Draft:Michael Stickler

Michael L. Stickler

Early Life and Education

Michael L. Stickler is an American author, publisher, and public speaker. He attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and later completed coursework in theology and Biblical studies at Multnomah Bible College. He also pursued postgraduate work at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Stickler became a pastor, an experience that shaped his focus on Christian leadership and generosity in his later career.

Career

Ministry Leadership and Generous Life Initiatives

Michael Stickler is now retired from active fundraising and nonprofit consulting to focus full-time on his writing and publishing career. However, many of his books, courses, and ministry resources remain available through Leadership Books and Leadership Courses.

In the late 1990s, Stickler founded a consulting firm called The Vision Group, Ltd., through which he began coaching churches and ministries in fundraising and stewardship. He launched a global initiative known as Generous Life, aimed at promoting Christian generosity and helping ministry leaders instill a "generous culture" in their organizations. Generous Life offers churches and faith-based nonprofits guidance on living generously and coaching for leaders facing growth challenges. This is where he started his writing career.

Stickler is also a graduate of the 2009 class of The Centurions Program, a worldview and leadership training initiative founded by Chuck Colson, now known as the Colson Fellows program. His training there further informed his ministry and leadership philosophy.

In addition to his consulting work with organizations such as Prison Fellowship, Luis Palau Association, Mission America, and Probe Ministries, Stickler also provided guidance to Victory Lane Camp, a family camp for disabled children, contributing to their fundraising and communication strategies.

As a fundraising expert, Stickler hosted training events and webinars – notably "The HeArt of Fundraising" – to equip ministry leaders in effective fundraising techniques. In 2014, he undertook a nationwide campaign to give every pastor in America a free copy of his devotional book A Journey to Generosity, as a way to bolster generosity in churches. That Christmas giveaway saw thousands of ministry leaders request the book, reflecting Stickler’s philanthropic approach to his ministry work.

To further support church leaders, Stickler created the Raise Your Vision online forum. Raise Your Vision is an interactive training platform that "brings ministry-focused equipping into your home or office, helping you cultivate a generous culture in your ministry." Through this forum, participants access resources from veteran practitioners and join seminars to advance the growth and fundraising capacity of their ministries. These initiatives established Stickler as a prominent coach and mentor in the Christian nonprofit sector, blending pastoral insights with practical fundraising strategy.

Publishing and Leadership Books, Inc.

Building on his experience as an author and consultant, Michael Stickler co-founded Leadership Books, Inc. in 2013, alongside publishing mentor Arthur Ritter. His late wife, Kim Stickler, was also a founding partner of Leadership Books and played a significant role in its early development and vision.https://www.forevermissed.com/kimberly-stickler/about Leadership Books was created as a traditional publishing house to serve thought leaders and nonfiction authors in the fields of business, finance, thought and faith leadership.https://leadershipbooks.com/pages/who-we-are The company provides turnkey publishing services – from manuscript development to marketing – with a focus on authors who have broader platforms as pastors, speakers, coaches, or executives. Stickler serves as the Publisher of Leadership Books, leveraging his industry relationships to launch targeted book campaigns and reach niche audiences. Under his leadership, Leadership Books has grown into a respected publisher within the traditional publishing industry.https://leadershipbooks.com Its sister brand, Parrhesia Publishing, operates as a hybrid publishing model, offering more flexible author-driven services for select titles outside the traditional track. The imprint has published many of Stickler’s own works as well as titles by other respected authors.

In addition to authoring more than 20 books himself, Stickler plays an active role in developing and producing educational content through Leadership Courses, the companion platform to Leadership Books. Leadership Courses offers video-based training programs taught by authors, speakers, and coaches, many of which are based on Stickler's books and frameworks. His course development work includes training on generosity, nonprofit leadership, publishing, and platform building, supporting education for emerging authors and nonprofit leaders.

