About Us

How Shepherd's Heart got started:

the story of founder Michael Wetzel

IIn 2003 God gave Michael Wetzel a vision to birth Shepherd’s Purse, helping street kids who were sleeping in sewers and abandoned buildings in Ukraine.  For almost 23 years our board, volunteers, and supporters have delivered supplies, sent funds, and teams to help in this ministry.  Shepherd’s Purse also built a boy’s home in India and supported it for 10 years.  This ministry has since evolved to also help widows and those suffering from the war.

Michael and Shirley have been married for 54 years and have four married children, all who are serving in ministries.  They also have 10 grandchildren and one great grandson.  Michael served as a senior pastor for almost 15 years, taught writing at a community college, and served as executive director of Shepherd’s Purse (now called Shepherd's Heart).

He has authored 12 books, and over 100 magazine and news articles.  At the beginni0ng of 2026 Michael officially retired at the age of 74 and helped establish the new ministry, “Shepherd’s Heart International Missions,” with his good friend Kerby Rials as the director.  Shirley and Michael plan to continue praying for Ukraine, keeping in touch with our friends there, and helping to support Kerby in prayer and encouragement.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The current board of directors is composed of Executive Director Kerby Rials and board members Dennis Hardy (Mary), Rev. Billy Vigo (Nancy), Alan Bebee (Pam) and Rev. Dennis Selvidge (Marie) along with many volunteers. All board members have been on missions trips and are active in ministry. Rev. Vigo is a graduate of Central Bible College (AG) and has pastored churches in Louisiana. Rev. Selvidge is pastor of Harrison First Assembly of God (Arkansas). Rev. Rials is an active/retired Assemblies of God World Missions missionary and is ordained with the Michigan Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God. He has served for 25 years as a missionary in Russia and Belgium and has pastored churches in Russia, Belgium and the United States. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and Mount Hope Bible Training Institute and has studied at Continental Theological Seminary in Belgium.  

OUR VISION

Our goal is to be a bridge between American and Canadian Christians who want to be involved with fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus by giving or going. This we do by leading missions trips and by assisting pastors and churches with project funds in needy countries. First and foremost we serve the people of Ukraine, but also have ministry in Estonia, Georgia and Guatemala and wherever else the Lord may lead.  Shepherd's Heart takes no administrative percentage from funds given, and all staff are volunteers, so 100 percent of funds go for ministry.

OUR THEOLOGICAL BELIEFS

Shepherd's Heart is an evangelical interdenominational mission, open to working with all Bible-believing and gospel-preaching churches and believers. It adheres to the statement of faith of the National Association of Evangelicals: https://www.nae.org/statement-of-faith/

IRS APPROVAL

Shepherd's Heart was approved by the IRS to take tax-deductible donations (501(c)3 status) in November of 2025.