Michael spent his childhood in Florida, while Janice grew up in a pastor's home in California and Idaho. Both graduated from Bob Jones University and met in Columbia, SC, while pursuing further education from University of South Carolina. From early on, both Michael and Janice were committed to serving the Lord on the mission field.

The Berbins arrived in Papua New Guine a in January 1997 and began working in the village of Erima in the Simbu province with veteran Australian missionaries, Dave and Julie Crowe. Together, the two men would travel to different villages each week to preach in their markets. Several people in Aibai were saved through this preaching. They built their own church building and invited the missionaries to come preach.

In August 1998, the Lord directed Michael and Janice Berbin to move to Aibai so they could meet regularly with the young Christians there. Until their house was completed, they traveled from Erima for services at Victory Baptist Church in Aibai. Michael also began a Bible school for any adult interested in learning more about the Bible.

They began other ministries - a clinic ministry, an evangelistic preaching circuit in all of the communal houses, and a Christian school. Michael currently pastors Victory Baptist Church in Aibai and Rapture Baptist Church in the nearby village of Kilau. Matt and Rebekah Crain, Jennifer Pearson and Belinda Richter serve as part of the Aibai team. The Berbins have three sons - Jonathan, Alan and Ryan.