In addition to publishing, Stickler has been active in media and speaking engagements. He became a radio host and wrote a regular column called "A Generous Life" for The Christian Post, where he shares insights on philanthropy and faith. He also served as publisher of the Generous Living Magazine, a publication dedicated to stories and teachings about charitable living. Stickler has delivered keynote addresses at conferences on topics including communication, leadership, and generosity. His speaking style is noted for incorporating his experience as a horse trainer – using horseman analogies to illustrate trust and communication, which “impacts audiences as never before,” according to audience reviews. Stickler has appeared on podcasts and interviews to discuss his work; for example, he was featured in 2021 on The Immersive Art of Storytelling series, where he discussed his approach to narrative and leadership.

Notable Works

Michael Stickler has authored or co-authored around twenty books over his career. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00LHELA7A?ingress=0&visitId=54ff1418-9025-44ec-9256-e8303d09dbc0&ref_=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&ccs_id=a82f44c4-bc61-41b0-859c-c57aa681cd9e His publishing history spans devotional works, practical guides for nonprofits, biographies, and even fiction. Some of his most notable titles include:

A Journey to Generosity: 41 Days to a Generous Life (2013) – Leadership Books. ISBN 978-0989146103 (https://www.ajourneytogenerosity.com)

Life Without Reservation (2019) – Leadership Books. ISBN 978-1640855042 (https://www.LifeWithotReservation.net)

Cliven Bundy: American Patriot (2017) – Leadership Books. ISBN 978-1640852188 (https://www.ClivenBundy.com)

Ghost Patriot (2021) – Parrhesia Publishing. ISBN 978-1954618169 (https://www.GhostPatriotbook.com)

Invisible to Viral: A Book Publishing Fable (2024) – Leadership Books. ISBN 978-1951648435 (https://www.InvisibletoViral.com)

Other works include: Extreme Board Makeover, Grant Writing for Christian Ministries, and Foundation Building Campaign, which reflect his continued interest in nonprofit leadership and development.https://www.RaiseYourVision.com/

Impact and Influence

Media Coverage and Public Recognition

Michael L. Stickler, a prolific Christian author, publisher, and entrepreneur, has been prominently featured across various media platforms, including podcasts, videos, blogs, and national news outlets. His work in religious publishing and author development, particularly through founding Leadership Books, has garnered widespread attention.

The same year, Higher Education Digest profiled Stickler's journey from launching an "unsellable" book to creating a publishing platform that elevates Christian thought leaders and nonfiction authors.https://www.highereducationdigest.com/how-to-sell-a-book/

The Table Read Magazine featured an article highlighting how Stickler’s methodology at Leadership Books empowers authors to integrate publishing with long-term marketing, course development, and impact.https://www.thetablereadmagazine.co.uk/leadership-books-here-to-help-thought-leaders-build-their-brands-and-businesses/

In a 2021 episode of The Compendium Podcast, Stickler discussed his thriller Ghost Patriot, including the inspiration behind the book, themes of spiritual warfare, and his writing process. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compendium-podcast-best-selling-author-of-ghost/id1587787190?i=1000542899049

A 2023 video interview with CitiesABC, titled “The Immersive Art of Storytelling,” explored Stickler’s storytelling philosophy and how he integrates purpose and faith into publishing strategy. https://www.citiesabc.com/education-culture/the-immersive-art-of-storytelling-dinis-guarda-interviews-michael-stickler-best-selling-author-and-founder-of-leadership-books

His earlier works and views on generosity were featured on the Generous Life Radio Network in 2014, where he and co-host Tom Clegg discussed radical generosity during financial struggles. https://soundcloud.com/mike-stickler/generous-life-radio-network-2

Stickler’s involvement in controversial topics was covered in The Spokesman-Review (2018), The Oregonian (2017), and The Progress Review (2017), referencing his book Cliven Bundy: American Patriot, offering the Bundy family's perspective on their standoff with the federal government. In a 2017 feature by The Oregonian, Stickler, who at the time was writing Bundy’s biography, was interviewed about his experience sharing a cell block with Cliven Bundy while both were incarcerated. The article presented Stickler’s viewpoint on Bundy as a principled constitutionalist and highlighted his intent to publish Bundy's story from a firsthand perspective. https://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2017/11/former_inmate_shares_live_behi.html https://mvprogress.com/2017/12/06/new-book-provides-inside-look-at-cliven-bundy/

