Leadership

Pastors Dale and Lucy Van Volkenburg have been in ministry for over 30 years and have been to over 30 nations. They traveled to many cities across America and the world assisting Dr. Howard-Browne in revival meetings and gospel crusades. At the River at Tampa Bay, they ran the youth department and later became associate pastors and the deans of the River Bible Institute. Now River University.

During their 10 years of serving under Drs. Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne, they stepped out and released what was imparted into them by moving to East London, South Africa. It was there where they established their very first Bible college. Over the next 10 years they successfully established 5 fully accredited international Bible Colleges in the nations of South Africa, England, and France. Dale and Lucy have seen many souls saved and much fruit in the lives of their students – many of which have launched into the full-time ministry.

In 2019 the Lord sent Pastors Dale and Lucy to Northwest Arkansas to plant a brand new work. It was in May of 2020, shortly after COVID 19 was declared a pandemic and when many churches were closing their doors, The River Church NWA officially OPENED its doors. In October of 2022 they purchased their own property and the church has been thriving ever since. 

After four years of pouring their lives into establishing the church, Pastors Dale and Lucy felt the release to establish the church’s own accredited Bible college called “River Ministry Training Institute” for the purpose of raising and equipping revivalists for the 21st century.