Dear America, I’m home. After 11 months of globetrotting through 21 countries, I’m finally (and all of a sudden) home. But I’m coming home with more than a passport full of stamps, funny memories, new best friends and cool Instagram shots. For me, the World Race was more than expected… It was truly life-changing. The trip has shown me that the poor, needy, underdiscipled, and unsaved have a right to my time and energies. I am changed and I can only thank God for radically altering the way I was choosing to live my life by changing my heart this year.
Beginning in Bulgaria (July) and brought to a bonfire in Nepal (December), The Lord gave me a new passion and vision for my life that involves discipling and mentoring young men. As a young Christian man, I lacked discipleship and mentorship in my own life, which really hindered my spiritual growth and progression into Biblical manhood. And today, there are so many middle school, high school, and college Christian guys running around the world with no intentional real-life example to guide them, and it hurts me to know that. I’m talking about born again Christians here who pray and follow Christ; the ones who are missing the real world example of Christ modeled in their lives. And so I want to be a part of discipling these kind of men who are lacking male leadership in their lives. And I want to be led by men with these same convictions! Coincidentally, Seth Barnes and the leadership team at AIM have the same heart for discipleship that I do.
After many months of conversation and prayer and soul-searching, I’m happy to officially announce that I’ll be joining the staff at Adventures in Missions. My role will be to lead Adventures efforts to bring in the best and the brightest as we cultivate and grow our staff. I will oversee and manage the development and execution of all recruiting initiatives for all the post-World Race programs as well as all staff positions. Another part of my role will be to work alongside the leadership team to develop different departments with Adventures so that we can more effectively reach the unreached while at the same time be discipled and transformed for the Kingdom.
In July, I will move to Gainesville, Georgia where AIM’s headquarters is located. I am expecting it to be a season of tremendous growth. Each year, 800+ 20-somethings return back to the States from the WR, ready to be used by God however he asks. This is incredible, that’s a lot of people. At AIM, we have the unique opportunity to connect hundreds of young, passionate, Jesus-loving men and women to their calling each year. We are bridge-builders. I am excited to help lead that charge.
If you know me, you know how much I wanted to stay in Colorado or move to Portland. But the Lord has called me to Georgia, far from home, friends, and family, and I know that God’s plans are always greater (and far better) than our own. Always, there is no asterisk. As I’ve told some of you already, I’ve felt a huge amount of peace over this next season and I know it will be an incredible one. Thanks for praying so much already, He is hearing your prayers.
Of course, with working for a sending agency comes with raising support. I will need to raise $850 per month, so I will need your help financially as well as with prayer. I turned down an offer from my old job which would have paid very well, and would require no support raising, but Seth Barnes encouraged me with his own testimony and it’s something that will stick with me as I serve in ministry; “I always knew that I had a call and that the call was not for sale.” That’s a good word for all of us. Please consider a one-time donation or becoming a monthly supporter.
To set up a tax-deductible monthly support free of transaction fees please follow this link. Or, if you just want to make a one-time donation through AIM, you can go here. If you would like to donate to me outside of my AIM account, you can send me support through Paypal. Just click on send money and use [email protected] as my email.
Thank you everyone for reading and connecting with me this year! If you have any questions, as always, feel free to email me at [email protected]. If you want to connect over the phone or meet up in person I would love that as well! My number is (720) 695-5454.
Love and Grace,
Matt
