Finding Jesus In Communist Germany - Pastor Ingolf Schmidt | Theology, Things & Stuff #027

J. Christopher McMichael was privileged to be raised in a Christian home, attending church his entire life. He surrendered his life to the Lord as a child while at a summer Baptist youth camp in the mountains of Tennessee. As a teenager on his first missions trip, he began to recognize the call of God to ministry. He earned a degree in earth sciences from Tennessee Tech University and enjoyed a successful career as a geologist in geotechnical engineering and mining. In 2007, he and his wife Manda were installed as the pastors of Engrafted Word Church while continuing to consult as a geologist for the next thirteen years. Today, Chris’ focus in solely on the church and world missions. After authoring six books and learning the ins and outs of book publishing, he launched Petra Press Publishing in 2023, with the goal of helping pastors and ministers publish their God-inspired work with the highest standard possible. Chris and his wife have three children they love raising in Tennessee.

Ben Weaver serves at Engrafted Word Church, where he was born and raised, overseeing the recording, editing, and publishing of Theology, Things & Stuff. He graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Video Production and a minor in Audio Production. Ben enjoys photography, audio mixing, and videography, and runs a small photography business on the side. He met his wife, Jessica, at church, where they dated, were married in the spring of 2024, and now continue serving together.

Pastor Ingolf and Angela Schmidt (the founders of Ingolf Schmidt Ministries) live in Leipzig, Germany. They have been married since 1980 and have three children and two grandchildren. Both were born in former East Germany. In 1985, they founded Living Word Church Leipzig. During that time it was impossible to have a Christian church registered by the Communist government of East Germany. They started the church as a little prayer group in their own home. After the Iron Curtain fell and was destroyed, the government allowed them to have the new church. Since that time, they have been pastoring the church now known as “City Church Leipzig eV.” Pastor Ingolf and his wife Angela travel frequently into Germany, Europe, Asia, Central America, and the United States of America. Over the last 15 years, Pastor Ingolf has received numerous invitations to the USA. He feels a very strong call to his own country, Germany, but also to the United States. He and his wife were ordained in 1992 by Dr. Lester Sumrall.