Missions Minute - The Bartas (July 10, 2025)

This week's "Mission Minute" is featuring Kyle and Lindsey Barta from H2O Ministries at the University of Buffalo. H2O is an on-campus church that seeks to introduce students to Jesus Christ by meeting them where they are at. Kyle is the lead pastor there and formerly attended the Summit before going on the mission field with H2O.

My Easter Missions Minute update had Kyle and Lindsey anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child. Their sweet baby boy arrived 2 weeks later on May 3rd. His name is Beau Timothy Barta and he arrived SWIFTLY! Labor for Lindsey was just 2.5 hours before she was holding their new child! To quote Kyle "We love having him around, and we feel so blessed that he is healthy and Lindsey is healthy as well. Beau is worth every hour of lost sleep!" Since Beau's arrival Kyle has been very well supported by family and others at their church who recently became parents. The Summit recently made a special financial contribution to Kyle and Lindsey in honor of Beau's birth

This year is the first time H2O Buffalo is doing anything of significance over the summer months. Normally almost all the students return to their hometown. This summer they have about a dozen students still in the area so they felt it important to continue to meet together. On Sundays, they gather on campus in a much smaller room for worship and teaching. This gathering is actually in the very first room they held Sunday Services in before outgrowing it.  On Wednesdays, they have been rotating between a normal Bible Study and a community gathering. These have been "low key" enough for them to be beneficial, but not a burden on their leadership.

Every summer, Kyle evaluates how they can be more impactful on campus. What worked? What didn't?  They look at how they are praying for (and preparing for) God to move on their campus this coming school year. One major focus is developing student members into leaders. Towards the end of the Spring Semester, they created a vision for how their student members can be the hands and feet of Christ this coming year. They want to hand more of the reins over to them and empower/equip them to reach the lost on their campus to make disciples. Kyle reported "Many of them were excited (and nervous) about the opportunity to take on more responsibility and leadership. Excited (and nervous) about the Lord using them in the lives of people they haven't even met yet. So, this summer, we will be meeting with those students that signed up for these roles this coming year, and preparing them as best we can for them. In addition, we have a lot of content to develop to help train and educate our (very) young leaders on how to be effective Christians on our campus."

As a result of Kyle's growing family, he is spending a lot of time this summer raising financial support. This is admittedly one of the most challenging parts of his job. Kyle shared "Lots of people don't like being asked for money. But, we still feel called to reach college students for Christ, and this seems to be the best way for us to do that AND take care of our family's needs."

Kyle shared a number of prayer requests:

1. Prayers for Financial support for our family.
2. Prayers for Fall preparation!
3. Prayers for our student leaders to grow in their walks with Christ this summer!

I would like to add to Kyle's prayer concerns the following: That God provides strength, wisdom (and sleep) to them as new parents!

You can learn more about the Barta's ministry and provide direct financial support at https://reliant.org/kyle.barta

You can contact Kyle directly with words of encouragement and support at bartakyle@gmail.com

If you are so led, you can send cards and gifts for Baby Beau at:
Kyle and Lindsey Barta
196 Koenig Rd
Tonawanda, NY 14150-7533