Michael Heil:
Author / EVANGELIST
After being rescued from the clutches of addiction, Michael volunteered in over 35 countries. He
has spoken in jails, rehabs, detention centers, churches and schools with an unquenchable
passion to support anyone facing addiction, homelessness, helplessness, depression, suicide or
lack of purpose. Michael received an MA in Intercultural Studies and Community Development,
and writes books and magazine articles about the things people pursue to add meaning and
purpose to life, and the reasons why.
Background
Since Michael's near-death accident in 2011, he has shared his testimony in over 35 countries. He has spoken and volunteered in jails, rehabs, detention centers, treatment centers, churches, and schools with an unquenchable passion to support anyone facing addiction, homelessness, helplessness, depression, suicide or lack of purpose.
Among Michael’s favorite memories are working with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and Operation Mobilization (OM), where he was privileged to serve in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa. He worked specifically to empower locals, addicts, children, and refugees while planting churches
and creating education and distribution programs. He cherishes the deep friendships he forged during the
grueling twelve-hour workdays spent volunteering in every climate and circumstance imaginable. As well as the blessed adventures through strange forests, mountains, islands, and caves where he came face to face with raging hippos, maniacal monkeys, and lethargic crocodiles.
After four years of international service, Michael returned to the United States to complete a master’s degree from Wheaton College in intercultural studies and community development. Now that he was no longer sleeping in a car, living in a tent, and showering with a water bottle, he was finally in a place
where he could propose to his pen pal and best friend whose letters and prayers had encouraged him through years of being a spiritual vagabond. After their wedding, the couple moved back to Utah, where they began pastoring a small Presbyterian church in the heart of Mormon country. They hatched a baby
bearded dragon named Fritz, rescued a stray cat named Percival, and got to see God touch, heal, and encourage many people during their four years of pastoring.
Over the past few years, Michael has strongly felt God asking him to use his time and energy to serve people outside the church walls. After stepping down as pastor, he started a weekly Bible study for kids in the system wrestling with addiction and abandonment.
He also started an evangelism program where he trains Christians to reach their community, to share their faith, and to love on those around them.
While battling addiction, Michael spent years of his life feeling completely hopeless and powerless, aslave to sin. Now that he has found hope, his goal is to share it with as many as he can. He works for themore than 30 million drug addicts, pill users, and alcoholics who cannot function without some substance pulsing through their veins and altering their perceptions.
There are over 17 million people in America battling depression and suicide. There are more people in the US who die from opioid related deaths than from automobile and gun deaths combined. He longs to help and encourage anyone who has thrown God out and turned to sex, drugs, and success to add meaning to their lives, only to find themselves destituteand hurting.