Julie Ganschow, Ph.D.

Executive Director of Reigning Grace Counseling Center, Founder of BC4Women Blog

Sydney Cryer

Office Manager

Sydney is a graduate of Spurgeon College where she earned her B.A. December of 2020. Soon after, she was married in January of 2021 to her husband, Jesús. She is now wanting to pursue her certification to become a biblical counselor, and she is eager to learn from the staff at Reigning Grace Counseling Center as well as serve the counselees here.

Hannah King

Media Director

Larry Ganschow

Addiction and Substance Abuse Counselor

After struggling with addictions as a teen and young adult, Larry has now enjoyed over three decades of sobriety. With more than 30 years of experience in addictions and substance abuse counseling, Larry brings textbook knowledge, field experience, and personal victories into his counseling. Larry is a credentialed treatment provider for the state of Missouri and is certified in biblical counseling through the IABC. He knows as John Calvin has stated, “The heart is an idol factory,” and works tirelessly to lead his counselees to the conviction of sin and to bring them to repentance. Larry and Julie have three sons and two grandchildren.

Pastor Bruce Roeder

Biblical Counselor, Training Program Instructor

Stephen Ganschow, Ph.D.

Biblical Counselor, Training Program Instructor

Stephen Ganschow, Ph.D., has been with Reigning Grace since its inception. While he provides some long-distance counseling, his current role is strategic development, consultation, and teaching within Reigning Grace Institute as an instructor. Additionally, he serves as the Pastor of Counseling at Bethel Church in northwestern Indiana. He is a Level II-certified biblical counselor with the ACBC, is certified by the IABC, and has various specialty certifications in a wide array of counseling disciplines. Additionally, he is pursuing an Ed.D. in Community Care Counseling, with an emphasis on the pastoral counseling and the local church.

Guy Hanna

Biblical Counselor, Training Program Instructor

Laurie Bennett

Biblical Counselor, BC4Women Blog Contributor

Laurie Bennett is a certified biblical counselor with the ACBC. She has a passion for the Word of God and is humbled to teach, disciple, and counsel the sufficiency of Scripture to women at her local community church and at Reigning Grace. Married for over 30 years, Laurie and her husband, Brian, have three grown daughters, two son-in-laws, and the sweetest grandchildren. In her spare time, she gardens, raises honeybees and chickens, and crafts sourdough artisan breads with homemade jams.

Kirsten Vance

Biblical Counselor

Kirsten is passionate about applying God’s Word to hurting people, for God’s glory and their benefit.  Kirsten has a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Texas A&M University, has certifications from ACBC and CCEF. She works with the youth at her church, teaches a ladies Bible study, and is passionate about practicing hospitality and one on one discipleship. Kirsten has been married to her best friend Philip, for over 20 years. He is currently serving as an Elder at their home church in Texas and pursuing his ACBC certification. Together they have homeschooled their three children. 

Mary Paas

Biblical Counselor, Chaplain

Mary is a licensed Chaplain and an ACBC and IABC certified Biblical Counselor. She has served on local boards and on staff at ministries, including Joni and Friends. She has taught the Bible to groups inside the walls of the church and outside the walls. Mary finds joy in providing hope and help from God’s Word at Reigning Grace and Fallen Soldiers March.

Chris Mazak

Biblical Counselor

Chris has his biblical counseling certification with the ACBC and serves on staff at First Southern Baptist Church in Gladstone, MO. He is also pursuing a PhD in Biblical Counseling at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Andrea, reside in Gladstone, MO.

Kekhrie Nienu

Biblical Counselor

Kekhrie is a certified counselor with the ACBC. She is passionate to share the Word of God and desires to walk alongside others through counseling and discipleship. She has her M.Th. from S.C.U. Seoul, South Korea, and her M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling and serves as an adjunct professor at Nagaland Graduate School of Theology in India.

Jonathan Hayashi, Ph.D.

Biblical Counselor

Dr. Jonathan Hayashi has a B.A. of Pastoral Ministry, M.A. of Congregational Leadership, and a D.Ed.Min. of Biblical Counseling. He presently serves on the Executive Committee at Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) and on the Board of Trustees at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jonathan is a contributor for the bi-weekly journal, Pathway (Missouri Baptist Convention), and is the author of Ordinary Radicals: A Return to Christ-Centered Discipleship, as well as Making Lemonade: Turning Past Failures into Gospel Opportunities. He is a certified biblical counselor with the ACBC. He and his wife, Kennedi, have four children: Kaede, Seiji, Anna, and Ren.

Robert Smith

Biblical Counselor

Bob is a member of Mill Creek Community Church in Shawnee, KS, and is completing his ACBC certification. He seeks to glorify God and serve and love people by teaching Sunday school, leading a small group Bible study, and volunteering at City Union Mission. He humbly admits he is a sinner saved by grace, walking by faith, and dependent on the Holy Spirit for daily living. He has been married to his wife Linda for 46 years has two married daughters and one married son who have given them two granddaughters and four grandsons. He is nearing retirement and plans to give his remaining years to counsel people in the Word of God and tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Katelyn Fredenberg

Biblical Counselor Intern

Anna Bryan

Biblical Counselor Intern