Michael was born Oct. 20, 1965. He was saved at age 7, and started taking piano lessons & auditioning for the Dayton Rotary Boys’ Choir at age 10. His first leading role in a musical was in high school and his first professional opera experience was as a senior in high school in Verdi’s Lucia. But, at age 17, he surrendered to the Lord’s call on his life into full-time Christian service. While in college, he performed with a contemporary Christian group. Upon graduation, he was a Metropolitan Opera regional finalist and sang with the Dayton Opera Company for two years.
In 1991 he married fellow music student Jan Turley, and immediately began serving the Lord together at Pleasant Grove Piney Baptist Church, where he was serving as Minister of Music & Youth. He was licensed and ordained in 1992. Over the next 12 years, he served in four other churches as Minister of Music, in combination with Youth, Education and Senior Adult Pastor positions. He is currently serving as Music Pastor at East Dayton Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio, his home town.
Over the period of eight busy years, God blessed Michael and Jan with four little musicians: Makenzie in 1994, Alexa in 1995, Allison in 1997 and Gabrielle in 2001. Michael & Jan serve side-by-side in many areas of ministry and believed that churches grow stronger through personal relationships and involvement in people’s lives. Michael has baptized his three oldest daughters and looks forward to seeing his youngest daughter make her decision for Christ when God calls her.
Throughout his ministry, Michael, with help from his wife and many others, has produced and directed over 40 productions with more than 75 performances combined. God has blessed these efforts, and they have seen in the neighborhood of 800 decisions for Christ during the combined performances of each production.
It is Michael and Jan’s greatest desire to serve the Lord wherever and however He leads. They love Mark 10:45, where Jesus says that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.” They seek to follow Christ’s example, and live to serve.
