Radical begins at home

“I have seen the Vision, and for self I cannot live. Life is less than worthless, till my all I give.” –Oswald J. Smith, missionary evangelist

As Christians, we’re all called to expand God’s kingdom, but for each family God’s direction will be unique. Your family has a particular sphere of influence, abilities, and resources. You also have a unique background and likely a specific “drawing” to specific areas of need.

As my husband Jon and I often say,

“Missions is not just for missionaries; God’s call is for all.”


This article links with a post on Ann Voskamps blog, “What Does a bit of Radical Christianity Look Like, Right Where You Are?” The post refers to two compelling mission books, Radical (by David Platt) and Kisses from Katie (by Katie Davis), both highly recommended reading for Daring Daughters.

Voskamp’s challenge is for us to share a glimpse of what it means for us to live a Radical Christian life, right now, right where we are. For me, I’m going to share a several-part series . . . of my everyday life as a mission-minded mom, all excerpted from my missions chapter in The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking.





If you visited our home, you would get a little glimpse of our heart.

Our family loves hospitality and we love life. There’s always a big pile of kid shoes on the front porch and a welcoming chalkboard sign. In the living room, wooden drums and elephants project a subtle international theme; Bibles, mission books, and an atlas are on the coffee table. Our kitchen has a “global” theme with teapots from various countries and world continents painted on wooden squares behind our coffee-shop kitchen table.

A peek into the master bedroom hints of European romance with a candle-lit fireplace and black-and-white Paris posters (with a “familiar” couple holding hands by the Eiffel Tower). If you played a board game in our family room, you wouldn’t miss our wall-sized world map. You might laugh at the crazy leopard carpet in our home-based mission office or get distracted by random souvenirs, a bulletin board covered with postcards, or an alpaca-skin wall-rug from Bolivia; desks are covered with newsletters in-the-works, and computers buzz with preparations for the next adventure.

But world missions is more than a decorating theme. By God’s grace, our family has collectively traveled and ministered in over 70 nations and on all seven continents. We have a heart for the world and a heart for our children. We have preached the gospel to genocide murderers in Rwandan prisons and to Ukrainian scientists in Antarctica. Sometimes crowds are huge; sometimes we share one-on-one.


We’re called to love God and to expand His kingdom. Jon and I have been happily married for over twenty-six years, and we have home-schooled seven children (with four high school and three college graduates). Our three youngest children still live at home, and several of our older children are now getting married and beginning families of their own!

Our family loves God, and we love each other. We have a heart for the world, a heart for the lost . . . and we simply obey. Although we have always lived in the United States, we have focused our lives on international Christian missions: winning souls, loving orphans, equipping national ministers, serving churches, and motivating mission-minded families.


We just do whatever God says, empowered by His love . . . and His grace.

My Favorite Mission Biographies

From a young girl:

I’ve always wanted to be a missionary. It all started when my Mom began reading YWAM missionary biographies to me when I was in 3rd grade. In 4th grade my Mom spent our whole year of home school going through Ann Dunagan’s curriculum, “Teaching With God’s Heart for the World”. We were exposed to lots of geography, cultures and missionaries. It was a fantastic year of discovery for us!

We also started to use “Operation World” to pray more specifically for the needs of nations. We would all get down on the floor and pray for the nation of that day. This daily dose of remembering the needs of the world made a huge impression on me! I started reading biographies in my free time and was greatly inspired by them.

All of them have left an impression on me, but if I had to list just my favorite, favorite ones, here is my list:

1. Kisses from Katie by Davis

2. Evidence Not Seen by Deibler Rose

3. I’d Do It Again by Benedict

4. Miracle of Miracles by Nevisa (Islamic convert)

5. Living Sacrifice by Dr. Rosevear

6. Mission Possible by Laszko (not for children)

7. These My People by Dickson

8. YWAM Biographies in order of my favorite, Lillian Trasher, Sundar Singh, Mary Slessor, Rachel Saint, Jonathan Goforth, Ida Scudder

Even if you never step foot on foreign soil, these stories of God’s faithfulness will inspire you to love and good deeds wherever you are.

Kathy from El Salvador talks about ‘Kisses from Katie’ (mp3)

Missionary Kathy Knepper with her husband Pastor David and their children: Eddie, Katie, Trinity, and Rachel

Today, on “Dare to Rejoice . . . in Missions!” we’re meeting missionary Kathy Knepper and her family, from El Salvador, and talking together about Kisses from Katie, by Katie Davis.


Dare to Rejoice . . . in Missions! #9
With Ann Dunagan and missionary guest, Kathy Knepper
(24 minutes) DOWNLOAD today’s mp3

For more audios in this “Dare to Rejoice…in Missions!” series
More on Daring Daughters about Kisses from Katie


Thoughts about ‘Kisses from Katie’
from Missionary Kathy Knepper:

“This whole book is written in such a transparent and heartfelt way that it’s hard to pick a favorite part.

The first time I read it, I know that the part that spoke to me the most was the chapter, “Counting the Cost” because it touched on a situation that I was going through at the moment.

But I can say that what I love about this book is the spirit of courage that poured forth from such a young woman, not because she was brave, or had it all together, or was financially stable and had a 5-year-plan, but simply because she chose to be obedient to her God and Savior, KNOWING that He is able to complete that which He sent her to do.

The moments of self-giving, sacrifice, and pain are poignantly portrayed here without reservations, yet even as he speaks of those times of pain, sorrow, frustration, and suffering, there written down is also her willingness to bear these with joy because it’s His hand that sustains her. Awesome encouragement. Love it.” — Kathy


Ministering to a child suffering from malnutrition, he had not been held in days

Meet Kathy Knepper and her family in El Salvador

We are a family of missionaries who were called by God to serve Him in the foreign mission field and sent out by our church Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. We have 4 wonderful kids ages: 15, 13, 11 and 10, and we’ve been working among the people of El Salvador for nearly 6 years now.

The heart of our ministry is the power of the Word of God to save lives, we study the Bible verse by verse and look at the full counsel of God. We also have a helps ministry that ministers to the homeless, orphaned and sick by praying with, ministering to and providing practical needs for those who are in need in the name of Jesus. Among other things. The Lord has blessed us abundantly and poured out His grace upon us and allowed us to serve Him, for that we are truly grateful.

Our church in El Salvador, full of precious lambs

Helping a wonderful organization “Sus Hijos” to build homes for needy homeless families

Everything is ready to feel the homeless a warm meal and cup of hot coffee

The Lords provision for the hospital and homeless is placed in a large bucket, and at times our ‘cupboard runneth over!’

The recipients of our free English classes during our award ceremony

Ministering to special needs orphans


Reach for God-Sized Dreams . . . with Daring Daughters!


Come join the discussion (with a comment below).

Add a thought about Kisses from Katie . . . or a word of prayer or encouragement for Missionary Kathy and her family: