Missouri Pastors Network Joins American Pastors Network

Missouri Pastors Network Joins American Pastors Network; Commits to Stand for Biblical Truth in All Pulpits

Local MOPN Leaders Look Forward to Partnering with Pastors Around the Country to ‘Stand in the Gap for Truth’

ST. ROBERT, Mo.—The American Pastors Network (APN, www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net), the largest national network dedicated to equipping pastors to be a voice for truth in the public square, is welcoming a new state pastors network to its growing organization.

This week, APN is launching the Missouri Pastors Network (MOPN, www.mopastors.net), a uniquely gifted group of pastors in Missouri who are joining together to “Stand in the Gap for Truth.”

“The American Pastors Network has been standing in the gap for truth around America and is growing again through the new Missouri Pastors Network,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, who is also president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net). “We know that pastors there will be an invaluable support to one another as they engage their congregations to stand for truth and freedom and effect true change in the culture.”

Leading the Missouri network as its president will be J. Keith Carnahan, pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church in St. Robert. Joining him as vice president will be Monte Shinkle of Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City, and Steve Proctor of Westwood Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, who will serve as secretary/treasurer.

“I am excited and blessed to work with other believers and pastors in my home state through the Missouri Pastors Network to advance the cause of Christ and preserve religious liberty,” Carnahan said.

Carnahan was born into a Christian family in 1954 and was born again in 1964. Following the example of his parents, he grew up serving in their local church. Surrendering to preach the gospel at the age of 24 brought an abrupt halt to his dreams of buying the family business. Supported by his wife, Cheryn, he spent the next three years preparing for the gospel ministry. In 1981, he moved his wife and three children to southern Illinois to plant Grace Baptist Church and begin a Christian school.

The new ministry soon came into conflict with the state of Illinois, which planned to put church property on the tax rolls. Grace Baptist became the test case in this battle, and a victory was won for all churches in the state. The experience left Carnahan with the firm conviction that Christians must vigorously defend religious liberty.

In 1991, the Carnahan family returned to Missouri to accept the pastorate of Maranatha Baptist Church and school in St. Robert. The church serves the military community of Fort Leonard Wood and has experienced wonderful blessings over the past 26 years.

Carnahan continues to promote religious liberty by serving as the Legislative Director for the Missouri Association of Christian Schools. He also oversees the Committee on Legislative Education and Action for Religious Liberty (C.L.E.A.R.) in the state of Missouri.

APN focuses on a concerted effort to grow its state pastors’ network initiative through a plan to welcome pastors in all 50 states who will serve as State Network Organizing Representatives. The ultimate goal is to develop free-standing state chapters of pastors and leaders in each state. These state networks will focus on their particular states and carry out the mission and purpose of the American Pastors Network, which include:

  1. Identifying, encouraging, equipping and educating pastors and church members to “Stand in the Gap for Truth”;
  2. Being a voice for truth and an advocate for pastors in the public square by providing Bible-based and constitutionally consistent analysis and recommendations on matters of public policy; and
  3. Strengthening the biblical relationship between pastors and elected officials through various private and public meetings for prayer, study and policy discussion.

Current chapters are already doing the important work of providing timely, in-state leadership on issues impacting local families and congregations. Examples of their efforts include speaking out in the defense of marriage and standing up for religious liberty.

MOPN and APN offer pastors numerous online resources that help clergy choose sermon topics and find information for other church ministries. With some free and some paid resources, topics include marriage, abortion, apologetics, creation, the culture crisis, economics, education, the environment, history, homosexuality and Islam, along with many others.

The Missouri Pastors Network encourages pastors to bring together biblical and constitutional principles in their sermons and provides resources to pastors throughout the state. For more information on MOPN, visit its website at www.mopastors.net.

MOPN is a group of biblically faithful clergy and church liaisons whose objective is to build a permanent infrastructure of like-minded clergy who affirm the authority of Scripture, take seriously Jesus’ command to be the “salt and light” to the culture, encourage informed Christian thinking about contemporary social issues, examine public policy issues without politicizing their pulpits and engage their congregations in taking part in the political process on a non-partisan basis.


The American Pastors Network is the largest, national network of pastors who believe in the authority of scripture; who boldly preach the whole counsel of God with a disciplined application of a biblical worldview to public policy; who are building a permanent infrastructure of biblically faithful pastors and lay leaders; and who are mobilizing congregations to participate in the political process on a non-partisan basis. For more information on APN, visit www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net, its Facebook page or follow APN’s Twitter feed, @AmericanPastors. Those interested in forming a chapter in their state may contact amy@americanpastors.net.

The American Pastors Network is a Ministry Program Affiliate of Capstone Legacy Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian Public Community Foundation registered nationwide). APN’s daily short radio feature, “Stand in the Gap Minute,” airs on approximately 280 stations, “Stand in the Gap Weekend” airs on 180 stations and the live one-hour show, “Stand in the Gap Today,” airs on nearly 50 stations nationwide.

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