About
Rick Paynter
In an age where many people feel disconnected from traditional faith communities, stories of transformation, courage, and long-term commitment feel more important than ever. On a recent PublishU podcast episode, listeners were given a behind-the-scenes look into the heart, history, and hope behind the book More Than Just Church. The conversation offered a powerful reminder that the local church—when rooted in purpose and authenticity—can still change lives, shape communities, and inspire generations.
What unfolded was not just a discussion about writing a book; it was a journey through legacy, calling, leadership, and a deep belief that “God is always enough and always more.”
The storyteller behind More Than Just Church grew up in Melbourne and never strayed far from the city he loves. From coffee culture to theatre, coastline to community life, Melbourne played a major role in his spiritual formation. For more than 40 years, he has dedicated his life to leading an independent church in the city—remaining committed through highs, lows, growth, challenges, and major cultural shifts.
But pastoring wasn’t his only calling. He and his wife also helped establish a child development agency that runs a free school for children in Papua New Guinea. “We have to provide everything,” he shared during the interview, explaining how donor partnerships, local leadership, and frequent visits help sustain the project. The mission work has become a defining part of his leadership journey and a major thread woven through the book.
Some books are written in months. Others require seasons of life, experience, and reflection before they’re ready to come to the surface. This was one of those books.
The writing process spanned two decades, partly because the story kept evolving. The challenge, he explained, was that the book wasn’t simply a memoir nor a strict church history. It was something more fluid and personal—an honest blend of leadership lessons, life experiences, mistakes, breakthroughs, and spiritual insights collected over 40 years.
Fear also played a role. “I wanted to get it right,” he said, acknowledging that vulnerability, transparency, and accuracy all mattered deeply. And of course, time was a barrier. Between leading a church, running a mission agency, directing a theatre company, raising a family, and navigating the demands of life, structured writing time was scarce.
But joining a guided writing program provided the breakthrough. Clear strategies, accountability, and a step-by-step system helped him turn 20 years of notes and ideas into a finished book in just a few months.
At the core of More Than Just Church is a compelling belief that God can do more than we imagine—if we’re willing to trust and follow. One passage that shaped the vision for the book is found in Ephesians: “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” This idea became a spiritual anchor during the early years of ministry and continues to define the church’s mission today.
Throughout the interview, examples surfaced of moments when faith and action intersected in remarkable ways. One story involved standing on a mountain in the Papua New Guinea highlands, facing the impossible scale of community need below. As the valley filled with smoke and the obstacles felt overwhelming, a local pastor pointed to the sky where two eagles appeared. His words were simple yet profound: “We need the Holy Spirit to lift us above what we see so we can understand what God wants us to do.”
That moment became a metaphor for the ministry’s entire approach—not looking at limitations from ground level but rising above them with vision and spiritual clarity.
Four decades in pastoral leadership is no small feat. The interview highlighted countless “ups”—ideas that didn’t work, strategies that needed refining, seasons that stretched faith, and mistakes that ultimately helped shape a stronger, wiser leader.
Yet through it all, one consistent theme emerged: God brought the right people at the right time with the right skills to meet each challenge as it came. This sense of divine timing appears throughout the book, reminding readers that transformation often happens gradually, through ordinary faithfulness, obedience, and persistence.
The hope for the book is simple yet deeply meaningful: that it would inspire others, whether church leaders, volunteers, or everyday believers, to see what God can do through ordinary people who say yes to an extraordinary calling. As shared in the interview, “I would love it to be a blessing to as many people as possible… even if just one person tells me how it changed their life, I’ll be a happy man.”
There is no desire for fame, awards, or mass recognition. The book exists because someone believed the story could help others trust God in new ways and embrace the possibility that their church—and their life—can be more than just church.
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