Church Alive in a nutshell.
We exist to LOVE people back to LIFE! At Church Alive, we aim to fulfill Jesus' command to love God with all of our hearts and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Love is the foundation of everything that we do!
Pastors Carey & Vannie Harrell
Lead Pastors
Pastors Carey & Vannie Harrell
Lead Pastors
Meet our leaders and staff.
Carey Harrell | Apostle
Following a vision for Roanoke to be filled with Holy Spirit activity, Apostle Carey helped pioneer a new church, serving his father-in-law and mentor, Pastor Melvin West. With eleven people, they launched the Church in 1992. As Apostle he oversees the pastors of Church Alive International, providing guidance, teaching, leadership, and spiritual covering.
He travels frequently to other nations speaking to pastors and leaders and building the local church. He and his wife, Vannie, live in Roanoke, Virginia, have two daughters, two sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren.
Vannie Harrell | Senior Pastor
As senior pastor of Church Alive International, Pastor Vannie provides teaching, leadership, vision, and guidance for the church as a whole. Together with her parents and her husband, Carey, she helped in the establishing of the Church in 1992. She is passionate about the local church, her city, and hosting the Presence of God. She and Apostle Carey live in Roanoke, Virginia, have two daughters, two sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren.
Jamie Petrone | Associate Pastor | Prayer Ministries Director
Jamie oversees the Church’s financial operations and serves as the leader of our prayer team. Some of her duties include scheduling and managing the pre-service prayer team as well as organizing and leading prayer meetings.
She is passionate about growing the next generation of intercessors and watchmen in the body of Christ. She and her husband, Phil, live in Roanoke, Virginia, and have one son and daughter, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and grandson .
Kyle and Lauren Yoder | Family Life Pastors
Kyle and Lauren Yoder have been married since 2010 and are blessed with three beautiful children. As Family Life Pastors, they share a passion for Jesus and seeing marriages and families thrive. Kyle holds degrees in Counseling & Psychology, Communication Studies, and Biblical Studies & Theology, while Lauren holds a degree in Elementary and Special Education.
Grace Gordon | Children’s Pastor
Grace and her husband, Zack, have been married since 2016 and have three children. Having grown up in church, Grace has a desire to see the next generation grow in their faith and develop a strong foundation in God’s Word. She is passionate about helping children know and love Jesus so they can confidently share the gospel and live boldly for Christ.
Mark and Rachel Holman | Youth Pastors
Mark and Rachel are passionate about Jesus and seeing a generation fall deeply in love with Him, discover their identity in Christ, and live boldly through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Whether through ministry or his professional work with young people, Pastor Mark loves building relationships and creating an environment where they feel seen, heard, and valued.
Pastor Rachel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, so caring for people has always been a huge part of who she is. She loves bringing that same heart for people into ministry to the youth and young adults.
They are blessed to call Roanoke their home where they enjoy life together while raising their two boys.
More interesting facts.
You may be wondering what “Church Alive International” means. We are convinced that a name should reflect mission, vision, and personality.
Church: Establishing who we are as a local segment of the worldwide Body of Christ.
Alive: Reflecting our passion for living in the full, abundant life we have only thru Christ.
International: Pronouncing our commitment to reaching beyond ourselves and to the nations and cultures of the world.
Church Alive International (CAI) was founded by Pastors Melvin & Evangeline West, opening its doors on June 7, 1992, at a local Holiday Inn conference center, and shortly thereafter, relocating to a storefront building on Williamson Road. The church’s inception was a result of God’s moving on the hearts of Pastors West and their two daughters and sons-in-law. Each couple was stirred to the decision to relocate their three families to Roanoke to begin a ministry that would reach out to people’s real needs, that would transcend boundaries of culture, race, age, gender, and economic status and meet people where we live.
With Pastors West serving as the Lead Pastors, the three families pioneered what was initially named Church of the Harvest, a name which captured the essence of our founding mission… to be laborers to bring in a fruitful harvest to the Kingdom of God. In the quest to meet practical needs, the church has been involved since its very beginning in community outreach here in Roanoke’s inner city, as well as in worldwide missions. We continue to pursue effective means of reaching people through both local and global outreach.
The year 2000 began with an incredible energy and excitement, and with the anticipation of the unknown, Pastors West passed the mantle of Lead Pastor to Pastors Carey & Vannie Harrell. Along with that transition, the church was re-named Church Alive International, not neglecting the foundation of being laborers in the harvest, but acknowledging the call on this ministry to be a truly life-giving church that touches not just one sect of society, but all ethnicities, cultures, and nations of the world.
In May 2007, God’s favor and grace allowed CAI to relocate into a building built specifically to carry out the mission of CAI. Our current location on Peters Creek Road is a testament to the faithfulness of God in that He has provided a space from which we can launch more effective ministry in our community, in our nation, and around the globe.
1. In the verbal inspiration of the scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, and they are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21)
2. In the one true God who has revealed himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM”. Our God is a trinity in unity, manifested in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22)
3. In the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. In the fall of man. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-21)
5. In the salvation of man. Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God. (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:5-7)
6. In sancitification as a definite yet progressive work of grace. (Romans 12:1-2; 1Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 12:14; 13:12)
7. In the baptism in the Holy Ghost witnessed by an initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance (Acts 1:4-8; 2:4; 10:46)
8. In the Church, built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Its constituents are all true believers, born again of the Spirit and of the Word. (1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20; 5:27; John 3:6; 1 Peter 1:23)
9. In water baptism by immersion according to a direct command of our Lord and for believers. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:37-38)
10. In the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of His suffering and death. (1 Corinthians 11:26)
11. In divine healing as provided for in the atonement, and as the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16)
12. In the second coming of Jesus. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
13. In the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. (1 Corinthians 15)
14. In the final judgment. (Revelation 20:11-15)