Written By: Michael W. Boler
Michael Boler is no stranger when responding to disasters. His involvement in establishing and leading the Christian Emergency Network’s first state and citywide network ReadyIndy has proven time and again the principles of ministry leadership, lived out in a humble obedient manner honoring of the Lord, are always effective. Michael’s 35 years of community leadership experience in his role as a Christian Emergency Network Advisor has inspired the broader Christian community to respond as Jesus would to the hurting and hopeless. His patient and focused leadership style help Christians feel comfortable as they grapple with the challenges of leadership as no question posed to Michael Boler is too big or too small. As a CEN ReadyCity/Church trainer himself, he will clearly and patiently help you identify your community needs; assess your state, city or church capacities; prepare your emergency teams; and assist you as you facilitate a biblical response to crisis of all kinds. Michael’s “calling” is to equip Christians to be ready and respond to those facing crisis with the Gospel. This unwavering spirit has earned him a respected name within the State of Indiana and well beyond. His gifts in leadership, technology, emergency management, public relations, organizational development, and his gift of encouragement all strengthen his ability to coach others throughout the entire Christian response to recovery process. Since leading the ReadyIndy response team, Michael gained the experience and knowledge to stand up a Christian emergency team spontaneously within a crisis as he developed CEN’s first “Virtual Ready to Respond” team. Michael deploys his virtual team nationwide to assist local leaders in forming their own ReadyCity or ReadyChurch teams after any crisis is underway. As any good first responder knows, Michael also understands having a balanced life between responding to a crisis and then recovering from it through resuming restorative activities is key to an effective Christian responder. He learned this vital principle early in life when he graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis, IN and became the President of the North Central High School Madrigal and Midlevel Choirs to re-focus the lives of young students. In the U.S. Navy, Michael learned the essential skills of an Operations Specialist in the Combat Information Center in Chesapeake, VA. His radar, sonar, navigation, information gathering, and communications skills learned in the Navy are now put to good use in his role as a national CEN Advisor and when called upon as Incident Commander during a crisis. Michael models courage in the face of danger in his ReadyIndy Administrator role as in the past when he graduated near the top of his class in the Navy yet chose his first command to be aboard the USS LaSalle AGF-3 - the command flagship of the Middle East during a time of intense crisis. Michael spent a year in the Persian Gulf and traveled extensively to places such as: Oman, Pakistan, Dubai, Kenya, UAE, Spain, Portugal, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. After his Navy career, Michael began his own printing business where he became a consultant in the technical industry in computer training and graphics. He was chosen by DART, the Direct Action Research and Training Center, a “grass roots” national non-profit network of 22 affiliated congregation-based community organizations, for advanced training. The affiliated organizations later became the Indianapolis Partnership for Faith and Community. He led the group of 30 plus churches in relationship building and project implementation. And, for the past 10 years Michael has served on the leadership team of Indiana’s Christian Business Men’s Connection. Call upon Michael when you have a question that requires the perspective of a seasoned mature facilitator in: city reaching, relationship building across the aisles of government and first responders, and law enforcement and the faith community, or when you are preparing your own leadership to be ready to respond to any crisis large and small.
