River of Life Church
Temple Hills MD
20748
Who we are
River of Life Church is a family of believers called to reach unsaved, unchurched, uncommitted and untaught people with relevant and powerful ministry. We aim to nurture new believers into a strong and mature walk with Christ. We provide a place of dynamic and progressive praise and worship, practical and powerful preaching and teaching. Through small group ministry, our goal is to reach people in a very personal way. Our ministry impacts the lives of youth, teenagers, adults, and the community with the power of God. River of Life Church is a fellowship of believers of many cultures of families. We have established effective leadership, deacons, elders and ministries. We are a church that strives for excellence in reaching the lost and caring for people through small groups. The River of Life Church will has progressive and dynamic worship that attracts those hungry for the presence of God. We aim to touch the community with acts of kindness and support. ROLC is developing leaders that can be raised up to be a church planters.
Vision
It is our dream to be a family of believers passionate about reaching the unsaved, unchurched, uncommitted and untaught of all ages within our community, in the Washington, DC area and around the world. We will accomplish this by developing effective ministries, and demonstrating excellence in all we do.
It is our dream that leadership will equip and empower all followers of Christ ministry. We will be a family of believers that will support each other in fulfilling our purpose and call within the fellowship and within the world.
It is our dream to train and inspire people to personally and corporately share the good news to their family, friends, neighbors, schoolmates and co-workers in a relevant, creative and powerful manner. The results will be tens of thousands of people impacted from diverse cultures and backgrounds. This will be seen through personal and corporate evangelism, church planting and supporting missionaries.
It is our dream that people will experience services filled with celebration and excitement. When people walk through the doors, they will be impacted by dynamic praise and worship, practical teaching, powerful preaching, relevant ministry, and the inspiring ministry of the arts.
It is our dream where all believers will be nurtured and grow to be mature in their walk with Christ. We see leaders being shepherds to help followers to be developed in their faith. We can see people excited and attending Bible School, and are involved in ministries. We see people who will come together to pray, worship, love, learn, laugh and give.
It is our dream to be a family of believers who are highly relational; a people who love each other; who care for each other; who protect each other; and who will reach out to others. It will be a church that will endeavor to advance the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is our dream to be a family of believers passionate about reaching the unsaved, unchurched, uncommitted and untaught of all ages within our community, in the Washington, DC area and around the world. We will accomplish this by developing effective ministries, and demonstrating excellence in all we do.
It is our dream that leadership will equip and empower all followers of Christ ministry. We will be a family of believers that will support each other in fulfilling our purpose and call within the fellowship and within the world.
It is our dream to train and inspire people to personally and corporately share the good news to their family, friends, neighbors, schoolmates and co-workers in a relevant, creative and powerful manner. The results will be tens of thousands of people impacted from diverse cultures and backgrounds. This will be seen through personal and corporate evangelism, church planting and supporting missionaries.
It is our dream that people will experience services filled with celebration and excitement. When people walk through the doors, they will be impacted by dynamic praise and worship, practical teaching, powerful preaching, relevant ministry, and the inspiring ministry of the arts.
It is our dream to be a family of believers who are highly relational; a people who love each other; who care for each other; who protect each other; and who will reach out to others. It will be a church that will endeavor to advance the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Church Website
River of Life Church on Social Media
River of Life Church Sunday Service 12 November 2023
Leadership
Leader Name:
Charles Whitaker
Leader Position:
Pastor
Phone:
Fax:
301-316-5000
Leader Email:
Click here to contact Charles Whitaker
Leader Bio:
In the summer of 2000, the Lord began talking to Evangelist Charles Whitaker about starting a church. For more than 18 years, he had spent much of his time ministering to the lost in the streets of Washington, D.C. When attending George Washington University, he started a bible study and an evangelistic ministry called the Disciples of the Great Commission. This became the development ministry for his evangelistic calling. He and his wife Cheryl worked as partners along with other college students to hold crusades and to do neighborhood evangelism ministry in high crime and drug areas across the city. In 1991, after working at IBM as a manager, Evangelist Charles went on full-time staff at Evangel Church as the Minister of Evangelism and Church Growth. As an Elder on staff under the leadership of Bishop Don Meares, Evangelist Charles was responsible for evangelism, church growth, leadership development and community outreach. In August of 1999, he was sent out by Evangel Church to pursue full-time evangelism ministry and provide church growth consultation to other churches.
Many pastors, leaders and believers were encouraging Evangelist Charles to start a church. As the Lord began to tug on his heart, he opened up his heart and heard the Lord speak to him about starting a church and to build a model of what he had been teaching others. Not knowing what the Lord had said to him, his wife, Cheryl, said that she felt the Lord could use them to start a church and to do what they had been teaching others to do. While traveling to New York, a pastor told his testimony about wanting to evangelize New York and a friend told him that he needed to start a church and then go and tell others how to do. That was a confirmation to Evangelist Charles.
