The HEIZER Family
Ken & Mindi
It's hard to remember life before being married in 1998! We often say, "We did not get married to stay single!" It's true! When God joined us together, he didn't just give us a spouse; he gave us a best friend, and we love spending all the time together we can!
We first met while Ken was a student at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, but our romance did not bloom until after Ken's return from a fifteen-month missions internship in Italy. Following our first dinner date (at an Italian restaurant, of course!) at the end of February, we quickly realized that we would serve God much better together than ever individually. Engaged that June and married in September, we weren't messing around -- and neither was the Lord!​​
"Heizer Nation" in 2012 -- What a gift from the Lord!
Our first son was born the following June, followed by six more kids over the next nine and a half years. Heizer Nation was on the scene! But after two high-risk pregnancies that nearly made Ken a widower, God clearly closed the door at seven children—just enough to fill the largest vehicle we could legally drive while living in Italy, where we moved just nine months after our youngest was born!
Who moves to a foreign country with seven kids under ten? We did! Not because we’re natural risk-takers, but because we want to take God at His word—and act on it in obedience and faith. After three years of serving in St. Louis with Ken as an associate pastor, we couldn’t shake the sense that God was leading us into something new.
Mindi has always seemed to sense God’s leading before Ken. Her big faith is fueled by a persistent prayer and devotional life. If you know Mindi, you’ve probably drawn closer to God yourself since she’s been walking with Him all day. The story of her faith started early. As a young girl, she already seemed to know! At five years old, she told her parents, “I want to be married, a mommy, and a missionary!” With Ken, she was well on her way! Married, a mommy, and...patiently waiting for her husband to get his act together.
For Ken, part of the hesitation came from his deep respect for several missionaries who had shaped his life. He wasn’t sure he measured up. But God reminded him that He never calls without also equipping. One of Ken’s favorite verses is Acts 26:22, where Paul says, “To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great...” That “help from God” powerfully reminded us that we’re never alone as we follow and obey Jesus and served as the truth which pushed us both “over the edge” into this missionary life.
OUR TESTIMONIES
KEN HEIZER
Growing up at the foot of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Ken’s eyes and heart were always drawn upward. Whether it was the snow-capped mountain welcoming travelers to “God’s Country” or the daily sunset masterpieces behind the peaks, he was convinced—there had to be a God. Surrounded by churches and Christian organizations, it’s no surprise that for much of his early life, Ken assumed everyone believed in God.
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But seeing Europe for the first time after high school began to shake that assumption. His worldview expanded as he encountered through his ministry years overseas a continent in spiritual crisis marked by bell towers and spires, yet hollowed out by cultural religion and false hope.
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Ken’s experience as a church planter and regional director overseeing missionaries across Europe and the UK has shaped him into an insightful coach and compelling communicator of God’s eternal truth to people from all walks of life.
MINDI HEIZER
Mindi grew up in Kansas as the oldest of five children in a Christian home where missionaries were often welcomed and hosted. As she listened to stories of answered prayers and radical gospel transformation, God was already planting seeds in her heart for a life that would one day take her far from home.
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A mother of seven, Mindi has learned to walk in daily dependence on Christ, trusting Him to work in the hearts of those entrusted to her care. Through seasons of hardship, she’s witnessed the power of prayer and the strength that comes from God’s people walking alongside one another. It’s no wonder she has developed a deep sensitivity to the hidden hurts others carry and a contagious joy in the Lord that overflows wherever she goes.
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Mindi’s steady faith and wisdom have made her a trusted voice to both young people and women. Her ministry of presence and intentional mentoring continues to play a vital role in cultivating thriving families and growing resilient disciples.
