Randy Rains

Randy Rains has been serving as Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Missions at Immanuel Baptist Church since August 1, 2024. Before joining the staff at Immanuel, Randy and his wife spent most of their lives serving as international missionaries. In addition to his mission work, he has pastored churches both abroad and here in the United States. His lifelong passion has centered around deepening spiritual formation and equipping others for meaningful mission engagement.

What’s one thing people might not know about you?
Even though I’ve spent nearly 50 years away from western Kentucky, I grew up just down the road in Mayfield. I’m a big fan of all kinds of sports and still enjoy playing tennis, hiking, and walking the Greenway Trail. I’ve also become a bit of a kettle corn connoisseur—after some trial and error, I’ve perfected a homemade recipe that’s pretty hard to beat!

What are you up to when you’re not at work?
I find joy and peace in simple things: spending time in nature, playing tennis, and learning new skills—like acoustic guitar. (I’ve discovered it’s both relaxing and surprisingly therapeutic.) I love a good book and never turn down a great movie. Most of all, I cherish time spent with my family. My wife and I have three adult children and six grandchildren who bring endless joy to our lives. Grandparenting, I must say, is far more fun than parenting!

What is your favorite part about serving at Immanuel Baptist Church?
Immanuel is a place that truly lives out Christ’s welcome. The church’s love, openness, and commitment to sharing the Good News in meaningful ways is what makes serving here such a joy. Whether someone has been part of the congregation for decades or just walked through the doors last week, there is space for them here. That’s a beautiful and rare thing. and I am privileged to encourage people along in the journey of being transformed into the image of Christ and to find their place in God’s mission in the world.

Favorite quote?
One of my favorites is from Richard Rohr: “It’s okay not to know… all is grace.”