Pastor Elbert and Jean Smart as a young couple accepted the pastorate of South San Assembly of God in the early 1960’s.  The church was located on Bynum Avenue with approximately 125 in attendance.   Two years later, the church purchased property and relocated to a new subdivision called Valley Hi near Lackland Air Force Base.

With the move and the building of a new sanctuary, the name of the church was changed to Valley Hi Assembly of God.  Three short years later, the church burned to the ground due to arson by neighborhood youth.  During the following four months services were held at John Jay High School and Baptist Mission.  By 1968 the church was conducting services in what is now the fellowship hall and in 1969 completed the sanctuary.  The church continued to go through many building projects including the addition of an educational wing, gymnasium, and the remodeling and enlarging of the sanctuary in 1998.  Also, seeing the need to minister to young families in the community, the church established a licensed daycare center in October 1968, under the direction of Jean Smart which continues to minister to families.

Pastor Elbert and Jean Smart faithfully served as pastor for forty years retiring from pasturing in 2001.  Upon Pastor Smart’s retirement, the church called Rev. Terry and Bettina (Tina) Richardson to serve as pastor.  Pastor Tina attended the church as young girl until graduation from high school. It was during high school she invited a classmate, Terry, to attend Valley Hi where he accepted Jesus Christ and continued to attend until graduation.   This young couple eventually married and entered into full time ministry following graduation from Southwestern Assemblies of God College.

The church has continued to be blessed by God.  The church has grown  both numerically and spiritually over the course of its history seeing many come to salvation, discipled, and called into ministry.  A strong missions and outreach emphasis remains a  passion and focus of the church.  The church has taken numerous missions teams to Romania, Belgium, Russia, China, Argentina, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatamala, Mexico, and Colombia to build churches, Bible schools, conduct evangelistic crusades and women’s ministry conferences, as well as street outreaches to children and youth.  Under the leadership of Pastor Richardson, the church launched a ministry to Spanish speaking people called Iglesia Vida in 2004 which began as a small group of ten and continues to flourish.   

In 2006 following the leading of God the church purchased additional property on Potranco Road between Highway 151 and Loop 1604 in one of the fastest growing areas of the city to fulfill the vision of God to change lives for eternity.  In 2012 the church approved a name change from Valley Hi Assembly of God to Life Church of the Assemblies of God to reflect and identify the vision and mission of the church of “Changing Lives for Eternity”.  In the spring of 2018 the church broke ground on it’s second location –  Life Church West Campus – Phase 1, and began holding services in the spring of 2019 along with an early childhood learning center to reach the families of the community.  Phase 2 of the West Campus was completed in June 2021 with the upstairs Gathering Place and small group classrooms.  Plans for Phase 3 will include a 750 seat worship center.

Life Church has a rich, Pentecostal heritage and looks forward with great anticipation and expectation to what God has for the future as we enlarge the place of our tent, stretch forth our curtains and strengthen our stakes.