Veteran World Missionary Fulfilling New Calling as Chaplain Along U.S. – Mexico Border

Thirty-five years. That’s how long Assemblies of God current U.S. missionary Mike McGee and his late wife, Becky, had been serving in Mexico — they absolutely loved it. They had uncommon favor with many communities, local authorities, and even cartel members.  

Over the years, the couple had hosted over 400 work teams, built over 60 churches and Bible school buildings, conducted 32 city-wide crusades across Mexico and Argentina, and for the last two decades of their ministry with AG World Missions, used a project called Kitchen for Kids to daily feed — and have the opportunity to minister to — 21,000 children. Thousands of men, women, boys, and girls gave their lives to Christ through their ministry efforts.

For the McGees, it was an ongoing dream job they planned to serve in the rest of their lives. 

. . . and then, in 2017, God filled them in on His plan — a plan the McGees never saw coming and came at great personal anguish . . . their work in Mexico was finished! God was calling them to a new mission field — the United States. 

LEAVING MEXICO

For the McGees, the hardest part of leaving Mexico was attempting to explain to city leaders, local ministers, and the students at Magdiel Bible Institute the reason for their departure. 

The day Mike stood before a saddened student body, he was at a loss for words. Then he says the Holy Spirit gave him the perfect explanation to share.

“I told them, ‘You’ve always known me as Missionary Mike, but today, the Commander in Chief of the armies in heaven has told me that I’m no longer Missionary Mike — I’m now Soldier Mike. And as a soldier, I’m under orders — I’m not part of the decision process. I am not choosing to leave, but as a soldier, I must obey my orders.’”

Those words in that moment made sense to all in attendance that day, and although tears were still shed, McGee says that the event turned into a beautiful prayer meeting.

SERVING AS CHAPLAIN

Although God had clearly sent the McGees to the United States, the challenging transition resulted in Mike experiencing ongoing panic attacks and the couple spending weeks in prayer and fasting.

“I was encouraged by U.S. Missions to follow what we felt was God’s directive to go across America in prayer and Bible distribution,” McGee says. “I drove the perimeter of the U.S. in prayer for 42 days, pausing to meet with 42 inner city missionaries.”

Not long after the completion of that trip, he felt led to visit every capitol building of the contiguous United States and offer the governor a leather Fire Bible (a Pentecostal study Bible).

But this couldn’t be all that God had in mind, could it?

Finally, God led him to pray the entire border of the U.S. – Mexico border, from Brownsville, Texas, to San Diego, California.

“It was on that trip where I met so many Border Patrol agents,” he says. It was during this time that McGee says he felt the Holy Spirit clarify his new calling.

As shared in an earlier AG News story, he began praying with Border Patrol agents and for the healing of the land, setting out 39 markers (signifying healing as Christ received 39 lashes and as Isaiah 53:5 states “with His stripes we are healed”) along the border with Scripture verses on them.

“The proclamation on that trip (in 2018) was to declare an interruption to the corruption as we prayed for the healing of our land,” McGee says in reference to the drug and human trafficking taking place along the border.

Since then, McGee has made three additional trips from Brownsville, Texas, to San Diego, California, praying with pastors, Border Patrol agents and chaplains, law enforcement officers, and anyone else he feels led to speak to, whether it be in a store, restaurant, gas station, roadside, or along the border.

“I’ve prayed with thousands of Border Patrol agents and, so far I have distributed 14,000 Bibles to Border Patrol personnel,” McGee says. 

To date, McGee has made the Brownsville – San Diego (1,850 miles) journey four times, made the prayer journey of visiting the courthouse of every county (71) on the perimeter of Texas four times, and, as previously cited, visited and prayed over the capitols of 48 states.

“I’m currently in the process of visiting the sheriff’s office of all 254 counties in Texas to pray over and with them — I’m up to 94 right now,” McGee says. “I give each sheriff a leather Bible and then provide their office with no fewer than 50 Law Enforcement New Testaments (Bibles that come with inset notes that apply specifically to law enforcement personnel). I also give the sheriff a red stake (like the ones planted along the border) with II Chronicles 20 (do not fear, the battle is the Lord’s) referenced on it . . . I know that some of them have that stake displayed in their offices.”

