former Vocational Elder; Pastor for Parenting & Family Discipleship

Campus: All Campuses

David Michael

David joined Bethlehem in 1980 and served on our pastoral staff from 1986–2013. Originally from New York, David received his B.A. from Nyack College in Nyack, New York, and an M. Div from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul. In 1979, David and his wife, Sally, moved into the Phillips neighborhood where David served on staff with Community Emergency Service, a church-based social service agency.

In 1986, he became Bethlehem's first pastor for "Urban and Neighborhood Ministries." Over the years, David's ministry has been marked by a strong commitment to equipping and partnering with parents to support the spiritual development of their children. In 1996, this passion culminated in a new call as Pastor for Parenting and Children's Discipleship. David served in this role through May 2013.

David is currently the president of Children Desiring God, which grew out of his and Sally's passion for developing God-centered resources for the spiritual development of children in the home and at church.

David & Sally have two adult daughters. Amy is married and mother of two daughters and a son (Anna, Katie, and Joshua) living in Louisville, Kentucky, where her husband Gary is studying for a PhD in church history. Kristi is a nurse living in Minneapolis.