Michael Willis Heard was born April 18, 1978 in Glendale, CA. He grew up in Canton, OH where he was heavily reared in church by his mother, Pastor Charlotte Allen. He began directing the youth choir at the tender age of 7 years old and quickly became the District Sunshine Band Choir Director for the COGIC. Over the years he served in many different capacities; Praise Leader, Sunday School Teacher, Minister, and Adult Choir Director. In 1995 while in High School he began hosting the Freedom Convention, a two day worship conference and attending the William Morgan James Ministerial Institute. After graduation High School in 1996 he was ordained and began pasturing New Witness Ministries in Elyria, OH.
Overseer Michael Leigh-Heard
During his six years of ministry, God blessed him to plant 7 ministries; 2 Cleveland (OH), Akron (OH), Canton (OH), Toledo (OH), Taylor (MI), and Atlanta (GA). He also started a Christian Academic Academy (K-12), and a School of Ministry. In 2003 due to burn-out and immaturity, Pastor Heard took a nine year hiatus away from ministry. It was during this time that he went through the greatest wilderness experience of his life. After surviving divorce, sickness, public humiliation, jail, a court trail, rejection, church hurt, and near death experiences, he surrendered to the call of God on his life.
n 2009, Pastor Heard began to allow God to rebuild and restore him so that He would be ready for ministry again. He connected with his Spiritual Parents Bishop Stephen L & Pastor Loretta M White and the Higher Dimensions International Family. After much prayer he relocated to Atlanta, GA to attend the Vision Church of ATL with Bishop O.C Allen III. He remained there for one year under watch care and to be prepared for his new level of ministry. In June 2011 He was re-affirmed into Kingdom Ministry and became an affiliate church of the United Progressive Pentecostal Church. He then moved back to Ohio with an assignment to open a new ministry and in January 2012 The GoodLife Church of Columbus was born. After laboring in Columbus for 2 years, God then released Pastor Mike to move to the DMV Area. After relocation God allowed him to birth The GoodLife Church-DMV which later became Higher Thinking Worship Center. Pastor Mike is the Natural Father of 1 daughter and the Spiritual Father to many. He is currently working on is Masters Degree and writing a new Book.