Kayla Rinker Stories

Missouri

Launching strong: MBC church plant transforms lives in KC

“What God has done through our church is unnatural,” said Schwent, pastor of Discover Church here. “The trajectory and the velocity we’ve experienced in just the three months since we launched is amazing and not at all the norm. I’m not ashamed, but grateful to be able to brag on God for what He has chosen to do.”
Missouri

As iron sharpens iron, ‘Forged in Fire’ TV appearance fulfills God’s purpose

Wigger, part-owner of blacksmithing business Hawthorne Forge, was chosen to be on “Forged in Fire,” a competitive and popular bladesmithing show that airs on the History channel, after the casting director saw pictures of his forged creations on Instagram.
Missouri

Graves charges messengers to preach complete Word of God

“We have some dark realities on our proverbial road to Emmaus,” Graves said.
Missouri

‘Unexpected’ testimony challenges ministry wives

When a surprise pregnancy pushed back Rich and Lisa Finch’s calling to serve as missionaries to West Africa not just once, but twice—that was exciting, but unexpected.
Rita and Ron Nogal
Missouri

‘Heart of Hope’ – Former addicts transformed by gospel

“God uses everything in my past so that I can relate to every single person who comes through one way or another,” Nogal said. “He lets me see that everything I walked through wasn’t for nothing. We believe in the Great Commission and we want to share the hope we found in Jesus with the lost and broken.”
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Lessons from my little ones: Hawley’s new book offers mother’s view of how God calls us to be His children

“Those early months [of motherhood] brought me to the end of myself in a way nothing else has, and thus to the beginning of God,” Erin Hawley writes. “The promised grace, the working of all things to the good, the God-plan, was ever so much more wonderful than I could have dreamed, because God was there. He met me at my worst when I was not enough (and still am not) and proved Himself sufficient.”
Missouri

FBC Joplin hosts confab for small churches

JOPLIN – Much like the young shepherd David, some churches might appear small in the eyes of man, but they often have the most heart in the eyes of God.
Missouri

LifeConnection brings heart change to KC

Seay said the Cooperative Program has been vital to the ongoing strength of their young church plant. The giving base of LifeConnection Northeast is small, and he said even as it continues to grow numerically, it will likely never be able to match what might be expected in a suburban church.
Missouri

Hazelwood stirs hope in hotel residents

“There are hotels in Hazelwood that cater to people who are homeless,” said Jim Walker, lead pastor at Hazelwood Baptist Church (HBC), located in northwest St. Louis County. Seeing the need and desiring to do something about it, HBC essentially adopted one of the hotels as one of their mission fields.
Missouri

Viburnum FBC’s outreach blesses local families, widow

She had a 6-foot-wide hole in her roof and a 55-gallon drum catching rainwater in her living room. Retired after 35 years in the Viburnum school district and now living with her son who was diagnosed with cancer, Love Thy Neighbor gave this elderly widow a brand new roof. "While the crew worked, she cried tears of joy and told story after story about having either them or their parents in class," said Justin Perry, pastor at FBC, Viburnum.
Missouri

God builds Strong Tower in St. Joseph

One year into setting up and tearing down each week in a roller rink turned bingo hall, God orchestrated a miracle for Strong Tower Baptist Church. “We got a phone call from a dwindling congregation in a different denomination,” said Senior Pastor Tom Wilson. “They said they were prayerfully considering giving us their building ... Talk about getting wind in your sails. God gave us a building.”
Missouri

The mission gets personal: Forest Park, Joplin, advances gospel through Acts 1:8 project

“When a person sees the darkness in the world and then comes back they are much more motivated to do something about it,” said John Swadley, lead pastor at Forest Park Church, Joplin. “We desire to know the people out there on the field making the sacrifices to spread the gospel where they are so that we can play a small part in advancing their work.”

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