Christian Church of Clarendon Hills
Clarendon Hills, Illinois 60514
630-323-3456

• Education: B.A. Lincoln Christian College, Lincoln, IL 1990 (Preaching) M.A. Wheaton College, 1995 (Theology and Church History)
• Experience: Eight years of Youth Ministry at Deer Creek Christian Church, University Park, IL. In current ministry as Senior Minister of the Christian Church of Clarendon Hills since 1997
• Comment to those looking at my sermons: I love to share because I’ve gained invaluable help over the years from countless communicators who have shared with me. I hope that even through the weaknesses and inadequacies I bring to the task of crafting a message, you will find some helpful words or a springboard that launches you into preparing a sermon much more effective than any of these. A sermon that makes Jesus Christ visible, attractive and irresistible.
• Sermon or series that made a difference: "Love is Like That" by Enos Dowling, "Why I Didn’t Quit" by Wayne Smith
• One of my favorite illustrations: I think one of my all-time favorites is a story Tony Campolo tells in his book "The Kindgom of God Is a Party." He organizes a surprise birthday party in a diner in Honolulu for a prostitute named Agnes. The guy who runs the diner discovers Campolo is a minister and sneers, "What kind of church do you belong to anyway?" Campolo says, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning." The guy says, "No you don’t. There’s no church like that. If ther
• Family: Matthew was raised on a farm in Central Illinois and grew up in a home with parents who passionately love Jesus Christ and His Church. He is the youngest of three children. Matthew and his wife, Kim, were married in October of 1997.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: "The mind can only absorb what the seat can endure." (Given to me by my cousin, Steve Schilling, when I was 18 years old after learning I intended to go into the ministry.)
• Books that have had an impact: "The Sacred Romance" by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge, "Worship is a Verb" by Robert Webber, "When God Builds a Church" by Bob Russell, "The Connecting Church" by Randy Frazee, "Well-Intentioned Dragons" by Marshall Shelley
• Hobbies: Running, watching the Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, or the University of Illinois men’s basketball team, reading, playing basketball.
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: Love God with all you’ve got. And love people the same way.

• Some of my writing at IVP Churchlink
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