Bio & background

 
 

Short Bio

Rev. Michael Anthony Howard is a senior pastor, teacher, and organizational leader with 21 years of continuous ministry experience across congregational leadership, staff development, community organizing, and institutional administration.  His vocation centers on building leadership cultures that increase capacity—so communities can flourish together without relying on overextension or heroic leadership.  Michael serves across ecumenical contexts and is especially committed to preaching and teaching that connects faith to real life, pastoral presence in seasons of change, and helping churches see their people and their property as gifts for mission. 

 

Longer Biography

Rev. Michael Anthony Howard is a senior pastor, teacher, and organizational leader with 21 years of continuous ministry experience across congregational leadership, staff development, community organizing, and institutional administration.  His vocation centers on building leadership cultures that increase capacity—within churches, nonprofits, and communities—so that individuals and teams can flourish together rather than rely on overextension or heroic leadership. 

Michael’s ministry includes preaching, teaching, pastoral care, administration, and leadership development across Pentecostal, Methodist, and mainline Protestant contexts.  Over the past several years, he has served as a resource to pastors and congregations navigating staff strain, organizational anxiety, and property-related challenges—helping communities move from scarcity-driven leadership toward shared, sustainable practice through asset-based leadership and partnership. 

Michael holds a Master of Divinity from Drew Theological School (2014) and a Master of Public Administration from Morehead State University (2010), with academic focus on multi-entity governance and nonprofit leadership.  He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (2018–present) and previously served in the United Methodist Church as a Licensed Local Pastor / Provisional Elder Track (2006–2018). 

Michael is also a writer and educator. His forthcoming work includes The Geography of Heaven: Discipleship and Wonder in the Cuyahoga Valley (forthcoming 2026) and From the Sanctuary to the Street: A Guide to Building Strong, Resilient, Beloved Communities (forthcoming 2027), as well as a “Place-Based Ministry” course developed for the SPIRE Center program of the Living Water Association, Ohio NorthEast, UCC. 

Background at a Glance

  • Ordained Minister, United Church of Christ (2018–present) 

  • Licensed Local Pastor / Provisional Elder Track, United Methodist Church (2006–2018) 

  • Commissioned Minister, Faith Fellowship / Full Gospel Church, Danville, KY (2004–2006) 

EDUCATION

  • Master of Divinity, Drew Theological School (2014) 

  • Certificate of Urban Ministry, Drew Theological School (2014)

  • Master of Public Administration, Morehead State University (2010) 

  • B.S. Mathematics & Computer Programming, Morehead State University (2000) 

SELECTED AREAS OF FOCUS

  • Place-based Ministry & Watershed Discipleship

  • Staff leadership & team development 

  • Leadership culture & capacity-building 

  • Church administration & governance 

  • Community organizing & coalition building 

  • Asset-based community development 

  • Institutional and property-adjacent leadership 

MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Served as Interim Pastor at Brookside United Church of Christ (2017–2019), in Brookside, NJ, providing pastoral and organizational leadership during a season of transition and helping leaders stabilize systems, discern direction, and prepare for the next chapter. 

  • Served as Associate Pastor on the senior staff of Trinity United Methodist Church (Mullica Hill, NJ), a large, multi-staff congregation, including oversight of communications staff and volunteer teams and leading major communications and digital systems work. 

  • Served as Senior Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church (Rahway, NJ), with responsibility for staff coordination, administration, and congregational leadership. 

  • Provided pastoral leadership across a three-point charge in Hillsboro (KY), coordinating worship life, administration, and congregational care across multiple communities. 

  • Served in academic leadership as a Department Chair & Program Director at Morehead State University (2010–2011), supervising faculty and directing a student-success program. 

  • In conference/regional contexts (2019–present), served as a leadership resource to pastors and congregations navigating institutional complexity, staff overload, and property challenges—training leaders in partnership formation and asset-based practices. 

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING & PARTNERSHIPS

Michael’s community work includes founding and co-founding initiatives that connect congregations, nonprofits, and civic partners—including Cascade Commons Community Development Corporation and Friends of Elizabeth Park (Akron), as well as other partnership-based and nonprofit efforts.   

WRITING & TEACHING

  • Contributor of liturgies and lectionary resources for Worship Ways (United Church of Christ) and contributor to Words to Worship. 

  • Forthcoming: The Geography of Heaven: Discipleship and Wonder in the Cuyahoga Valley (2026). 

  • Forthcoming: From the Sanctuary to the Street: A Guide to Building Strong, Resilient, Beloved Communities (2027). 

  • “Place-Based Ministry” — an online course for the SPIRE Center program of the Living Water Association, Ohio NorthEast, UCC. 

  • Presenter/participant in academic and conference contexts, including an upcoming Eco-Ecclesiology proposal (June 2026) at the American Society of Missiology. 

For media requests, introductions, or additional materials, an expanded CV, publications list, and references are available upon request.