Steve Van Denend

Lead Pastor

In 2000, Steve married Toni—the love of his life, his greatest blessing and college sweetheart. As a couple, Steve and Toni love people, movies and traveling, and find their greatest joy in raising their 5 children: Olivia, Mason, Noelle, and twins Judah & Madelynn. But that’s not all—they added a dog named Cooper in 2020!

Steve is currently a lead pastor of The Edge Church and one of its original founders. His heart and passion is to help others discover and fulfill their purpose, communicate the truth of Jesus relevantly and unapologetically, and to see the church fulfill its mission of making disciples who live for Jesus, love one another and tell the world about Him with words and deeds. Steve also has a passion for unity in the Church at large, which compels him to regularly connect with other church leaders, build relationships and develop opportunities for church communities to come together in the worship and service of God.

In his role, Steve casts and implements vision, teaches God’s Word, provides counsel, and oversees Edge Church ministries and leaders. He is a firm believer in “team leadership” and is convinced that every part of the body is essential.

Before starting The Edge, Steve worked for six years as a social worker and counselor serving individuals and families in the Chicagoland area. Since committing his life to following Jesus, Steve has been involved in a variety of ministry roles, including: small groups, worship/music, youth ministry, young-adult ministry, mission trips (locally, nationally and internationally) and speaking/teaching.

Steve has a B.S. in Social Work from Illinois State University (1999) and his M.S.W. (Mental Health) from the University of Illinois-Chicago (2003). Steve received his ministerial ordination from Fountain of Life Church in Lombard, IL in 2007.

Mark Loerop

Elder, Treasurer

In November 2006, Mark married Rachel. Mark is the youngest in his family of origin with 5 other brothers and sisters and 22 nephews and nieces, while Rachel is the oldest in her family of origin with one younger brother. Mark has a passion for learning, gardening, cooking, and watching sports. Vacations for the Loerop family are often spent camping, and they love to spend time with friends and family hanging out. Mark and Rachel have three children, Aleisa, Xavier, and Tessa.

Mark is an elder and founding member of the Edge Church. His desire is for people to grow in depth with their relationship with God and reach out to show the love of Christ to all.

Currently, Mark is an owner and professional engineer at Hard Hat Services.

Dan Free

Elder, Youth Pastor

Dan Free serves as an elder at The Edge Church, where he also leads youth group and helps with the kids ministry. He and his wife have four kids, one dog, and “a bunch of fish,” who we all assume make the big family decisions.

Professionally, Dan works as a civil engineer and project manager, helping oversee drawings and permitting for private land development projects. Outside of work and church, he enjoys spending time with his kids and supporting them in their activities, watching football, especially the Bears and especially not the Packers, playing guitar, and listening to podcasts.

Dan insists he’s boring, which probably tells you he’s fun. This can be confirmed by asking any member of our youth ministry.

What Dan loves most about serving at The Edge is investing in kids and helping them see what the Lord has done, and can do, in their lives. He sees the church as family and wants to continue growing alongside others as disciples of Christ. Psalm 51, especially verses 16 and 17, continues to shape him.

Charles Sims

Just a regular elder

Charles Sims has attended The Edge since 2005, and feels called to support worship leaders, open the Sims home for ministry, and occasionally serving on mission trips with students and adults. Basically winning the spousal lottery, he married high school sweetheart Kristine in 2005, and highly recommends “marrying way up” as he did. Together they have three kids, Andrew, Ella, and Benjamin, who continually amaze them with their gifts, ridiculousness, and brilliance.

Professionally, Charles leads Verb, a digital agency he and Kristine founded in 2007, named by God out of John 1, which is its own incredible story. You can ask him about it.

Outside of church, he loves supporting Kristine in her many leadership roles (including BSF teaching leader, founder of +one, and executive coaching), coaching basketball with his youngest son, watching his daughter perform in cheer, dance, and violin, spending time with his oldest son in whatever crazy brilliant thing he’s exploring, playing music, and summers in Door County. Charles also once ranked in the top 60 players in the world in Angry Birds Star Wars, which may be his simultaneously greatest and saddest achievement.

When asked what he loves about The Edge Church, Charles noted, “It has always felt raw, honest, and full of gritty faith. In many ways, it looks nothing like the church I imagined attending, and so much more like Jesus than the church I had imagined. I credit much of my understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus to the work God has done through the amazing people at The Edge Church.”