A friend to pastors,and to the churches they serve.
The name Barnabas means “son of encouragement.” That is our whole calling — to come alongside the man of God and his people through faithful preaching, music, and ministries of hope for the hurting and the fatherless.
“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) …”
The Heart of the Ministry
Every pastor needs a Barnabas.
When the early church needed someone to stand with a discouraged man, to vouch for him, and to spur him on, they sent Barnabas. Scripture calls him “the son of encouragement” — a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.
That is the ministry God has laid on our hearts here in Michigan. Pastors carry a weight few people ever see. Our joy is to come alongside them — to preach and fill a pulpit, to carry the music, to bring comfort to the grieving, and to help a church strengthen its homes — and simply to be a friend who believes in the work God has given them.
“Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.”
Our Threefold Aim
Encouraging · Equipping · Edifying
Three words shape everything we do. They are the way a friend serves the local church — not to take its place, but to strengthen it.
Encouraging
Standing with the pastor and the people — a word in season, a shoulder to the plow, and the reminder that the labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Equipping
Teaching, training, and pouring into God's people so the church is built up for the work of the ministry, long after the meeting is over.
Edifying
Lifting up Christ and building up the body — preaching and music that feed the flock and leave a congregation nearer to the Lord.
How We Serve
Ways we come alongside your church.
Whether you need a pulpit filled, the music carried, comfort brought to the grieving, or a Sunday that strengthens your homes — we would count it a privilege to serve.
Preaching & Pulpit Supply
01Revival meetings · Pulpit supply · Conferences
Faithful, Christ-honoring preaching for your pulpit — a Sunday you're away, a season between pastors, a week of revival, or a conference for your people.
Music Ministry
02Piano · Special music · Song leading
My wife provides piano and music, we sing special music together, and I lead the singing. We're glad to carry the music for a full service — or to come alongside a scheduled evangelist and simply handle the music side.
Anchored In Hope
Hope that holds, even in grief.
Many in your congregation have known grief and loss — and many have never been shown how to walk through it biblically. Resources that teach how to let the Lord turn our trials into triumph are few.
My wife and I have suffered the loss of two children — each of whom went home to be with the Lord at just two years old. Through those seasons we have watched God answer prayer, provide for our needs, and hold our family together.
Out of that grief the Lord gave us a burden: to help those who are hurting find genuine healing by His grace, and to see Him transform our trials into triumph.
“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast …”
Foster Care & Adoption
Strengthening the home for the fatherless.
Pastor, have you considered what your church can do to fulfill this part of the Great Commission? There are few resources on family, fostering, and adoption from a solid, biblical perspective.
As foster and adoptive parents — and as a foster-care worker — we can speak to both sides of the equation, including adopting children with special needs and caring for the terminally ill. A Sunday geared toward strengthening the home will bless your congregation and answer the questions your folks have about becoming foster parents.
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction …”
A Word From the Caincrosses
We simply want to be a friend to you.
Pastor, we know the calling you carry. We have seen the joy of it and the weariness of it. And we have walked through valleys of our own — and found the Lord faithful in every one.
That is why this ministry exists. Not to build a name, but to lend a hand. If we can fill your pulpit, carry the music, bring hope to the grieving, or help you strengthen the homes of your church, we would be honored. And if all you need is someone to pray with and encourage you, that is a ministry too.
“The name Barnabas means encouragement. That is the whole of it.”
— A.C. & Mrs. Caincross, Barnabas Ministry of Michigan
Invite Us
Let's find a date for your church.
Preaching and pulpit supply, music ministry, an Anchored In Hope Day, or a Foster Care & Adoption Sunday — across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. Tell us a little about your church and what you have in mind, and we'll be in touch.