Peter Mehl along with his wife Jill founded Russian Harvest Ministries when they walked away from a successful business in 1993 and moved their family to Moscow, Russia right after the former Soviet Union collapsed.  Currently the ministry averages over 150 village crusades per year in the nations of Ukraine and Moldova. 

Born in Moorhead, Minnesota Peter was raised in humble surroundings. Life around him included gangs, drugs, and violence. He tried to stay out of it by involvement in sports like wrestling and competitive weight lifting, winning state and regional championships and eventually setting both American and world records in the drug free World Natural Power-lifting Federation.

Visit: www.petermehl.com

On February 6th, 1976 Peter married his high school sweetheart, Jill Marie Olson, now married 33 years with three grown daughters, all serving Jesus! Peter has an earned Doctorate in Biblical Studies and a Ph.D in Church Administration and Missions. But as he says “They hang on my wall – that’s it. The real value comes in a personal and abiding relationship with the Holy Spirit.”

On July 3rd, 1981 Peter and his wife, Jill, repented and received Jesus the same night, vowing to serve Him with hearts of passion. In Jill’s words “Peter went ballistic! He was in church twice on Sunday’s, Wednesday nights, Saturday morning and evening prayer and then involved in anything that had to do with evangelism or missions.”

After building several successful businesses and serving in multiple capacities at his home church Peter began hearing the call of God to give everything away and go to the nations, specifically the former Soviet Union. 

On February 1st, 1993, after giving away his businesses, a real estate firm, land and more Peter took his wife and children and left America to launch Russian Harvest Ministries. Since that time the ministry has pioneered churches in every state of the nation, trained over 15,000 students, launched Bible schools, missionary training centers, drug rehab center and much more. 

The ministry focus is now primarily the nation of Ukraine, with a vision to pioneer 1,000 churches. Along with running the ministry Peter makes himself available to speak in churches in America, at conferences, and mission’s conventions.

Peter’s book Behind Enemy Lines is a must read for anyone desiring to know more details of how a couple could leave the affluence of America and pioneer a ministry in the ruins of a collapsed communist regime.  It is a thrilling book of how Russian Harvest Ministries was launched right after the fall of communism.