Michael Youssef
{{short description|Egyptian-American pastor}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox clergy
| name = Michael Youssef
| image = Michael Youssef.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Youssef preaching at the Church of the Apostles
| birth_date = {{birth_date and age|1948|09|25}}
| birth_place = Egypt
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Egyptian nationality, U.S. citizen
| education = Ph.D. in social anthropology from Emory University and degrees from Fuller Seminary and Moore Theological College.
| occupation = Pastor
| spouse = Elizabeth Youssef (m. 1971)
| website = [http://apostles.org/ apostles.org]
| footnotes =
}}
Michael Youssef (born September 25, 1948) is an Egyptian-American pastor. He is the founding rector{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=Kevin |date=2025-01-30 |title=Church of the Aposltes Leadership |url=https://apostles.org/leadership/ |website=Church of the Aposltes}} and senior pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, and the executive president of [https://ltw.org Leading the Way].{{Cite web |last=Youssef |first=Michael |date=2023-08-10 |title=Michael Youssef: The Damage Biblical Illiteracy Can Do to the Church - Charisma Magazine Online |url=https://mycharisma.com/spiritled-living/michael-youssef-the-damage-biblical-illiteracy-can-do-to-the-church/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=News |first=Cruise Industry |title=Michael Youssef Named Director Maritime Affairs at Princess - Cruise Industry News {{!}} Cruise News |url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/06/michael-youssef-named-director-maritime-affairs-at-princess/ |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=cruiseindustrynews.com/ |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-08 |title='Deception': Pastor Michael Youssef's Warning About 'Biblical Illiteracy,' the Antichrist Should Have Christians on Notice |url=https://www.faithwire.com/2023/08/08/deception-pastor-michael-youssefs-warning-about-biblical-illiteracy-the-antichrist-should-have-christians-on-notice/ |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=Faithwire |language=en-US}}
Life and career
Youssef was born in Egypt,{{cite web |last1=Leading The Way |title=Trust and Obey – Dr. Michael Youssef's Biography |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTbJNRG0JY0 |website=YouTube |date=2 August 2016 |access-date=15 April 2017}} where he became a Christian. The Six Day War in 1967 caused Youssef to flee Egypt with just a suitcase.{{Cite web |title=Michael Youssef - Interview on Jewish Voice » Watch Online Sermons 2024 |url=https://sermons.love/michael-youssef/15479-michael-youssef-interview-on-jewish-voice.html |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Watch Online Sermons 2024 |language=en}} He lived in Lebanon and Australia before moving to the United States. While in Australia, Youssef studied at Moore Theological College in Sydney, was ordained as a minister, and met his wife, Elizabeth.
The Youssefs immigrated to the United States in 1977, and in 1984 Youssef became a U.S. citizen. He earned additional degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary in California and Emory University in Georgia.
Youssef worked for nearly 10 years with the Haggai Institute,{{cite web |title=Michael Youssef Bio |url=https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/author/michael-youssef |publisher=Harvest House Publishers |access-date=15 April 2017}} traveling around the world{{cite web |last=Wooding |first=Peter |url=http://www.crossmap.com/news/dr-michael-youssef-to-preach-at-ground-breaking-evangelistic-event-at-historic-london-venue-29474 |title=Dr. Michael Youssef to Preach at Ground-Breaking Evangelistic Event at Historic London Venue |website=Crossmap |access-date=15 April 2017}} and teaching courses in evangelism and church leadership to church leaders. He founded the Church of the Apostles in 1987. He has authored more than 50 books,{{Cite web |last=Thomason |first=Autumn |date=2025-01-30 |title=About Dr. Michael Youssef |url=https://ltw.org/about-us/dr-michael-youssef/ |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef}} including The Barbarians Are Here, End Times and the Secret of the Mahdi, and Jesus, Jihad and Peace.
Youssef founded Leading The Way in 1988, a ministry in Atlanta, Georgia, with a focus on reaching Muslims in the Middle East.{{cite news |title=Egyptian Pastor: Egypt's Going Back to the Dark Ages |url=http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/december/egyptian-pastor-egypts-going-back-to-the-dark-ages/ |access-date=15 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210041929/http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/december/egyptian-pastor-egypts-going-back-to-the-dark-ages/ |archive-date=10 December 2012 |publisher=CBN News |date=9 December 2012}} He is also the founding pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta.{{cite news |last1=Emerson |first1=Bo |title=Evangelicals and Trump: Two pastors, two views |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/evangelicals-and-trump-two-pastors-two-views/2bJH1xsCFx138U0Xao9zJM/ |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=15 April 2017}}
Youssef and his wife live in Atlanta and have four grown children and eight grandchildren.
Publications
- Fearless Living in Troubled Times: Finding Hope in the Promise of Christ's Return (2017)
- Life-Changing Prayers: How God Displays His Power to Ordinary People (2018)
- Saving Christianity? (2020)
- Is the End Near?: What Jesus Told Us About the Last Days (2022)
- How to Read the Bible: As If Your Life Depends on It (2023)
- Heaven Awaits (2024)
- God's Final Call (2025)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://apostles.org/ Church of the Apostles official website]
- [http://ltw.org/ Leading the Way official website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Youssef, Michael}}
Category:Christians from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Egyptian Evangelical writers
Category:American Evangelical writers
Category:Egyptian emigrants to Australia
Category:Egyptian emigrants to the United States
Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States
Category:Fuller Theological Seminary alumni
Category:Moore Theological College alumni
Category:Emory University alumni