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About Mike Shreve

My spiritual journey took me through Catholicism, New Age spirituality, Edgar Cayce prayer groups, Kundalini Yoga and various concepts out of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism until I encountered the Lord Jesus Christ in the fall of 1970 (you can read the detailed story in the downloadable booklet The Highest Adventure: Encountering God). I immediately shut down my yoga ashram and closed out my yoga classes at four Florida universities. Many of my students became followers of Jesus also. Then I moved to Central Florida.

March of 1971 / a call to radical discipleship

For several months after my conversion to Christianity (after being “born again”),  I lived at a Jesus commune in Oviedo, Florida, and worked a construction job. About ten of us lived in the commune. We had church in the living room every night for four or five hours, reading God’s Word and praying. Late one night (about 2am) I was sitting at a campfire behind the commune with leader of our group, Bob Sherman, discussing Scripture. Bob pointed out a Bible passage that changed my life forever. Jesus was sharing with his followers the discipleship price they would have to pay to truly follow Him. One of the strongest statements gripped my spirit: 

Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33). 

Bob asked, “Do you know anybody doing that?” I said, “No, I don’t!” He said, “Let’s do it!” I responded, “Sure, I’m game!” And that’s how it happened—a major life-altering decision solidified in just a few seconds. While the flames of the campfire were flashing in front of me, God’s holy fire began burning in my heart, a willingness to sacrifice all and a passion for adventure. 

Bob and I agreed to launch out the next day. We gave away all our possessions and money to the poor. The only personal items we allowed ourselves were a Bible and one change of clothes in a sack. Our plan was simple: go wherever we felt led, hitchhiking across the United States, preaching the Gospel on college campuses, street corners, and the places of greatest darkness, especially in major cities. I will never forget stepping out on an interstate ramp that day with a little cardboard sign that said, “GOING FOR JESUS!” Somewhat of an unorthodox way of entering the ministry, right? But it worked for us—supernaturally. Jesus also promised:

Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30)

We hitchhiked about 1,000 miles to Bloomington, Indiana, having received an invitation to speak at at church there. However, upon arriving, the pastor told us he’d changed his mind and canceled the meeting, before we even had a chance to preach one message. It was deeply disappointing to say the least, but I have since learned, when you’re following the Lord’s leading, that “disappointments become divine appointments” and “setbacks become setups” for the blessings and the purposes of God. That setback was a classic example, as you will see.

As we walked down the street near the University of Indiana, Bob said, “Mike, we came to Indiana to preach, so we’re going to preach.” Slightly nodding my head in agreement, I asked where he wanted us to start. About that time we came to a big open field a couple of blocks from the university with a large billboard in the middle declaring it was “The People’s Park.” It had been purchased by the Yippies (hippies who were politically oriented, usually with a socialistic, communistic ideology). It was their way of making a statement endorsing one of the basics tenets of communism (no personal property–everything is communally owned). Bob looked at me and said, “That’s our church!” It may not have had a tall steeple and chandeliers, but we had the universal dome overhead that would light up with stars when the sun set. Sure, that will make a great church, I thought to myself. Like Joshua and the armies of Israel at Jericho, we walked around the field seven times, claiming it for the Kingdom of God. (Watch the short video below for a video account.)

Then it dawned on us—if we were going to be successful in drawing people, we needed advertisement. But we had no money. So, Bob came up with an ingenious plan. Across the street was a pizza restaurant. We dug down in the dumpster behind it and found some old, beat-up pizza boxes. Then we bent them around backwards, and wrote on the white cardboard with a big, red magic marker big in bold block letters, “Old Fashioned Street Preaching, miracles, signs, and wonders–healing the sick, casting out devils, delivering the oppressed—every night at 7:30” and positioned the signs at the four corners of the field. 

Then we pulled about 40 or 50 cardboard Pabst Blue Ribbon beer boxes out of the dumpster, broke them down, and spread them out flat for people to sit on. I’ve often quipped (with tongue in cheek) that the communists bought my first church for me and a beer company supplied my first pews :).  

Play Video

The first night about eighty people showed up, most of them into a hippie lifestyle—drugs, alcohol, occultism, heavy rock music, free love, no rules. I preached my first sermon ever in the open air. My main text was another challenging statement that came from the lips of the Son of God:

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:35) 

Almost all of those in attendance gave their hearts to the Lord that night, including a musician that worked with Led Zeppelin. It was the firstfruits of a harvest of tens of thousands who have come to the Lord over five decades of sowing the seeds of truth (authentic New Testament Christianity) in the hearts and lives of those who dare to hear and respond.

 Summer Youth Ministry (1972-1980)

Within a couple of years of launching out into the ministry, I was given a large tent and began traveling around the country doing three-week Word and Worship gatherings in various cities. I also began holding an annual summer-long youth camp during the 70s called “The Gideon’s 300” (to understand, read Judges 6-7 in the Bible.) This group actually grew to about 300 teenagers who spent the entire summer being trained in discipleship, ministry techniques, and street evangelism. Many young people entered full-time ministry positions after this summer intensive.

