Our Story
Every ministry has a beginning, but ours didn't start with an organization.
It began with God, who was already writing our story long before we understood where He was leading.
Looking back, we can clearly see His hand preparing us for the work He had planned all along.
Michael & Courtney
Meet the Founders
Michael Barnard
With a vision for building something meaningful, our founder brings a blend of big-picture thinking and hands-on experience. They set the tone for everything we do.
Founder & Lead Consultant
Courtney Barnard
Focused, approachable, and driven by results, our sales manager is all about building strong relationships. They help connect people to the right solutions—with clarity and care.
Co-Founder & Business Development ConsultantWhere It All Began
Every great story has a moment when everything changes. Ours began on a soccer field, though neither of us knew it at the time.
Before Kingdom Reinforcement International ever existed, God was already teaching us what it meant to step out in faith. After months of prayer, Michael launched a pickup soccer ministry where people could enjoy the game, build friendships, and hear the Gospel. That vision became Christ Football Club (CFC).
Once a month, people from all walks of life gathered to play soccer, build community, and pause for a brief message from God's Word. At the very first Christ Football Club gathering, Courtney decided to come. What neither of us realized that evening was that God was answering two separate prayers at the very same time.
It was at the very first Christ Football Club (CFC) gathering that Courtney attended. For months, Michael had been praying for his future wife. During the halftime message, he spoke about Jesus' teaching to "keep knocking" and to persist in prayer. As an illustration, he shared one of his own prayers:
"Lord, where's my wife? I'm going to keep bugging You every day until You bring her into my life."
What he didn't know was that, as he was preaching, Courtney was quietly praying her own prayer. She was asking God to bring a man into her life who was "on fire for the Lord”.
Only later did they realize what God had been doing all along. While Michael was praying, "Lord, where's my wife?" Courtney was standing in that very crowd praying for a husband who wholeheartedly loved Jesus. They didn't know it then, but God had already brought the answer to both of their prayers to the very same soccer field.
The funny part is that Courtney has never really been a soccer fan. Yet she kept coming back month after month. What began as conversations after the games grew into a genuine friendship. That friendship blossomed into a relationship, eventually leading to their engagement, marriage, and today, the joy of raising their son, Liam, together.
Looking back, Michael and Courtney can't help but smile at God's perfect timing. The very first Christ Football Club gathering wasn't just the beginning of their relationship, it marked the beginning of a season of ministry that would shape both of their lives.
What started as a simple act of obedience grew into a thriving outreach. Together with the faithful support of family and volunteers, Christ Football Club hosted more than 30 gatherings where people from all walks of life built friendships, heard the Gospel, and encountered Jesus Christ. Along the way, God opened doors to preach His Word, partner with Gateway Church, launch an email newsletter that connected more than 250 people, and witness lives transformed through the message of the Gospel.
As the ministry grew, so did God's preparation. He was teaching Michael how to lead, communicate, and shepherd people. He was developing Courtney's gifts for serving, encouraging, and helping ministries flourish behind the scenes. Together, they learned what it meant to trust God, serve faithfully, and build something that pointed people to Christ.
Looking back now, it's clear that Christ Football Club was never the destination, it was God's training ground. Every message preached, every relationship formed, every volunteer who served, and every life touched became part of the foundation He was laying for what would eventually become Kingdom Reinforcement International.
While our story together began on a soccer field, God had been preparing each of us long before we ever met. Although our paths would eventually cross through Christ Football Club, our individual journeys were unfolding hundreds of miles apart.
Through different experiences, careers, ministries, and seasons of life, God was faithfully shaping our hearts, strengthening our faith, and equipping us with unique gifts that would one day be used together for His Kingdom. Looking back, it's clear that none of it was by accident.
Every step was preparation for the calling God would eventually place on our lives.