Mike has said that his five grown children are all the credentials he needs as an authority on child raising. And anyone wanting to know about his five children--and their children--can read the "Meet the Pearls" page on his website, nogreaterjoy.org.
But there's something fishy about the "Meet the Pearls" page. Over the course of the previous four years, it remained unchanged right up until September 2015. It seemed high time for an update on the number of grandchildren, since three of their children had announced a 'newest' member way back in 2011. But when the page was finally updated, something chilling happened. Yes, Shalom had two more children--the rest had left bearing--but what had happened to the three of Gabe's? Of what follows, that in bold had been quietly deleted from his update.
Gabriel Pearl is the firstborn son of Mike and Debi. He is a leader in the community, a man of integrity, and a fine example to the many young men whom he employs and teaches. Gabriel is a builder, hunter, and “volleyball king” of the community. Lori is right beside him on every project, from the volleyball court to the deer stand. Gabe and Lori are parents of Jocelyn, Laife and their newest addition, Joshua Gabriel.You see, several months after their fourth child, Liam (Mike and Debi's unacknowledged* 21st grandchild), was born, Gabe's wife Lori left him, took the kids back to her parents' home near Columbus, started working, and changed her name. We could say they got a divorce, but--following Mike's no-license policy--they'd never been legally married. Thus there was no legal impediment for her to leave him, nor for Gabe to add another wife, Elizabeth, in April of 2017.
Now, the fact that his oldest son is 'divorced and remarried' may not be a direct reflection on Mike Pearl's childrearing credentials. And it's certainly an awkward situation to find himself in. But a lack of honesty does impinge on his credibility. And it's a concern that, like Arthur Blessitt and Pat Williams, Mike Pearl has gone online to cover up a failed marriage, even to the point of deleting mention of three of his twenty-one grandchildren--and pretending that the last one* hadn't even been born.
That's not being honest.
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From the archives: first version of "Meet the Pearls" page, Dec. 2011 - Aug. 2015
Michael & Debi Pearl
Rebekah (Pearl) Anast
Rebekah Anast is the firstborn child of Michael and Debi Pearl and author of the book Rebekahs Diary. Her husband Gabriel is a web designer. Gabe and Beka are so much alike we get them confused sometimes. They enjoy biking and exploring the high desert of New Mexico with their six children, Joseph Courage, Ryshoni Joy, Hannah Sunshine, Elijah Music, Chaiyah Eve and newest addition Alitsia Rin.Gabriel Pearl
Gabriel Pearl is the firstborn son of Mike and Debi. He is a leader in the community, a man of integrity, and a fine example to the many young men whom he employs and teaches. Gabriel is a builder, hunter, and “volleyball king” of the community. Lori is right beside him on every project, from the volleyball court to the deer stand. Gabe and Lori are parents of Jocelyn, Laife and their newest addition, Joshua Gabriel.Nathan Pearl
Nathan and Zephyr reside in TN along with their four children. Nathan is the Pearls’ third child. Like his dad, Nathan has a love for study, writing, and awful puns. He is also a builder, and invests a lot of time in the young men of the community. Zephyr is Nathan’s best buddy, and if you need a rock-bottom price on anything Zephyr knows where to find it. Nathan and Zephyr also own Cane Creek Coffee, which offers high-mountain, naturally-grown coffee and Amish soy candles. They discovered this coffee while traveling around the Honduran countryside, and could not live without it.
Shalom (Pearl) Brand
Shalom is Mike and Debi’s fourth child. She is married to Justin Brand, auto mechanic and metal artist. Justin and Shalom often accompany Mike and Debi on their seminars, making arrangements, driving, and selling books and audio materials. Shalom has always been the most energetic person in the family and the cheerful mediator in any situation. Daughter Gracie is as cute as a bug and just as energetic! Laila Truth looks just like her mama. The newest member of the family is a little boy, Parker Ford.Shoshanna (Pearl) Easling
Shoshanna is Mike and Debi’s fifth child. She is married to James Easling, inventor and builder. They are the owners of The Bulk Herb Store, Thread Tree, Shoshanna Gardens, and Well Tell Me. James and Shoshanna live in middle Tennessee with their son, Jeremiah James, and daughter, Penelope Jane, where they operate their businesses. They are in love with each other and life in general, and dont seem to be able to stop smiling.------------------------------------------------------
The following version has been on the site since September 2015. The other changes to the Pearl children's biographies are:
and (deleted: newest addition) Alitsia Rin.
