We take our role very seriously.

Ourselves? Not so much.

Meet the Team

  • Shaheen Eydgahi

    LEAD PASTOR

    Shaheen has been a part of Access Church since 2001, after some friends invited him to the youth group. It must’ve been pretty good, because he hasn’t left yet! In July of 2020, Shaheen became the Lead Pastor of Access Church and is thrilled for what the future holds. He’s responsible for the overall vision and direction of Access, and is the primary speaker at our weekend services. He married his wife Kasi in 2006, and together they have two daughters, Audrey and Adele. Shaheen is a pretty decent guitarist, and is a huge Minnesota Vikings fan. You will hear about at least one of those two things in most messages.

    shaheen@accesschurchonline.org

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  • Kevin Haseltine

    FOUNDING PASTOR

    For 20 years, Kevin led Access Church - from a tiny group of people in a back room kitchen to a thriving gathering of hundreds of people every Sunday. In July of 2020, he knew it was time to hand over the reigns of leadership at Access, but he wasn’t done reaching people and seeing the mission of Access be accomplished! As the Founding Pastor, his voice and input is still utilized throughout the community, but specifically here through our small groups and growth opportunities. He is married to his wife Sue, and they have five children, including one adopted special-needs son. Kevin loves hunting and ice cream.

    kevin@accesschurchonline.org

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  • Josiah Sherry

    KIDS DIRECTOR

    Josiah is married to his wife, Kelsey, and they have been blessed with three wonderful children Kylie, Lucas, and Mason. He grew up going to church all the time with his family, and first came to Access back in 2007. After high school, Josiah went his own way for awhile, but in 2017 he reengaged here, and he’s been growing immensely ever since. He felt called to kids ministry and has been involved at a high level for years now. In February 2023, he officially joined our team as the Kids Director and is excited to help kids grow and strengthen their relationship with God.

    josiah@accesschurchonline.org

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  • Alex Melin

    YOUTH DIRECTOR

    Alex is new to Access. He joined the team in February 2023 and is excited to build relationships with the students and families of the North Branch area. Alex has served in churches and youth camps for over 10 years and is amped to continue making disciples at Access! He and his wife Ashley have two beautiful daughters and love being parents. The Melin's love to laugh and spend time with friends and family. Alex is a huge Star Wars fan, and loves to teach people how to play new board games!

    alex@accesschurchonline.org

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  • Anthony Kirckof

    WORSHIP DIRECTOR

    Anthony is our newest staff member, joining our team in February 2024. After graduating from North Central University in Minneapolis with a Music Degree, he continued his career working as a Manager for Waterparks, Resorts, and Theme Parks, which brought him all the way out to Middletown, NY. There, he met Chloe, who would later become his wife. In January of 2024, ministry finally called his name and out of all places, brought him back home to Minnesota. Music is obviously a passion for both him and his wife, but they also enjoy playing games (all kinds!), going camping, and ironically cheering for the Green Bay Packers. They are also currently expecting their first child, and enjoy playing with their kitten, Willow.

    anthony@accesschurchonline.org

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  • Jody Heilman

    COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

    Jody and her husband, Andrew, moved to the area in 2010 and began searching for the right church, finding Access in 2012! They have two children, Henry and Katelyn. Jody has volunteered at the church in many different areas, but she joined the staff in August of 2022 as the Communications Coordinator. She not only answers phone calls and emails, she works with our graphic design team and manages our social media accounts. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, spending time outside, and reading.

    contact@accesschurchonline.org

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  • Raedean Halverson

    BOOKKEEPER

    In Febuary of 2004 Raedean started looking for a church in North Branch, after moving to the area from the Twin Cities, and immediately found her home here. She and her husband are raising 3 active boys, who have entered the teenage years. Raedean has been working for the church doing the bookkeeping in different capacities since 2015, and was even the Kids Director for several years. In her spare time she enjoys watching her boys race bikes (all types) across the country, combined with family camping trips.

    raedean@accesschurchonline.org

campfire code

People know if you’ve been by a campfire. You don’t need to announce it or tell anyone. Your presence tells the story. In the same way, there should be a presence about those of us who call Access our home. These are the defining values that set us apart.

  • Authenticity trumps everything.

    We strive to be open and honest with our ups and our downs. No one is perfect here, especially our leaders. Many people have felt judged by Christians pretending to be perfect and we’re trying to change that.

  • Don’t put the cart before the horse.

    We’ve got big dreams and lots of plans, but nothing is more important than people. It’s easy to get distracted with all the things we need to do, but we never want to forget that we’re here to love others like God loved us.

  • No one likes being “sold”.

    It’s easy to spot someone who’s just going through the motions. We’re not in this to fill time or draw big crowds, but because we believe that God’s mission matters and we have a passion to help others experience what we’ve found ourselves.

  • A simple path > a complicated menu.

    Christianity isn’t complicated, and we don’t want to make it that way. Our strategy as a church is to provide clear and straightforward paths for people to grow in their relationship with God. It’s why we choose to not do everything, but only a few things well.

  • Excellence inspires people.

    We believe that God gave His very best to restore a relationship with us. And we want to have that same attitude towards what God has called us to do. We’re ok with leaving the results up to God, as long as we’re doing the best with what we’ve got.

  • There are no lone rangers.

    Life isn’t meant to be lived in isolation, and neither is Christianity. No matter how talented someone may be, we need each other to grow and to accomplish what God has called us to do. We are always looking to build relationships with each other.

Our Beliefs

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is the word of God and is without error.  It was written by humans under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It is the supreme authority on all matters of faith and morality.


God

We believe in a God who has always existed in three equal persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Each member of the Trinity has a different role and purpose, but all are equal in power and authority.  We believe that God the Father is holy, powerful and unchanging.  We believe that He is loving and compassionate and desires a relationship with everyone.  We believe that Jesus was completely God and completely human at the same time.  He never sinned and therefore could be a substitution for us in fulfilling God's requirement for perfection.  We believe that Jesus died on the cross and three days later rose from the dead so that we could have life.  Salvation comes through Jesus alone.  We believe that the Holy Spirit guides believers.  He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts and makes us more like Christ.

People

We believe that every person has been created in God's image.  Every person has been given a purpose by God.  We also believe that every person has sinned and fallen short of God's standards of perfection.  Through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, people can put their trust in Him and allow Him to trade places with them.  We believe that without putting your faith in Jesus that a person cannot be in a right relationship with God and will not spend eternity in Heaven.

The Church and Eternity

We believe that Church is God's plan for reaching the world.  The Church is responsible for teaching the lessons in the Bible.  Every believer plays a vital role in serving in the local church and reaching those who are far from God.  We believe that one day Jesus will return and there will be a judgement.  Those who have put their faith in Jesus will spend eternity in Heaven with God.  Those who haven't will spend eternity away from God in Hell.

As an Assemblies of God Church, we believe in 16 Fundamental Truths. You can view the complete list here.