Michael Carter suffered from the disease of self for many years which led him down a path of personal ruin and destruction. By the age of 35, Michael was divorced, alienated from family, had lost management level jobs with several restaurant chains and had compiled a lengthy criminal record due to nearly two decades of an addictive lifestyle.

After several near-death incidents, and by the grace of God, Michael was led to a discipleship ministry where he accepted Jesus as Lord, which radically changed the direction of his life. Although ready for change, he had no idea how God would do it or where to begin to “help God to help him.” He found the answer in the Bible “Thanks, be to God who gives us the victory” (1 Corinthians 15:57) and “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.”(2 Corinthians 5:17) Michael accepted that this battle was the Lord’s and that he could begin to walk in the “newness of life” because of the atoning blood of the lamb of God.

Before completing the rigorous 18-month discipleship program, God birthed Victor Newman Ministries in Michael’s spirit leading to a new victorious mindset. Michael was hired as staff of the men’s residential ministry before he graduated. This challenging opportunity to provide servant leadership in close quarters with emotionally unstable men from diverse backgrounds helped to shape his leadership and passion for continual effective service to provide both the message of hope and a hand up to the lost, last, least, left out and looked over.

Michael joined Lake Palms Community Church in 2011 and and was encouraged to pursue ordination in the Free Methodist Church. In 2015, Michael was appointed Pastor of Lake Palms Community Church and began to follow God’s lead in transforming the “church on the corner” into “The Neighborhood Church.” In April 2018, Michael was ordained elder in The Free Methodist Church.

Married in 2012 to his help-mate and ministry partner, Yvette, they began to co-lead recovery groups while sharing both the gospel and hot meals outside the walls of the church to the homeless community of Clearwater, Florida. As they began to get to know the homeless as people, made in God’s image, Michael and Yvette began to pray for God to provide a facility (Newman Manor) where they could provide a safe therapeutic environment and examples for spiritual mentoring, recovery meetings, vocational rehabilitation and ultimate freedom from the bondage of substance abuse and other life controlling issues.

In partnership with St. Paul UMC’s Open Arms Ministry, “Friday Food Fellowship” was established which distributes 3-4000 pounds of food weekly to community residents and auxiliary ministries which serve Pasco and Hillsborough Counties.

In 2017 Lake Palms Community Church strategically merged with Crosspointe Community Church to form the Crosspointe Church, Lake Palms Campus, which facilitated a multiplication of ministry initiatives and partnerships.

Today, Pastor Michael enjoys restored relationships with his adult children and his mother. He and his wife enjoy serving and worshiping together, and after years of being uncomfortable “inside his own skin”, Michael enjoys the simple pleasures of gardening, cooking and quiet evenings at home. He lives in Clearwater, Florida with his wife Yvette and their two dogs, Marley and Bella.

Yvette Carter is the Director of Open Arms Ministry, an outreach of St. Paul United Methodist Church, in Largo, FL, where she came in 2005 seeking help to feed her family. Her journey to redemption began with that single decision – and the next decision to come back and begin to help others.
In her own words: “Everything I have gone through – the domestic violence, the rape, the homelessness, not having enough to eat, not having financial assistance – was preparing me for His ministry, His purpose.”

Michael and Yvette met at Celebrate Recovery meetings. After marrying in 2012, they joined forces to grow in their Christian walk and serve together. While she never expected to become a pastor’s wife, Yvette depends on God daily for that challenge, as well as their ministry together. What led her to this passion to use her experiences to help others? “The Lord did,” she relates. It took me all these years to understand that God never left me. He gave me the opportunities, but I refused to see them. When I let Him, He began to unravel my crazy life and gave me the life He always wanted for me, the unique one He created me for. All that I have gone through, however, has given me the compassion and ability to minister to others.” Yvette is passionate about treating everyone with courtesy and respect while offering them much-needed assistance. With assistance from Jeannette Meitz, Yvette’s story was just published in her book, “From Homeless and Hungry to Wholeness and Helping”. (Click Here to order on Amazon) She enjoys a family of healed relationships, all because of the grace of God.

Frank and Jeannette decided when they married in 1995 that their relationship would include God, without understanding the adventure God would lead them on.

In 2004 the Lord led them to attend Art and Toni Barkley’s Discipler Training class. The Holy Spirit gave them ideas to assist their ministry, leading Frank to resign from his 24-year position as a Technology Trainer to volunteer full-time for Discipler Training International in 2007, becoming Director of Operations and spearheading the “Train The Trainers” branch of the DTI ministry.

They have facilitated Discipler Training workshops around the world, with a concentration the last 10 years on annual Cuba week-long conferences.

When Jeannette retired from the business world, God led them to move to Florida, where they have become active in Crosspointe Community Church and joined the Carters in the vision for Victor Newman Ministries.