In addition to written articles, Stickler's media appearances include numerous high-authority podcasts and video interviews—some hosted on platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Apple Podcasts—where he discusses topics such as faith in business, publishing strategy, and servant leadership.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPfYWtYoLMc https://vimeo.com/396688012

Across multiple media formats, Stickler continues to be recognized as a leading voice in faith-based publishing, Christian entrepreneurship, and author empowerment, advocating for the integration of spiritual purpose and professional excellence. In 2023, Stickler also served as a guest interviewer for The Epoch Times, where he conducted interviews with authors and thought leaders such as Dr. Cee Gee and Dr. Terry Paulson, discussing leadership, faith, and purpose in modern culture.https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/dr-cee-gees-journey-to-the-leadership-5471119https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/what-does-leadership-look-like-in-the-present-world-a-discussion-with-terry-paulson-5471153

Book Recognition and Reception

A Journey to Generosity (2013) has been described as a “best-selling book” within the Christian community. Over 400,000 copies of his early books have been sold through targeted campaigns.https://www.highereducationdigest.com/how-to-sell-a-book/ In 2014, he launched a campaign to give every pastor in America a free copy.https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2014/01/28/607946/10065903/en/Generous-Life-Shines-Spotlight-on-Causes4Kids-com.html

Life Without Reservation (2019) is noted for its popularity in church circles and Christian bookstores.

Cliven Bundy: American Patriot (2018) has been cited in national media coverage of the Bundy trial. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/564538169

Ghost Patriot (2021), Stickler’s debut political thriller, was highlighted by Vide Press and readers for its narrative style and reception.

Invisible to Viral (2024) was released through Leadership Books and offers a fable-style guide to building a platform and writing success.

Speaking and Media Appearances

Stickler has been featured in business and education outlets such as Higher Education Digest and the Becker Group Business Podcast.

He is described as an “internationally sought-after speaker.https://www.vegas24seven.com/nevada-cattle-rancher-cliven-bundys-side-of-the-story-documented-by-prolific-author-and-leadership-books-co-founder-michael-stickler/ His speaking integrates themes of generosity, communication, and storytelling. He also hosted Generous Life Radio, which aired on over 2,000 stations.https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2014/01/28/1174091/0/en/Nationally-Syndicated-Radio-Program-Generous-Life-Shines-Spotlight-on-Causes4Kids-com.html

Legal History

In October 2012, Michael Stickler was sentenced in the U.S. District Court of Nevada to 30 months in federal prison for theft of government funds and failure to pay over employment taxes. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Stickler operated Vision Group, Ltd., a Reno-based consulting firm, and withheld payroll taxes from employee wages without remitting them to the IRS. The court also ordered restitution exceeding $350,000.https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-who-operated-reno-consulting-firm-sentenced-2-12-years-prison-theft-and-failing-pay

During and following his sentence, Stickler publicly discussed his experiences in prison and later cited this period as a turning point in his ministry and authorship career. His biography of Cliven Bundy, American Patriot (HTTP://ClivenBundy.com), and his earlier work Life Without Reservation (HTTP://lifewithoutreservation.net), reference this transformation.

Personal Life

Michael Stickler resides in the western United States; he makes his home in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe and spends part of the year in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. He was married to his first wife, Kim Stickler, for over forty years until her passing in 2021. Kim was also a co-founder of Leadership Books and the mother of his two grown sons. Michael is now married to his wife, Faith. He also has a daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. In his semi-retirement, Stickler enjoys training horses on his ranch and often finds inspiration for his writing while outdoors. This blend of ranch life and writing life is reflected in his work – as he sometimes says, he lives "life without reservation."

See also

Cliven Bundy standoff

Christian publishing

Book Publishing

Faith-based fundraising

Christian Stewardship

External links

Official website

Michael Stickler on Amazon