The key verse that describes Mike's music and ministry is found in the first chapter of Romans, verses 11 and 12. Where Paul says, "I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith". Mike's desire is to encourage the body of Christ to live for Him through life's day to day battles. In his music, Mike tries to do this in part by pointing out the weaknesses in the "sacred cows" of our society. By revealing these inconsistencies, he hopes to strengthen and comfort the church, so we can continue to have confidence in Jesus rather than be intimidated by ideas, philosophies and practices that at first glance often appear to be powerful and valid challenges to the truth of the Gospel. Raised in a Denominational church that actually taught and believed the gospel, Mike was saved at an early age. Over the years, he drifted away and got involved to a degree in the usual assortment of drugs, etc., but the details do not really make for a church-filling, mind-boggling, see-how-rotten-I-was testimony. No, Mike falls more in the category of the lukewarm, spit-you-out-of -my-mouth school of backsliders. Not very exciting in some ways, but possibly a little closer to the type of struggles most Christians face on a daily basis. After a couple of academically pitiful years in college spent mostly sleeping and discovering new ways to feel good when awake, Mike married Nancy (poor girl!). A couple of years after that, he realized that although he was fairly successful in spite of himself, with a brand new house, a good job and a wife who loved him, there was still something missing. Now what could that be? He knew it was God, so he decided to revive that relationship. So did God, but on HIS terms. There ensued a period of very intense spiritual struggle. Convinced he had fooled around on God one too many times and that he had lost his salvation, Mike sank into total despair. Each time he sought comfort in the Bible, every verse there seemed only to condemn him even more. Unable to eat, enduring fitful nights of broken sleep only to awake to another day of fear and despair Mike couldn't even find rest in the thought of suicide. That could mean hell for sure, but living without hope sometimes seemed worse...of course, God had other plans. Finally, Mike came to a point of commitment and from that point things really began to happen. You know. Those really cool things God does that we never would have thought of. One of those things was the music you are about to hear.