Making Jesus Known, One Life at a Time

Michelle Coleman (SBL ’22) credits Regent — and generous donors — for preparing her to lead the Asheville Dream Center’s life-changing work.

When Hurricane Helene struck Asheville, North Carolina, in late September 2024, floodwaters ravaged homes and lives across the region. Amid the devastation, Michelle Coleman and her husband, Matthew, were among the first to respond — mobilizing hundreds of volunteers through the Asheville Dream Center, a nonprofit they founded to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of their community.

“As soon as that hurricane hit, my husband and I looked at each other and said, ‘What do we do? Do we go, or do we stay?’ And immediately we both knew — we needed to stay,” Michelle recalls. “It took a lot of grit, the kind I learned from Regent’s Doctor of Strategic Leadership program. It takes grit to finish a doctoral program, and it takes grit to lead through a crisis.”

Under her leadership as Executive Director, the Asheville Dream Center became one of the largest disaster-relief distribution sites in western North Carolina. Working together with Revol Church, where Matthew serves as Senior Pastor, these “spiritual entrepreneurs” served more than 60 churches and nonprofits. Among other relief efforts, they partnered with national organizations such as Operation Blessing and Convoy of Hope to help rebuild or restore 72 homes.

“That wasn’t even part of our mission,” Michelle explains. “But the Lord equipped us for it. I learned how to lead from a servant’s heart during my time at Regent — and how to be strategic with teams, partners, and volunteers. It was a culmination of everything God had been teaching me.”

A Foundation Built on Faith

Long before she became a community leader, Michelle was an athlete, a college coach, and a business professional. A native of Asheville, she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2000 from the University of North Carolina – Asheville, where she played Division 1 basketball. She later earned a master’s in sports marketing and management from the United States Sports Academy in Alabama (2001).

After working at the NBA’s corporate office and serving as an Assistant Basketball Coach at the College of Charleston, Michelle had built a thriving sports career. Yet she felt God calling her deeper into ministry.

“I went to the Los Angeles Dream Center in 2008 for what I thought would be a 10-month leadership school — but it changed my whole life,” she says. “I was assigned to South Central LA, working in ‘gang land.’ When you share Jesus with people and see transformation happen over time, it’s incredible. I remember waking up every day at the Dream Center thinking, ‘God, I can’t wait to see what You’re going to do today.’”

That’s where she met Matthew — “with two Ts,” she points out — who shared her passion for helping the hurting. The couple married in 2012 and spent five years in Sacramento launching “Love Our City,” an ambitious outreach initiative at Destiny Church.

“We did huge community events, adopted schools, and partnered with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings,” Michelle shares. “But at the core, it was about linking arms with people and walking through life together.”

Equipped to Lead and Serve

In 2017, Michelle and Matthew returned to Asheville to care for her ailing father. There, she joined the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as Marketing Manager at The Cove. “It was an incredible time to be part of that organization,” she says. “I saw so many people come to know the Lord during that season.”

While working at The Cove, Michelle began praying about pursuing a doctoral degree to strengthen her leadership skills. “I had started leading teams and knew I needed to grow,” she insists. “When I found Regent University’s Doctor of Strategic Leadership program, it really stood out to me because it’s a strong Christian university — and its mission is to raise up leaders who will change the world. That spoke to me.”

She enrolled at Regent University’s School of Business & Leadership (SBL) in 2018. The doctoral program’s rigor challenged her, but through professors like Dr. Kathleen Patterson and SBL Dean Dr. Doris Gomez, Michelle discovered what it truly means to lead like Jesus. “They challenged us to use what we were learning to transform the world,” she recalls.

“At the end of our on-campus residency, they washed our feet (John 13),” Michelle says. “I had never seen anything like it — professors and the Dean kneeling down to wash the feet of their students. It changed me. Now, every year, we wash our team’s feet at the Dream Center and at our church. That act of humility came directly from Regent, following the example of Christ.”

Dreams That Became Reality

In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michelle and Matthew launched both the Asheville Dream Center and Revol Church. “We started both within a few months of each other,” she remembers. “Now I look back and think, maybe I would’ve changed the timing, but God was faithful.”

The Dream Center is a 24/7 outreach ministry with a simple yet profound mission: to make Jesus known and inspire people to serve. Its impact includes recovery programs, youth mentoring, single-mother support, education and career readiness, reentry programs, and human-trafficking prevention. Through it all, Michelle remains focused on one purpose — sharing the hope of Christ.

“What I learned at Regent about servant leadership has had the most impact here,” she explains. “It’s really about serving people the way Jesus would — meeting practical needs, but always pointing them to Him.”

Her leadership and compassion have not gone unnoticed. National outlets such as Good Morning America and NBC News Now have featured the Dream Center’s work — during and after last year’s hurricane response. “Those moments reminded me that when you step out in faith, God can use your life to touch others far beyond what you imagined,” she insists.

Sowing Seeds That Produce a Harvest

Michelle credits Regent University — and the generosity of its supporters — for preparing her to lead with excellence and conviction. “I’m beyond thankful for every donor who gives to Regent,” she shares. “When they sow seed into the university, it produces a harvest. They may never see it, but that one seed touches so many others. Maybe a donor helps one student, but that student goes on to reach hundreds or even thousands. That’s what’s happened in my life.”

From the basketball court to the boardroom, and from the streets of South-Central Los Angeles to the flood-ravaged neighborhoods of Asheville, Michelle Coleman’s journey is a living testimony of God’s redeeming power — and of Regent University’s mission to equip Christian servant-leaders to change the world for His glory.