Christian Evangelism (1971 – present)
Now for over 50 years, I have continued to travel, teaching the Word of God in churches, conferences, schools, and open air gatherings. My main message surrounds the discovery of our spiritual identity as believers, with an added emphasis on healing and the prophetic. Ministry in about 35 states (in the United States) and eleven nations has resulted in much fruit for the Father’s glory (including Canada, Israel, Haiti, India, Liberia, Nigeria, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, and Jamaica).

The True Light Project
Around the turn of the millennium, a desire to more effectively reach those seeking ultimate reality through other religions and types of spirituality was birthed in me. To achieve this goal, we have pursued various expressions of media, including literature, podcasts, our websites, and TV programs. It’s all about helping others, especially reaching those who are seeking for truth through various non-Christian religions and modes of spirituality.

Books I have written
I believe in doing my utmost to share with others the vital truths that have changed my life dramatically. So I have been blessed to write about fifteen books, some of which are in the store on this website. Several have been #1 bestsellers on Amazon. I urge you to get a copy of In Search of the True Light especially, a comparison of over 20 religions that shows without a doubt, the uniqueness and exclusivity of Jesus. That book took five years to complete. I met with many leaders who embraced some of the religions showcased. In the True Light book, I share my heart, my search for truth, and the wonderful answers the Holy Spirit has given me concerning the doctrines of Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and New Age spirituality I once embraced. If you are not yet convinced of the claims of authentic New Testament Christianity, but you are searching—-then you are one of the people I wrote this book for—it is my gift to you. Someone helped me find the truth; now it’s my turn to pass on that kindness. 

Family

In 1989, I married Elizabeth, the love of my life, and together we have had two children, a son and a daughter, and one grandson—all deeply loved and very special. All three are miracles. First, we were told Elizabeth could never have children. Prayer changed that. She flatlined three times during the birth of our son, Zion Seth, who was severely oxygen deprived during the process.

Zion Seth and his son, Atticus

We were told he would be a vegetable as a result—probably crippled and retarded. Instead, he nearly has a photographic memory and he was instantly healed around the age of five of a foot problem resulting from malformed tendons (too short to allow normal walking—he was a toe-walker—he never walked flat-footed). After exploring every avenue to fix the problem naturally, several ministers joined me in a conference as we prayed over Seth for about 20 minutes. I set him down and he walked flat-footed for the first time and has walked normal ever since.

Destiny Hope

The doctor suggested that we abort our daughter, Destiny Hope (we never would have considered doing that—in fact, we gave her those two names to counteract his negative proclamation over her and we never returned to see him again). The diagnosis was that she had Spina Bifida (a hole in the spine) and Cretinism (severe retardation). God spoke audibly to Elizabeth as we were leaving the doctor’s office and said, “Your daughter will dance on the streets of Jerusalem.” We prayerfully declared that prophetic word over her for the next five months as well as confessing scriptures like Psalms 138:8 and Psalms 139:14-16. She was born perfect and yes, she is a worship dancer, and yes, one day we intend to take her to Jerusalem (we’ve been there six times). So God’s promises in the Bible prevailed, because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! He still heals and works the miraculous. (You can read the full story in my books 65 Promises from God for Your Child and 25 Powerful Promises from God.)

Deeper Revelation Books / our Publishing company

Our publishing company, Deeper Revelation Books, was launched around 1985, initially just for the publishing of my own books. Then in 2003, we opened the doors to publish the works of other believers who desired to produce works of excellence for the glory of God. We have a dual purpose: first, instructing the body of Christ with deep biblical teachings, and second, reaching those who do not yet embrace Christianity with loving presentations of the Gospel.

There are now five divisions of our publishing company (www.deeperrevelationbooks.org):

  • Deeper Revelation Books (non-fiction)
  • Pure Heart Publications (fiction)
  • Children of Promise (Children’s books)
  • Pivotal Publications (Success and Leadership)
  • PRISM graphics
  •  
Podcasts
 

Three Websites
—Ministry website: www.shreveministries.org
—Comparative religion website: www.thetruelight.net
—Publishing houses: www.deeperrevelationbooks.org

Education
A prayerful walk with God and thousands of hours reading His Word have been my main qualifications for ministry. However, in the 90s I also earned a Bachelor of Theology degree with Christian Life School of Theology and received an honorary doctorate from Faith Theological Seminary for my comprehensive work in comparative religion and the many books I have written concerning the revelation of the spiritual identity of the children of God. I have also taught in three Bible colleges, including Christian Life School of Theology (Beacon University).

Sincerely serving God’s purposes, 
Mike Shreve