Mike Yaconelli (July 24, 1942 – October 30, 2003) was a writer, theologian, church leader and satirist. Co-Founder of Youth Specialties,[1] a training organization for Christian youth leaders, and The Wittenburg Door (sometimes just The Door), a satirical magazine,[2] Yaconelli was also the pastor of a small church in Yreka, California - "the slowest growing church in America" as he called it. He and wife Karla used to share their time between Yreka and the Youth Specialties offices in El Cajon, California.
![]() | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2012) |
Mike Yaconelli | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Michael Yaconelli (1942-07-24)July 24, 1942 |
Died | October 30, 2003(2003-10-30) (aged 61) |
Occupation | Youth Worker, author, theologian |
Organization | Youth Specialties |
Known for | Co-Founder of Youth Specialties |
As well as his contributions to the Wittenburg Door, Yaconelli also wrote a number of books for youth leaders, and was a well-received Christian conference speaker. He was a regular at the Greenbelt festival in the UK. On his last visit to Greenbelt, he said:
If I were to have a heart attack right at this moment, I hope I would have just enough air in my lungs and just enough strength in me to utter one last sentence as I fell to the floor: "What a ride!" My life has been up and down, careening left then right, full of mistakes and bad decisions, and if I died right now, even though I would love to live longer, I could say from the depths of my soul, "What a ride!"[3]
Mike was killed in an automobile accident in 2003.[4]
Popular Christian writer, speaker, and youth ministry leader Mike Yaconelli died early yesterday (29 October 2003) following an auto accident early the previous night.
General | |
---|---|
National libraries | |
Other |