Bio

Celebrating a baptism.

Mike Arnold is an accomplished entrepreneur, writer, advisor and keynote speaker.

Before being called into full-time ministry, Mike worked in politics and mass media. As a political consultant, he managed or advised conservative Republican candidates up to the statewide level. As an offshoot of this, he founded the Lone Star Report — which became the must-read newsletter for Texas political insiders — and spoke regularly with Karl Rove, Rick Perry and other top Texas political leaders, and spent time with George Bush Jr. in the governor’s office. Later Mike co-founded a regional broadcast television and radio news network called TXN-The Texas Network, which at its peak employed 125 and broadcast live news programs in every media market in Texas.

In 2002, he felt God’s call to enter full-time, faith-based ministry. Over the next decade, he dedicated his life to establishing Cross Trail Outfitters, a rapidly-growing youth ministry with staff in five US states. During this time, he was personally privileged to lead to Christ and baptize many dozens of teenage boys.

In addition to writing, Mike disciples leaders, organizes and facilitates leadership and ministry retreats, provides strategic consulting to ministries and businesses, and has been featured on several TV and radio programs in America and Africa. He was the featured teacher in the 2010 and 2011 Unity for Africa ministry leadership conferences in Owerri and Abuja, Nigeria.

In recent years, Mike has traveled far and wide, calling the Body of Christ to rise up and pursue the Kingdom victory that is promised in Scripture.

Mike is also a producer of a multi-award-winning feature film, and has other film and television projects under development.

Mike holds an MBA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is 41 years old and recently celebrated his 17th wedding anniversary. He and wife Amy have four children ages 5-15, whom they homeschool. They live a quiet life in the Texas Hill Country, where he occasionally preaches at a Cowboy Church that’s around the corner from their home.

 

(Find complete C.V. below photo.)

The Arnold family in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Spring 2010. Mike and Amy with (from left) Daniel Crockett, Rachel Nicole, Stephen Bowie, and Jacob Travis.

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Professional experience

Spring 2015 – Current: Founder and President – CleanHearts Ministry – An international men’s ministry aiming to lead the Body of Christ to victory over the stronghold of sexual temptation and sin.

Fall 2014 – Current:  Media Producer – Multiple – CEO of Tejas Trail Media, Inc., and Partner in TBA Productions, LLC. Currently an associate producer of the film Return to the Hiding Place, Executive Producer of a feature film under development, and Creator/Producer of a network television program under development.

Fall 2012 – Current: Business Consultant – Multiple – Helped establish an overseas construction company focused on large infrastructure projects, raised investment for and launched a specialized financial services firm, and founded a Texas-based industry trade association after helping pass the relevant enabling legislation.

Fall 2011 – Fall 2012: Interim Youth Pastor – Cowboys for Jesus Christian Fellowship – A sabbatical of sorts, filling in for the full-time youth minister who was called for active duty in the Army reserves. Organized a grassroots evangelism effort in the local high school, led summer camp and mission trip, filled in for the senior pastor on occasion, and was blessed to baptize 14 youth in a horse trough!

Fall 2004 – Fall 2011: Founder/President – Cross Trail Outfitters – Youth Hunting and Fishing Club. Started from scratch to launch highly successful non-profit youth discipleship ministry, employing staff of 18 in five US states. CTO works with hundreds of volunteers to reach thousands of youth annually. Year-round activities include weekend outings, community events, leadership retreats, summer camps (8 full sessions in 3 states in 2011) and international mission trips.

Spring 2002 – Fall 2004: Founder/President – Christian Outdoor Alliance. Successfully launched non-profit ministry including mass media outreach, summer camps and hunt/lease brokering service.

Summer 2000 – Spring 2002: Business Development Director – Texas Trophy Hunters Association, Inc. Brought on board to rebuild business operations, maximize profitability, and increase equity value for this 25-year-old, multi-million dollar, for-profit company. TTHA publishes an internationally-distributed magazine; produces a nationally-syndicated cable TV program; stages an annual series of large-scale consumer expos; and sells licensed merchandise through a print catalog and e-commerce (via in-house product fulfillment operations), and through trademark licensing. Achieved record levels of profitability, efficiency, operational capacity and customer satisfaction in first full fiscal year of service. Resigned to enter full-time ministry.

Spring 1998 – Summer 2000: Co-founder, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, member of Board of Directors – Paradigm Media, Inc. (d.b.a. TXN – The Texas Network). Developed business plan, secured funding, and implemented launch of $30 million multi-media startup. No. 2 person in charge of $10 million annual budget, with 120+ employees and 5 offices across the state. Chief architect of multimedia network, interactive, and brand strategies.

Summer 1996 – Fall 1997: Founding Editor – The Lone Star Report, a weekly Austin-based “Capitol insider” newsletter. Supervised groundbreaking investigation of Texas Lottery Commission that led the news cycle in Texas for several months. Performed over 100 hours of live talk radio interviews. Formed relationships with top political leaders. Lone Star Report was a strong and reliable voice in Texas politics for more than a decade.

June 1995 – Fall 1997: Independent political consultant and campaign manager specializing in strategic campaign planning, mass media, grassroots organization, database acquisition and management, direct mail, and fundraising. Retained by various electoral campaigns, including races for State Representative, Austin City Council, State Board of Education and Texas Land Commissioner.

Fall 1992: Editor – The Ranger, San Antonio College’s (SAC) award-winning newspaper with weekly readership of 20,000+. Wrote news stories and editorials. Responsible for page design, layout and printing. Supervised staff of some 40 writers, editors, photographers, illustrators, and advertising salespeople. During my tenure, The Ranger was recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists as the best non-daily college newspaper in the country.

Education

Various management, media, and technology conferences and seminars.

Fall 2000 – Spring 2002: The University of Texas at San Antonio, Center for Professional Excellence. Earned MBA through the executive education program. 4.0 GPA

Fall 1993 – Summer 1996: The University of Texas at Austin. Pursued BA, Plan I Honors, with focus on business economics, government, and mass communication.  70 credit hours 3.83 cumulative GPA.

Summer 1991 – Summer 1993: San Antonio College. General studies with a focus on mass communication, business, and real estate development. 4.0 GPA with 53 credit hours.

1988 – 1989: The University of Wyoming at Laramie. Finished 32 hours with 2.8 GPA. 

Awards, Accomplishments and memberships (Current and past)

Author of Uprising: Time for Christians to Stop Waiting and Start Winning

Leader of youth mission trips to the Honduras jungle and Nigeria

Featured speaker at Unity for Africa Reconciliation Conference in Nigeria, 2010 and 2011

Presenter at NASSPE (“Boys Adrift”) conference in Las Vegas, NV, 2010

Board Member of Word of Grace Ministries and Heritage Children

Member – The Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) Broadcast Futures Committee

Founding Chairman – The San Antonio College Alumni Association

Chairman – UT chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas

Various awards for public speaking (impromptu and persuasive) while member of SAC speech team

Vice President of the SAC Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists

National Merit Commended Scholar

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