In one of his letters, the Apostle Paul wrote, “God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.” (2 Corinthians 7:6 NLT). You don’t have to be discouraged to be encouraged by other pastors. One thing is certain, we need each other when times are terrific and terrible. Sometimes we need older mentors and sometimes we need seasoned veterans, and sometimes we need the passion of youth. One of the leaders I’ve had the privilege of getting to know in 2019 is a young pastor who serves a thriving church in the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, OH. I met Matt through a social media group we both belong to and in our short friendship, I’ve learned a bunch from this passionate, young pastor. If you’re a young leader, new to your post, or work with those who are, I think you’ll greatly enjoy this interview!
Matt, thanks for joining me in the conversation. Let’s start with your story. How did you end up in this role at your church?
While attending church was a priority in my family as I grew up, I never truly got immersed into a community of believers my own age. As a result, I became an independent person, whose emotions, actions, and goals were self-centered and seldom shared with others. God changed my life through the presence of Christian community. Getting connected with other believers through various college ministries (Navigators and h2o) allowed me to visibly witness and experience grace as I opened up my life, shared my sin, and maintained accountability with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
When I graduated from college in March 2011, I considered several options including going on staff with a college ministry, going to seminary, and ...
