Kevin McNulty

Kevin McNulty, 69, of Daytona Beach, FL, slipped away peacefully on the morning of November 26, 2025. Kevin loved God and loved people. He laughed loudly and lived large! A consummate joke teller, he was known for a laugh so contagious that people often laughed harder at him than at the punchline. Everywhere he went, he carried joy with him—and passed it on.

Kevin was known for his unwavering faith, his deep passion for Christ, and his tireless commitment to reaching people with the love of God. Whatever he set his mind to, he did. Even as a boy, he corrected his own pigeon-toed walk just to stay on the tennis team in Detroit—a small glimpse of the determination that would define his entire life.

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 26, 1956.

Early Life and Education

Kevin graduated from Austin Catholic Preparatory School in Detroit and went on to accept a full-ride scholarship to Michigan State University—one of several he was offered, including an appointment to West Point.

He completed his Bachelor of Science in 1978. He later graduated from RHEMA Bible Training Center in 1982 and continued his education, earning both a master’s degree and a doctorate in Missiology from Life Christian University.

A Divine Encounter

Before graduating from Michigan State, Kevin had a life-changing moment standing under an oak tree on campus. As a young Catholic man reading Scripture and trying to understand it, he asked God—the Author—to reveal Himself. Heaven opened, and Kevin heard a voice say, “I will see you here one day!”

But what led up to that moment was just as miraculous.

One afternoon during a campus tennis game, Kevin heard a voice say, “Read the Bible. Read the Bible.” Convinced someone was playing a joke on him, he stopped the match and asked his opponent if he heard it too. The man simply said, “Come follow me.” He opened the trunk of his car and handed Kevin a box full of books and Bibles, telling him one thing: READ!

Days later, Jesus walked into Kevin’s dorm room and asked him what he planned to do with the rest of his life. As Jesus shook his hand, Kevin blurted out, “I am going to gather and collect dead bodies and pump on old hearts!”—and then exclaimed, “Who said that? as he thought, I’m a tennis player!”

That moment launched the adventure of his lifetime.

The Call to Ministry

Soon after, the Lord sent Kevin on his first international trip—to Spain. He traveled with his tennis racket in hand, preaching on the streets and teaching tennis. At the time, he was considering seven different job opportunities after graduation, but when he prayed, all he heard was: “Spain.”

The next day, his brother called needing someone with the last name McNulty to finish a student exchange program. A ticket to Spain was waiting.

In Spain, Kevin saw multitudes of people walking without Christ—religious yet powerless. He preached in his first tent and lived with a Russian family in Madrid. From there, he ministered among the Paiute Indians (another story of miraculous leading!) before heading to RHEMA in Tulsa, OK.

After graduating RHEMA, Kevin returned to Michigan to serve as a door-to-door evangelist making $25 a week and acting as a youth pastor. He won an average of 250 people to the Lord each year. One evening when his team didn’t show up, the Lord gave him a mini-vision of preaching atop a half-wall in front of Mariner’s Church. Though he had never imagined street preaching to Detroit festival crowds, boldness came—and so did God’s protection… even when Kevin found himself at gunpoint.

He later served as associate pastor and head pastor in Warren, MI. His full-time international evangelistic ministry to 65 nations began soon after merging Believers Faith Fellowship with Grace Christian Church.

Marriage & Ministry Partnership

Kevin married the love of his life, Leslie Clutts, on October 8, 1988 in Grosse Pointe, MI. Their meeting, although totally unanticipated, was certainly God-ordained. Kevin was only passing through Tulsa to tell the RHEMA Alumni office he was moving to Mexico as a missionary when he suddenly heard these words: “That’s your wife!”

He bumped into Leslie on campus, then later discovered their cars were parked beside each other among hundreds—a divine setup! That brief conversation turned into 37 years of extraordinary partnership. Kevin proposed two weeks later, and their global adventure began.

Together, they preached, strategized, and traveled the world—both scholarship athletes, both fiery trailblazers, both full of the joy of the Lord. Over 37 years of marriage and ministry, they reached approximately 12 million souls with the Gospel.

International Ministry

Kevin lived in Russia for ten years, serving as Eurasian Regional Director for Calvary International, Inc. (Go to Nations) in the mid-1990s. Alongside Leslie, he co-founded the 100 Tent Project across the former Soviet Union, establishing over 120 tents that hosted hundreds of evangelistic outreaches.

One of Kevin’s greatest honors was ministering with world-renowned evangelist Dr. T.L. Osborn for 16 years as his International Outreach Director, preaching together in 25 nations. Dr. Osborn became a mentor and a father to him—and Kevin became a true son.

Kevin was ordained through OSFO International and RHEMA Ministerial Association. He ministered as pastor, evangelist, and apostle for over 40 years and published 11 books in multiple languages including English, Russian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Japanese, French, Spanish, Estonian, Lithuanian, Telugu, and Tamil.

Relationship with Dr. T.L. Osborn

During Kevin’s and Leslie’s ministry years, their highly esteemed mentor, the modern apostolic patriarch, Dr. Osborn, made these statements to them and about them. First encouraging them that they were specifically chosen by God to be pacesetters for a movement of tent evangelism across Russia, the CIS, and Eastern Europe. He further challenged them that they carried a rare calling to lead with faith, equality, and courage—raising up evangelists, establishing churches, and pressing the Gospel forward where the Church must do more.

Dr. Osborn later endorsed their ministry mission, glowingly calling them “seasoned faith ministers with over 30 years of proven miracle evangelism in many nations. Their record of triumphant ministry carrying the Gospel throughout the Far East, South America, Russia, Eurasia, Africa, and Europe with wisdom, leadership, and faith, has been superb in every aspect.”

Tennis: MAC THE SMACK

Tennis was Kevin’s lifelong passion outside of ministry. He won over 100 tournaments at national, regional, and local levels. He was named one of the Top 25 athletes on the Michigan State Men’s Tennis All-Century Team—representing 100 years of Big Ten tennis history.

He was a multi-year All-American and served as team captain during his tenure from 1975–1978. After graduation, he became the youngest head coach in Central Michigan University history. His former coach at Michigan State had been grooming him for the head coaching position—until God’s call to full-time ministry redirected his steps.

Even during overseas ministry trips, Kevin found opportunities to hit with rising tennis stars, including young athletes in Russia and Argentina who later earned international rankings.

Locally, in Volusia County, he continued winning USTA tournaments. His nickname—“MAC THE SMACK”—was earned honestly. His powerful, precise shots were legendary!

Family

Kevin was preceded in death by his father, Anthony John "Jack" McNulty, a WWII war correspondent and longtime Detroit News copy editor, and his mother, Marie Catherine Finley. Kevin’s love for tennis, photography, writing and creativity followed in his father’s footsteps. After Jack's death, Marie courageously earned her nursing degree while raising six children alone. Kevin and his mother shared a fierce bond—two determined souls who refused to let anything stand between them and the pursuit of their callings.

Kevin is survived by his wife, Leslie Clutts McNulty, and seven siblings: Tim McNulty, Bryan McNulty, Ann Rock, Colleen Sweeney, Eileen McNeil, Patrick McNulty, and Maureen Saxton.