Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr .Mike Van Horn.
Hi Dr .Mike , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I didn’t start out thinking I’d one day be called an entrepreneur—especially not one running a global ministry foundation. Like many homes, Mom was our spiritual leader. I grew up in church because my mom made sure we were there. I tell folks I had a drug problem when I was young; my mom drug me to church (this is not original with me, nor was it a problem)! I will always be indebted to my mother, Laura Jean Van Horn, for her fortitude and determination that her children would know Jesus, His saving grace, and the joy of serving Him. Because of Mom’s influence, on February 5, 1967, I trusted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, a decision I will enjoy throughout Eternity.
After high school, I spent four years in the United States Air Force, from 1980 to 1984. My duty station was McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, KS, where I also met my beautiful wife of 42 years, Paula. When my military service ended, we moved back to Ohio and did what many Americans do: I went to work with my hands. While working at Custom Hoist in Hayesville, Ohio—a hydraulic cylinder factory—I helped my brother part-time in residential construction; then, in 1986, we became full-time partners for ten years. After those ten years, I started my own company and operated it for three years—until God invited me into His ministry and changed the course of my life.
I have always loved working hard and have done my best to help those I worked for and with recognize the qualities of a true Christian leader. My motto was, “A job worth doing is a job worth doing right.” Without knowing it, God was teaching me how to manage people, budgets, timelines, and vision—everything I would need to lead a worldwide nonprofit organization.
When I was 37, I surrendered to God’s call to preach the Gospel. Interestingly, my dad, John Van Horn, surrendered to preach at 57 and began pastoring his first church at 59. It was in his church where I first learned about the ministry I would spend two decades serving with. In May of 1999, I was accepted as a missionary to the prisons and public schools with Rock of Ages Ministries. For the first ten years, I worked with troubled youth in America. In 2009, my ministry began taking the Gospel internationally to places most people will never see. During those years, I also earned my bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in Religious Education. The “entrepreneurial spark” showed up as I watched national pastors and missionaries around the world: they had incredible vision but very limited resources. I realized someone needed to build a bridge between people who wanted to give and leaders on the ground who knew how to use those resources.
That insight eventually became the Wallace Legacy Foundation, which we launched in December 2020. Today, I serve as President and Executive Director. In just five short years, the Wallace Legacy Foundation has grown to have a presence on all six habitable continents, serving alongside over 400 national workers in some capacity. With more than 26 years of experience, the men in the field we partner with have been tried, tested, and proven worthy of financial support.
Our model is simple: we connect partners here in the States with proven pastors, missionaries, and projects around the world—Christian trade schools, clean water initiatives, Bible printing and distribution, church planting, orphanages, public school and prison outreach, and more. I went from building houses to building partnerships, but the mindset is very similar. You identify a need, draw up a plan, bring the right people together, and then work like crazy to see it become reality.
So, I may not spell “entrepreneur” correctly every time, but my whole journey—from the Air Force to construction to prison ministry to leading a foundation—has been about taking risks, trusting God to give me faith that cannot and will not tolerate doubt, and building something that will outlast me. The Wallace Legacy Foundation stands firmly on the promise of God: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Ephesians 3:20). Since He left the asking and thinking up to me, I am going to believe He will allow us to assist thousands of worthy partners worldwide: “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours” (John 4:38). That’s how I got started, and that’s where we are today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Most foundations are started by someone who already has a lot of money and is looking for a place to put it, often with tax advantages in mind. We were on the other side of that. We had very little money, but we had Scripture to back up our calling, and we believed God had given us this vision.
Raising funds has always been a challenge. At the beginning, our entire operation ran on a budget of less than $10,000 a month. In those early years, I was the only one promoting the ministry, raising funds, and maintaining an international presence with our partners. The financial strain was real, but the promise of supplying every need was real as well. God promised, and He is faithful. We now have people who are spreading our needs to others in a variety of ways, and our donations are increasing.
Another hurdle has been the steep learning curve of running a modern nonprofit. My computer skills are a bit above average, but my marketing and graphic design skills are very low. In today’s world, presentation matters. On top of that, maintaining a completely compliant nonprofit is a huge, time-consuming, legal undertaking. Volunteers have been a blessing, but they can also be inconsistent and unreliable at times. Knowing that “the labourer is worthy of his reward,” I knew we needed to find and pay good help, even if it was on a contract basis.
That wasn’t easy with such a small budget. However, the Lord surrounded me with extremely wise individuals. We have a very strong board of directors that is always ready and willing to work with us. I was directed to the Foundation Group (501c3.org), where Greg Ray and his team quickly and legally helped us establish our foundation with the IRS. With large sums of money expected, I was introduced to Michael Carter with Lionstone CPA. He connected us with Stephanie at Rutledge Bookkeeping, who is exceptional at keeping records and has also kept us compliant so we can solicit funds in all 50 states. Our marketing platform has been greatly strengthened through Cody Stinton with BRN Web Tools. These are just a few of the many professional services that have helped make us what we are today.
We’ve also had to overcome the challenge of working internationally—navigating time zones, diverse cultures, unstable governments, unreliable infrastructure, and, at times, even security concerns for the national pastors we serve. None of these challenges comes with a manual, and every situation requires wisdom, prayer, and patience.