deleted: Nathan and Zephyr reside in TN along with their four children. . . . Nathan and Zephyr also own Cane Creek Coffee, which offers high-mountain, naturally-grown coffee and Amish soy candles. They discovered this coffee while traveling around the Honduran countryside, and could not live without it.
added: Nathan and Zephyr and their four children live in Hawaii.
added: Nathan and Zephyr and their four children live in Hawaii.
deleted: the newest addition is
added: is all boy and loves dirt bikes. Roland and Hudson are the latest additions.
added: is all boy and loves dirt bikes. Roland and Hudson are the latest additions.
Michael & Debi Pearl
Michael and Debi Pearl were both raised in Memphis, Tennessee, in good homes, by parents who were faithful to point them to God. Mike, a graduate of Mid-South Bible College in Memphis (now Victory University), has been active in evangelism and the work of the ministry since he was a teenager. He worked with Union Mission in Memphis for 25 years, while he and Debi also ministered to the many military families in Memphis and pastored churches. They moved to rural Tennessee where they continued in the work by holding Bible studies in local homes, which eventually led to regular meetings of the local body of believers, and by starting the prison ministry. God eventually led them into the ministry of writing on child training and family relationships, which they now feel is their life’s work and calling. In addition to the child training ministry, the work of the prison ministry, missions, Bible studies, and family life is still ongoing. The Pearls have been married since 1971, and have 5 children and 20 grandchildren (and counting!). The Pearl children have always been involved in their parents’ ministry, and in their adulthood continue to be involved in some way in ministering where they are.Rebekah (Pearl) Anast
Rebekah Anast is the firstborn child of Michael and Debi Pearl and author of the book Rebekahs Diary. Her husband Gabriel is a web designer. Gabe and Beka are so much alike we get them confused sometimes. They enjoy biking and exploring the high desert of New Mexico with their six children, Joseph Courage, Ryshoni Joy, Hannah Sunshine, Elijah Music, Chaiyah Eve and Alitsia Rin.Gabriel Pearl
Gabriel Pearl is the firstborn son of Mike and Debi. He is a leader in his community, a man of integrity, and a fine example to the many young men he employs and teaches. Gabriel is a builder, hunter, outdoorsman, and “volleyball king.”Nathan Pearl
Nathan is the Pearls’ third child. Like his dad, Nathan has a love for study, writing, and awful puns. He is also a builder, and has invested a lot of time in the young men of the community. Zephyr is Nathan’s best buddy, and if you need a rock-bottom price on anythingZephyr knows where to find it. Nathan and Zephyr and their four children live in Hawaii.
Shalom (Pearl) Brand
Shalom is Mike and Debi’s fourth child. She is married to Justin Brand, auto mechanic and metal artist. Justin and Shalom often accompany Mike and Debi on their seminars, making arrangements, driving, and selling books and audio materials. Shalom has always been the most energetic person in the family and the cheerful mediator in any situation. Daughter Gracie is as cute as a bug and just as energetic! Laila Truth looks just like her mama. Parker Ford is all boy and loves dirt bikes. Roland and Hudson are the latest additions.Shoshanna (Pearl) Easling
Shoshanna is Mike and Debi’s fifth child. She is married to James Easling, inventor and builder. They are the owners of The Bulk Herb Store, Shoshanna Gardens, and Well Tell Me. James and Shoshanna live in middle Tennessee with their son, Jeremiah James, and daughter, Penelope Jane, where they operate their businesses. They are in love with each other and life in general, and dont seem to be able to stop smiling.
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And finally, Gabe's article lauding his wife on the ngj website.
Lori in better days . . .
