Narrative Summary
Interview with P.K. Hinkle by Melinda Finley
P.K. started her journey in life in the 1940s in Missouri. She was born to G. and J.
Hamilton, and she gives her parents credit for showing her how to live a Christian life and how
to follow Christ’s examples. She told me the family always went to their small, country church
on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights. There was never a question of
whether they were going—they just went. She grew up on a farm until she became a teenager. At
that time, the family moved to the city and left their small church behind. P.K admits she was not
happy with the move because this made her teenage years harder.
P.K. started her personal journey as a Christian on a night in July during a two-week
revival. She said that when she prayed for God to save her, she was very direct with him. She
knew from that moment on her life belonged to God. She married her lifelong sweetheart and
gave birth to two children. P.K. always wanted to be a wife and a mother, and she felt so blessed
God allowed her the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom. She always thought she would
follow in her mom’s footsteps and be “Miss Betty Crocker.”
After moving back from Florida, where her husband was stationed in the Air Force, they
began the search for a new church home. They visited Ridgecrest Baptist Church, which at that
time was a very small church meeting in a house with about 70 members. They felt at home there
and joined; not long after that, the pastor asked her to be the volunteer youth director. P.K. had
served in many different positions in the other churches where she and her husband had
previously been members, so without knowing where this path would lead her, she said yes. She
made it very clear to me that she had never thought of serving in a full-time pastoral leadership
position saying, “That is when you let God lead, and turn it over to him.”
Missouri State University
Fall 2008
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women
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She started her full-time service as youth minister, and she planned and led the youth on
many mission trips. The ones she enjoyed most were when they worked with Native Americans
in Oklahoma. She explained that even though they were only five hours away from home, it was
like stepping into a different culture. The mission team learned very quickly that they worked on
the Native Americans’ time schedule, not their own. Even though the Native Americans had very
few material things, they were always willing to share what they could with others.
As youth minister, she enjoyed watching how God worked through the youth group and
how each young person strived to reach their full potential; many have gone on to full-time
ministry. P.K. enjoys seeing them as adults, with families of their own, and seeing them follow
through with the commitment they made as young people.
As the years went by, she served in various youth and educational positions. For the last
14 years, she has served as her church’s Minister of Servant Development. She said if she would
have known where the church is today and where she is in her service to the church, she would
have been scared to death; however, she explains that God brought her along slowly and gently.
Now she says she wouldn’t have missed the journey for the world.
When P.K. first became a full-time leader on the pastoral team, there were very few
women in ministry. Many times she was the only lady at the conferences or in the classroom;
however, she felt she fit in because while growing up, she was a tomboy and always played on
teams with boys. She believes God has a plan for everyone regardless of gender. She has never
felt she has been held back in any way because she is a woman. She said she has been so blessed,
not only by being able to spend time with her children while working in the youth ministry, but
also by being able to expand her area of ministry to serve a large group of people.
Missouri State University
Fall 2008
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women
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As she travels on her Christian journey, she is still learning and still growing. She would
like to make more time in her day for prayer and for time she can spend in the Word. She said
that 10 years from now, she does not want to have someone ask her if she wishes she had done
something more in her walk with Christ. She never wants to feel that she has failed to take the
time to grow as a Christian. She believes following God can be the biggest and most enjoyable
adventure of a lifetime, and she doesn’t want anyone to miss out on the journey.
Missouri State University
Fall 2008
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women