Meet Michael Tison

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Tison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michael, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I didn’t find my purpose. It found me. I was living an unsatisfied life in the corporate world when God called me to leave that behind and start a Christian adventure ministry reaching men through outdoor adventures, like hiking the Grand Canyon, whitewater rafting, hiking, kayaking, and spelunking. Little did I know that wasn’t the end result of what God was calling me into. I thought the adventure ministry would have a national appeal, but what sent me around the country was public speaking.

I never would have signed up to be a motivational speaker, since all of my speeches in high school were memorable, but for all of the wrong reasons. I had an English teacher tell me I would never write a book and a speech teacher who said, “Don’t worry, Mike, you won’t ever be a public speaker.” But God had other plans and has used my weaknesses for His kingdom building purposes.

I’m an avid outdoorsman and hunter. It was a large eight-point whitetail buck and a crazy taxidermist with the offer of a free deer mount in exchange for a five minute testimony at their church wild game dinner that thrust me into the speaking world. After many years of feeling unqualified God has shown me that He has gifted me in this area and has shown me that it hasn’t been through my power, but Him working through me. I figured that if God is behind this that I better improve my skills, so I studied communication skills, like pacing, eye contact, voice fluctuation, and even took stand up comedy classes to become a more powerful speaker. It has been a crazy ride. Proverbs 16:9 is my life verse and it reads, “The heart man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My passion is speaking and using my adventure stories to point people to Jesus Christ and to challenge them to live on mission, be bold in their faith, and to lead with courage. My gifting is exhortation which is taking spiritual truths and helping the audience to apply those biblical truths to their lives and how they live out their faith.

I speak at men’s events, wild game dinners, church events, and school and corporate events where applicable. My style is storytelling combined with humor to bring a relevant message needed for a particular event. I love traveling, meeting new people, and leaving them encouraged and fired up to get on mission for God. You can find out more about my speaking ministry at www.Tison.Life.

I have written three books, Seize the Adventure, Reluctant Misfits, and Big Cat Recon, and am currently working on a new title called Bold as Lions: Faith Unleashed. But, I’m super excited about a new launch of my outdoor ministry where I’ll be offering escapes (retreats), outdoor pursuits, outdoor ministry training, and devotional resources for outdoorsmen. It is called Chase Eight and will offer some great Chase Eight Merchandise for the hunter, sportsmen, or the person who just likes cool apparel. ChaseEight.com is where you will be able to find out more about this new outdoor ministry.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Perseverance for me has been a big part of my story. Once, I knew my calling and purpose I had to learn and to grow in that mission, overcome the self-doubt, and ignore those who said it couldn’t be done. Be patient. Great things don’t happen over night. It’s a process that God uses to develop and refine you.

Communication skills are extremely important. Learn how to speak well, engage your audience, make eye contact until it’s uncomfortable, and refine your message. Everyone has a story to tell, but how you tell it is what separates the great speakers from just another speaker. I’m still learning from the best, but comfortable in my own skin and I understand how God wired me and I stay in that lane.

Vision combined with faith is what drives me to keep going, learning what God is teaching me, and letting him guide and direct my opportunities and being thankful for the favor that he has blessed me with.

How would you describe your ideal client?

I have three. The first is organizations who are looking for a speaker who can capture the attention of their audience and days later they are still talking about the presentation. Christian or Secular organizations in need of a different style of motivation for their teams.

The second is Christian leaders who need a fresh face and voice to motivate and encourage believers in their faith, be able to share the Gospel with clarity and impact. This could be pastors, men’s ministry leaders, youth leaders, conference and retreat planners and camp directors.

The third ideal client would be individuals who are looking to use outdoor ministry to reach a particular audience. Maybe it’s to lead a men’s ministry, a youth group, or maybe they are ready to step out in faith and start their own outdoor ministry. Anyone who is looking for mentorship in this area and desires to influence people through God’s creation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Tison.life
• Other: https://ChaseEight.com

Image Credits

Kayla Bouren Photography