Michael Alfred Warnke (born November 19, 1946) is an American

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

evangelist and

comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...

who was exposed in 1992 for inventing stories of his past as a Satanist. Before being debunked by the Christian magazine ''

Cornerstone A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...

'', he was presented in media appearances as an authority on Satanism.

Early life

Mike Warnke was born in 1946 to parents Alfred "Al" Warnke and Louise Warnke of Evansville,

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

. When he was five years old, the Warnke family moved to

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

, where his father opened a truck stop. In 1955, Warnke's mother was killed in a car accident. In 1958 his father died, leaving Warnke an

orphan An orphan is a child whose parents have died, are unknown, or have permanently abandoned them. It can also refer to a child who has lost only one parent, as the Hebrew language, Hebrew translation, for example, is "fatherless". In some languages ...

. After the death of his father, Warnke was taken to live with two of his aunts in

Sparta Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the Evrotas Valley, valley of Evrotas (river), Evrotas rive ...

, and from there to Mike's half-sister and her husband in San Bernardino,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. In June 1965, he graduated from Rim of the World High School in Lake Arrowhead. That September, Warnke enrolled at San Bernardino Valley College but withdrew after one semester, whereupon by his account, he began his tenure as a Satanist. On June 2, 1966, Warnke enlisted in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. After graduating from boot camp on August 22, 1966, his assigned military occupational specialty was as a hospital corpsman. According to the account of his life in ''The Satan Seller'', Warnke converted to Christianity during boot camp. However, high-school acquaintance Charlotte Tweeten has stated she recalls Warnke proclaiming faith in

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

in the year prior to his navy enlistment in 1966. He also wrote that he began dating fellow Rim of the World High School alumna, Sue Studer, during this time period. This has been disproven, however, and Warnke was actually engaged to Lois Eckenrod at this time. In 1967, he completed naval corpsman training, returned to

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, and married Studer. Together, they had two children. In 1969, Warnke was deployed to

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

for a six-month tour of duty.''Cornerstone'', issue 98: "Records show Warnke was in Vietnam for only six months" Having been wounded in battle during those six months, he was awarded the Purple Heart. Warnke's own written accounts differ on the number of times he sustained injuries during his time in Vietnam. In ''The Satan Seller'', Warnke says he was wounded twice, while in his second book, ''Hitchhiking on Hope Street'', he states he was wounded five times. Despite these wounds received during his tour of duty as a hospital corpsman, second class, Warnke's various accounts have him spending much time detained, allegedly killing a man in battle, and surviving being shot several times, including once by an arrow. Warnke says it was the latter wound for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. Warnke returned to the United States in 1970. While still serving in the navy, Warnke teamed up with San Diego evangelist

Morris Cerullo Morris Cerullo (October 2, 1931 – July 10, 2020) was an American Pentecostal evangelist. He traveled extensively around the world for his ministry. He hosted ''Victory Today'', a daily television program, and published more than 80 books. Ce ...

and was touted for his "Satanist experience". Warnke and Cerullo toured the country participating in

charismatic Charisma () is a personal quality of magnetic charm, persuasion, or appeal. In the fields of sociology and political science, psychology, and management, the term ''charismatic'' describes a type of leadership. In Christian theology, the term ...

revival meetings. Cerullo wanted to write a book about youth occultism, and assigned the writing task to David Balsiger with help from Warnke. In early 1972, Warnke requested and received an early discharge from the navy as a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of conscience or religion. The term has also been extended to objecting to working for the military–indu ...

so that he could work full-time in the ministry. Warnke then left Cerullo's ministry to start his own, forbidding Cerullo to use any of his material. It was at this time that Warnke and Balsiger went on to write the book that would make Warnke famous.

Rise to fame

''The Satan Seller''

In 1972, Warnke's book ''The Satan Seller'' was released, written by Warnke with help from Balsiger and Les Jones. The book tells of Warnke being orphaned as a child and his introduction into Satanism. Further detailed is Warnke's participation in sexual orgies, alcoholism, and drug dealing; his rise in the ranks of Satanism to the level of "high priest"; presiding over Satanic rituals including magical spells, summoning demons, ritual sex including a kidnap and rape; the attempt on his life of a heroin overdose that left him angry and disillusioned; his heroism in Vietnam; and how he found Jesus and came home as an evangelist. The story ends with Warnke living happily in California with wife Sue Studer. In less than three months after the release, ''The Satan Seller'' had become a religious best-seller. The book launched Warnke into stardom within evangelical Christian communities. He became a popular speaker at Christian meeting places such as Melodyland in

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...

