Meet our Pastor

Greetings,

The question of being a “lifelong Methodist” has always been an interesting one to me. I was born and raised in the Methodist Church, but for me, this meant I never had to give any serious thought to my faith. It was simply part of the normal rhythm of life and required no real consideration or commitment on my part. God would be sure to fix that!

After pursuing a variety of career interests across the country with little to no sustainable success, there came a day when God graciously opened my eyes to the purpose He intended for my life. Not only did God reveal my call into pastoral ministry, but He also instilled within me a passion for discipleship, missions, and evangelism.

Following that call, I served as a missionary to the Khmer people of Cambodia from 2011 to 2016. During this time, I met my wife, Lida, who also served at one of our ministry sites in Phnom Penh. We now have three wonderful children who continually ask for a Bible story before bed (I’m beginning to think it’s a ploy to avoid bedtime, but I’ll take it!).

I graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in English. I then attended Saint Paul School of Theology in Leawood, Kansas, where I earned my M.Div. with an emphasis in Wesleyan Studies. Throughout these academic endeavors, I also served as a youth minister and was later appointed as a Licensed Local Pastor in Missouri. 

Returning home once again, I served as the Associate Pastor at Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston. Being ordained as an Elder in the Global Methodist Church while serving at Trinity deepened my bond with the congregation in such a way that they became more than just the church that raised me. They became a faith family that has truly walked with me through my lifelong journey of learning what it means to be a Christian and how to live out that identity through the Methodist Church.

Since arriving in Lafayette in March of 2025, my family and I have been deeply blessed by the wonderful people of Covenant Global Methodist Church. I am excited to be a part of what the Holy Spirit is doing among this grace-filled congregation as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ and share scriptural holiness across the globe.

Blessings,

Rev. Michael Cloud