One of my biggest hurdles, though, has simply been getting in front of donors who can buy into our vision in a significant way. We haven’t had the luxury of a big-name backer or instant recognition. Everything we have built has been one conversation, one church, and one faithful partner at a time. But every hurdle has driven us back to the Lord, strengthened our faith, and proven again and again that God blesses obedience, not ease—and looking back, the struggles have become the very stones He used to build the foundation we stand on today.
We are deeply grateful for the honorable, hardworking partners God has brought alongside us—both in the day-to-day operations of the foundation and on the field. And even with all the hurdles we’ve had to navigate, our partnership with God has made us successful at what matters most: connecting men and ministries so the Gospel can reach the multitudes. “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
Every step forward has been the result of faith, obedience, and people willing to say yes when God asks. And now, we have even been graced with the privilege of being interviewed by Voyager Magazine, which is another reminder that God can take a small, obedient work and give it a much larger voice. All the credit belongs to Him, and we remain committed to faithfully stewarding whatever platform He provides.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is centered on eternity and the souls of men. God has given me a deep burden to help people understand that Heaven is real, Hell is real, and that what we do with Jesus Christ matters forever. That passion led me to write my book, Eternity: A Long Time to Be Wrong, and to launch the ministry website RethinkEternity.com, where we challenge people to seriously consider their eternal destiny. I spend my early morning hours writing devotionals and Biblically counseling friends and ministry partners, because my heartbeat is simple—every soul matters to God.
Flowing out of that calling, my day-to-day work focuses on strengthening and expanding Gospel ministry around the world through the partnerships God has allowed me to build. As President and Executive Director of the Wallace Legacy Foundation, I spend my time connecting pastors, missionaries, churches, and donors who share a passion for reaching the world with the Gospel. God has surrounded me with national workers who are faithful, tested, and proven, and my role is to equip them, encourage them, and help them reach people I may never meet this side of Heaven.
What I specialize in is relationship-building. The Lord has allowed me to form personal connections with national pastors and missionaries around the world—men who know their communities, their culture, and their calling far better than anyone from the outside ever could. My job is to strengthen their hands. That takes many forms: raising funds, developing Christian trade schools, supporting clean water initiatives, printing and distributing Bibles, planting churches, supporting orphanages, expanding our public school and prison outreach, and providing higher Bible education through Baptist International University. Other times, it simply means listening, praying, and reminding them that they are not alone.
People often tell me I am known for integrity, consistency, and staying faithful to the calling God placed on my life. I’m not the most talented, the most educated, or the wealthiest man in the room—but I am committed. Whether I’m speaking in a church, meeting with partners, or traveling internationally, I try to represent Christ with honesty and transparency.
What I am most proud of is the people God has placed around me. The national pastors and missionaries we partner with are men of tremendous courage and character. Our donors are generous and mission-minded. And our team—board members, administrators, accountants, and volunteers—are some of the finest people I’ve ever known. God has surrounded me with people who love the Gospel and love integrity.
What sets me apart—if anything does—is that I don’t try to replace national leaders; I empower them. Many organizations build their own structures, but we strengthen what faithful men have already built on the ground. That approach helps us accomplish more with fewer resources and allows us to watch God multiply the work in remarkable ways. I always encourage our leaders to dream big, because we serve a God who loves to show Himself strong through faithful followers.
Another distinction is our commitment to accountability. Every partner we support has been vetted over many years. We maintain strict compliance, financial transparency, and reporting systems that allow donors to see exactly how their gifts are being used. Stewardship isn’t just a business practice to me—it’s a biblical responsibility.
To think that this work started with almost no budget and has now expanded to six continents, with more than 400 national partners—and that I am now being interviewed by Voyager Magazine—is humbling. It is one more reminder that God delights in taking small, obedient steps and turning them into something far greater than we ever imagined.
In short, what I do is simple: I point people to the reality of eternity and help strengthen the hands of those who strengthen the church. I do it with a deep passion for souls, a commitment to integrity, and an unwavering belief that God is still doing “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
What role has luck (good luck or bad luck) played in your life and business?
This question is like an easy pitch right over the plate for me: none. I don’t believe in luck. I believe every person, every partner, every conversation, and every dollar given is by divine appointment. God has been orchestrating the details all along, even when I couldn’t see the full picture.
I have presented myself to God to be His servant, which according to Scripture is the least I can do: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1). Not only do I give Him the credit, but I give Him all the glory for every accomplishment. This is why our foundation is not called the Van Horn Legacy. It is the Wallace Legacy Foundation, because at the end of the day, I don’t want people to remember my name—I want them to remember His work.
Pricing:
- Our operational cost and recurring supprt continues to rise. We encourage recurring donations of any amount. This helps us with our recurring monthly support to our many partners
- We have opportunities to purchase several pieces of property for our trade schools in Peru. Each of the four parcells range for 25 – 50,000 each
- Our first trade school building in Peru is estamated at 400.000 This icludes the final payments on the land-23,000
- We are in the process of building an orphanage, Christian School, Trade School, medical center, and church radio station in Liberia. Total for the complete projet is $450,000
- Bible Printing and shipping averages $60,000 per container. We have three scedu;ed for next year . The rethink eternity project needs umlimited resources. The plan is to purchase adds on youtube that will direct people to the website where they can hear the Gospel in their mother tongue
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WLFPartners.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wlfpartners/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wlfpartners
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-van-horn-986430226/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr-diOfF5JoTF91AtoHWvBg
- Other: https://Rethinketernity.com
