Recently, Michael Card announced his retirement, at least from his long-running radio program/podcast In the Studio with Michael Card, which was hosted by Wayne Shepherd. You can listen to the last episode here. The program began in 2002 and was proceeded by his Joy in the Journey program. It was really unlike any other program, featuring conversation, music and Bible teaching. Past episodes will continue to be available on iTunes and Spotify.
Michael is unique in that he was first known as a musical artist, and later became known as an author and Bible teacher. It is hard to measure the impact of Michael’s ministry in my life through his music, writing and teaching since I was first being introduced to his music via his 1984 Known by the Scars album when I was still a relatively new believer. As I recall, there was some controversy around that album, with the record company wanting an album of more “radio friendly” songs. Known by the Scars would later become part of The Life, a three-album trilogy on the life of Christ. I have always appreciated how he took scripture and creatively turned it into songs.
Since that time, I have enjoyed all of his music – he has recorded 38 albums – and read each of his 28 books (and look forward to the book he is currently writing on Jesus), and seen him in concert many times. And yet it is his teaching that I think I appreciate the most. It is what Michael calls biblical imagination. It’s amazing the insights he provides on Bible passages that we have read or heard preached perhaps hundreds of times.
He wrote a Biblical Imagination book, recorded an album and held conferences on each of the Gospels. My wife Tammy and I travelled to Ohio for his Biblical Imagination Conference on Luke. Then, in 2012 our church was able to host Michael and his team for a Biblical Imagination Conference and concert on the Gospel of Mark. The response from those who attended was so positive, that we asked Michael and his team to come back in 2014, this time for a conference on the Gospel of Matthew and a concert. A highlight was our church choir, which Tammy was a part of, accompanying Michael on his song “Immanuel”.
For many years, Michael would take an annual group to Israel to tour the Holy Land, which is something that I had always wanted to do. The Lord has used Michael in a mighty way to help me grow in my faith and knowledge of the Bible through his music, books and teaching, and I thank the Lord for Michael’s ministry.

NOTE:  If you go to our RESOURCES page on CoramDeoTheBlog.com you will find articles on his Biblical Imagination books and albums.