Matt Miller is well known in the Bethany community as a middle school teacher and a varsity boys tennis coach, but few know him in a different role: pastor.
Teaching was Matt’s first and main occupation, and what he was doing when the pastoring began. He and his wife, Courtney, were recently married and attending a church of about 1000 people. Both interested in youth ministry, Courtney became the director of the youth group at their church. However, they quickly became frustrated with the youth group culture that was becoming more and more evident: the idea of fun versus spiritual growth. Matt and Courtney started to feel like “fun” was the only goal for the youth and their parents. This frustration spurred on conversations with a few other couples about starting their own church, focused on living as the early church did.
Matt and four other people on their current church’s staff had started having conversations about starting their own church, until they finally just decided to jump in and try it. Three couples, along with Matt and Courtney, decided to invest themselves in starting this church where they wanted to “follow the Bible,” instead of just “doing what other churches do.” Matt got chosen to be the pastor because he had the idea, but has never actually had official seminary training. He was two classes short of a Bible minor at Goshen College, so he has no formal degree. Matt reads a lot for his education, but also shares responsibility with others at his church.
The name of the church is Exodus Community, “not Exodus Community Church, as most people assume,” Matt laughs. When it first started, Matt and the leaders thought that it would be “normal” in terms of a regular building and meeting times. However, they knew they didn’t want to be a large church. Matt emphasized the idea of “deepening our growth with Christ rather than gaining numbers.” They wanted people to come to be invested. Now there are eight or nine families involved with Exodus Community, and they rotate between meeting in three homes. Matt’s lead pastor role comes with time committment and responsibilities, which he has to balance with tennis coaching, teaching, and family life. For example, during tennis season, Matt and the other leaders at his church know that he needs to lessen his pastoral responsibilities.
A coach first, Matt says that coaching is what made him feel that he could do pastoring. There is certainly an aspect of nurturing involved with coaching; the encouragement and team building that Matt has such a knack for with his tennis guys comes in handy in church life as well. Matt Miller is well known and respected in the Bethany community, but also at Exodus Community, where his skills extend to pastoring. With both teaching and relating to people, Matt has a great opportunity to use his gifts in all of his roles.
~Katie Hurst