Michigan

Michael Elm grew up in an Adventist home and was educated in Adventist schools. The last one he attended was Wisconsin Academy, where he graduated. Michael felt a call to the ministry back then, and the next year enrolled in the theology program at Andrews University. However, because he had not matured and did not dress as the staff felt was representative, he was asked to improve his appearance. Discouraged by the conflict, he left school thinking he had been treated harshly. Worse than that, he turned his back on his Christian training and church membership. In an attitude of rebellion, he found himself lured into the world of rock and roll music. He spent the next twenty-four years managing various rock groups that took him all over the world.

Michael says he always felt an inner tugging on his heart to return to the Lord, but the lure of the drug culture and a fast life in the night clubs' world seemed to overpower him. Years later he began to attend a one thousand member church in Florida whose mission was to target former members of the Adventist church. It became the first stepping stone back into a Christian life.

A small group Bible study and prayer group in St. Joseph, Michigan, was given his name by Janelle Cornforth, an old classmate, and they began to pray for his conversion. Six months later, Janelle invited him to come visit her, and when he arrived she introduced Michael to the prayer group. He shared with them his new desires to be a born again Christian, and they felt it was an answer to their prayers.

Michael visited the Adventist Book Center and purchased a book about the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to begin his search for truth. More books were read and studied, and his conviction grew that it was time for him to be re-baptized.

When Michael was introduced to Lee Grady, a visiting pastor, the pastor discovered Michael had an excellent understanding of the teachings of the Bible as taught by the Adventist church. Thus plans were made with the church pastor and the St. Joseph congregation to have a baptism on the beach of Lake Michigan on Sabbath afternoon, July 15. The church family came to observe Michael's baptism and celebrate his new life with Jesus Christ. It was a glorious afternoon!

Since then, Michael has spoken to some of the instructors at ARISE (A Resource Institute for Soul Winning and Evangelism) in Troy, Michigan. He plans to attend fall classes there to prepare himself to reach out to others and lead them to Jesus. With his successful background as an insurance sales manager, Michael wants to transfer principles of gaining decisions for sales to gaining decisions for Jesus Christ. His lifelong desire to serve God by ministering to others will finally be fulfilled in the years ahead.

Lee Grady, pastor, with Bruce Babienco, Lake Union Herald volunteer correspondent