Fog caused by the heavy dew from the night before was making it hard to see in the early dawn light. Looking at the sky through the thick canopy of trees, I guessed it was about 20 minutes before sunup. The wind was light but steady, drifting down the valley we were in. We had a large poplar tree about 3 feet in diameter to our backs. I was debating whether I should go ahead and put a new tape in my brand-new, high-definition Sony camcorder when I heard a little sound. It was faint and seemed to come from up the hill. I didn’t think it could be a deer, because we had just walked off that ridge in the pre-dawn twilight not 10 minutes before, and even though we tried to be quiet, we definitely snapped a few twigs; yet there was that crunch again. I was sure now that I heard it, and that it was close. As I strained to see through the thick atmosphere, suddenly the huge rack of a buck distinguished itself from the fog. You never get over that first-sight thrill.
It was mid November, the time of year in Tennessee when people don their ridiculously orange vests and hats, get up in the morning 2 hours earlier than anyone should be up, and excitedly go out to sit in the cold woods without moving until every bone in their body is sore from sitting in one spot, just in hopes of seeing a deer. We call it deer season, and I love every bit of it.
I was blessed to marry a woman who not only understands my love for the woods, but likes to get out and deer hunt with me sometimes. But duties at home have kept her mostly out of the woods for the last few years, so you can imagine my excitement when her sister happily volunteered to babysit, freeing my wife to go with me on opening morning of rifle season. We decided the night before that I would just carry the camera, and she would do all the shooting. Our living room looked like a sporting goods store, with camouflage, deer calls, and gear spread out all over the floor.
I must admit that I was thoroughly zonked when the alarm clock went off, but after a microwaved bacon biscuit and a horrible cup of instant coffee from the local gas station, we were ready to go.
The piece of property we hunt on is over 600 acres of prime deer and turkey habitat in middle Tennessee, surrounded by creeks, rivers, and cornfields. I leased it about 4 years ago, with hopes that careful management might produce trophy bucks one day. What I mean by managing it is simply: We don’t shoot any young deer (less than 3 years old). Anywhere from 4 to 6 is getting old for a deer.
I consider myself a dedicated hunter, out there every year and throughout the season, sitting high in tree stands nearly every day, waiting for that trophy buck. So far, I’ve taken only 1 trophy buck on this new piece of property, and that was last year.
As a rule, I usually try to walk to my tree stands to keep the deer from knowing that I’m coming, but Lori is 7 months pregnant, a condition not really conducive to long walks in the dark with rubber boots on, so I opted to drive the 4-wheeler as close as possible. I turned the lights off about the last 400 yards and squinted my eyes in the early twilight to stay in the middle of the logging road.
Now here we were, sitting at the base of this old tree with a trophy buck walking our way. With one glance I could see the buck was 4, maybe 5 years old, definitely a mature 8-pointer. I couldn’t believe it. He was scent-checking a small tree only about 25 feet away. In a hushed, excited whisper, I told Lori, “Don’t move, there’s a buck.”
“Where?” she silently mouthed. She was looking up the ridge to her left, but just at that moment, the buck began to walk out into clear view. At 20 yards away now, it walked behind a large tree. That was the chance she was waiting for. I proudly watched as she seized the moment and brought her .308 up to her shoulder in one swift motion. The safety, normally silent, broke the morning silence with a faint snap. That was all it took. This deer had not made it to his ripe old age by being stupid. Peering around the edge of the tree with only his eyes and ears sticking out, he quickly picked out our camouflaged forms sitting against the tree. In a flash, he threw up his tail and began to run up the valley away from us. As a last ditch effort, I whistled as loudly as I could in hopes of startling him into stopping to investigate the sound. At 80 yards, he stopped for a brief second to look back. That was all she needed. Lori had been following him in the scope the whole time, and as quickly as it started, it was over. I got some kind of woman!
Used by permission.
The former Lori Pearl, now in her new life as a working single mom:
photo posted to numerous websites
*On the back cover of his 2015 book, The Bible on Divorce and Remarriage (in which he says a divorced and remarried person should repent of it before the church), Mike says that he and Debi have "more than twenty grandchildren."
UPDATE July 2018: Shoshana announced on Instagram that she and James have entered a government-approved civil union, for the purpose of estate planning.
UPDATE July 2018: Shoshana announced on Instagram that she and James have entered a government-approved civil union, for the purpose of estate planning.
