Dr. Mike Manna
Growing up in Los Angeles
Mike was born into a first-generation Christian home. He spent his teen years in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. His father and mother, Gary & Linda Manna, were the greatest influence in his life. Mike's mother was committed to sharing Christ with children - often through Child Evangelism Fellowship Good News Clubs in their home. He grew up hearing of Jesus' death, his personal need for forgiveness, and the reality of sin in his own life. At an early age, he gave his heart to the Lord, praying with his mother, and committing his life to Christ.
Mike's spiritual upbringing took root as he attended the youth groups at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA and listened to their pastor's teaching each Sunday (John MacArthur). It was during a church retreat under the direction of Youth Pastor Chris Mueller that he knew that God was calling him into full-time ministry. He spent an hour each morning studying God's word during his middle school years, and preached his first sermon to 300 teens when he was 13 years old. As a teenager at camp, Mike felt a calling into full-time ministry, and eventually chose to go to Bible College.
Bible College on the Plains
After high school graduation, Mike went to Grace University in Omaha, NE to get his Bachelors Degree in Bible & Christian Camping. Part of his college program included spending a year at Camp Forest Springs in Wisconsin for practical leadership training. While at camp, he asked a South Dakota sheep rancher’s daughter, Judy Weiss, to be his wife.
Mike & Judy's Ministry as a Camp Director in New Jersey
Judy and Mike were married on June 28, 1986 in Sturgis, South Dakota. Mike finished his senior year at Grace University in Omaha, and then took a job as the Camp Director of Liebenzell Camp & Retreat Center in New Jersey. The camp's purpose was to reach out to the New York City international community through camping. Their first daughter, Mandie, was born in 1988 in Bethlehem, PA. While they ministered at the camp, they began a bi-monthly youth outreach called Youth Encounter that drew 200 teenagers to a bi-monthly outreach at the camp. After 2 ½ years ministering with international students and their families in New Jersey, the Manna family decided to move to Sunshine Bible Academy in Miller, South Dakota.
Resident Youth Pastor in South Dakota
In 1989, Mike started his role as the Chaplain and Development Coordinator at Sunshine Bible Academy (SBA), a Christian boarding high school in South Dakota. He functioned as the school's youth pastor. Their son, Luke, was born in 1991, and their third child, Samantha, in 1994. Mike began to travel during the summers, speaking & leading worship at camps and retreats across the region. He also began the Mega Teen Retreat at SBA, which drew 300 teens for a weekend outreach. During his final two years at the school, Mike several church pulpits every throughout the area. They served at SBA for 6 years.
Student Ministries Pastor in the Black Hills
In 1995, the Manna family moved to Belle Fourche, SD, where Mike became the Student Ministries Pastor at Christian Life Center, an interdenominational church. During their 7 years of ministry at the church, the Lord blessed their student ministry. They saw growth spiritually and numerically with 80 teenagers attending weekly during the school year in a community of 5,000 people.
Spiritual & Numerical Growth with Youth
Mike implemented many principles that he had learned through his training from Sonlife Ministries and Doug Field's book Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry. He was able to train high school students to lead the ministry, especially in their weekly coffeehouse outreach. The annual New Year's Eve Teen Blast, an outreach ministry of their youth group, drew over 600 teens a year from a 200 mile radius. Mike started a Bible Institute for teenagers in the church using Moody Bible Institute's adult correspondence courses. The weekly Bible study grew from 5 to 40 students in three years.
The Manna Family Moves to Ukraine
In the summer of 2000, Mike led his student youth ministry team on a trip to Ukraine with Youth Ministry International (YMI). He brought over their coffeehouse band and teamed with youth from Kiev to do ministry in Sumy, Ukraine. God began tugging at Mike's heart to train youth pastors in Ukraine. Mike and Judy approached Youth Ministry International about becoming missionaries with their organization. YMI approved Mike as their Eurasia Director to be based in Kiev. After a year of gathering support from individuals and churches, the Manna family moved to Kiev in the summer of 2002. The Mannas spent two years in Russian language study as they developed relationships in Kiev.
National Center for Youth Ministry in Ukraine Founded
In 2003, Mike founded the National Center of Youth Ministry (NCYM) at Kiev Theological Seminary with educational support from the International Center for Youth Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY). The focus of the NCYM was a four-year Bachelors of Theology Degree in Youth Ministry. Mike supervised the translation of twelve different 3-credit youth ministry courses which were taught at the seminary. Mike directed, taught, and administered the program. Over 100 Bachelors students were trained in the program while Mike was director. He also taught at youth ministry conferences and seminars around Ukraine. During these years, Mike studied at Biola University's Lithuania extension site and received his Masters degree in Intercultural Studies.
