he has served at Calvary Road since 2022 and is married to Kate with two boys, Elijah and Andrew.
Joshlyn Teague
Pastor of Men's Ministry and Facilities
jteague@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 542-0047Pastor Joshlyn is a Haywood County native who serves as Pastor of Men's Ministry and oversees church facilities. He previously pastored Pleasant Balsam Baptist Church and served as associate pastor at Dellwood Baptist Church, while also working as a general contractor with his family. He has been married to Shelly for over 20 years, and they have three children: Austin, Maddie, and Jonas.
Karen Holcomb
Children's Ministry Director
kholcomb@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 246-0238Karen holds a Master of Arts in Communication from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has over 20 years of experience writing dramatic scripts and Bible curriculum for LifeWay Christian Resources and WMU. She served for six years as Children's Minister at Pole Creek Baptist Church in Candler, NC, where she discovered her passion for communicating God's Word to children through storytelling and creative illustrations. Karen and her husband Bron live in Canton, North Carolina. They have 2 adult sons.
Reggie Coker
Custodian
rcoker@mycalvaryroad.com (828) 926-0506Reggie moved to Western North Carolina from Upstate South Carolina after years of family vacations in the mountains. Following his retirement from machine shops and Lowe's retail, he joined Calvary Road as custodian and does an excellent job maintaining the facility. He also sings in the choir and is always ready to help wherever needed.
Mary Ann Robinson
Office Administrator
maryann@mycalvaryroad.com +1 (828) 926-5232Mary Ann is a Haywood County native who gave her heart to the Lord at age 12 and joined Calvary Road Baptist Church with her husband in 1995. She became the church's first secretary in 1996 and has served as Office Administrator for over 25 years, supporting the pastoral staff and church operations. Mary Ann and her husband Tim, a deacon at Calvary Road, have one adult daughter, Faith, who is a wonderful nurse, and they enjoy camping and boating as a family.