Senior Pastor: David and Kami Amsden
Pastor David Amsden was born in Troy, Illinois in 1977. He attended Son Life Church that had been founded by his parents, Pastors Dennis and Patti Amsden, and received his education at the church-sponsored school, Collinsville Christian Academy.
In 2000, David attended a one year discipleship school called Masters Commission in the state of Washington. Upon completion of the program, David returned home and began working for seven years under the tutorage of his father as he served the church in both administrative and associate pastor functions. During that time he attended Christian Life School of Theology and earned his Master of Theology degree. He also developed his skills in pulpit ministry. After several years purposefully dedicated to the achievement of a successful generational transfer, David took over senior pastor responsibilities from his father on Father's day of 2007.
Kami Amsden was born in 1983 in Edwardsville, Illinois where she attended grade school and high school. After graduation, Kami enrolled in the Masters Commission program offered by Son Life Church. Upon completion of the one-year program, she continued to work with the Masters Commission as an intern. Kami also earned an Associate of Theology degree and worked as secretary in the church office. During her internship with the Masters Commission, she began a courtship with David that culminated in their marriage in 2005. In 2007, Kami earned her real estate license. In 2008, Kami gave birth to their first child. Kami's parents, Cody & Gayla Kreamalmeyer, have been members of Son Life church since 1982 and served on the eldership since 2007.
David and Kami count it a privilege to be second-generation ministers at Son Life Church. They feel God’s purpose for them is to hold the truth of the past while moving forward into new revelations of God. One such new revelation that David and Kami feel is vital to this day is to shift the pastoral focus from just the local house to the city at large. They have adopted the mandate: Pastor your city; disciple your flock.
Son Life Church and Pastor David and Kami Amsden are under the apostolic covering of Jim Hodges or Federation of Ministers and Churches International (FMCI) & Dennis Amsden of City Gate Ministries.
Founding Pastor: Apostle Dennis Amsden
Apostle Dennis W. Amsden is the founding pastor of Son Life Church in Collinsville, Illinois. In 1979, Pastor Amsden began Son Life Church, a non-denominational, charismatic church with a strong emphasis in sound doctrine, dynamic worship, and generational ministry.
Ministries within the church include children, youth, and small groups, men and women’s gatherings, Bible School training, and various mission programs. Extension ministries include Collinsville Christian Academy, which began in 1981 and trains children K-12th grade, and Juvenile Diversion, which is a local law enforcement affiliate that offers an alternative solution for youth who are first time non-violent offenders.
Pastor Amsden truly displays the heart of a father, having the desire to assist the next generation in preparing to take a place of leadership in every realm of society including the home, the church, the marketplace and the government. In June of 2007, Pastor Amsden transferred his role as senior pastor to his son, David Amsden. Pastor Dennis continues to provide apostolic oversight to the local assembly.
Pastor Amsden has developed two non-local church ministries to which he gives oversight. The first is City Gate Ministries, which is an apostolic organization that assists church leadership and networks churches. The second is Marketplace Ministry, which is a monthly meeting that connects local area business persons and provides a platform for the presentation of biblical economic and management principles.
Pastor Amsden also works in the business arena as President of Church Works Consulting, which is a company that he formed to meet the building and technological needs of local churches. In this marketplace position, Pastor Amsden contacts and aids pastors who are planning to enter a building program and supports them by networking them with qualified designers, builders and other special services.
In combination with his many other duties, Pastor Amsden travels throughout the United States and abroad proclaiming God’s plan for the church. He has ministered in many states in the U.S and abroad in Malaysia, India, the Bahamas, the Philippines, Ghana and Mexico. Pastor Amsden is on the board of the Federation of Churches. A man of intense passion, Pastor Amsden kindles flames of vision, hope, and victory everywhere he goes.
