Mike was reared in South Africa, the son of missionary parents. His father was a bush pilot for a mission hospital among the Zulu people. Growing up in an area that teemed with remarkable and diverse creatures, he had a wide variety of fascinating experiences which helped to mold his future. After graduating from Oak Hills Christian College in Minnesota in 1979, he returned to South Africa to work for the National Parks Service in the Kruger National Park, which in some circles has earned him the nickname, “Ranger Mike”.
Following this, he began a career as an African wildlife artist. In 1985 he married Carrie Baum who grew up near Hershey. Carrie, a musician, attended Lancaster Bible College and was the executive secretary for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. In 1986 they went to South Africa as missionaries with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) and served by teaching at Durban Bible College. Since returning to the U.S., they founded a not-for-profit organization named Mission: Imperative! in 1995 – a ministry of teaching creation-oriented issues through a series of seminars covering a wide range of topics. The ministry necessitates travel, both in this country and abroad. Mike and Carrie have three children – Luke, John, and Laura.