It all started when...

Matt was a prodigal preacher’s kid who ran away from home at 15, ended up in Hollywood where he worked in the music business and directed music videos for Latin MTV. He returned to his hometown of Portsmouth, OH in 1991 and after a wasted year of college, he entered politics (which is just Hollywood for ugly people). Matt worked for 2 Congressional campaigns and spent 2 years working on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide during the “Gingrich Years” of 1995-1997.

It was during this time that Matt was diagnosed with cancer and came to faith in Christ. After graduating from Shawnee State University in 1998 with a B.A. in History, Matt studied New Testament Greek at  Kentucky Christian University and then earned an a Master of Divinity from the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University.

Matt then graduated from Cornell Law School in 2004 while pastoring a small church in Ithaca, New York.  He then spent a few years working in a large corporate law firm in West Virginia while also serving as an interim pastor for small churches. Matt became a Teaching Pastor at Christ’s Community Church (www.christscommunity.net) in 2006 and served as one of the leaders for a church plant in 2008.

Matt also worked as Director of Leadership Development for Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian First Amendment law firm, from 2008-2016. During that time he spoke at churches, ministries and conferences around the country on their Constitutional rights and how to protect themselves from lawsuits.

Matt has earned certificates in apologetics from BIOLA University and Dr. Frank Turek’s Cross Examined Instructor’s Academy. Matt has published articles in The Journal for Case Teaching and Wineskins magazine.

Matt is currently earning a PhD in New Testament.

He is married to Megan Rawlings who is the Founder & CEO of The Bold Movement (theboldmovement.com), a ministry with the goal of teaching women how to study Scripture.

Matt’s son Jackson lives in Virginia, where he is studying to be a filmmaker. The two co-host the podcast “Father and Son Watch Horror Movies” (fatherandsonwatchhorror.com/podcast).

When Matt isn’t studying or preaching, he enjoys watching movies, rooting for the Kentucky Wildcats, listening to podcasts and really loud music!