Our lead pastor, Michael Blacksher, was born in Springfield, Missouri, at St. John’s Hospital. He graduated from Logan-Rogersville High School in 1978. Shortly after graduating, Michael attended College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout, Missouri, near Branson, where he graduated with a BS in agri-business in 1982. While attending college, Michael answered God’s calling to pastoral ministry. During the last two years at college he served a Presbyterian church in Harrison, Arkansas.
For the next two years Michael lived and farmed just east of Springfield in rural Christian County. The family farming operation consisted of dairy and beef cattle, as well as a feeder pig production. Along with the annual haying season, he stayed very busy, but found time to pastor several small General Baptist churches in rural Taney County.
In 1984 Michael moved to Kansas City to attend Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1987. Also in 1984 Michael and Julie were married. They have three children, Sarah, age 20, a college student, David, 18, a senior in high school, and Jonathan, who is in seventh grade.
1984 through 1990 Michael and Julie lived in Kansas City, Kansas, and served Riverview General Baptist Church. In 1990 Michael returned to his mother’s spiritual roots and accepted Bishop Handy’s appointment to a three-point charge, Rich Hill, Happy Hill, and Peru United Methodist churches. During the years in Bates County he attended Saint Paul Theological Seminary and graduated in 1994, with a Masters of Divinity degree.
In 1995 Bishop Shearer appointed Michael and family to the Drexel United Methodist church in Drexel Missouri. Those were full years as the children were growing and keeping their parents very busy.
In 2001 Michael, Julie and family moved to Springfield as Bishop Shearer appointed them to Asbury United Methodist church. These years have been very rewarding with the church continuing to grow, finishing of phase two of a building plan, the children being teen-agers, and Julie graduating from Evangel University.
Pastor Michael is involved with many conference and district committees and teams. The team that requires the most work and is one of Michael’s greatest passions is the Hispanic team, both conference and Bi-district. Michael serves as Ozarks North and South district chair for Hispanic Ministries.
About Pastor Michael Blacksher