Orphanage Ministry
In 2004, the Mannas helped to begin an orphanage ministry in the Chernigiv region of Ukraine. Due to the growth of the seminary's youth ministry training, other missionaries took over this ministry, and have since taken it to a much higher level. While they were serving in the orphanage, God lead the Mannas to become guardians for an 8-year old girl, Katya, who was living at the orphanage. They were able to complete Katya's adoption in June of 2010 after a very difficult process which lasted 5 years.
Ukrainian Leadership Development
The National Center for Youth Ministry in Kiev started their first satellite school in 2007 at Rivne Bible College with graduate Vasya Ostriy as the director. In 2012, Mike installed Vasya as the first Ukrainian director of the Kiev NCYM. By 2013, two-thirds of the youth ministry courses were being taught by Ukrainian youth pastors who had graduated from the NCYM. The Kiev Center continues to have over 40 Bachelors and Masters degree youth ministry students with many graduates serving in 3 different Russian-speaking countries.
International Training
Mike was asked and began to teach youth ministry courses in Bible colleges and seminaries in other countries. He traveled and taught youth ministers in Nepal, Malaysia, China and Romania.
Return to the U.S. and Youth for Christ in Louisville
In 2012, the family moved back to the States and took residence near Louisville, KY. Mike became the Director of Ministry Development for the Greater Louisville Youth for Christ. His responsibilities included supporting the Louisville youth ministry to refugee teenagers, training YFC staff and volunteers, as well as teaching overseas. He also completed his PhD in Intercultural Studies from Biola University in 2015.
Youth for Christ International Global Training Director
At the beginning of 2016, Dr. Mike became the Global Training Director with Youth for Christ International. The family moved to Columbus, Indiana to be closer to grandkids and more airport options. Mike travels globally to support YFC's national directors, coaches YFC ministry leaders, and leads a network of trainers for more than 100 YFC countries.
Mike's Verse of Purpose
Mike's verse of purpose is Ephesians 4:11-13 "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
Mike was born into a first-generation Christian home. He spent his teen years in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. His father and mother, Gary & Linda Manna, were the greatest influence in his life. Mike's mother was committed to sharing Christ with children - often through Child Evangelism Fellowship Good News Clubs in their home. He grew up hearing of Jesus' death, his personal need for forgiveness, and the reality of sin in his own life. At an early age, he gave his heart to the Lord, praying with his mother, and committing his life to Christ.
Mike's spiritual upbringing took root as he attended the youth groups at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA and listened to their pastor's teaching each Sunday (John MacArthur). It was during a church retreat under the direction of Youth Pastor Chris Mueller that he knew that God was calling him into full-time ministry. He spent an hour each morning studying God's word during his middle school years, and preached his first sermon to 300 teens when he was 13 years old. As a teenager at camp, Mike felt a calling into full-time ministry, and eventually chose to go to Bible College.
Bible College on the Plains
After high school graduation, Mike went to Grace University in Omaha, NE to get his Bachelors Degree in Bible & Christian Camping. Part of his college program included spending a year at Camp Forest Springs in Wisconsin for practical leadership training. While at camp, he asked a South Dakota sheep rancher’s daughter, Judy Weiss, to be his wife.
Mike & Judy's Ministry as a Camp Director in New Jersey
Judy and Mike were married on June 28, 1986 in Sturgis, South Dakota. Mike finished his senior year at Grace University in Omaha, and then took a job as the Camp Director of Liebenzell Camp & Retreat Center in New Jersey. The camp's purpose was to reach out to the New York City international community through camping. Their first daughter, Mandie, was born in 1988 in Bethlehem, PA. While they ministered at the camp, they began a bi-monthly youth outreach called Youth Encounter that drew 200 teenagers to a bi-monthly outreach at the camp. After 2 ½ years ministering with international students and their families in New Jersey, the Manna family decided to move to Sunshine Bible Academy in Miller, South Dakota.