Pastor John Jenkins introduced Pastor Whitaker to Dan Peterson of the Mideast Baptist Conference who explained their church planting organization process. Upon the successful completion of the assessment process, Evangelist Charles and Cheryl started the River of Life Church on Sunday, January 28, 2001. This church plant started with 23 core people under the coaching and covering of Pastor John Jenkins. Now there are more than 100 people in attendance weekly.
Without a shadow of doubt, River of Life Church is mandated by the Lord to reach the lost and nurture the believer into a mature walk with Christ.
Many pastors, leaders and believers were encouraging Evangelist Charles to start a church. As the Lord began to tug on his heart, he opened up his heart and heard the Lord speak to him about starting a church and to build a model of what he had been teaching others. Not knowing what the Lord had said to him, his wife, Cheryl, said that she felt the Lord could use them to start a church and to do what they had been teaching others to do. While traveling to New York, a pastor told his testimony about wanting to evangelize New York and a friend told him that he needed to start a church and then go and tell others how to do. That was a confirmation to Evangelist Charles.
Pastor John Jenkins introduced Pastor Whitaker to Dan Peterson of the Mideast Baptist Conference who explained their church planting organization process. Upon the successful completion of the assessment process, Evangelist Charles and Cheryl started the River of Life Church on Sunday, January 28, 2001. This church plant started with 23 core people under the coaching and covering of Pastor John Jenkins. Now there are more than 100 people in attendance weekly.
Without a shadow of doubt, River of Life Church is mandated by the Lord to reach the lost and nurture the believer into a mature walk with Christ.
Administration
Admin Name:
Sandra Gibson
Admin Position:
Administration
Phone:
Fax:
3018948000
Admin Email:
Click here to contact Sandra Gibson
Driving Directions to River of Life Church
Travel/Direction Tips
Van Transportation is available for Sundays on a first come first served basis within a 10 mile radius of the church. Complete the form on our website and you will be contact to confirm availability:
https://riveroflifeonline.org/directions-transportation/
https://riveroflifeonline.org/directions-transportation/
River of Life Church Service Times
Our Sunday Services
Main Service: 10:00am
Learning Zone: 8:50–9:50am
Youth Celebration Zone:
9:50am (Ages 4-11)
Teenage Ministry: 10:00am
It's been more than 4 months since the last service times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm service times.
Please contact the church to confirm Service Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
Main Service: 10:00am
Learning Zone: 8:50–9:50am
Youth Celebration Zone:
9:50am (Ages 4-11)
Teenage Ministry: 10:00am
It's been more than 4 months since the last service times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm service times.
Please contact the church to confirm Service Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
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River of Life Church History
In the summer of 2000, the Lord began talking to Evangelist Charles Whitaker about starting a church. For more than 18 years, he had spent much of his time ministering to the lost in the streets of Washington, D.C. When attending George Washington University, he started a bible study and an evangelistic ministry called the Disciples of the Great Commission. This became the development ministry for his evangelistic calling. He and his wife Cheryl worked as partners along with other college students to hold crusades and to do neighborhood evangelism ministry in high crime and drug areas across the city. In 1991, after working at IBM as a manager, Evangelist Charles went on full-time staff at Evangel Church as the Minister of Evangelism and Church Growth. As an Elder on staff under the leadership of Bishop Don Meares, Evangelist Charles was responsible for evangelism, church growth, leadership development and community outreach. In August of 1999, he was sent out by Evangel Church to pursue full-time evangelism ministry and provide church growth consultation to other churches.
Many pastors, leaders and believers were encouraging Evangelist Charles to start a church. As the Lord began to tug on his heart, he opened up his heart and heard the Lord speak to him about starting a church and to build a model of what he had been teaching others. Not knowing what the Lord had said to him, his wife, Cheryl, said that she felt the Lord could use them to start a church and to do what they had been teaching others to do. While traveling to New York, a pastor told his testimony about wanting to evangelize New York and a friend told him that he needed to start a
Pastor John Jenkins introduced Pastor Whitaker to Dan Peterson of the Mideast Baptist Conference who explained their church planting organization process. Upon the successful completion of the assessment process, Evangelist Charles and Cheryl started the River of Life Church on Sunday, January 28, 2001. This church plant started with 23 core people under the coaching and covering of Pastor John Jenkins. Now there are more than 100 people in attendance weekly.
Without a shadow of doubt, River of Life Church is mandated by the Lord to reach the lost and nurture the believer into a mature walk with Christ.
Pastor John Jenkins introduced Pastor Whitaker to Dan Peterson of the Mideast Baptist Conference who explained their church planting organization process. Upon the successful completion of the assessment process, Evangelist Charles and Cheryl started the River of Life Church on Sunday, January 28, 2001. This church plant started with 23 core people under the coaching and covering of Pastor John Jenkins. Now there are more than 100 people in attendance weekly.
I am in Thy Presence
Help me, Lord, to remember that Christianity is not to be confined to the church ... nor exercised only in prayer and meditation, but that everywhere I am in Thy Presence.
River of Life Church listing was last updated on the 16th of November, 2023