Co-Founding Pastor: Dr. Patti Amsden
Dr. Patti Amsden is an anointed teacher, preacher, and prophet. Laboring along side of her husband, Pastor Dennis Amsden, Dr. Amsden served as co- pastor of Son Life Church in Collinsville, Illinois, for almost three decades. The senior pastoral role of the local assembly, which was pioneered by the Amsdens, was transferred to their son, David Amsden, in 2007. Dr. Amsden still serves as part of the pastor staff.
Her teaching ministry has provided in-depth revelation of biblical principles to congregations and classrooms for several decades. One focus of Patti's teaching is the training and equipping of the next generation with a biblical worldview; therefore she writes, teaches, and publishes her own high school curriculum for their local academy at which she also serves as President of the School Board. Patti is a veteran instructor in the biblical theology department of Beacon Bible College, a seminary based out of Columbus, Georgia.
In addition to her teaching, Patti's skill in preaching has opened many doors of ministry in local churches and conferences. Along with her extensive travel in the United States, Canada and Central America, she has ministered in China, Japan, the Philippines, England, Malaysia, Africa and the Bahamas. She is also the author of several books including: "The Law of Boundaries", "Evidence that Calls Us to Dance", "The Apostles' Creed" and her latest book "PORTALS: Releasing the Power and Presence of God Into The Earth."
Gifted with a prophetic mantle, Patti delivers pen - pointed, accurate personal prophecies. Working in tandem with other prophets or solo, she has ministered in the gifts of the Holy Spirit to thousands. Her desire is to impact the lives of God's saints as did the ministry of Ezra who "read in the book of the Law of God distinctly, and gave the
sense, and caused them to understand the reading." (Neh. 8:8)
Associate Pastors: Tim and Dawn Stark
Timothy began his ministry aspirations in 1979 after a conversion with Jesus Christ in high school at the age of 17. Although he was raised in the Presbyterian Church with his family, it was his born again experience that really ignited a destiny path for his future. He began attending a young Son Life Church in 1980 when he sensed a call to full time ministry.
Responding to this call, he attended Rhema Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma from 1981 to 1983. During his time at Rhema he was selected to serve Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin as a trombone player in the Rhema Singers and Band. Tim toured with Dr. Hagin while attending school full time during his years in Tulsa.
In 1983 he returned home and came on staff at Son Life Church, where he has served in many pastoral and eldership functions over the years. He has primarily served the next generation as both a Youth Pastor and a Children’s Pastor. In 1999 he founded and managed a program for post-secondary students called the Master’s Commission. This yearlong discipleship program actively trained students to be leaders in their generation. He touched many young adults both from our church, nation and the world during his seven years as a Master’s Commission Director.
It was during his time running the Master’s Commission he began to cultivate an idea to touch at-risk kids in our own community. Pastor Tim is currently in his third year developing Juvenile Diversion Services, a redemptive outreach designed to disciple first time legal offenders ages 11–18. This program has provided many opportunities for members of our church to reach the youth, while serving our law enforcement and prosecuting agencies. Juvenile Diversion staff also minister to kids in the county’s detention home and the girl’s prisons on a monthly basis. Tim’s efforts represent a very active outreach of Son life reaching the youth of our community.
Pastor Tim has been married to Dawn since 1985. Dawn is the daughter of the founding pastors, Apostle Dennis and Patti Amsden and sister to Pastor David. After many years of waiting for their family, God graciously blessed them with five wonderful children ages 1 - 11. Pastor Tim and Dawn are committed to accomplishing the vision of Son Life Church in our community.
Associate Pastors: Paul and Deedra Mager
Paul and Deedra Mager both serve on staff at Son Life Church. Paul is working with Pastor David to renovate the building and add to the aesthetic value of the historic high school. Deedra works in the church office, administrating membership and the worship team. Together they lead Master’s Teens, the 7th-12th grade youth group. Their background is formally in the performing arts and they bring these talents to the worship of Son Life. Paul serves in the audio/visual and drama departments and Deedra choreographs and ministers in the dance company. They willingly give of their time and energy to build the Kingdom of God through the local church.