HOLY SPIRIT-EMPOWERED

Tim Barker, superintendent of the South Texas Ministry Network, has a decades-long friendship with McGee, and a perspective shared by many.

“Mike has an obsession, a powerful calling to reach the people along the border,” Barker says. “It’s obvious to those he’s influencing that his heart is connected to theirs . . . and it’s the same no matter who he’s with or where he is. I love his dedication to the call — it’s remarkable!”

David Wiss, another long-time friend, has witnessed God using McGee in countless ways, having accompanied him on numerous trips, including bringing teams to work with McGee when he was serving in Mexico.

“Each trip, the Holy Spirit takes Mike to a different position, which builds from one thing to another,” Wiss says. “He’s met all sort of people — governors, dignitaries, ministers, and a lot of key people you didn’t know existed.”

Wiss says that the significance of all these encounters is that it has enabled McGee to develop a network of key people across the country. So, if there’s a need of some kind, whether it’s simply informational or tangible, chances are, no matter what the need or where it is, McGee has a connection to help fulfill that need.

In talking about their trips along the border, Wiss simply points to the Holy Spirit.

“We really don't know where people are, we’re just guided by the Holy Spirit — sometimes we’ll just sit in the vehicle, praying, and won’t move until the Holy Spirit tell us,” Wiss says. “I have many, many stories about the power of prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit . . . how so many times we have just stood somewhere and waited until the person we’re supposed to be there for [whomever the Spirit chooses] shows up.”

Abraham Gallegos, a Border Patrol chaplain, has known McGee for three years.

“We like to use the term ‘hard charger’ in the Border Patrol for someone who really goes full out — nothing stands in their way,” Gallegos. “Mike is a hard charger for the Lord — he’s here to help, no matter what time of day. He’s personally given me words of encouragement as well . . . I’ve never met someone who gets after it so much but yet still be a kind person.”

Barker agrees.

“I don’t know where he gets his energy — he’s a remarkable man,” Barker says about the 71-year-old McGee. “I’ve witnessed him in pretty much every setting you can imagine, and he’s the same every time . . . he’s got this single mindedness, not just for distributing Bibles, but his passion for prayer — he really believes in the power of prayer!”

And Rick Zeismer, pastor of Life Ministries Church in Edinburg, Texas, who has known McGee for over two decades, has witnessed Scripture come to life through McGee.

“We read about walking in the Spirit and hearing the voice of God,” Zeismer says, “but when you hear Mike and see Mike — how God speaks to him in real time . . . he’s a man on a mission, but also a very humble man who is surrendered to God; he takes his time with every person, however long it takes — he’s impacted the lives of so many Border Patrol agents, sheriffs, and fire department personnel!”

THE IMPACTS

In addition to personally impacting the lives of the individuals he ministers with, including Barker, Wiss, Gallegos, and Zeismer, the testimonies of the Holy Spirit working in and through the life of McGee to impact others’ lives are countless.

McGee tells how while doing another prayer drive along the border not too long ago, he prayed that God would lead them to where the desperate agents and most needy were. While driving, he felt the Spirit direct him to turn.

“We came up on these two Border Patrol agents, and they were totally surprised,” McGee says. “They told us no one ever comes out there and they wanted to know how we found them . . . I had the opportunity to pray with them and give them Bibles.”

But that wasn’t the only stop — McGee drove a little further on and came upon another Border Patrol vehicle in God’s exact timing.

“The guy was on his phone, talking in a really loud voice to someone, and was saying something like, ‘I don’t think God hears my prayers, if He does, He doesn’t respond . . . I don’t think God even knows where I’m at,’” McGee recalls. “I tapped on his window and I really startled him. He rolled the window down and I told him, ‘I’m Soldier Mike. I got a message from God for you. God has sent me here and He told me to tell you three specific things . . .”

