Michael Aaron Samples was born on April 23, 1975 to Christian parents in Knoxville, Tennessee. He had the privilege of attending Temple Baptist Church and Temple Christian Academy. Dr. Clarence Sexton was his pastor for over thirteen years. On September 5, 1993, Pastor Samples placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for his soul’s salvation. During a teen revival at Temple Baptist Church, Pastor Samples surrendered his life to preach the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Upon graduation from high school, he enrolled at Crown College of the Bible. After his undergraduate and graduate degrees, Pastor Samples married his sweetheart, Joy, and they entered full-time ministry at Bay View Baptist Church in Washington, IL. There he spent the next twelve years as an assistant pastor. In 2010, Pastor Samples became the senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Urbana, OH.The Samples have three children: Abby, Caleb, and Joshua.