Ministry Through Animals and Fascination: Interview with Michael Clifford

Christian Biz Owners On Fire

In the bible, God created animals before he created people. When Jesus was born it was in a stable surrounded by animals. Animals in the bible go on to be associated with The Holy Trinity, with God sometimes referred to as the great “lion” of Judah, Jesus Christ as the “lamb” of God, and the Holy Spirit as a “dove” that descended from heaven. With these mentions of animals as well as in others biblical passages that connect animals to people and faith, it only goes to show a reflection of God’s own love of animals and his want for humans to take care of them. Our guest for today talks about lessons of faith from animal ministry. Being the Curator of Innovation and Partnerships for GLMV Architecture in Wichita Kansas, specializing in zoo design, Michael Clifford shares how compassion for our four-legged friends helps spread God’s message of love, hope, kindness, and compassion to the community. Monickered as the “Zoo Philosopher”, Mike travels the world talking about the role of zoos and aquariums in fostering fascination and compassion for the created world. Mike is also the founder and facilitator for Capacity Ministries, and organization that offers hands-on training to community of influencers to help them integrate discipleship and change into their ministry. (Listen to our interview with Michael Clifford about Capacity Ministries here.)