Ben Tolly has served three terms as Superintendent of the Gateway Conference.   In his time as Superintendent, he halted a decade-long decline in  churches by planting new churches of many styles and invigorating  Latino, Nepali, Central African and African -American ministries.

Pastor Ben served previously on staff at Crossroads Community Church in Michigan and was the founding pastor of THE BRIDGE church in Illinois.  Ben received his Masters in Leadership and Ministry from Greenville University. He has served on the Greenville University Trustee Board, the Briner School of Business Advisory Board,  and the Edwardsville YMCA board.    He has previously served as the Director for Men’s Ministries International.  Currently  he chairs the Lincoln College Oxford Wesley Fellowship Project and the St. Louis Urban League " Grill to Glory  support team

Pastor has two daughters Willow (married to Mike) and Winter and his wife Julie is employed by the U. S. defense department.  They enjoy beach vacations with both sides of the extended family every year and Ben regularly competes in the Masters division of the Scottish Games throwing cabers and other heavy objects for fun