Pastor Mike Unger
muruunger911@hotmail.com
Born a French citizen, to Canadian parents, while my dad served in the US army, I guess you could say I had options growing up. However, under the direction of my parents, at the age of 16, I committed to the Canadian citizenship option, grew up in Richmond, B.C. and graduated Steveston Senior High School. After high school, I entered the law enforcement world where I held several positions over 16 years. Law enforcement, all be it exciting, also birthed a stress that eventually pushed me into the private sector as a business owner. It was there I honed what business skills I had before being recruited to eventually become the General Manager for a Canadian pet food company.
I might interject at this point that although I knew of God having Mennonite heritage I was never “Born again” as Christians were apt to say in the 80’s.
It wasn’t until the year 2001, having picked up and moved to Hanford, CA., that I heard a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus. You see we moved to escape the Pacific Northwest rain and despite Hanford’s flashy Chamber of Commerce folder highlighting “Superior Dairy” amongst other things, nowhere was there the mention that it was hot like the surface of the sun. My wife, also a Canadian, was recruited and hired to be an administrator in Hanford and I was actively pursuing my dream of becoming a Commercial pilot, and then it happened, 9/11.
If you recall everything changed in aviation and it was during that time of being grounded a friend of mine invited me to attend a church and it happened, Jesus called my wife and I from the darkness, to the wonderful light of Salvation. I quickly changed gears remembering my Oma’s voice that said, “One day God’s going to do something with you.” Not long after I heard the Lord’s call to follow Him to Bible College, where I graduated with a BA in Theology from Bethany Divinity College and Seminary in 2006. Having served in the Kings County Jail as a Chaplain I moved to Youth Ministry in the foothills of California before taking a year’s long sabbatical from ministry to catch my breath and re-focus. During this time I completed my Master’s Degree in Theology.
Having an affinity to serve the Least of these, the Lord then assigned me to a volunteer position at the Madera Rescue Mission that quickly turned into a full-time vocational position which brought me the title of Executive Director. Having served with the MRM these past eight years, I resigned my position with the Mission to take on the role of Senior Pastor for the Madera Avenue Bible Church alongside my beautiful wife, Heather, of 31 years and my sweet, daughter Kinya. I can’t forget my supportive Canadian son Ryan who serves on the front lines as a nurse in Vernon, B.C. Canada.
As a guitar playing worshipper of Jesus, I enjoy playing for Him, riding my mountain bike, and yes anything to do with aviation. Come visit us anytime and let’s get to know each other. God is an amazing connector and I look forward to connecting with those that call Madera, CA. home.
Youth Pastor- Scott Dixon
Bladesburnt@gmail.com
My Childhood as well as a majority of my adult life was less than ideal, you might say that I am a graduate of “The school of hard knocks”. In 2016 I was at death’s door. I went into the hospital with blood clots in my heart and lungs. The output of my heart was less than 20%. But God had plans for me, however, and 28 days later I was discharged from the hospital. I was homeless at the time. A relative of a girl that I had been in a relationship with had offered to let me stay where he was.
Little did I know that it was there that God would reveal Himself to me. In 2017, my friend Sam began taking me to church with him at Madera Avenue Bible Church. I had been to church before, but this time felt different. The people at this church welcomed me with open arms and didn’t seem to care about my “colorful” past. They wanted to love on me and help me when they were able.
Over the last five years I have spent everyday in the word of God, sharing it with others and building a relationship with Jesus that I would have never imagined. This group of amazing people and this church changed my life forever. I have been blessed to have been entrusted with taking the message to the young people in our community. I believe God put me here to help this church continue showing love for others as instructed by Jesus and to help our youth have true understanding of what it means to be a child of God.
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” 1 Cor 1:27-30 NKJV
