Student Biographies

Michael McManigal

Mike and Joel

When we first meet on a warm fall day, there were some differences. Mike was a southern Californian surfer and star water-polo goalie. I was the southern Pennsylvian hicktown football player and wrestler. What we did have in common however was an interest in Jesus.

After that initial meeting, I began to pursue Mike by inviting him to Bible study and getting dinners with him. We studied through Romans for the beginning of the year, but while I noticed a love for the Scripture, Mike’s involvement in water polo was dominating. Mike had not yet caught the vision for spending his life in the goal of glorifying Christ by making disciples. It was at this point that I challenged him to pursue wisdom with all he had by studying Proverbs with him. By the grace of God, Mike responded and began to spend more time in the Word and began to invest in others.

After I left, Mike became the president of the fellowship at Bucknell and eventually gave up water polo to spend more time pursuing making disciples of Christ. Now instead of me challenging Mike, he is challenging me by his love for the Scriptures, by his efforts to make disciples, and by his humility. When I left the fellowship, Mike was the only guy remaining. Now as a result of Mike’s faithfulness and God’s grace, there are four men coming to the Men’s conference this spring. Time and time again, God has demonstrated his faithfulness to see the kingdom of Christ come and he is using men like Mike to accomplish his task.