Freshman year meant everything -- literally, everything -- to Michael Lawrence.  He went to college that year knowing he would either abandon or personally claim the faith he understood as a child.  Soon after the academic year began, Michael had a conversation with a Christian friend that changed his direction in life.  Shortly after that time, Michael first felt the call on his life to go into the pastorate during those years at Duke University.  Eighteen years later, he became the Associate Pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

Michael's road to preparation for the ministry began by serving on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for four years.  He then started his theological training at Gordon-Conwell Seminary. While at seminary he helped plant a church outside of Boston. He then moved to Washington D.C.  His long friendship with Mark Dever, pastor of CHBC, drew him to the church. Then in 1998 his family moved to Cambridge, England, where he completed a PhD program in Church History.  Michael’s theological training sharpened his skills and clarified his thoughts about the importance of the local church and the centrality of the Gospel.

Dr. Lawrence is not only the Associate Pastor of CHBC, he is also husband to Adrienne, and father to four children—Michael Jr., Christian, Samuel, and Sarah.  Through the joys and challenges of fatherhood, Michael has come to understand the amount of time his children need.  Teaching them matters as simple as fishing, or as profound as prayer, highlight his daily routine. 

Michael has found one passage of scripture particularly encouraging—Ezra 7:10.  Scripture says, “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel”—a fitting reminder for one who studies and translates truth to the community of CHBC.