Honoring Nick Kinn

The Bible tells us to give honor to whom honor is due. Yesterday was the 70th birthday of the minister most responsible for helping me become a successful soul-winner. Therefore, I’ve written this tribute to him.

Alex Nicholas Kinn Jr. was born on August 21, 1951, and grew up just west of Minneapolis. Like myself, he went through confirmation at a Lutheran church that didn't teach the necessity to be born again. Following high school and a brief college stint, Nick was drafted into the U. S. Army and got stationed in Germany. After his discharge, Nick returned to Minnesota and continued being an alcoholic. One night, he caused a drunk driving accident that almost killed six people.

Meanwhile, a few Christians had reached out to Nick with the gospel. Two of them happened while he was in the military. Another person had slid a tract underneath his door. A turning point occurred 45 years ago today. After Nick had been out celebrating his 25th birthday, he got down on his knees at 2:00 a.m. and said, “Jesus, if you’re real, I’m tired of being a drunk. Come into my heart.” His life hasn’t been the same since.

Nick immediately started witnessing but didn’t lead anyone to the Lord until almost three years later. While hosting an Amway meeting in his house, Nick had an altar call. One woman came forward to give her life to Christ. After attending various churches, Nick started going to Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park. In 1986, he was asked to take charge of their evangelism ministry. Two years later, Nick left his job at the post office to become a full-time pastor. As he often says now, “I used to be a mailman, but now I’m a messenger.”

I first attended Living Word in 1991. Back then, Pastor Nick also led outreaches called “All-Church Evangelism.” Wednesday night services were canceled once a month during the summer. That was to encourage more congregation members to share their faith. I participated in a few of those but didn’t pray with anyone until three years after my conversion. By that time, I committed myself to evangelize with Living Word every Monday night. Soon I became a team leader and started training other people how to win souls. 

My faithfulness to Living Word’s evangelism ministry resulted in various blessings. Since Nick and I are about the same size, he frequently gave me clothes he no longer needed. One night after returning from an outreach, Pastor Nick asked if anyone wanted prayer. I mentioned my starting a sales job with a meat company that day and needed to make money. Nick suddenly took up an offering for me. I received $68 in cash. That sales job wouldn’t work out for me. Eventually, the Lord led me to go into full-time ministry.

For over a decade, I mostly traveled along the east coast as a missionary. During which, I had little contact with Pastor Nick. Then one night in a Minneapolis suburb, I walked into a bus station. Nick happened to be evangelizing there along with another man I knew named Tom. Nick gave me some of his “Have You Heard the Good News” tracts. Tom then handed me $20. That inspired me to resume regular outreaches with Living Word during return visits to the Twin Cities area. I still enjoy listening to Nick’s teachings before we hit the streets.

I appreciate Nick Kinn’s continued commitment to the Great Commission and also his sense of humor. Often we experience bouts of holy laughter while looking at each other. With the help of other laborers involved with Living Word’s evangelism ministry, over 1.6 million salvations have occurred. Pastor Nick has (so far) ministered in 28 countries and 35 states. May the Lord give him many more years to give the devil a black eye.

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you” - 1 Thessalonians 5:12

Honoring Mac Hammond

All believers should honor their “fathers in the faith”, ministers God used to help them grow spiritually. One who started impacting my life just before I committed my life to the Lord is Mac Hammond, pastor of Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Today happens to be his 70th birthday.

Originally from the Deep South, James McBryde “Mac” Hammond served in the Air Force during which he flew 198 combat missions. After his discharge, he ran a successful airfreight business. A business acquisition brought Mac and his wife Lynne to the Minneapolis area where they ultimately founded Living Word Christian Center in 1980.

I first heard Pastor Mac in February 1991. My then-girlfriend had started attending Living Word and invited me to go with her one Sunday morning. Mac was in the midst of a teaching series about end-time prophecy in response to the Gulf War that began a month earlier. He also encouraged first-time visitors to come back a couple of more times “to take a more accurate measure of us as a church.”

The next two times I went to Living Word, I still resisted the altar call for salvation. I actually got offended near the end of my third visit when Pastor Mac instructed the congregation to turn to each other and say, “Jesus is my Lord.” (I now use a similar technique when witnessing to someone who claims to be a Christian.) As we were leaving the church, I told my girlfriend I did not want to go back there again. Still, I knew in my heart that I needed to get my spiritual life in order. I did so a few days later when my sister and her husband led me to the Lord.  

Soon I attended membership classes at Living Word and decided to make it my home church. Every weekend I looked forward to hearing Mac Hammond minister. I admired his speaking abilities and knowledge of the Bible. Mac frequently reminded us from the pulpit that we come to church to hear from God and not be entertained by man. Listening to Pastor Mac’s sermons helped me overcome a lot of erroneous beliefs I picked up over the years. Although he is often criticized by the media for preaching a so-called “prosperity gospel,” Mac often says, “God wants you to be a winner in every area of life.”

Because Living Word is a large church, Mac Hammond delegates many pastoral duties to staff members. Therefore, I never got to know him on a personal level. Still, the Lord used Pastor Mac to speak into my life many times. One night in February 1992 before dismissing the service, Mac announced he had a word of knowledge saying, “Someone here is involved in a multi-level marketing company...you need to get out of it and find a regular job.” This was a confirmation to a dream I had the day before. For the next four years I worked at a variety of places before God called me into the ministry.

Eventually, the Lord led me to leave Living Word and travel as a full-time missionary. One Sunday morning in 2002, I was staying with a friend in Lakeland, Florida, and decided to walk over to a nearby church. When I arrived at Family Worship Center, the first service was still in progress. Immediately, I recognized the voice of the minister speaking. Mac Hammond happened to be the guest speaker that day! It was a pleasant surprise to see and hear my former pastor again. When I came back for the evening service, I got to briefly talk with Pastor Mac.

Since returning to the Twin Cities for what has become an extended stay, I’ve frequently visited Living Word Christian Center and resumed evangelizing with them. Although the Lord has led me to become more involved with another local church, I will always be grateful for Pastor Mac. His obedience to the call of God changed my life as well as many others. 

I pray that Mac Hammond’s 70th birthday is a glorious one!

“Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” - 1 Timothy 5:17