This past Sunday, Pastor Brad preached from Matthew 21:1-11 for Palm Sunday. In this sermon, he invited the listeners to find themselves in the story.
We could be the crowd outside Jerusalem who are tired of being oppressed. To them Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” We could identify with the Pharisees who remain silent in the face of injustice. To them Jesus says, “I tell you if they keep quiet, even the stones will cry out.” Perhaps, we could even identify with the donkey-the overwhelmed and anxious donkey. Yet, the donkey’s mother was also brought along, reminding us that we are not on this difficult journey alone. Wherever we are in our lives, Jesus loves us more than we can possibly comprehend or imagine. Amen.
Pastor Mat (he/him) came to Bethel in the Fall of 2003 to serve as the youth pastor. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Eastern Nazarene College in 2005 and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Northwest Nazarene University in 2010. Currently, Mat is a Doctor of Ministry candidate at Nazarene Theological Seminary in the Black Leadership and Ministry track. Mat married the love of his life, I’Esha, on July 11, 2009. They have three wonderful children. Mat is ordained as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene.
Mat has been serving as Bethel Church of the Nazarene’s lead pastor since 2015. Mat served as an instructor of philosophical ethics, church history, and theology in the Religion and Culture program at Eastern Nazarene College for over ten years prior to the school’s closing. Currently, Mat teaches religious studies as an adjunct at Regis College in Weston, MA and theology as an adjunct at Northwest Nazarene University. In addition, Mat volunteers on several non-profit boards and is a co-leader for Quincy4Justice, Quincy Interfaith Network, and Quincy for Transformative Change. He enjoys reading, riding his bicycle, traveling, swimming, stimulating theological discussions, and cold brew coffee. Mat is passionate about the intersections of theology and justice. He is committed to dismantling white supremacy and patriarchy in the church and society.
Mat’s specific areas of ministry at Bethel include church leadership, worship coordination, staff development, and pastoral care.
