Biography Early Years Pastor Michael Vassell grew up in a Christian family within the parish of Kingston.  Born out of wedlock, his father was married and met his mother and had a relationship.  Pastor Michael did not know his mother since she died when he was very young. Subsequently, his father took him to his home in Dunhaney Park to live with his wife and other siblings.  “It wasn’t a good life growing up there.  It was rough and tough,” but one thing Pastor Vassell credits his father for was that he always allowed them to go to church every Saturday morning.  

Pastor Vassell recalls that grew up in the church until he became the Youth President.  At age 19 he accepted the Lord as his saviour and still going strong now that he is 50 years old.  “Being a young man growing up in church was comforting and a great feeling.”  Pastor Vassell recalled that he always looked forward to going to church even when his father not going.   Pastor Vassell recalls taking the bus where he use to Minister, singing on the bus giving glory to God.    

Pastor Vassell attended Kingston Seventh Day Baptist Church.  The decision to surrender to Christ was due to his love for the church, “I learned so much about who God is and what God can do for you.”  

“My father was always a storyteller and was able to speak on a bible passage bringing understanding and clarity.”  These were some of the things that prompted the decision to serve Christ and give his life for him.  I always had a passion to serve.  I loved to see the people at the pulpit and always said to myself as a young boy that I would love to be a Pastor, preaching the word.  It was his passion, his dream.  

Working Life 

Pastor Vassell always admired a policeman in uniform as he differentiated his secular career from his spiritual career.  “I was impressed at how the police maintained law and order” and that sparked his love for policing.  Pastor Vassell recalls that he decided to join the police force on January 27, 1997, despite one of his sisters not wanting it to be so.  “I went behind her back and did the training.  The training was rough.  You had to be up from 4:00 -4:30 a.m. in the morning, exercise and drills.” 

That is where he developed a passion for policing and left training school on August 29, 1997.   Pastor Vassell recalls that the first time he did the test, he was told he was too short and was told to do some swimming to gain some height, but that never deterred him and so he entered the force. In reflecting, Pastor Vassell stated that it has been a good journey for him in Law Enforcement.  

“It’s not easy being a policeman and serving the Lord at the same time”, laments Pastor Vassell, “especially when persons are not inclined to the way of the Lord.”  You find that the values instilled from childhood made it easier for him but he never gave up on his dream to be a Pastor.    

The Call 

After leaving St Andrew North, Pastor Vassell was stationed at King’s House which meant he was no longer on the street and so he had more time to focus on the word.  The Lord spoke to others to tell him that he was being called to be a Pastor.  Once he went to a fasting service in Portmore, St. Catherine where someone identified him and said he would complete his studies (He had started Jamaica Theological Seminary, but came out and stopped due to financial reasons.) and be a pastor.  His sister and wife also received confirmation about his calling. He went to TBC where he received confirmation.  

Pastor Vassell was ordained in June 2021, he studied at ISOM (International School of Ministry) where he did a certificate course in Intercessory in 2012 (January). Pastor Vassell then went on to the Diploma in Ministerial Studies from ISOM, which both he and his wife completed in 2020.  Presently enrolled in JTS, pursuing a BA in Theology.  He and his wife supported each other in Ministry.  Even before ordination, he and his wife were involved in Ministry locally and internationally.  They were involved in counselling, restoration of marriages and ministering to persons who were suicidal, deliverance through the Holy Spirit.  Husband and wife are a team.  

The Lord has strategically placed him to shepherd the flock at Miracle Praise Worship Centre (MPWC).  He is determined to do what God wants and not what man wants.  Pastor Vassell is quite familiar with the community of Grants Pen in which the church is located as he has had to patrol the area in his capacity as a policeman.  He will carry out the will of God with the support system that is available to him.  

Pastor Vassell does a devotional every morning which started in March 2021 and has greatly ministered to the lives of people.  

Pastor Vassell has not received formal training in sermon writing but his childhood church had a mentorship programme.  This is one such programme that he would like to integrate into MPWC.  The programme was created on the skill of moderating.  He believes that it is the prompting and the impartation of the Holy Ghost that has equipped him for presenting and imparting the word of God.