Our Pastoral Team

Brandon Pruitt

Lead Pastor

Brandon Pruitt has served at Simple Church since 2015, first as Youth Pastor, then Associate Pastor, and now as Lead Pastor. He is passionate about intentionally teaching God's Word, making disciples, and helping people do life together in authentic, Christ-centered community. Brandon believes the Church is more than a place to attend—it's a family where people grow, serve, and follow Jesus alongside one another.

 

Brandon and his wife, Amie, have been married for over 15 years and love serving together as part of the Simple Church family with their daughter.

Tom Allen

Pastor Emeritus

Tom Allen founded Simple Church in 2014 after faithfully serving in ministry for more than four decades throughout the Des Moines area. As Pastor Emeritus, Tom continues to encourage, mentor, and invest in the life of Simple Church while celebrating the next generation of leadership.

 

Tom and his wife, Judy, have been married for more than 40 years and are blessed with two children and lots of grandchilren!

Aaron DeWitt

Worship & Creative Arts Pastor

Aaron has served at Simple Church since 2017 and has a passion for helping people encounter God through worship and creativity. He loves using music, songwriting, and creative expression to create moments where people can connect with Jesus and respond to His presence. Aaron believes worship is more than a song, it’s a way we draw near to God and remind ourselves of His goodness together.

 

Aaron and his wife, Amanda, have four beautiful children.

Andy Madison

Young Adults & Next Steps Pastor

Andy has a passion for helping people take their next step in following Jesus and discovering what it means to live out their faith in everyday life. He loves connecting with people, building relationships, and creating spaces where everyone feels welcomed and encouraged to grow.

 

Andy and his wife, Alyssa, enjoy serving together and being part of the Simple Church community.

        

Our Ministry Team

Amie Pruitt

Admin & Communications Director

Amie has been part of the Simple Church family since 2015 and loves helping Simple Church feel like home. As the Administrative & Communications Director, she combines creativity, organization, and a heart for people to help the church stay connected and ministries run smoothly.

 

Whether she’s creating communications, coordinating details, or helping bring ideas to life, Amie enjoys being part of the many behind-the-scenes moments that help people experience the love of Jesus and the community of Simple Church.

 

Amie and her husband, Brandon, have been married for over 15 years and love serving together with their daughter as part of the Simple Church family.

  

Jennifer Van Der Hart

Children's Minister

Jennifer joined the Simple Church team in July 2026 as the Children’s Minister and has a passion for helping children learn, grow, and experience the love of Jesus.

 

Jennifer believes that children are an important part of the church family and loves partnering with parents to help kids build a strong foundation of faith.

 

She enjoys creating engaging experiences where children can discover who God is and know they are deeply loved by Him.

 

Jennifer and her husband, Brian, have been married for almost 18 years and have two sons.

Robin Brady

Children's Minister Associate

Robin Brady joined the Simple Church staff in 2023 after faithfully serving in a volunteer capacity for many years. Robin loves children and has a desire to help them learn and love Jesus everyday. 

Our Culture

The Ministry Team at Simple Church is committed to living out our values of Excellence, Enthusiasm, and Energy in all that we do.

 

Our culture is built on authenticity, respect, teamwork, and joy. We believe ministry is something we do together—not something we do alone. We are honest about where we are, both in our responsibilities and in our personal lives. We ask for help when we need it, look for opportunities to support one another, and celebrate the ways God has uniquely gifted each person on our team.

 

We seek to honor God first in everything we do. We recognize His love for us, His purpose for our lives, and His call for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. Because of that, we strive to lead with humility, integrity, and a heart to serve others.

 

We value and respect one another because every person on the Ministry Team has been uniquely created by God and plays an important role in the mission and vision of Simple Church. We believe the best ministry happens when we trust each other, communicate openly, and work together toward the same goal.

 

Finally, our culture is one of joy. We are excited about what God is doing in and through Simple Church, and we believe laughter, encouragement, and genuine relationships are essential parts of doing ministry together. We celebrate the moments God gives us, have fun along the way, and seek to create an environment where both our team and our church family can experience the love of Jesus.

Need to get in touch? Send us an email.

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Our Advisory Team

The Ministry Team at Simple Church works along side the leadership and direction of the Advisory Team, a group of leaders in the church who volunteer their time to give biblical and financial guidance. You can email them at: leadteam@simple.church

Alan Hulling

Brandon Pruitt

Brian Scott

Gordon Guthrie

Ed Modglin

Jason Lyftog

Tom Allen

Our Dream Team Leaders

Simple Church only exists because of wonderful volunteers on our Dream Team who give their time, talents, and treasures to help spread the gospel of Jesus across the Des Moines area and beyond. These amazing people below lead some of the increadible teams we have.

Jennifer Van Der Hart

Children's

Andy Madison

Connections

Ben Cresap

The Crew

Deb Schirm

Hospitality

Eric Barnum

Intercessory Prayer

Bill Garnes

Technology

Aaron DeWitt

Worship

Our House Ministers

House Church is an integral part of who we are as Simple Church. We believe that sustained life change happens best when we are prioritizing intentional relationships with others who are also seeking to grow in their relationship with Christ. House Church provides people the opportunity to experience authentic community and spiritual growth. Our House Ministers intentionally create environments where this can happen. Our ministers love people and are committed to helping them experience God’s presence and live out His purposes in daily life.

Tom & Judy

Allen

Alan & Susie

Hulling

Brandon & Amie

Pruitt