. In 1974, he moved his family to attend Trinity Bible College in

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...

as a nine-month preparation for ministry. It was here among other charismatic Christians and recent converts preparing for a life of ministry that Warnke met Carolyn Alberty and the two began an extramarital affair. Warnke also met Elijah Coady, an independent, schismatic bishop of the

Assyrian Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East (ACOE), sometimes called the Church of the East and officially known as the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, is an Eastern Christianity, Eastern Syriac Christianity, Syriac Christian denomin ...

who ordained Warnke as a deacon. Upon graduation, Warnke was again ordained, and he moved with his family to

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

Recordings and wives

In November 1975 at an Indiana coffeehouse, Warnke's talk about his conversion from Satanism to Christianity was incidentally recorded. This recording became his first

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

, ''Alive'', which was soon widely played on Christian radio. Later that same year, despite interventions from pastors and other acclaimed ministers, Warnke left his wife for Alberty and filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in December 1975 and four months later, Warnke married Alberty. Warnke's popularity earned him the cover of the September 1976 issue of the Christian magazine ''Harmony''. In 1977, he released his second album, ''Jester In The King's Court''. In 1978, he recounted his Vietnam experiences on his third album, ''Hey, Doc!''. Warnke's albums became "the most popular Christian comedy albums ever produced".As quoted in ''Cornerstone'' issue 98: During a tour to Hazard,

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

, Warnke met Rose Hall, a thrice-divorced mother of three children, and began courting her while still married to his second wife. His second marriage came to an end when, as Alberty stated in an interview, " arnkethrew me into a wall and split my head open. He said, 'If you go to a local hospital and tell them what your name is, I'll kill you.'" Alberty fled to

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. By November 1979, their divorce was finalized, and Warnke moved to Hall's farm in Kentucky. On January 2, 1980, Warnke and Hall were married. Warnke and his label, Word Records, feuded over an album which he eventually produced and distributed on his own, ''A Christian's Perspective on Halloween'' (1979). Word Records and Warnke reconciled by 1981, resulting in ''Coming Home'' (1981), and now including wife Rose, ''Higher Education'' (1982) and ''Growing Up'' (1983). Under Word's Dayspring label, Warnke then released (solo) ''Stuff Happens'' (1985), ''Good News Tonight'' (1986), ''One In A Million'' (1988), ''Live ... Totally Weird'' (1989). Warnke also made a VHS home video, ''Do You Hear Me?'' (1989). During the 1980s, Warnke's ministry prospered as he and his new wife toured and performed together, raising millions of dollars for their ministry. Contributions to the ministry were over $1 million in 1985, and over $2 million each year from 1987 through 1990. As their popularity waxed, their personal relationship waned. In 1984, Warnke's third wife wrote, "Satan provided a woman to fill the gap in Michael's life."As cited by ''Cornerstone'' expose: The Warnkes separated in 1989 and later divorced in 1991. Six weeks after the divorce was finalized, Warnke married Rim of the World High School alumna Susan Patton.

Extravagant claims

In 1982, Warnke began to exaggerate his achievements. During the 1980s, his claims of academic degrees increased from two

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

s to two

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

s to a Doctorate of Philosophy. In ''The Satan Seller'', Warnke says he was wounded twice while in Vietnam. In ''Hitchhiking on Hope Street'', he said he had been wounded five times. He followed up his interest in the Syro-Chaldean tradition and his 1970s ordination as a deacon with a 1983 ordination by independent bishop Richard Morrill, lately of the Byzantine Catholic Church, Inc. This ordination allowed Warnke to call himself bishop.

