JC Groves is the founding pastor of Hope Church in Ringgold, Georgia, and the creator of The Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast, which reached over six million downloads and sparked a national conversation about faith, freedom, and following Jesus.

Now as the host of Following The Way, JC — alongside two fellow pastors and brand-new co-hosts — helps believers move from freedom to formation, guiding listeners to walk in the way of King Jesus every day.

He’s a husband, dad of six incredible kids, and a diehard Florida State Seminoles fan. When he’s not preaching, podcasting, or wrangling kids, you’ll find him hanging out with his two dogs, Bowden and Bobby, probably telling a story, laughing too loud, and reminding everyone that the best is yet to come

Pastor James Bell—Lead Teaching Pastor at First Baptist Church in Fenton, Michigan, and founder of the Pastors Connection Network.

Once a convinced atheist, James encountered Christ while studying at a secular university a moment that changed everything. Over the past 15 years, he’s helped plant churches, led through revitalization, served in evangelism, and walked alongside pastors and leaders across the country. But the greatest transformation didn’t come through ministry success it came through freedom.

After years of serving in legalistic and performance-driven church environments, James and his wife, Susanna, began a journey out of religious pressure and into the liberating grace of Jesus. That journey reshaped their marriage, their ministry, and their understanding of what it means to follow Christ—not out of fear or duty, but from love and rest.

Following the Way was born from that story. It’s a space for honest conversations about faith, leadership, and recovery from spiritual burnout. It’s for those who want to walk with Jesus again not perfectly, but authentically.

James and Susanna are raising five boys Titus, Timothy, Tatum, Toby, and Theo and together they’re learning that following the way of Jesus starts at home, flows into the church, and leads us back to grace.