I BELIEVE
The Gospel in Me Matt Anthony, pastoral resident We are pleased to welcome Matt, his wife, Ashley, and their four children to College Church as Matt begins his pastoral residency. Matt describes how God has been at work in his life, including his journey here.
These formative moments in my story of faith lead to a couple ways that Christ makes a daily dier enceinmylifepresently.The4rstisthatGodsgracethrough God’s gospel call came after me when I was all of six years Christ is radically more than anyone can ever imagine old, sitting in children’s church on a Sunday morning. (Romans 5:20). That we can never sin ourselves out of I don’t remember the flannelgraph story my teacher Tina his grace is something beyond my comprehension, but it worked through that morning, but my young ears heard a liberates me from the crushing weight of the accumulation of gospel invitation that took root in my heart, and I wanted sin day after day. Even as I close every day as an imperfect, Christ to save me from my sin. So, I trusted in him for repenting sinner, God’s grace meets me again every morning salvation, and joined the ranks of those who say that they with the ever-present reminder that there is no condemnacannot remember a day without Christ. tion against those in Christ (Romans 8:1). The second is that As grewupinEzngham, llinois, genuinelyenjoyedbeing Christ is always at work (Philippians 2:13). This truth keeps kind to others (like holding doors open for people), but I was me grounded by way of eternal perspective—whether I am also distracted by my friends and what I wanted to do and experiencing great blessing or struggling through someneglected serious investment in pursuing Christ with my thing—because behind each experience is Christ at work, life. The Lord put a stop to that when my family and I moved and he is seeking to cultivate and increase my love for him, away from everyone and everything I knew when I was 15. for my family and for my neighbor. Without those normal distractions, one thing began stir Now, ato little bit of how God brought us to College Church. in my heart, and it was this: Is this faith thing real? If it was, Five years ago, we left the Saint Louis area as a family I wanted to devote my life to it. If it wasn’t, then I would be of three to Philadelphia for me to purse a Master of done living on the fence. I had nothing to do that summer Divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminar because I didn’t know anyone, so I spent a serious amount I had been serving in pastoral ministry and felt called to of time reading and studying the Bible. I am still reaping enter seminary for more theological education. During the the spiritual fruit from those three summer months first couple years there, I took a few classes from Dr. Kent because it was one of the most formative and joyful times Hughes, and he often shared about his time at College of my life. God let me catch a glimpse of his glory, which Church. It was a joy to hear of the ministry at this church captivated my heart and mind as well as ruined my taste in Wheaton. As graduation approached, my wife and for worldly things. He made it known to me that there is I were prayerfully seeking what God would have next for only one thing that can satisfy my soul, and it is him. us (now a family of six), and in our search, we found out My taste for worldly pursuits may have been ruined, but I still needed God’s mercy to majorly disrupt my appetite for sin. When was around 18 or 19 years old, the Lord helped me understand what it looked and felt like to hate my sin. I knew sinlessness was impossible, but I often used this as an excuse to sin. I needed the gospel’s logic stated in Romans 6 to understand the relationship of grace and sin. God helped me learn that loving him also means setting myself in opposition to any and all sin that seeks a home in my life. There is no darkness in him (1 John 1:5), and he continues to helpmeturnhislightintotheshadowsofmyheart.
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about the pastoral residency program. It was a wonderful thought that God could be leading us to come and train within the ministry that I had the pleasure of hearing so much about from Dr. Hughes. So, I applied.
By God’s grace and timing, we are now happily invested in being with you all and joining the College Church in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. pray that you were encouraged to hear of how God has personally worked in my life, and I look forward to being encouraged by hearing how he has worked in your life as well. My family and I are so excited to be with you all.