Resident Youth Pastor in South Dakota
In 1989, Mike started his role as the Chaplain and Development Coordinator at Sunshine Bible Academy (SBA), a Christian boarding high school in South Dakota. He functioned as the school's youth pastor. Their son, Luke, was born in 1991, and their third child, Samantha, in 1994. Mike began to travel during the summers, speaking & leading worship at camps and retreats across the region. He also began the Mega Teen Retreat at SBA, which drew 300 teens for a weekend outreach. During his final two years at the school, Mike several church pulpits every throughout the area. They served at SBA for 6 years.
Student Ministries Pastor in the Black Hills
In 1995, the Manna family moved to Belle Fourche, SD, where Mike became the Student Ministries Pastor at Christian Life Center, an interdenominational church. During their 7 years of ministry at the church, the Lord blessed their student ministry. They saw growth spiritually and numerically with 80 teenagers attending weekly during the school year in a community of 5,000 people.
Spiritual & Numerical Growth with Youth
Mike implemented many principles that he had learned through his training from Sonlife Ministries and Doug Field's book Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry. He was able to train high school students to lead the ministry, especially in their weekly coffeehouse outreach. The annual New Year's Eve Teen Blast, an outreach ministry of their youth group, drew over 600 teens a year from a 200 mile radius. Mike started a Bible Institute for teenagers in the church using Moody Bible Institute's adult correspondence courses. The weekly Bible study grew from 5 to 40 students in three years.
The Manna Family Moves to Ukraine
In the summer of 2000, Mike led his student youth ministry team on a trip to Ukraine with Youth Ministry International (YMI). He brought over their coffeehouse band and teamed with youth from Kiev to do ministry in Sumy, Ukraine. God began tugging at Mike's heart to train youth pastors in Ukraine. Mike and Judy approached Youth Ministry International about becoming missionaries with their organization. YMI approved Mike as their Eurasia Director to be based in Kiev. After a year of gathering support from individuals and churches, the Manna family moved to Kiev in the summer of 2002. The Mannas spent two years in Russian language study as they developed relationships in Kiev.
National Center for Youth Ministry in Ukraine Founded
In 2003, Mike founded the National Center of Youth Ministry (NCYM) at Kiev Theological Seminary with educational support from the International Center for Youth Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY). The focus of the NCYM was a four-year Bachelors of Theology Degree in Youth Ministry. Mike supervised the translation of twelve different 3-credit youth ministry courses which were taught at the seminary. Mike directed, taught, and administered the program. Over 100 Bachelors students were trained in the program while Mike was director. He also taught at youth ministry conferences and seminars around Ukraine. During these years, Mike studied at Biola University's Lithuania extension site and received his Masters degree in Intercultural Studies.
Orphanage Ministry
In 2004, the Mannas helped to begin an orphanage ministry in the Chernigiv region of Ukraine. Due to the growth of the seminary's youth ministry training, other missionaries took over this ministry, and have since taken it to a much higher level. While they were serving in the orphanage, God lead the Mannas to become guardians for an 8-year old girl, Katya, who was living at the orphanage. They were able to complete Katya's adoption in June of 2010 after a very difficult process which lasted 5 years.
Ukrainian Leadership Development
The National Center for Youth Ministry in Kiev started their first satellite school in 2007 at Rivne Bible College with graduate Vasya Ostriy as the director. In 2012, Mike installed Vasya as the first Ukrainian director of the Kiev NCYM. By 2013, two-thirds of the youth ministry courses were being taught by Ukrainian youth pastors who had graduated from the NCYM. The Kiev Center continues to have over 40 Bachelors and Masters degree youth ministry students with many graduates serving in 3 different Russian-speaking countries.
International Training
Mike was asked and began to teach youth ministry courses in Bible colleges and seminaries in other countries. He traveled and taught youth ministers in Nepal, Malaysia, China and Romania.
Return to the U.S. and Youth for Christ in Louisville
In 2012, the family moved back to the States and took residence near Louisville, KY. Mike became the Director of Ministry Development for the Greater Louisville Youth for Christ. His responsibilities included supporting the Louisville youth ministry to refugee teenagers, training YFC staff and volunteers, as well as teaching overseas. He also completed his PhD in Intercultural Studies from Biola University in 2015.
Youth for Christ International Global Training Director
At the beginning of 2016, Dr. Mike became the Global Training Director with Youth for Christ International. The family moved to Columbus, Indiana to be closer to grandkids and more airport options. Mike travels globally to support YFC's national directors, coaches YFC ministry leaders, and leads a network of trainers for more than 100 YFC countries.
Mike's Verse of Purpose
Mike's verse of purpose is Ephesians 4:11-13 "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
