Ash was born in Rockledge, Florida as the second son of an eventual four boys. He currently lives in Ogden, Utah. He and his wife Christine are the parents of three daughters and grandparents of four grandchildren.

Ash is on the management team for the Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR), an international, volunteer, non-profit organization that produces material defending the LDS faith and answers queries from members (and investigators) who have challenging questions about Mormonism. Ash has written dozens of articles for FAIR as well as his own apologetic website, MormonFortress.com.

Ash has also written articles for the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), A Journal of Mormon Thought, and Sunstone Magazine.

In June 2008, FAIR published Ash's LDS apologetic book entitled, Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One's Testimony in Face of Criticism and Doubt which has received mostly positive reviews.

In December 2008, Cedar Fort published Ash's book, Of Faith and Reason: 80 Evidences Supporting the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Michael writes a weekly column about LDS issues for the Deseret News (and Church News) owned online publication, the Mormon Times.