OUR PASTOR

Dave Benefield, Pastor of River of Life Church, is married to Roxie, his wife of over 30 years, and has three children, Cassie (L), Brooke (Center beside husband Cameron on left) and John (R). (If you are wondering, each of them is giving their college hand signals…)

Dave came to serve as Pastor of River of Life Church in the summer of 2012. He had attended and served River of Life at various times in the preceding years, as Roxie’s parents attend River of Life along with many other friends here in Mason. Mason is also Roxie’s hometown.

Pastor Dave previously served at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship in Prosper, Texas, where he was ordained as a pastor in July, 2004. He was a member of the church planting team who started the church in October of 2001. Dave served as an Executive Pastor, Elder, and member of the Board of Directors. There he was active in all areas of ministry, especially equipping ministry leaders, outreach to the community and in training new members. He is also a musician and served on the worship team in various capacities. Prior to his ministry at Lighthouse, Dave and Roxie were both involved with helping four other churches get started in the Dallas area.

Pastor Dave graduated from Texas A&M University in 1988 with a bachelor of business administration in accounting. He is a certified public accountant and, prior to his work in the ministry, Dave enjoyed a wide variety of experiences in the business world. Dave also served as a member of the elected Town Council of Prosper, Texas, has been a youth baseball and soccer coach and is a private pilot. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Biblical and Theological Studies through Knox Seminary.

“Though I grew up in church and had a wonderful Christian upbringing, I did not let God have control of my life until the summer of 1985. One of my friends invited me to a church campout, and there I understood clearly for the first time that I needed a Savior. I trusted Jesus Christ as Lord, and my life changed dramatically! I found freedom and joy like I had never experienced, and my heart’s desire became to fulfill what I had heard preached in that summer of 1985:

‘Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, NASB)

Our desire at River of Life is to exalt Jesus Christ, and through Him, bring glory to God the Father and live life to the full through the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. I would love for you to visit River of Life and be captivated with Christ’s majesty and beauty, and through a relationship with Him and by the power of His Spirit working in you, fully enjoy God the Father and fulfill your destiny in Him.”