Living Hope Church
Roselle, Illinois 60172
630-529-8949

• Education: B.A. in Bible/Spanish (Bob Jones University) M.A. in Biblical Counseling (Faith Bible Seminary) in progress
• Experience: Matt is originally from Oak Forest, Illinois though he spent much of his growing up years in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. He studied theology and Spanish for his undergrad and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Faith Bible Seminary (Lafayette, IN). He is certified with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). He has been a foreign missionary in the Madrid and Basque regions of Spain, assisting in the establishment of a church and Christian Camp and enjoys Living Hope’s Spanish ministry (Iglesia Esperanza Viva). He enjoys supporting the Dundee Scottish Pipe Band, serving on the board of Bible Visuals International, and participating in the Chicagoland Gospel Network. Matt’s vision is to see a true Antioch church model established at Living Hope – a church that is multi-cultural and multi-generational – a church that truly reflects heaven, and a church that equips and sends God’s servants locally and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Matt has been married to his loving wife Jill for 21 years, and they have three girls and two boys, residing in Elgin, Illinois.
• Sermon or series that made a difference: Current series: Hosea
• One of my favorite illustrations: I’M ONLY A MIRROR FRAGMENT I want to share with you a story about a very interesting well-educated Greek philosopher whose name is Dr. Alexander Popaderos. And Dr. Popaderos every summer on the island of Crete taught a class on ethics for two weeks. And this particular summer just as he was getting ready to close the class, the last few minutes of the class, he said, “Now are there any questions before we go?” And just as he was getting ready to say, “OK then you’re dismissed,” a little man in the back of the room, a rather timid looking man, sort of carefully raised his hand and said, “Dr. Popaderos,” “Yes” “I have a question” “Yes, what is it?” He said, “I’d like to know, what is the meaning of life?” As you can imagine, people were ready to go home, and they were very irritated by this little fellow’s heavy question! Dr. Popaderos very quickly quieted the group, he said to the class, “You know, if you don’t mind I’d like to answer that question.” He reached into his back pocket, and took out his wallet. He took out of the wallet a little mirror about the size of a fifty-cent piece, honed down on the edges, kind of sparkling. And then he told this tale, he said, “When I was a child, I began to realize that I could have so much fun with that mirror. I would simply catch the glint of the Sun, and shine that mirror into an otherwise darkened place. As I grew older I began to learn that this is no child’s toy. This is really a metaphor for my life. Now I am not the light—I am not the source of the light. I am simply a broken mirror fragment. But if I allow the sun to shine on my mirror fragment, it is amazing what light I can bring into darkness.” Then he said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, that is the meaning of life.” Each of us is a mirror fragment. We are not the Light. We are not the source of the Light. We are simply a broken mirror fragment. But when we permit the SON to hit our mirror fragment, and then bounce off into the life of a darkened heart, there can be change, there can be illumination.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: Always be ready to preach, pray, or die. The central purpose of my preaching must always be the glory of God (i.e. God-centered, not man-centered). Preaching is worse than dead unless it has been assimilated first into the preacher’s life. (John Owen)
• Books that have had an impact: Here are several of my favorites: Chosen by God (R.C. Sproul) Shadow of the Almighty: Life and Testament of Jim Elliot Lectures to My Students (C.H. Spurgeon) The Reformation in England (J.H. Merle d’Aubigné) Let the Nations be Glad (John Piper)
• Something funny that happened while preaching: I was a visiting preacher, and I gave an outrageous illustration about most lawyers and judges being corrupt, not knowing that a high ranking judge for that state was a member of the congregation.
• What I want on my tombstone: Because of Christ, I am more alive today than ever!