Mike Linacre was born in England and attended "Church of England"-oriented schools. During his teen years he acquired certificates for achievement in Classical Greek and Theology. In 1961, he came into contact with the Church of God via Radio Luxembourg. In the 1960's, he obtained an M.A. from Cambridge University, where his studies included Buddhism and Shintoism. His early work experience included programming analog computers and, in Tokyo, translating technical manuals. He entered Ambassador College (Bricket Wood) in 1967. On graduation, he became a WCG employee and was soon transferred to Australia where he married Maureen, the receptionist in the Church office. Shortly afterwards he was transferred to Pasadena, where he was on the faculty of Ambassador College and subscription manager for the Plain Truth. After some further transfers, Mike resigned from the WCG and became host of an independent congregation in Connecticut. In 1986, Mike entered a Ph.D. program at the University of Chicago in psychological measurement. He remained on the research staff of U. Chicago until 2001. While there, he took courses in Biblical Hebrew and Greek, the Dead Sea Scrolls and on particular books of the Bible. Since 1989 he has pastored congregations in Illinois and Indiana. His last pastorate before moving to Australia in 2001 was of the Active Bible Church of God in Chicago. He now resides half-way up the east side of Australia, in close proximity to Maureen's extended family. He develops and markets special-purpose statistical software while watching the trees bloom all year round.