A tribute to our Savior through the ministry of Mike Creiglow
by Pastor Mark Pyles, BFM Director

The year 2025 is a milestone in the faithful ministry of one of our BFM missionaries, Brother Mike Creiglow. It marks 60 years of faithful service to Christ. In that time span Mike has served His Lord through one mission agency (Baptist Faith Missions), in one location (Cruzeiro Do Sul, Brazil), and pastored one church (First Baptist Church, or Primeira Igreja Batista). In the lifetime of any pastor, wherever he may serve, this is a rare statistic.

Mike has served in ministry for those many years, yet he actually served longer than the above mentioned 60 years, for he served alongside his father, Bobby Creiglow many years before “taking the mantle” himself.

Mike’s parents were saved when he was around 7 years old, so he was then privileged to be raised by parents who were new creations and then began pursuing a life of gospel ministry. When Mike was 10 years old, he recognized that being in a Christian home did not mean he was saved. It was then that God granted him the stark recognition that he was hell-bound if he did not repent and trust Christ as His own Savior and Lord. And so, he turned to Christ at that time. 

When Mike was 12, his parents believed God would have them move to Brazil to reach the people of the city of Cruzeiro Do Sul which is in western Brazil, near the border of Peru. They first went to Manaus and then a year later traveled to Cruzeiro Do Sul when Mike was 13. It was a long and arduous 40-day journey on a boat. Today, it is a long journey once you reach Brazil to get to that city, even with modern-day airlines. But then it was an even longer journey as Cruzeiro Do Sul is a very rural city and hard to reach. If you travel there today, as Valarie and I did in 2024, you plan on 4 days of travel because of layovers and minimal flights entering into Cruzeiro Do Sul.

Once the Creiglows arrived there, they lived in a houseboat which Bobby built for them to live. You might say they were “maritime” missionaries for a long time. As a teenager, Mike saw all of this as a great time of adventure.  At 17, Mike considered being a doctor, yet his heart did not have total peace about that. So, the Lord made it known to him that this was not His will for him, but that he too was going to be a missionary. He resisted this in his heart for a few days, but very soon yielded to God’s desire for him.  He brought his first devotional message at 17 years old.

As time progressed, Mike’s passion for mission work grew and grew. He began to preach the gospel wherever he could. Mike, and his father, knew very well that any mission work should have a strong local church in that city from which they would be sent. The only New Testament church in the city was First Baptist of Cruzeiro Do Sul, which was founded on May 12, 1929, by missionary Joseph Brandon. Mike soon knew the Lord would have him to pastor a local church there in Cruzeiro Do Sul from which the mission work could be authorized. So, when the need arose in August of 1978, he agreed to become the pastor of First Baptist of Cruzeiro Do Sul. It soon began to grow, and Mike built a new brick building even though some of the locals scoffed at it. Of course, Mike would not be swayed by public opinion, he and his members built the brick building they needed. Since then, the church has had to add onto that original building as the church has, and still is, growing exponentially. 

From the ministry of Mike’s dad, Bobby, and then the ministry of Mike himself, many churches have been planted across the region and into Peru. The number of church plants is relatively unknown, but to this day, Mike is constantly ministering to present church plants and is still busy seeking to plant more. He continues to travel the rivers of western Brazil and into Peru taking the gospel to the many tribes, some unreached.

The philosophy of Pastor Mike and First Baptist Church is that in each instance in which an effort is being made to plant a new work, it is always under the authority of First Baptist Church. As a matter of fact, when these plants become churches, they each are named Primeira Igreja Batista. 

Here is how it all happens:  Once any work is established, Mike or some of his elders will work with the appointed man and he will begin to meet in homes with locals. That gathering would be a “preaching point”. Once that “point” grows it would become a “chapel”. Again, both the “preaching point” and the “chapel” would be under the authority of Primeira Igreja Batista. They would not have the authority to administer the ordinances yet because they are not yet churches. Only the sending church could do so for them. But once the “chapel” has grown to the agreed upon stature and has a man trained and in place for the position of pastor, the “chapel” would then be approved to become an autonomous church yet still supported by and authorized by the home church, Primeira Igreja Batista.

