Church Highlight: River of Life Church – Hattiesburg, Mississippi

River of Life Church, located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is a life-giving, multicultural church with a vision to reach, restore, and release people to fulfill their God-given purpose through the power of the Holy Spirit. River of Life describes itself as a church for “All People,” welcoming individuals from every walk of life and emphasizing that God has a purpose for each person. The church seeks to be a place of new beginnings where people can develop a relationship with God and experience the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

River of Life Church was founded in 1975 by Clarence and Jewel Matheny. Clarence Matheny was a pioneer missionary to Kenya, East Africa, giving missions a significant place in the church’s history. Today, that heart for reaching people continues through River of Life’s commitment to both its local community and ministry beyond Hattiesburg. The church is led by Senior Pastor Mike Ewoldt, who carries forward River of Life’s vision of reaching, restoring, and releasing people into their divine purpose. He serves alongside a ministry team that includes Kim Ewoldt, Women’s Ministry Pastor; Daron Lawless, Family Pastor; and Ethan Ewoldt, Youth Pastor and Media Director, along with other leaders serving the church and its families. Investing in people is a central part of River of Life’s ministry. River Kids serves children from birth through fifth grade with the goal of establishing a strong biblical foundation and helping children understand who they are in Christ. The church’s youth ministry seeks to help young people experience God’s presence, live out their faith boldly, discover their gifts, serve others, and share the Gospel. Life Groups also provide opportunities for relationships and spiritual growth, reflecting the church’s belief that life transformation happens through meaningful relationships with other believers. River of Life also maintains a strong commitment to outreach and world missions. The church devotes time, energy, and resources toward developing missionaries, church planters, and leadership training for unreached nations. Locally, the church extends its ministry to families through the River of Life Early Learning Center, a Gospel-centered childcare ministry serving young children and elementary-age students. For more than five decades, River of Life Church has continued building upon a foundation of missions, relationships, and Spirit-empowered ministry. Through the leadership of Pastor Mike Ewoldt and the River of Life team, the church remains committed to reaching people, restoring lives, and releasing individuals to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

Please join us this week as we celebrate and lift up our friends at River of Life Church in prayer! We are excited about all God is doing and will continue to do in and through Pastor Mike Ewoldt and the River of Life Church family!