Pastor Tom Golden

About Pastor Tom Golden 

Tom and Krista Golden were married on July 25, 1998.  Long before marriage, Tom and Krista grew up on the same rural road in Allen County, Ohio and both attended K-12 together all the way through the Allen East School District.   

Tom attended Central Bible College and Southwestern Assemblies of God University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Counseling/Psychology.  Tom was ordained in 2003 in the Ohio Ministry Network. Krista is one of the most well loved and respected person’s you’ll ever meet.  She’s generally quiet, works hard behind the scenes, and enjoys greeting the people on Sunday mornings at River Life Church since November of 2013.    

The Golden’s began their ministry in November of 1998 in League City, TX. Tom worked as a youth pastor and coach at a school/church and Krista served as a teacher in the kindergarten.  They moved to Richmond, TX where they spent three years working at Friendship Church.  They returned to Ohio for 13 years of ministry including two lead pastor roles.

Tom is Called to Lead River Life Church in 2013  

Since 2013, Tom has been the lead pastor at River Life Church here in Dunnellon, FL.  Krista works at the Dunnellon Elementary school as a parent to teacher liaison for homeschool students.  

Tom and Krista have volunteered in the Dunnellon High School since 2013. Tom announces football games, baseball games, softball games, and prays and shares Bible stories before games when he’s available.  Tom also serves as chaplain for the Dunnellon Police Department. 

Since Tom and Krista have come to Dunnellon, River Life Church has grown from less than 50 attenders on Sunday’s to over 200 on Sunday’s, during the pre-covid days.  Every Easter has seen an increase in attendance up to 300 as of 2019.  Right now, church growth isn’t measured by these types of numbers any longer.  Influence and reach is the new name of the game, which in reality, it has always been where the real action happened.  

The church mortgage was paid off in 2019 and celebrated through 2020.  We have a building fund with significant funds as a starter budget.  We’re not doing a building campaign or anything like that - we’re just waiting, watching, saving, and listening to God.  Our intent is to build people, not buildings.  

Here at River Life, we have excellent pastors who care for your entire family.  Youth, Children, Seniors, and families are our priority.  We want to be known as a church where healings and salvations are the norm.  Our overall theme is to serve each other and our community.  Christ didn’t come to be served, He came to serve.  We are trying to pattern ourselves after Christ’s teaching on servanthood. We believe in doing so, people will see the love of Jesus and respond seeking His salvation and healing in their lives.