On the Road and In the Flock: Why Mutual Aid Agency Travels Across the Country for Churches

A conversation with Kimberly Rutter, General Manager at Mutual Aid Agency

“We’re people serving people.”

That’s how Kimberly Rutter sums up the work of Mutual Aid Agency — a small but mighty faith-based insurance team rooted in rural Abilene, Kansas. As General Manager, Kimberly leads a six-person team (plus a summer intern) who don’t just sell policies — they show up. And sometimes that means literally showing up across the country.

This year alone, Mutual Aid Agency will attend at least a dozen denominational conferences and gatherings, from McPherson, Kansas, to Greensboro, North Carolina, and all the way to Pennsylvania and Ohio. For such a lean team, that’s no small feat.

“We’ve made friends with a lot of our clients,” Kimberly says with a smile. “It’s like going to a family reunion.”

Mutual Aid Agency specializes in property and casualty insurance for churches and ministries. And unlike a typical commercial policy, these require nuance — from liability coverage for volunteer programs and youth activities, to protections for religious freedom or cyber threats. “Any insurance agent could sell a basic policy,” Kimberly notes, “but it may not include what a church actually needs.”

That’s why her team doesn’t just sit in the office. They travel. They listen. They shake hands, share mints, and sometimes hand out candy! “When you call us, you’re going to talk to a person,” Kimberly says. “We want to make sure we’re providing what you need, not just trying to make a sale.”

It’s this personal commitment that keeps Mutual Aid Agency moving, often by car, sometimes by plane, always with intention. “Flight schedules are tough,” Kimberly laughs, “and rural car rentals aren’t always easy either. But driving lets us see so much. We like that.”

Even the Brethren Mutual Aid Share Fund, a matching crisis aid fund that partners with churches to support people in need, reflects that same people-first philosophy. “Some clients choose us because of the Share Fund,” Kimberly explains. “We match their caring effort — up to $500 a year — so churches can do more for their communities. We’re looking at ways to expand that too.”

Ask anyone on her team their favorite part of being out in the field, and the answer’s the same: connection.

“It’s always rewarding when someone walks up and says, ‘Hey, I talked to you on the phone! You helped me with this!’” says Kristy Sare, Operations and Farm Services Manager. She laughs, adding, “But I’m a terrible road tripper — I fall asleep in the passenger seat every time.”

Kimberly smiles. “But that’s what makes it fun.”

For Mutual Aid Agency, it’s not about growing the biggest book of business. It’s about stewarding what they’ve been entrusted with — a ministry of protection, service, and showing up with care.

“We feel like this is what we’re here to do,” Kimberly says.

And that makes the road more than worth it.