MIKE YANKOSKI


Vancouver, BC



MIKE YANKOSKI


Author- Under the Overpass, advocate for the least of these

General Biography:
Mike and his wife Danae live in Vancouver B.C. and are graduate students at Regent College. Mike spends much of his time speaking to audiences across the United States and Canada, arguing for a Christ centered response to our world's great needs. When he is not studying, speaking or writing, he loves spending time outdoors. Mike also serves on the Board of Directors of World Vision US, the Advisory Board of Kilns College, and is the author of Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America (Multnomah, 2005) and My 30 Days Under the Overpass: Not Your Ordinary Devotional (Multnomah, 2006). He and Danae are the executive editors of Zealous Love: A Practical Guide to Social Justice (Zondervan, 2010).

Under the Overpass Bio:
Several years ago Mike Yankoski took off a semester from college between his Sophomore and Junior years to do something a little uncanny.

He was homeless. For five months, in six different American cities, Mike and a friend named Sam intentionally ate from trash cans and Rescue Missions, slept under bridges, and panhandled in order to survive. They chose to do this not only in order to better understand the plight of the American homeless, but more specifically to observe how the Church and Christians were interacting with this despised corner of American society.

Mike's book Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America (Multnomah, 2005) captures his journey on the streets and relates the people and experiences that forever changed his life during that five month journey. Today, Mike has a passion to push Christians to live an active and out loud lifestyle of faith, directed by God's will, centered on His Word, and engaged with the surrounding world. He is excited to use the story of Christ's love and calling in his life to captivate and motivate Christians into deeper faith and bolder action.

Living in Vancouver, B.C., Mike and his wife Danae are studying for their Masters Degrees at Regent College. When they aren't buried in books or writing papers, their hobbies include road biking, running, hiking, and backpacking. Their new book, Zealous Love: A Practical Guide to Social Justice (Zondervan, 2010) enables Christians to respond to eight global areas of social injustice.

Mike also serves on the Board of Directors of World Vision US and the Advisory Board of Kilns College.



What a recent sponsor had to say about Mike's visit:


"Mike was amazing! An effective speaker and powerful VIP reception guest who customized his presentation and remarks to fit our organization's needs."
-Scott Authur, Star of Hope Mission

"The feedback from the students was so positive and we are doing a follow up chapel in two weeks with two men who were previously homeless. We are so thankful for Mike's insights in this area and for the way he communicated that through his book. These students who read it, I believe, are forever changed. Mike Yankoski is an excellent communicator. He is professional in the way he handles himself and yet he is very personable and warm, as well. He is extremely engaging with his audience and his passion for his subject matter is more than obvious."
- NorthPointe Christian School, MI



Mike Yankoski brought a prophetic, countercultural, shock-to-our-systems message re: God’s call to lift up the downtrodden and to live in such a manner that it is neither difficult nor inconvenient to do so. Exhorting without shaming, speaking truth in love and humility, Mike encouraged the students of Judson University to live passionately for the Kingdom right here and right now.
Warren Anderson
Dean of the Chapel
Judson University