With a belief system of saving himself through his own good works and holding on to evolution rather than creation, as assumed by many in his high school, and later, college campus, Christ became real to him when God’s love and grace was shared by a friend in a two hour visit across a kitchen table. It was a shock to him that someone would even believe the Bible. Michael gave his life to Christ on April 1, 1977.
In 1979, while at chiropractic college in Davenport IA, Michael had the opportunity to serve as a key volunteer under Pastor Tommy Barnett, a world renown soul-winning leader at Westside Assembly, the country’s fastest growing church of that era. At the time Westside was a powerful, soul-winning church running 52 buses that transported children and teenagers to services where Michael worked in the youth service, which alone had 400 in attendance.
It was then that he was exposed to legendary evangelists, like Nicky Cruz and Arthur Blessitt, that helped him
develop a deep vision for sharing Christ with the world.
After moving to central Florida Michael continued evangelistic opportunities in events both large and small, including extensive door to door visits winning hearts to Christ. While experiencing the radio ministry of one of the original contemporary Christian radio pioneer stations, WCIE Lakeland, FL, Michael saw the additional opportunity to use radio as a means of reaching the lost. He then moved to Waterloo, IA and worked in youth ministry. Michael later traveled as a music evangelist and founded a church as senior pastor. He was the host of the Word of Faith Telecast, a television ministry of the church which broadcasted the program on the local NBC affiliate. He didn’t forget the vision of reaching people with God’s love through radio and soon founded KWOF Radio in May of 1985 during what was considered the early days of contemporary Christian music.
After resigning from his local church, Michael headed the radio station for several years. The station, unfortunately, went off the air after he left. However, he returned the radio station to the air in April 1993. With the radio station listeners, Michael then founded the Love Crusade program where tens of thousands of young people were able to attend contemporary Christian concerts regardless of their ability to buy a ticket. Of the ten Love Crusades, nine of them attracted the largest crowds of each respective artists’ tours. The “Take Me To Your Leader” Newsboys’ tour of 1996, with 7,000 in attendance in Waterloo, IA, received national recognition as the largest crowd, after their tour visited 116 international cities. Hundreds of young people and adults professed faith in Christ during the Love Crusade era and the template Michael founded for the attendance structure is still used to this day in contemporary Christian music outreach. Michael later moved on after developing the radio station into a network of several FM radio stations and translators. It is now owned by Air1, the sister network of K-LOVE Radio, and continues to touch lives in central and northeastern Iowa.
While assisting his uncle, Pastor Don Cox, at his local church, Michael continued to work under a soul-winning legend. For over 14 years, he supervised two yearly church crusades featuring the Heaven’s Gates & Hell’s Flames production, where he portrayed the devil, and along with 50 cast members, performed drama productions that lead thousands to Christ over the years. The Power Team, and later, The Strength Team, which Michael helped found, also came every year for over 14 years. He later joined The Strength Team as a road manager where he was encouraged by senior adults across the country to use his voice once again. Michael also shared in ministry led by his wife, Mea, who headed children’s ministry at the church for nearly 30 years. Mea’s childrens’ ministry was unparalleled in America, with children's church attendance accounting for nearly half of the local church itself.
Now in his 8th year, Michael has traveled nearly 600,000 miles to churches and retirement facilities sharing his faith. He also hosts the weekly 30 minute, The Encouragement Express Radio Show, which can be heard on the internet around the world. He considers The Faith & Family Manifesto his “finest hour.”