By the time McGee concluded his conversation, the agent was in tears as he came to understand, due to McGee’s obedience to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, that God loved him enough to send someone specifically to him to confirm His love for him and his family. In fact, McGee was later invited to dinner with the agent’s family where he led the agent’s wife to the Lord!

Barker recalls how McGee and his wife, Becky, came down with COVID in 2021, with Becky dying several months later.

“I would have thought, the life change, the loss, all these things would lead to Mike settling down and just sitting back and enjoying life,” Barker recalls, “but not Mike. He’s got this singlemindedness — it [his calling] is who he is.”

Gallegos makes a point that many may not consider when it comes to McGee’s ministry.

“Those who serve on Border Patrol are very confident, strong, and tough individuals,” he says. “That fact that Mike can connect with them, that he’s able to share God’s Word with them, that tears are shed . . . the enormity of what the Holy Spirit is doing through Mike’s obedience cannot be overstated.”

And it’s not just witnessing on the road for McGee. He hosts banquets and meals for Border Patrol agents and officers as well as for those who minister to them. He goes out of his way to interact with and cross the paths of agents where they are.

The impact of what McGee is doing reaches well beyond Texas and outside of the Assemblies of God.

Shortly after Becky’s death in 2021, McGee received a call from a non-profit, non-denominational group who had conducted an internet search for someone reaching Border Patrol agents with the gospel. They came upon the AG News story about McGee and shortly afterwards, made contact.

“Since that time, Janet Funari and her CAPSTONE ministry has joined with me or supported my efforts in multiple outreaches,” McGee says. “They’ve purchased Bibles for me, helped with appreciation events, brought in baked goods, provided Christmas presents — they’ve become an important and reliable partner in helping me reach Border Patrol agents and officers with the gospel.”

But perhaps Soldier Mike has had no greater impact opportunity than when he arrived on scene following the horrific loss of children’s and teachers’ lives in Uvalde, Texas.

“A friend of mine, Willie, directed me to the station as soon as I arrived,” McGee recalls. “I walked up to the director of Homeland Security, introduced myself as Chaplain Soldier Mike and that I had been ministering to the Border Patrol and officers for years. He told me he was going to speak for 13 minutes and then I could have the rest of the time — I spoke for about 20 minutes and then prayed.”

McGee gave several of the leaders Fire Bibles and distributed 100 Law Enforcement New Testaments to the agents and officers in attendance. He later learned that several in the room had lost loved ones in the shooting.

“God gave me a peace to minister in a horrendous, horrible situation,” McGee says. “And from that moment on, nearly everywhere I go, I have agents and officers asking me, ‘Hey, are you that guy from Uvalde?’ God deployed us with Bibles, prayer, and an anointing to heal hearts that He’s still using to open doors into people’s lives today.”

NOW’S THE TIME

Soldier Mike’s drive — along with his new partner in ministry, his wife, Shelly — to see, not just agents and officers, but families and communities won to Christ is one that has inspired others to take the Great Commission far more seriously.

Wiss offers insight he’s gained through being a part of McGee’s ministry: “We are in moment of history when we need to rise up, stand up, and speak up. People are not going to come to your pew, you need to go to them! You use the pew to recharge your batteries and then go back out.”

Wiss says he’s seen people healed and government officials, agents, and officers “give in” to McGee’s call to salvation without knowing why as the Holy Spirit draws people so powerfully.

“You just never stop loving on folks — that’s the Holy Spirit in you!” Wiss says. “Just ask, ‘Father, what do You want me to do?’ Then wait on His message and respond to the call — it doesn’t have to be big, but just do it!”

Dan Van Veen

Dan Van Veen is news editor of AG News. Prior to transitioning to AG News in 2001, Van Veen served as managing editor of AG U.S. Missions American Horizon magazine for five years. He attends Central Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri, where he and his wife, Lori, teach preschool Sunday School and 4- and 5-year-old Rainbows boys and girls on Wednesdays.