In October, 2005, Matt accepted the call to pastor at Eckhart Baptist Church (EBC). After fulfilling his faculty contract at Appalachian Bible College, Matt, and his wife Amber, and two young boys, Alex and Ben, moved from Beckley, West Virginia, to Frostburg, Maryland, in May 2006.
Born and raised in Frostburg, as a young boy Matt attended EBC with his mother and two older brothers. In 1983, Matt became an orphan and lived in several different family settings. During this season of Matt’s life, Church attendance became less and less a priority.
During the summer of 1991, searching for truth and answers, Matt visited the campus of Appalachian Bible College (ABC). Three weeks later he enrolled as a student. The first person Matt saw on the campus of ABC was Amber Martin. They literally pulled into the parking lot at the same time. Amber was raised by godly parents and accepted Christ as her Savior at the age of four. She grew up attending Independent Bible Church in Martinsburg, WV.
A month after arriving on campus, while attending classes, chapel, and church services, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, Matt recognized his need for a Savior and trusted Jesus Christ to save him from the penalty of his sin. Matt was saved on September 14, 1991.
During the summers of 1992 and 1993, Matt served at EBC as an intern. Amber and Matt dated while students and were married in 1994. Matt graduated from ABC in 1995, and the following year accepted the position of Youth Pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church, where he served until 2004. Matt then returned to ABC and served on the faculty from 2004 to 2006.
Today, besides teaching God’s Word and spending time with his family, Matt enjoys many sports, working in the yard, and taking walks with Amber.
Pastor Matt’s life verse is I Timothy 1:12 - “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful putting me into the ministry.”
