You might be thinking that a call from God is a lightning bolt reserved for the pious few, a straight line from the Sunday School classroom to the pulpit.
But for Mike Tilley—pastor, church planter, and Chairman of the International Christian Community (ICC) Eurasia—the path was paved with hard questions, secular skepticism, and one last night of smoking weed in a Virginia Tech dorm room before his life changed forever.
In a recent episode of The Walk Podcast, Dr. John Snyder sat down with Mike to discuss a life reshaped by the Gospel and a current mission that’s both strategic and soulful: the revitalization of the church in Europe.
Relationship Over Religion
Mike’s story began with a girl and a book. As a secular teenager in Alexandria, Virginia, he was invited to a youth group where he read How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious.
“Who knew it was a relationship with Christ?” Mike reflects. This realization—that faith wasn’t a set of rigid structures but a living connection—sparked a fire in him that led him through decades of campus ministry with Cru, global missions in Africa and Asia, and eventually, a mid-career surrender that changed his path yet again.
A Turning Point of Surrender
One of the most moving moments of Mike’s story is when he describes his 50th birthday. While many are looking toward retirement or stability, Mike got on his knees beside his bed, opened his Bible to Romans 12:1–2, and re-offered his life as a living sacrifice.
“I told the Lord on my knees: I’m just committing myself to you. My heart is open to anything that you want us to do.”
More than a one-time event, this confession became a daily practice. It was this posture of “anywhere, anything” that eventually led Mike and his wife, Molly, to plant Lake Baldwin Church in Orlando and, ultimately, to their current role: shepherding the shepherds across the crossroads of cultures in Europe.
Why Europe? Why Now?
Many Christians view Europe through the lens of a “post-Christian” graveyard—a place where faith goes to die amidst secularism and historical apathy. But Mike Tilley sees something different. He sees “tailwinds of the Holy Spirit.”
“Despite all the mess in the world,” Mike says, “there’s no other time I’d rather be alive than right now…and no other place I’d rather be than in the local church.”
From Florence, Italy, to Tartu, Estonia, international churches are becoming faith-filled hubs for an increasingly globalized cross-section of people migrating toward European cities. These internationals are finding communities of faith that offer hope in a world that feels increasingly isolated and hostile.
Salt and Light in Mainstream Culture
The message of Mike’s ministry is a call to Christians everywhere: Don’t hide. We are called to be salt and light, not in a bunker, but rather right in the center of the culture. Mike highlights that the needs in Europe aren’t just for ordained pastors (though those needs are critical). The mission field needs:
- Media and Technology experts to share the story.
- Musicians to lead worship in new church plants.
- Business and Finance professionals to provide leadership and stability.
- Willing hearts for short-term internships in cities like Marseille or Lisbon.
Are You Seeking God’s Will?
If you feel that “tug in your spirit” that Dr. Snyder describes, the first step is not buying a plane ticket. It’s the Romans 12:1-2 step. It’s the daily surrender of your future, your talents, and your location to the God who specializes in the “extraordinary intervention.”
Whether you are a mainstream leader in a corporate office or a pastor “gutting it out” in an isolated post, remember that you are an important part of a global family. You are not there by accident. Your plan is interwoven into the history of the family of God.
God is moving in France. He is moving in Germany. And He is looking for those who, like Mike, are willing to say, “I’m yours. Send me.”
Listen to the full interview with Mike Tilley on The Walk Podcast here.
To learn more about the work of ICC Eurasia and how you can support or serve international churches in Europe, visit ICCEurasia.com.
