Year End Offering

 

We just finished a lovely time having all our kids here for the first time in a year. It was a great time together. Unfortunately, this will be the new norm for our family since Jacob is in Germany and Levi and Alanna in Kansas City. It will be that way for at least 3 more years. I hope that you and your family enjoyed some time together this last week.

As we look back at 2025 we have seen God's faithfulness again and again. He has been with our family in all the changes and transitions, he has helped the girls grow in their schooling, the teenage boys adjust fairly well to life and school and new jobs and driving. He has been with our adult kids in their challenges and successes. God is faithful. "For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness." Psalm 33:4

We have seen God's faithful provision financially as well. However, our monthly support levels are still not at 100%. We are still short about $500 a month. We did have a bit of reserve built up to start the year but now those are dwindling and we need to rebuild them to be able to make it through 2026. 

God has been faithful in helping us build up the ministry of RNV USA as well. We have seen some progress in 2025 and we have a big vision moving forward for 2026 and beyond as well. You can read more about this here if you desire.

Another fun and exciting part of Ben's ministry is leading the missions efforts with Red Nueva Vida. Right now we are working with two Colombian families God is raising up to go as missionaries. There are some other exciting doors that God is opening as well. Ben has been working with developing processes, training and sending efforts for Red Nueva Vida.

Would you consider a year-end gift to help us continue serving the Lord in these various areas of ministry in 2026?

Any amount is helpful. You can donate here online or send a check made out to Red Nueva Vida to 7010 E Thompson Rd, Indpls, IN (Kunkel Support in memo).

2025 Ministry Report

I am giving thanks to the Lord for another year of ministry. This is our second year serving with Red Nueva Vida in the USA. It has been a time of learning and growing in different ways that I didn't expect. The challenges of ministring here in the US amongst hispanics are unique. I am grateful for this opportunity.

When I first began in 2024 I had set the goal of having 10 churches in the first 3 years of ministry and we are slowing but steadily moving in that direction. We are serving 7 pastors and churches or new works moving towards becoming churches. I am working with another church now to hopefully bring them on board in early 2026. But more importantly we have 114 disciples in disicpleship. Praise be to God.

But one of the things I have grown to love the most of my role is the pastoral care aspect. Most pastors have no one to love on them, pray for them and ask how they are doing. I love do this for the pastors I serve.

Here is a picture from a retreat we did for the pastors and their wives we did in October. This is one way we serve the pastors that are part of our network.

I also served the pastors and churches through trainings, regular meetings to pray and share, preaching when needed at their churches, and providing whatever resources are needed.

Other ways I have served through New Life Network is through teaching in our Bible Institute, teaching in the missions school in Guatemala, coaching missionaries with Red Nueva Vida and many other ways. We are grateful for all the ways the Lord used us in 2025.

We had a focus on fervent prayer in 2025 and we started an early morning prayer time in addition to our monthly prayer time. We also saw these groups multiply and now 3-4 of our churches added prayer groups that meet regularly.

In 2026, we hope to move to serving 10 churches, build a team to help lead the network, grow our discipleship groups, provide more training and support for our churches and pastors.

Thanks for all your prayers and financial support that make it all possible!

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge. 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Visita de Carlos

 We have been enjoying Carlos visiting this week! We got to celebrate his birthday the night he got here and have been busy with meetings and him sharing at different churches and supporters.

We hit a park for some hiking too and enjoyed the remaining fall colors. We have had some great times of prayer and dreaming together about some future projects we want to work on together.

Hiking with an artist always brings out phrases like "that would make a great painting" ;-)

Here is Carlos sharing at one of the churches Ben serves.

Carlos preached at Indy Metro Church too.

Dinner time always a cultural experience for Carlos ;-)

Caleb's birthday and a new dog

 On October 9th, Caleb celebrated his 16th birthday! As I always say, I can't believe our youngest boy is 16. Another boy to teach to drive soon, Lord help us ;-)  As always we had numerous celebrations. He is a fine young man. We are proud of the man he is becoming. The Lord will use him to do great things.

We also just adopted a little dog. The family has been wanting a dog for a while. Here are some pics:

Trip to See Alanna and Levi

 We had a great time visiting with Alanna and Levi in Kansas City last week. It is always great to spend time with our kids. They are doing great with their jobs and studies. Levi has been promoted in his role with the security on campus and is enjoying that. He will be finishing his bachelors in business in May and then will most likely continue on to a Masters of Divinity next fall.

We went to a farm/zoo place there that was a neat place. 

Emma wasn't too sure of the goats

Lots of pics with bubby Levi.

We celebrated Emma and Caleb's birthdays again with Levi and Alanna.

The girls spent the night with Levi and Alanna and Alanna took them to see Levi's work.

Lots of game time.

Luke wanted to ride in Leiv's police car.

The girls needed a ride too.

It was good to visit Levi and Alanna's Church as well. 

Red Nueva Vida Pastors Retreat 2025

 

Our 2025 Pastoral Retreat is in the books. This is an important time of connection and growth for all of us. I love the privelege of getting to lead this group. Please continue to pray with us for all the Lord has done and will do through the ministry of Red Nueva Vida in the USA. Check out more pics and info about the retreat below.

We started our time sharing together about praises and challenges in ministry and prayed for each other

We had some time of worship together too

Pastor Jonathan shared the word with us and talked about fervent prayer which was our theme for the retreat.

Of course we had a bonfire together and shared.

More prayer time early Saturday morning.

Pastor Randy Spacht shared with us Saturday morning. He is a great expositor of the word! He talked about how Christ is building his church and what the statement, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of heall shall not prevail against it" from Matthew 16:18 means and its implications for us as pastors.

This was a workshop we did further building out and applying the message on fervent prayer on Friday night. Pastor Daniel Godbey led us in this workshop.

I got to finish our time with a conversation together about what it means for us as a team to form and execute the vision God has given us as a hispanic disciple-making network in the USA. We will continue to work on this in the weeks and months to come.

A Special thanks to Daniel, Jonathan and Randy for sharing at the retreat. Also a big thanks to Piedmont Church who helped sponsor part of the retreat!