In July, 1997, after four and a half years serving as youth minister of First Baptist Church (Venus, Texas), Mike Thibodeaux was called by God to begin a new ministry of evangelism and discipleship.  As Mike prayed for a specific purpose and name for this new ministry, God led him to 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”  From this passage, the Holy Spirit inspired both the name for the ministry, Simplicity Ministries®, and the purpose, “Calling generations of all nations to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ!”

In January of 1998, Mike began operating as a sole proprietor, doing business as Simplicity Ministries®, on a part-time basis, while completing two Masters Degrees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.  Simplicity Ministries® was then moved to Laredo, Texas, in January of 1999 while Mike’s wife (“to be” at the time), Debbie completed a three year commitment of service as Baptist Student Ministries Director on the campuses of Laredo Community College and Texas A&M International University.  Simplicity Ministries® incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit  on August 10, 1999.

In March of 2001, God relocated the ministry to its current home in Gresham, OR.