• About
Biographical Sketch
Rev. Barney Kinard
Barney was born in New London, CN in 1943. His father was a career Naval Officer and a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Barney is the oldest of five children and spent a good deal of his childhood and youth moving around the country following his father’s career. One of these moves changed his life.
Barney’s conversion story occurred when he was a boy of nine in a neighbor’s home in Encinitas, CA. Mrs. Kay Fulton was a new adult Christian and the Lord led her to open her home to the neighborhood children by hosting and teaching a Good News Club, sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship. Barney responded at the age of nine (1952) to the invitation following the story called Barney’s Barrel. Kay introduced Barney to the Savior, a Bible, a Church and a Sunday school teacher. He continued to attend the Good News Club for five years. It was during this time that Barney read The Boy From Northfield, a book on the life of D. L. Moody. That was the first time Barney wanted to be an evangelist like D. L. Moody. He moved several more times during his teen years, but by his senior year in High School in Littleton, Colorado, Barney experienced a definite call from God to “preach the Word.” This was the time he knew he was called to evangelism and Billy Graham became his new hero. God was leading him to prepare for the ministry.
So from these simple beginnings, he first attended and graduated with a diploma from Moody Bible Institute in the Pastor’s Course, in 1964. Then he continued his studies at Biola College (now University). Further, he received his B.A. in Biblical Literature and Theology from Azusa Pacific College (now University) in 1966. That summer he married Sharon Russell. Then he continued his studies with graduate work at Talbot Theological Seminary. While speaking at Forest Home Conference Center at two children’s camps, the Lord specifically called Barney to children’s evangelism. With this new calling came the need for more study, so he attended Fuller Theological Seminary, where he received his M.A. in Youth Ministries, with a research emphasis in Children’s Evangelism in 1972.
Rev. Kinard now brings a wealth of background of 45 years in ministry, including ten years of pastoral staff experiences in five churches working with children, youth, and families. Barney was ordained with the American Baptist Denomination in 1972. He served in two American Baptist Churches and two Baptist General Conference Churches. He also served a Congregational Church in Pacific Grove, CA. Currently, Barney is a member of Whittier Area Community Church in Whittier, CA.
Barney has maintained an interdenominational ministry for more than thirty-five years as an Itinerant Evangelist with Creative Children’s Ministries. Barney is widely recognized as an “Incorporation Evangelist,” with the distinct ability to reach new children and parents for Christ and the Church through his outreach crusades and rallies.
Barney, and his wife Sharon, have four grown children and seven grand children (#8 scheduled for 2009)
