Doctor Gary Smith is the founding pastor of City of Life Church. He is an anointed teacher and writer, a powerful leader, a talented singer and musician, and a relentless visionary. With more than 40 years of ministry experience, Dr. Smith holds two doctoral degrees and has served in both evangelistic and pastoral ministry in various parts of the country.  

He has published more than 50 books and serves as both the president of City of Life Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Florida, and as the chief operations officer of Hands to the World, an international missionary and relief agency that conducts work in Central and South America.

Dr. Smith established City of Life Church in 1986 with an initial membership of only 30 people. Ten years later the church had grown to more than 3500 constituents. City of Life Church continues to impact its community and the world through its innovative and effective ministries. He truly has hammered out the basic building blocks of local church ministry and is a proven developer of effective world-changing organizations.