film based on Mike's life:
Details:
Sponsored by 4141 Ministries and Third day Fresno=====
Mike, originally from Johnson City, Tennessee, got saved in his later teen years. While growing up in Tennessee he was involved in gangs, drugs, poverty, homelessness, the occult, and abuse. Part of Mike's story has been heard on National Radio, The Jack Elery Show, as well as National Television, Night Line. Mike also appears in the Carman Video from Carman's television series. The show called, "Times Two, Gangs The Mean Streets," was so successful that it is used to reach out to gangs all over the world.
Mike has also been quoted in Time Magazine as well as numerous other television, radio and print media. Mike worked in Christian Music for 10 years primarily with the Rob Cassels Band, (AKA, Rob Castles), before deciding to be more involved with ministries, including speaking, working with the poor, the mentally ill and homeless. While working in music Mike worked in non -Christian venues and with top artists such as Steppenwolf, Marshall Tucker Band, Kansas, The Outlaws, The Tragically Hipp, Jackyl, Steve Morse, and others far too numerous to mention.
In 1988 NCM Services directed by Mike was named North America's top new agency by Performance Magazine and was also named one of the top ten agencies in North America by Poll Star Magazine. While with the Rob Castles Band, Mike promoted and worked with 3 of the top 10 shows in North America in clubs under 800 and with the top grossing show in North America for theaters 2,500. That same year, Bonnie Rait was #2 and Blue Oyster Cult was #3. Mike is a 1985 graduate of Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas and a 1985 Outstanding Christian Student as named by Extraordinary Christian Students of America.
Author of The Keystone Kid, Director of The Virtual Pew , Pastor of Mosaic Church Wichita see (FRIENDS OF MOSAIC), subject of award-winning film The Long Walk, member of the pioneering Jesus movement band The Rob Cassels Band and writer for @Holllywood Jesus
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Mike and Mary Jane will both be with us; they've been married now for over 22 years, sharing residences between Wichita, Kansas and Oolagah, Oklahoma.
In 1988 Mike became employed with Gateway House in Greenville,South Carolina. Gateway House is a clubhouse program using the Fountain House Model of Rehabilitation for the Mentally Ill. After spending several years there, Mike became Director of Sixth Avenue West in Hendersonville, North Carolina. In January of 1995 Mike moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he became the Executive Director of Crossroads Clubhouse. For over 14 years God used these clubhouse experiences to help prepare him for ministry. He has worked with numerous individuals who have been homeless, in gangs, on drugs and in absolute poverty. Mike has helped many of these people go back to work, to school and to live independently. He has gained international recognition with mental health professionals as well as those suffering from this disease for his contributions at helping improve the lives of the mentally ill not only in Oklahoma, but throughout the United States and other parts of the world. Mike has also been involved in workshops and seminars which deal with evangelism. Workshops on "Becoming a Contagious Christian" and "Becoming a Contagious Church." These evangelistic concepts were developed by Willow Creek Community Church, in the Chicago area. Mike is now the Senior Pastor of an inner city, multi cultural and multi racial church in Wichita, Kansas. The church, United at the Cross Community Church is in the Southeast area of Wichita.
Mary Jane, formerly of Erwin, Tennessee is a graduate of East Tennessee State University. She currently teaches school in a low income underprivileged area. She teaches special education. Mary Jane comes from a Christian family where she has been involved in church and ministry for most of her life. She has led Bible studies plus has performed and ministered in various churches and venues using folk music. She has a c.d./tape recording called, "Comin Round Again", which features Folk music, Christian Spirituals and Originals. The music on these 10 songs is reminiscent of the music played during the year of the original Woodstock. It was during Woodstock that Mary Jane worked at a Christian Coffee House in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire and had the opportunity to minister to many attending Woodstock. Mary Jane grew up in a strong Christian home where she received Jesus as her Lord and Savior at a young age. She grew up attending Ninth Street Baptist Church in Erwin, Tennessee.
http://www.furches.org/about/family.html
