WE ARE SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE

If you’ve been burned by the church, don’t trust it, don’t like it, or just plain don’t believe the claims Jesus makes…

We want you here.

If you are curious, investigating, or wondering if Jesus is who he says he is…

We want you here.

If you’re a follower and want to share his love with the city of Cape Girardeau and beyond…

We want you here.

Come and See

Visiting a new church is a bold step! Whether you were invited by a friend, stumbled upon us here, or are new to the area – we are thankful you’re here and can’t wait to meet you. It is not lost on us the courage it takes to check out a new church. We hope you’ll feel welcomed and that it will be a place of rest and worship. 

We’d love to know you as you feel ready and comfortable. Every church is different, so we invite you to consider checking us out for a few weeks and getting to see what we are about and how we make much of Jesus.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the church via email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Gospel Life Church provides safe, structured, age-appropriate classrooms for children every Sunday. We view this not merely as “childcare,” but as discipleship—helping kids know and love Jesus in ways that fit their age and development.

Our current Sunday classroom structure includes:

Nursery (Birth–2 years)

Meets every week during worship and sermon 

Toddler (2–4 years)

Meets every week during worship and sermon 

Lower Elementary (K–2nd Grade)

Included in worship, then dismissed for teaching during the sermon every week 

Upper Elementary (3rd–5th Grade)

Included in worship; classroom teaching every other week during the sermon 

All children K–5 begin in the main gathering for singing and prayer, then are dismissed to their classes before the sermon.

We also host Family Worship Sundays on 5th Sundays, when all children join us in the service (with space available in the back for breaks)

You’re welcome to come just as you are. Most people at Gospel Life wear something simple and comfortable—usually jeans and a shirt, whether collared or a tee. Some dress up a bit, some dress down a bit, and it’s all great.

What matters to us is not your style, but your presence.
No matter what you wear, you’ll find Gospel Life Church is a place where you belong.

Not at all. We have an offering box mounted on the back wall, but giving is simply one way our members and regular attenders worship Jesus and support the mission of Gospel Life.

Giving is for those who have said, “I’ve learned what I need to know, I’m committed here—this is my church family, and Gospel Life’s mission is my mission.”

If you’re visiting, we don’t expect or ask you to give.
You’re our guest, and we’re glad you’re here.

At Gospel Life Church, we preach through books of the Bible, passage by passage, letting God’s Word set the agenda. Our sermons aim to uncover the meaning of the text in its original context, trace its place in the unfolding story of Scripture, and show how it forms us as disciples today.

You won’t hear “three quick steps to a better you” or self-help lectures dressed up with Bible verses. Instead, you’ll encounter the Bible as it really is—a gripping, unified story that exposes our need, reveals God’s grace, and calls us to a life shaped by Jesus.

Expect sermons that are:

  • Rooted in the text — careful exposition, biblical theology, and clear structure
  • Centered on the gospel — the finished work of Christ at the heart of every message
  • Culturally aware without being captive — naming the real pressures of modern life while offering biblical hope
  • Pastoral and practical — calling us to live out the truth together in community

Our goal each week is simple: to help you see Jesus more clearly and follow Him more faithfully.

Our worship music varies from week to week because several gifted volunteers lead at Gospel Life Church. You’ll hear a blend of traditional hymns, contemporary worship songs, and the occasional gospel piece—all chosen to help our church sing the truth with joy.

The musical style shifts with the team: sometimes it’s a simple solo guitar, and other weeks it’s a full band that may even include instruments like a cello.

Regardless of the style, our aim is the same:
to lift our voices together in Christ-centered, Scripture-rich worship.

Learn more about gospel life church

Beliefs
History
Mission & Vision
Pastors/Elders

Let us know you are coming

Greg Schwab (Elder):

My life has been shaped through many people who have spent years sharing the Gospel with me. Roger and Pat Schwab (my parents), John and Barbara Popp, Patrick Tankersley, Julie Schwab (my wife), Mark Irving, Troy Temple, and Matt McDonald are just a few people God has used to reveal Himself to me. By God’s grace, when I was 7, he saved me. The Spirit of God revealed to me my sin and need to be cleansed of that sin. The Spirit showed me only by believing and trusting in Jesus could I be saved. I am blessed to be surrounded by people that remind me of my need for God daily. They remind me that I am not perfect and still need to trust in God’s grace every day. They remind me that Jesus loved people like me and that He is my most important relationship.

