Pastor Brandt is a native of South Dakota. He was raised in a committed Christian home where the joy and love of Christ prevailed. He is most thankful for the saving, transforming grace of Jesus Christ that enabled him to be born anew to a living hope.

Michael currently lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he served as Senior Pastor at Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church from 1991 to 2007. His present call as Director of Shepherding the Shepherds is overseen by the congregation.

His wife, Jeannie, was diagnosed with cancer January 2005 and in May of that same year she went to be with the Lord. God blessed them with 36 years of marriage. The Holy Spirit’s comfort and strength have sustained Pastor and his family in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection.

God has also met the loneliness of Michael’s heart by providing the gift of a new mate, Colleen Mae Nichols. Colleen’s husband of 32 years, Dale ‘Punk’ Nichols, was taken to be with Lord through a massive heart attack in the fall of 2004. Michael and Colleen’s relationship has been a further evidence of the gracious provision of God.

Pastor has four daughters, four sons-in-law, and seven precious grandchildren, Isaac, Emma, Isabelle, Wesley, Joseph, Edith, Frances and Zachary. Colleen has one daughter, one son, one son-in-law, and two precious grandchildren, Nicholas and Shaye.

Pastor Brandt graduated from the Association Free Lutheran Seminary. In 1969, he was licensed as a pastor and in 1972 he was ordained into the clergy roster of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota. He has served congregations in Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin and South Dakota.

Together with pastoring at Abiding Savior, he has served two terms as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of a prominent bible college and seminary. Presently Pastor Brandt is currently Vice President of a congregational association and serves on their evangelism commission. He chaired the Siouxland Evangelical Association from 1999 to 2007. Currently, he is on the executive Board of LifeLight Ministries.

In addition to these privileges, Pastor Brandt has traveled extensively as an evangelist, conducting crusades and seminars across the United States serving churches and organizations such as The Gideons International, Christian School Associations and WorldVision.

He and his daughter, Kayla (Brandt) Kickul, authored the book, “Sent and Received”. The book chronicles their family’s journey of faith during Jeannie’s battle with cancer. He is also the author and producer of the evangelism video and training manual, "Evangelism, the Heartbeat of Heaven.")