Wednesday, I did something that I have never done. I mounted a flagpole at my house and hung up the American flag in preparation for the 4th of July.  Some of you love the flag. Others of you, not so much. I get it. I had mixed feelings about hanging up the flag. With injustices still pervasive in our country and the broken nature of our politics, there are many who wonder if our country is worth ...  Read More

Recently someone asked me, “Matt, why do you talk about Jesus so much?” They went on to explain that they usually think more broadly about God. After all, God is universal, encompassing a lot of viewpoints, perspectives, and traditions. But Jesus. He seems so…specific! They confessed to me that they struggle thinking about Jesus, especially equating him with God.They aren’t alone. I think this per...  Read More

Last week, I ran into a retired pastor who recognized me (and I confess, I didn’t recognize her). She remembered me because her church and my childhood church would team up for student mission trips each summer. Way back when I was in high school, I went on several of those trips. We talked, swapped a few memories, and talked about what those trips meant to us. At the end, I thanked her for being ...  Read More

I just returned from spending time speaking and teaching at the North Georgia Annual Conference of the UMC. They bought every participant there, lay and clergy, a copy of The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer, and then graciously invited me to speak about the importance of sabbath, rest, and having a spiritual healthy rhythm of life. It was a special time to be in the conference where I started my mi...  Read More

This weekend is the Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (I know, we have a lot of conferences). This is a yearly gathering of all pastors and lay representatives from each of the roughly 600 UMC churches in Missouri. It is a time of worship, learning, conversation, visioning, and celebration. Among those celebrations are two important milestones for staff at The Gathering. Fi...  Read More

WelcomeIn the time between 626-612 BC, there was great instability and uncertainty among nations due to powerful armies laying waste and destruction on places that included parts of Israel. It is said that these armies were ruthless to an extent never seen before and terror itself was weaponized. Instead of turning to God for help and guidance, the Bible tells us that the Israelites relied more on...  Read More