About

In 2001, I responded to a need for local raceway ministries chaplains to be trained and to serve at local dirt tracks in southwest Missouri.  After being trained by Frank Stark and NFRM (National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries), I was sent out to help fill the vacant role of pit-side chaplain at Springfield Raceway.  In a few short years of serving there, it was proposed by some of the drivers at the track that I try my hand at racing a stock car there, in addition to serving as their chaplain.  The impetus being that this move would allow for me to be more intimately involved in the racing community.  This decision to race stock cars resulted in a change that allowed for more doors to open at the track and in the pits to share life and the love of Jesus in a new and less restricted way.

In 2007, a new opportunity arose, as a chaplain for the Show-Me Racin’ Series was retiring due to the late nights and travel involved.  I decided to accept the position, sell my stock car, and start travelling with the series with the intent on getting a late model stock car to compete in the series as their chaplain.  By the end of the 2007 season, we had found a car/trailer setup and spent the next 5 seasons with the series until it was defunct in 2011. 

Seeking a place to share locally, I was able to compete and serve as pit chaplain at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO from 2012-2014.  

After years of racing dirt late models as a major part of the ministry, we felt God leading us to expand our reach to the car enthusiast community, while continuing to do the work at the race tracks. In order to do this, we needed to dismantle the racing aspect of the ministry and, at the same time, add show cars. God has made this change possible through a series of divine conversations and circumstances that allowed us to be good stewards of our finances.

In June of 2014, we were given a retired NASCAR race truck to restore and use in ministry. It will take time and work to get it ready, but we are grateful to have the chance to use it in the future. We have secured an engine and many other parts as we are in the long process of constructing a street legal race truck. In July of 2014, we traded our late model race car for a 1972 Pontiac Lemans Coupe. This car is show ready and has already been entered numerous car shows. Our intention is to spread God’s Word in this new venue. Please pray for wisdom as we venture into this new territory.

We have also continued our ministry efforts at Kansas Speedway. We have been heading up the campground ministry there since 2010 and look forward to creating a worship service each race weekend for the all the fans, not just the ones that are in the campgrounds.

In 2017 we were able to take the muscle car and the Gospel “behind the walls” to inmates in 2 correctional facilities in Missouri. Over 1500 were reached with the Gospel with many becoming followers in Jesus.

In 2020, COVID created a bunch of issues with our primary ministry events. But we have been able to focus on our LOCAL ministries and have seen God work in the lives of those around us as we use our new location/garage as a place of ministry. We are currently expanding our ministry to include providing low cost vehicles and free maintenance to needy families in our neighborhood in north Springfield, MO. We have been able to provide one vehicle so far and have 1 vehicle nearly ready to be used.

In 2021 we started back at Kansas Speedway and finished work on the garage in preparation for my retirement from teaching and the move to more full-time ministry work.

2022 has brought more than 13 families in need of car repairs to us through Elevate Lives referrals, and our neighbors in the north Springfield community.

We are still going to be organizing the Family Ministry Tent at Kansas Speedway and have teamed up with local volunteers, churches, and ministries to help make that happen.  We hope new partnerships will continue to grow.

Your support is needed more than ever as we seem to have more opportunities than ever before to reach our neighbors with God’s love.