National exposure

On May 16, 1985, Warnke appeared in a prime-time news report about Satanism on ABC's '' 20/20''. In the show's episode titled "The Devil Worshippers", Warnke was included in a number of segments where he discussed the implements and clothing used in Satanic ceremonies, a scar allegedly indicating where he was repeatedly cut so that his blood could be used in Satanic ceremonies, and what drew him to Satanism. After Warnke's appearance on ''20/20'', he was frequently cited as an expert on the

occult The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...

by Christian radio host

Bob Larson Bob Larson (born May 28, 1944) is an American radio and Televangelism, television evangelist, and a pastor of Spiritual Freedom Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Larson has authored numerous books critical of rock music and Satanism. Life and career ...

and the Chick Publications stable of authors.

Investigation and debunking

In 1991, ''

'' magazine launched an investigation into Warnke's life and testimony. The previous year, the magazine had debunked Lauren Stratford's story that had been recounted in her book '' Satan's Underground''. Stratford claimed her deep involvement in Satanism led her to partake in a ritual in which her own child was sacrificed. After the exposé showed Stratford's alleged child had never existed, ''Cornerstone'' journalists Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott investigated Warnke and his claims. The ''Cornerstone'' investigation spanned from interviews with over 100 of Warnke's personal friends and acquaintances to his ministry's tax receipts. It revealed a number of inaccuracies and evidence of

fraud In law, fraud is intent (law), intentional deception to deprive a victim of a legal right or to gain from a victim unlawfully or unfairly. Fraud can violate Civil law (common law), civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrato ...

and deceit in Warnke's accounts. During the course of ''Cornerstones investigation, pictures of Warnke taken during the time he was alleged to be a Satanist priest were discovered. Rather than showing an emaciated drug-addict sporting long fingernails and waist-length hair, the pictures showed Warnke as a typical "square" of the mid-1960s. The investigation also revealed Warnke's claims that he and Charles Manson had attended a Satanic ritual to be false; Manson was in federal prison at the time, having no known ties to Satanic churches. The investigation further uncovered that before joining the navy, Warnke had been involved with the college Christian ministry Campus Crusade for Christ. The investigation also revealed the unflattering circumstances surrounding Warnke's multiple marriages, affairs, and divorces. Regarding one Christian intervention attempt, the ''Cornerstone'' article states, " onRiling, Mike Johnson, Wes Yoder, and Mike and Carolyn were there. 'You’d have never guessed that this was a meeting of Christians,' says Riling. 'Mike and Carolyn were swearing the whole time, and they must have gone through a whole pack of cigarettes.'" Most critically, the investigation showed how Warnke could not have done the many things he claimed to have taken part in throughout the nine months he claimed to be a Satanist—including his claims to be a drug-addicted dealer or a Satanic high priest. Before publishing, ''Cornerstone'' contacted Warnke for an interview, but he and the magazine could not agree to terms for such an interview. ''Cornerstone'' revealed its story at the annual Christian Booksellers Association convention in June 1992.

Aftermath

Warnke sent a response to ''Cornerstone'', published in July, insisting he told the truth, stating: Despite these assertions, Warnke did not provide the name of a single Satanist but used invectives against ex-wife Carolyn. In the ensuing months, he conceded parts of the allegations, telling ''

Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "eva ...

'' that there had been only thirteen members of his coven, not 1,500 as originally claimed, and that of those thirteen, the whereabouts of five were unknown to him, while the other eight had since died.Jay Grelen. "Christian comedian says he lied about coven", ''

Lexington Herald-Leader The ''Lexington Herald-Leader'' is a newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the ''1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook'', the paid circulation of the ''Herald-Leader'' is the second larg ...

'', November 3, 1992, page B1. Public response was varied but was nevertheless overwhelmingly against Warnke. Initially, Word Records stated that they would stand by their artist. However, further investigations by local Kentucky reporters at the ''

'' revealed that Warnke's ministry had engaged in financial misdeeds and that, "Mike, his ex-wife Rose, and her brother Neale allreceived a total of $809,680 in salary at a time when the ministry newsletter claimed donations were down and more funds were needed." One week later, Word Records dropped Warnke from its label. Finally, on September 30, 1992, fewer than 100 days after the investigation was made public, Warnke's ministry closed its doors.Jay Grelen. "Christian comedian set to close doors of troubled ministry", ''

