We are a people that host the presence of God

We invite you to Life Church. We know how challenging it can be to find a church where you feel like you belong. For nearly 37 years, we’ve built a loving church community in the Greater Tampa Bay area of Wesley Chapel, Spring Hill, and Lutz that provides the ministries families need to thrive in their faith and life. Choose a location, attend a service, and encounter God's presence to experience the change only He can bring.
 
Welcome home,
Ed & Janis Russo
Lead Pastors of Life Church 

Executive Leadership

Pastor Ed Russo

Lead Pastor
Founding Pastor of Life Church, Pastor Ed has been in vocational ministry for over 42 years with his wife, Janis. They planted Life Church in Wesley Chapel in 1987. Together they have three children and four grandchildren.

Pastor Janis Russo

Co-Lead Pastor
Pastor Janis has been in vocational ministry for over 42 years with her husband, Ed. They planted Life Church in Wesley Chapel in 1987. Pastor Janis leads LC Women, hosting annual conferences and social justice initiatives. 

Pastor Ben Stambaugh

Executive Pastor
Pastor Ben has been in vocational ministry for over 12 years previously serving as both an associate and senior pastor with his wife, Alison. Together they have five children.

Pastor Alison Stambaugh

Executive Pastor of Operations
Pastor Alison brings years of corporate technologies expertise to her role. Serving alongside her husband in ministry for over a decade. Together they have five children.

Senior Leadership

Pastor Roberto Michel

Spring Hill Location Pastor & International Locations Pastor

Pastor Enely Michel

Spring Hill Location Co-Pastor

Pastor Christian Balderas

Lutz Location Pastor & Global Worship Pastor

Pastor Amber Balderas

Lutz Location Co-Pastor & Global Worship Pastor

Pastor Megan Russo

Experience Pastor
Pastor Israel Suarez
Ministries & Young Adults Pastor

Life Church's Vision


We are a people who host the presence of God because His presence changes everything.
 
PILLARS:
Revival
Worship
Discipleship

VALUES:
Presence-Driven
Honor
Atmosphere
Excellence
Stewardship
Generosity
Community

HOW:
Hosting God’s Presence
Building For Revival
Reaching Our Region

Life Church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God. Read our belief statements by scrolling below.


THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.


THE ONE TRUE GOD

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.



THE DIETY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST


The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare: His sinless life, His virgin birth, His miracles, His substitutionary work on the cross, His bodily resurrection from the dead, and His exaltation to the right hand of God.


THE FALL OF MAN

Man was created good and upright; for God said, "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness." However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.



THE SALVATION OF MAN


Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. By the renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes a child of God and co-heir with Christ.


THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. 
The Lord's Supper, consisting of the elements --bread and the fruit of the vine--  a memorial of his suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and is enjoined on all believers "till He come!"


THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.


THE INITIAL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance.



SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God. The Scriptures teach a life of "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by the faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit. 

THE CHURCH AND ITS MISSION

The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven.

THE MINISTRY

A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in:
Evangelization of the world, the worship of God, building a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son, and meeting human need with ministries of love and compassion.


DIVINE HEALING

Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.


THE BLESSED HOPE

The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church.

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST

The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.

THE FINAL JUDGMENT

There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH

"We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." 
  • 2 Peter 3:13 
  • Revelation 21 
  • Revelation 22