Michael Youssef was born in 1948 in Assuit, Egypt. He was raised in a Christian home, but often tells of how he was saved in 1964 at the age of 16. During the Six-Day War Youssef left Egypt for Lebanon where, after six months, he visited the Australian embassy and was granted a temporary visa to that country. While in Australia, Youssef studied at Moore Theological College in Sydney, was ordained as a minister, and met his wife, Elizabeth.