Pastor Mike

An educator, consummate musician, visionary, and community leader, he is the founder and Senior Pastor of New Birth Church for over 24 years. His motivational teachings have reached thousands throughout the country. Born and raised in Nashville, TN, he learned leadership skills first hand from his grandfather, the late Bishop Louis Ward III - Senior Pastor of The Church of Jesus Christ (Nashville, TN).

Pastor Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Louisville and taught in the Jefferson County Public School system. He received his ministerial credentials from Aenon Bible College (Indianapolis, IN) in 1992. In 2002 he was ordained by Bishop T.D. Jakes as a part of the Potters House International Pastoral Alliance. He is a member of The Kingdom Builders Network (KBN) under the leadership of his mentor, Bishop Horace E. Hockett of Born Again Church in Nashville, TN. His Ethical Leadership Certification was acquired through NASBA Center for the Public Trust. Presently, he is pursuing a Master of Professional Studies degree with a concentration in Strategic Leadership from Tennessee State University.

In 1995 Pastor Mike had a vision of pastoring a racially diverse congregation. In his living room in 1997, he and his wife Ruth started New Birth Church of Louisville. The challenges of building a racially diverse congregation was great, but today New Birth is proud to say it is one of very few churches pastored by an African-American pastor in Kentuckiana with a racially diverse congregation.

Years before 2020, COVID-19, and the elevated racial unrest engrossed the world, Pastor Mike’s vision, saw the inescapable need for racial reconciliation. One of the components of the church’s vision is racial unity. Pastor Mike welcomes people from all racial backgrounds to worship together in spirit and in truth. He is one of the distinguished leaders in the city who has been asked to consult prominent national companies (e.g. Trilogy Healthcare), assisting them in their initiative to build racial equity in the workplace. He has served on committees and corporate boards in various organizations (e.g. Red Cross River Valley Region).

Pastor Mike hosts a specialized conference bi-yearly entitled, “Excellence Knows No Size”, where the focus is on training and developing the small to mid-sized church leadership. 32 years of marriage to Ruth has given him love, joy, stability, and satisfaction. Matthew, his beloved son, continues the legacy of music in the family as a musician at New Birth.

Pastor Ruth

With a love for the members of New Birth since its inception, Pastor Ruth has cultivated an environment where everyone feels loved and welcomed. She is known for her big hugs, knowing looks, and always seeks to encourage, uplift, and spur others to live a God purposed life. Her sincere goal is to continue to grow spiritually and naturally, while teaching others what she has learned.

Having a passion for women, she is the founder/leader of the Women of Noble Character women’s ministry for over 20 years, where she teaches the women how to be the version of themselves that God created them to be. She hosts the annual Serving Our Sisters (S.O.S.) event where she and the W.O.N.C. throw out the life-line to women and children who are living in homeless shelters and transitional housing units in the greater Louisville and Southern Indiana areas.

Pastor Ruth is an entrepreneur and the proud owner/creator of Perfect Peace Products featuring the perfect peace pillowcases (Faith, Healing, Military and Children’s). www.iamruthward.com/shop

She speaks at various conference venues (faith based/business/community related); providing leadership strategies, and health & wellness tools for personal and business growth.

A passionate runner. Pastor Ruth has completed two marathons and a multitude of half-marathons. She is the host of 15 to Life, where women from across the country connect with on YouTube and her Facebook Live virtual program on Sunday evenings.

She is the mother of one son (Matthew) and stands strong beside her husband, assisting him as they lead a preeminent New Testament Church in the city of Louisville, one where the word of God takes precedence.