'' (KY), September 30, 1992, page C13. In the spring of 1993, Warnke submitted to the authority of an assembly of ministers "acting as elders", acknowledging his "ungodliness", his "multiple divorces", his "failure as husband, father, and friend", and of "embellishment and exaggeration ... in an attempt ... to entertain", and offering to pay back taxes to the federal government. The group recommended specific changes to the ministry, including a

salary cap In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Seve ...

and accountability reports.Tamie Ross. "Laughs stopped for Christian comic: Mike Warnke offers fans new outlook after ministry's crash", ''The Daily Oklahoman'', September 30, 2000, page 1B https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2000/09/30/laughs-stopped-for-christian-comic-mike-warnke-offers-fans-new-outlook-after-ministrys-crash/62178378007/ Nonetheless, he continued to "stand by istestimony of former Satanic involvement",Warnke'
1993 statement of apology and repentance
stating in a 2000 interview with the '' Daily Oklahoman'', "Exaggeration did creep into some of my stories, but my testimony is still my testimony.""Local notes - Controversial comedian", '' The Modesto Bee'' (CA), February 2, 2002, page G1: ''"Mike Warnke, a popular 1970s Christian comedian later accused of fabricating claims about his Satanist past, will speak at Pentecostal Church of God Friday through February 10. ... It is unlikely he will talk about his colorful past, said Hughson Pastor Roy Little. Warnke speaks these days about his current Christian faith."'' As of 2006, a letter posted on Warnke's web site indicated the group had released him as having met their accountability requirements.Monique H. Henderson. "Spotlight: Christian comedian Mike Warnke comes to Rancho Mirage: his humor is in the past", '' The Press-Enterprise'' ( Riverside, CA), October 3, 2007, page B2. In 1997, Warnke suffered a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. In 2000, he began attempting a comeback, limited to small churches in Kentucky. In 2002, he published ''Friendly Fire: A Recovery Guide for Believers Battered by Religion'' (), an account of what he perceived as his unfair treatment by fellow Christians in the wake of the ''Cornerstone'' exposé. By 2004, he was making occasional performing appearances at churches around the country, often referred to simply as "Christian comedian Mike Warnke","This week" (local events column), ''Springfield News-Leader'' (MO), September 15, 2007, page 2C: ''"Shoal Creek Revival Church ... Christian comedian Mike Warnke 7 p.m. today and 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday."''Carol Reiter. "Around Town: Walk for health care" (local events column), ''The Merced Sun-Star'' (CA), April 14, 2007: ''"Calvary Temple Worship Center, ... will present Mike Warnke ... . Warnke will share his life experiences from more than 35 years in World Wide Ministry."''"Access religion" (local events column), ''

The Oklahoman ''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circul ...

'' ( Oklahoma City, OK), August 19, 2006, page 2E: "First Assembly of God of Guthrie, Christian comedian Mike Warnke ... . " and sometimes as a former Satanic priestStaff reports. "Ex-hippie employs comedy to spread God's word", '' El Paso Times'' (TX), October 15, 2004, page 1D: ''"According to his Web site, Warnke was a satanic high priest ... "..."Religion calendar", '' St. Petersburg Times'' (FL), October 21, 2006, PASCO TIMES section, page 5.Barbara Hale. "Around town: Mike Warnke entertains", ''The Merced Sun-Star'' (CA), August 3, 2006, page 2: ''"A man who has spent 34 years ministering to the lost and brokenhearted is coming to Merced to share his comedic style that gains the attention of listeners. The speaker is Mike Warnke, an ex-satanist high priest, hippie, drug addict, pusher and Naval hospital corpsman attached to a U.S. Marine Corps unit in Vietnam. ..."'' although some mentions in the news referred to the ''Cornerstone'' exposé. Presently, Warnke operates a website which describes him as a former satanic priest and solicits online donations.

References

External links

Mike Warnke and Celebrations of Hope
official website * by Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott {{DEFAULTSORT:Warnke, Mike 1946 births Living people 20th-century evangelicals 20th-century hoaxes 21st-century evangelicals American autobiographers American evangelicals American male comedians United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War Comedians from California Hoaxes in the United States Impostors People from Kentucky People from Manchester, Tennessee People from San Bernardino, California Religious scandals Satanic ritual abuse hysteria in the United States United States Navy sailors Writers from Evansville, Indiana