Our Story

Michael & Courtney

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.

Meet the Founders

Michael Barnard

A man dressed in a formal black suit with a cream tie and pocket square stands outdoors, leaning on a black metal railing with an ornate design. He has a neatly groomed beard and short, styled hair, and is smiling while looking to his right. Behind him, there are lush green trees and a building with a slate roof and arched windows. 
Founder & Lead Consultant

Michael's heart is to strengthen the Body of Christ by helping believers deepen their relationship with Christ, grow in wisdom, experience healing, walk in spiritual authority, discover their spiritual gifts, and fulfill their God-given calling. He also senses a strong pastoral calling on his life to shepherd, encourage, equip, and care for others as they grow in Christ.

Drawing from his background in entrepreneurship, software consulting, instructional design, and ministry, he seeks to faithfully steward all that God has entrusted to him for His glory.

Courtney Barnard

A woman with curly blonde hair wearing large clear glasses, a red turtleneck, and a white lab coat, smiling against a gray background. 
Co-Founder & Business Development Consultant

Courtney has a genuine love for people and a heart to encourage them in every season of life. She is passionate about the life-changing work of Re:generation, helping people find healing from past hurts, trauma, and brokenness through Jesus Christ. She also desires to see more people come to know the Lord and grow in their faith.

Her background in recruiting, sales, business development, and ministry has strengthened her passion for investing in people, building meaningful relationships, and serving God wherever He leads.

Where It All Began

A smiling man and woman standing inside an indoor soccer field, holding a soccer ball, with another soccer ball on the ground nearby. The man is wearing a black sports jersey and white shorts, and the woman is wearing a black and gray sports jersey and ripped denim shorts.

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.

A group of soccer players and coaches standing in a circle on a soccer field, praying with their eyes closed, with two soccer balls placed on the ground in front of them.
Close-up of an orange and blue Adidas soccer ball with black and white details, held in front of a blurred outdoor soccer field with players practicing, overcast sky in the background.

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”.

Group of people on a soccer field posing for a photo with city skyline in the background.

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.

Two friends, a man and a woman, standing close together on a soccer field at night, smiling at the camera with the city skyline illuminated in the background. The man has a beard and is wearing a sleeveless athletic shirt and blue shorts. The woman has long hair, is wearing a black cap, T-shirt, and jeans. There are green trees, stadium lights, and tall buildings with neon lights in the city skyline.
A woman and a man smiling and standing together on an indoor sports field. The woman has blonde hair, is wearing a pink striped sleeveless top, black shorts, and white running shoes, holding a water bottle. The man has short dark hair, is wearing a white sports jersey with black stripes, black shorts, white socks, and white running shoes, with a yellow vest over his jersey and goalkeeper gloves on his hands.

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, and heard the Gospel. 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.

A small white puppy with black eyes inside a pink pet stroller, with a man in athletic attire standing on an indoor sports court in the background.
Three men standing in front of a soccer goal on a sunny day, smiling and posing for a photo. The man in the middle is wearing a yellow soccer jersey with the logo of Chelsea Football Club and the words 'Samsung mobile'. The man on the left is wearing a blue and purple soccer jersey, and the man on the right is wearing a white Chelsea jersey with logos of Yokohama Tyres and Adidas.

A Shared Calling

Although our paths first crossed through Christ Football Club, God had been at work long before we ever met. Through different careers, life experiences, ministries, and seasons of growth, He was shaping our hearts and cultivating the wisdom, discernment, compassion, and experience that would one day be used to strengthen believers, churches, ministries, and Christian organizations.

Over the years, God placed a growing conviction on Michael's heart that everything He had entrusted to him would one day be used for His Kingdom. Whether serving in business, consulting, ministry, or leadership, he sensed that God was calling him toward something greater. He found himself continually drawn to churches and ministries in need of support. He believed God was leading him to strengthen them, not only through leadership, training, and organizational support, but by encouraging a renewed dependence on Jesus Christ, a deeper commitment to God's Word, and a greater openness to the work of the Holy Spirit.

As that calling became clearer, Michael shared what God was placing on his heart with Courtney. Over time, it became evident that this was not simply Michael's vision, but one that God was inviting us to pursue together. We began to see how our unique experiences, ministries, and spiritual gifts complemented one another, confirming God's direction for our lives and His calling to serve His Church. With confidence in His leading, Kingdom Reinforcement International was born.

Today, we exist to strengthen believers, equip churches, support ministries, and serve Christian organizations through consulting, training, biblical teaching, discipleship, and Spirit-led ministry. Everything we do is rooted in one desire: to glorify Jesus Christ, strengthen His Church, and help others faithfully fulfill the calling God has placed on their lives.

A couple stands holding hands in front of a waterfall at a park, with the man wearing a white shirt and dark pants, and the woman in a burgundy dress and white boots, during daytime.