Grace Church is led by a plurality of elders (or pastors) who follow Jesus Christ as they set the vision and direction of Grace Church. These men do not serve alone but are supported by a team of deacons and support staff who are instrumental in carrying out the mission and values of the church.
Our Pastors:
Devon Kauflin
Devon serves as the lead pastor of Grace Church,
leading, preaching, and providing pastoral care. He also serves Sovereign Grace Music by contributing to recordings, leading events, and developing strategies for training leaders and serving local churches in the area of corporate worship. He completed his B.S. in Business from the University of Maryland (2007) and his M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2015, 2018, 2020). He has been on staff at Grace Church since July of 2015, was ordained as an elder in October of 2016, and installed as the lead pastor in December of 2022. Devon and his wife, Kristine, were married in 2006 and live in Urbana with their four children. You can send Devon an email at devon@gracechurchmd.org.
Jason Briggs
Jason provides oversight for many of the day-to-day activities of the church, as well as serving through teaching, preaching, and providing pastoral care. God led Jason, his wife, Sharon, and their four children to move from Louisville, Kentucky to Monrovia, Maryland in the winter of 2024 to be a part of the Grace Church family. They have quickly come to love all things Maryland (go Nats!) and have immersed themselves in the life of our church and community. In September of 2025, Jason was ordained as an elder and transitioned to full-time ministry at Grace Church.
Fengyu Ji
Fengyu is on the pastoral team at Grace Church, leading the Chinese Ministry. He is from China. He completed his M.S. in Optoelectronic Engineering from the Beijing Institute of Technology (2012) and his M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2020). He is also a graduate from the Pastors College of Sovereign Grace Churches (2019). Fengyu’s vision is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ among the Chinese-speaking community in the Urbana area. He and his wife Fangzhou, were married in 2016 and live in Urbana. You can contact Fengyu at sgchineseministry@gmail.com.
John Loftness
John Loftness serves on the pastoral team at Grace Church teaching and providing pastoral care. John has been a pastor since the early 1980s, serving in a number of Sovereign Grace churches in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Nancy, have been married since 1977 and reside in Monrovia. They are blessed with four married children and lots of grandchildren.
Chris Mays
Chris serves on the pastoral team at Grace Church teaching and providing pastoral care. He and his wife Jean are founding members of Grace Church. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Catholic University and his M.D. from the University of Maryland in 1984. While maintaining a full-time medical practice, Chris serves the members of Grace Church alongside the church’s other pastors and deacons. Chris and Jean were married in 1985, live in Monrovia, and have three grown daughters and five grandchildren.
Our Deacons & Their Wives:
Support Staff:
Nora Earles
Nora serves as administrative support for Grace Church. Alongside her husband Larry, she has served the local church administratively for over 30 years.