I hate writing – which is why this bio is filled with run on sentences and other poor writing stuff. I am not perfect or close to it. I desire to live and love as Jesus did, but I often fail. I love God. He has saved me from my sin and self. I love my wife Julie and my 3 kids Addison, Cooper, and Claire. Julie is the most faithful, wonderful woman. She is the best wife for me. Addison is super sweet, Cooper is adventurous and Claire…she is full of life and spirit. I love people and being a pastor. God has given me a heart to walk with people in all circumstances. To love them through joy or sorrow. To remind them to trust God alone in all of life.

I love Gospel Life Church. It feels like family. I love Jackson, MO. I like to be in the woods, sometimes to hunt, but also just to be in them. I like to golf, but the game is hard and tempts me to sin. I like soccer, but enjoy almost all sports. I went to school at Cedarville University in Ohio and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

My Hope for Gospel Life Church:

That we would all humble ourselves and learn to love God as our greatest treasure. That we would actually enjoy being with God. That we would be a church that sees people as the most important and would give of ourselves to love others as Christ has loved us. 1 John 4:19

Elliott Swoboda (Elder):

Elliott Swoboda serves as one of the pastors of Gospel Life Church, where his great joy is walking with people in the everyday stuff of life and helping them grow as disciples of Jesus. He is convinced that the Christian life is not a program to attend, but a family to belong to and a Savior to follow with your whole life.

Elliott was raised in Cape Girardeau, and so was his wife, Becky—his high school sweetheart and closest friend in ministry. Both graduates of Southeast Missouri State University, they share a deep love for this city and the people who call it home. Becky came to know Christ as a young girl, but Elliott’s story took a turn after high school, when the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to the beauty of the gospel and the Lordship of Jesus. That moment reshaped everything.

Before pastoring, Elliott spent years on Young Life staff, where he learned to love teenagers, open the Scriptures with skeptics, and share the gospel around kitchen tables, campfires, and football bleachers. It was in that season that the Lord began calling him into pastoral ministry—shepherding not just students, but whole households and generations.

Elliott and Becky were drawn to Gospel Life Church soon after its planting, especially its vision of mission in community and its heartbeat for discipleship. They joined in 2015 and never looked back. Today they are raising five daughters—Aliyah, Elliana, Amareese, Eliza, and Arlee—and are passionate about making their home a place of joy, grace, and formation in Christ.

The Swobodas love being outdoors—camping, hiking, fishing, or just sitting around a fire together. They’re also a story-loving family: books, movies, good conversations, and laughter around the dinner table are some of their favorite ways to slow down and enjoy God’s gifts.

Whether he’s preaching, counseling, training leaders, or coaching dads around a grill, Elliott’s heart is the same: to help ordinary people discover the extraordinary love of God, and to see whole families rooted in Christ, living on mission, and overflowing with joy.    

My Hope for Gospel Life Church: 

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one…” John 17:20-22

Mac Davenport (Elder):

One of the things that the Lord has blessed me with are parents that know the Lord and were faithful to raise us up in the gospel. While there was somewhat of a legalistic church background, God used the faithful preaching of my dad to bring me to salvation. It wasn’t, however, until my senior year of high school that my relationship with Christ became a daily desire. Along with that desire, came the desire to pastor God’s people. As a student at Missouri Baptist University, I sat under Gospel-centered teaching that fueled and fostered in me greater affections for Christ and His church.

During my time at MBU, the Lord led me to my wife Brittany. We fell in love and were married in 2015. We have one boy (Johnathan) and another boy on the way. I have lot of hobbies, but, to name a few, I enjoy anything sports, spending time with friends and family, reading, and writing.


“I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

My Hope for Gospel Life Church:

That we would be a people who lead others into everlasting joy in Christ through planting more Gospel fluent churches.

Tom Kimbel (Deacon):

I was baptized when I was 8 years old along with my dad, and again on Mother’s Day in 1973 by my brother. But not until I had my own family did I realize the importance of living for God. I came to Christ in 1976 soon after Jodie and I were married. My life really turned to Christ in deeper ways 3 years ago when the Lord woke me up when I was in the hospital preparing for open heart surgery. In the hospital I surrendered my life to God and told Him, “God, I will do what you want me to do, and go where you want me to go.”

My wife and I were both born and raised in this area and now reside in Jackson. We have been married for 42 years, and we have 3 children. We are blessed to have 9 beautiful grandchildren and one sweet little great grandson.

We are both retired. I retired in 1996 from The Jackson City Police Department. I drove a school bus for 30 years for Jackson RII and St. Paul Lutheran schools.   I am currently serving on the City Council, for Board of Aldermen. Jodie retired from, “A Small World Preschool”, where she worked for 20 years. We enjoy being a big part of the Jackson community.

We are enjoying our retirement traveling to visit our children and grandchildren. Jodie spends her time quilting, making quilts for charities. I love spending my time serving the church and the community.