Valarie and I had the privilege of traveling with Mike and Beverly to one of those “chapels” in a little village called Gama. It was the highlight of our trip as we enjoyed fellowship with the people there, had the honor of seeing Mike baptize 8 people in the river, and then enjoyed a church service in their little church building. It was such a wonderful experience! As a matter of fact, I chose one of my pictures from there to put up in my office at Grace Baptist to daily remind me of the wonderful believers there and the work which Mike is doing among them.

While the busyness of ministry is a reality with Mike, Valarie and I were especially very impressed by something which Mike might not expect us to say because it is natural for him… his evident love for Beverly. Though we were only with them for 5 days, I observed his humble care for Beverly. To this day, he still opens the door for her every time they get in the car. It may seem to be a little thing to some, but it matters to Mike. This shows he is still a gentleman and that he loves and respects her and that is one way in which he chooses to show it.  Mike’s daughter, Crissy stated that her parents’ relationship has always been “very loving, caring, respectful.” She said that even the discipline of their children was done in a very loving manner. And while Mike was very busy in the work of the ministry, he always made sure to be very “present” with his children. As a matter of fact, Beverly and Mike home schooled each of them. Many times, Mike would take his children with them on mission trips or visit other churches he had planted. He always taught the children that God must always be first, then the family and then the work of the church. Crissy said that Mike was always a very respectful, loving husband and father. He has always been very optimistic and patient and keeps his calm as he ministers to people. You never see him arguing with people, but always humble and respectful of others.

Now, because of what I know about Mike Creiglow, I am sure he is very humbled by this article. He may even be uncomfortable that I have written it. But there are times when we get the privilege of magnifying the faithfulness of God’s servants because it magnifies the One Who he is serving, and because it is an excellent example to all of us who are also His servants. You see, the faithfulness of Mike Creiglow is not about Mike Creiglow. His faithfulness and perseverance is not attributed to him, but to the gracious and abundant power and grace of His Savior and Lord. Mike is simply a willing servant who loves his Savior, and an exceptional one at that. He is a servant who is dedicated to his Lord and loves Him supremely. And because that is true, his desire is that glory is given only to our God.

Why does Mike Creiglow love mission work and the ministry of the local church so much? Because he has been made one of Christ’s sheep like all of us who have been redeemed by His grace, and Jesus said that His sheep naturally “follow Him” (John 10:27). Mike is simply following his Good Shepherd where He has called him. And his humility, love, patience, kindness, and perseverance are attributed to the same Holy Spirit Who indwells every believer. 

As I watched Mike for only a few days, I saw a man who has a deep passion for the lost. His calling is evident, that he seeks to do all he can to advance the kingdom of Christ there in Brazil. Mike desires to preach the gospel to everyone to his last breath.

But what is the power behind Mike’s many years of faithfulness? His daughter Chrissy attributes it to his daily commitment to private time in the Word, which she has observed throughout his life. Mike never misses it. Those closest to him testify to the fact that regardless of where he might be (even many miles up the river), Mike never neglects his time in the Word and in prayer, for it is his lifeline. It is the essential thing.

Mike Creiglow is what I have called “a soldier” of Christ. Why do I use that term? Because of his many years of faithfulness and his perpetual heart of humility. He has endured many tough times through the years of ministry in western Brazil. His ministry requires much wisdom, strength, patience, and a strong reliance on the providence of God. Mike knows this and depends on the provision of His Lord in every area of gospel work required of him.

But in the end, Mike simply did what Paul said must be true for all of his sheep. Paul wrote to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3-4, “(3) You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (4) No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Mike has and still is “pleas[ing] Him who enlisted him as a soldier”. He is fighting the good fight of faith each and every day. And there is no doubt that he does it with the belief that he is like the servant plowing the field or tending the sheep in Luke 17:10. At the end of his years of service to Christ he (and each of us) can only say, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'”