Christ will Build His Church!! (Crazy Things that are happening.)


We can already still see the hand of God on our ministry and we feel like we have barely started.

I got an email from the YMCA this week about getting creative in order to use their facility as a meeting place. The woman who I am working with over there is so awesome. She isn't a believer but wants to work with us to help us get into the building as cheap as possible. She offered to hire me part time for about 6 hours a week to work in the after-school program which will do a number of things to help us. 1. It will allow us to get our foot into the community and meet kids, parents, people, etc. 2. It will give our family a super cheap YMCA membership. 3. It will make me a staff person so that when we start to meet as a church, they won't need to staff someone for the building and it will keep our facility cost way down.

I went to pick up Daniel from school one day this week and his teacher comes up to me and literally whispers these words into my ears, "Are you a Christian?" I was like "Yeah. Are you?" She said that when Beth went to drop Daniel off on the first day of school, The Spirit whispered to her that our family was Christian. How cool is that? We had been praying for her before we ever moved. And, God provided with a teacher who is filled with the Holy Spirit. That is just amazing.

A few weeks back, I was a camp pastor at a youth missions camp in NC. One of the students of the leader of the camp is a freshman at Gordon College which is in Beverly MA. His name is Luke and was recruited to play basketball there. So, I went to go and play pick-up with the team earlier in the week and when I got there a young man came up to me and said, "Are you Matt?" And I was like, "Yeah." he was like, "Its me, Shaun Roach." Now here is the back story to that. I have known Shaun since he was a little kid in like 5th grade. His dad, Kevin, was probably one of the most spiritually influential men in my life during college. Besides that, I was Shaun's camp councilor at basketball camps for years in college. His dad was like a father to me and I convinced my coach during my senior year to contact him to be an assistant coach. Which he did. Crazy!!! Turns out that Shaun is like best buds with this dude Luke. They are probably the only 2 freshman students fighting for minutes this year. Plus, Shaun has known that we were coming out to plant Netcast but had no idea we were going to be in his town.

Yesterday, I had lunch with the coach of the Gordon College basketball team. He is a great dude and is just in his 2nd year. After some awesome conversations and connecting, he asked me if I'd like to help out his program as an assistant coach or team pastor. Knowing that I don't want to commit to too much, I turned down the idea of assistant coach, but totally love the idea of being some sort of team pastor or team chaplain. I will conduct bible-studies with the team, do a chapel before every home game, and meet with the players for one on one discipleship. What an awesome opportunity to invest in young people and get connected with the community.

Last night, we went to an Ice Cream social at Daniel's school. We met a family there that are believers and live about 9 houses down from us. They go to North Shore Community Baptist but feel like God may be leading there somewhere else. Crazy!! No idea what may come of that, but it seems like a God thing to me. If nothing else, we may have some new friends.

We're also getting to know our neighbors. We have met almost everybody on the block and cant wait to get into our house so we can start having people over. I think that most people get confused when they meet us. Being a young church planter, with 4 kids and a wife that stays at home just about throws everyone for a loop out here. Then add on top of that, that we seem normal, really makes them wonder. Pray for our neighborhood, we really want to pour our lives into this community and serve them in ways that they have never seen before.

On Thursday, I had coffee with a guy who was a worship leader at a thriving church here on the North Shore. He's a young dude who's recently married and seems great. We totally connected right off the bat. Recently, he felt that the Lord was leading him out of his church which we was a part when it was planted 2 years ago. That night, I went to a pastors meeting where he led worship and he is a gifted young man. I have no idea what God has for our future, however, I know that I met a new friend who is like minded in ministry and has a real heart for Christ.

Most of you know and have been praying for Steve and Karen Shomo, my inlaws and executive pastor. They were needing their house to sell or lease so that they can move to be a part of what God is doing out here through Netcast. Their real-estate agent said that with the market the way that it is, there is no telling how things will work out. It could take a year to get them out of Greensboro. However, we plan our way but Christ directs our paths. The very first people to come and look at the house want to lease it for 2 years. They have already signed a contract and will be moving in October 1st. My inlaws are looking to rent the vacant apartment in the house that our unit is. Literally a door away. What a blessing that would be.

None of these things could have been planned. Actually, in my finite mind, I couldn't have even dreamt these things up. These are all divine things that are happening in only our first 2 weeks being here. Christ tells us clearly that He will build his church and not even Hell itself can get in the way. Please continue to pray for me as I seek God as we are planting Netcast. Pray that God grants me a humble spirit and anoints me with supernatural wisdom and courage to do what he is calling us to do. To Christ be all of the glory.

Divine Order: Christ has gone ahead of us.


Hello Everyone from Greater Boston.

We have arrived safe and sound. There is so much to tell and just by writing this to you, it is not enough to get across the excitement and joy that we have already. In Matthew 26 Jesus says this; "But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you" and we have seen the evidence of this grace since the minute we got here.

Before we were even able to begin unloading the truck we had a divine appointment with a man at Panera Bread. This man began telling us how he and his wife just lost their son who was only 6 weeks old. We had a opportunity to pray with him in Panera Bread. Then the next day I was emailed by someone who has been following me on Facebook and Twitter. He said that he was assigned the Christmas Issue for the North Shore Magazine and wanted to do a piece on us and Netcast Church. He said that he doesn't understand why someone would pack up their family and move to the most liberal and pagan area of the United States to start a christian church. Christ has gone ahead of us.

Last week we went to eat breakfast at a local spot and Beth started talking to the lady sitting at the table next to us. Turns out that her little daughter and Abby have the same Kindergarten teacher and she wants to get the kids together for play-dates. She is a single mother who just moved from LA with her 2 adopted children. Beth and her exchanged email addresses. Christ has gone ahead of us.

Pertaining to our housing. Last month was probably the hardest month that we've had since starting to plan for the church plant. We couldn't find a spot to live that was suitable to our family and in the area we felt that God wanted us to plant Netcast. Literally, the only spot available was a disgusting 4 bedroom apartment in which was so nasty, that one of the contractors recently told us that he would frequently have to take breaks from cleaning the house out because the maggots were making him nauseous. Not to mention that the asking price was way out of our price range. It didn't seem like much of an option as we walked through the house as Beth cried just thinking of having to raise the kids there.

If you read Nehemiah 1 and 2 you will see how God puts it on the Kings heart to help Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls of Jeresulem. The King sent workers and funded the whole mission as well as leaving Nehemiah in charge of managing the project. It seems something similar is going on here with our landlord. He has spent about $50,000 in remodeling the new unit. On top of that, Beth was able to pick out the flooring, all appliances, all paint, etc. Since he lives in LA, he has put me in charge of working with the General Contractor and managing the project. Plus, we are getting the unit for significantly less per month and it includes all utilities, cable and internet; which is an absolute steal here. Then on Friday, we were eating Chinese food and had our landlord over and he said "I dont know why, but I am happy to do all of this work for you because I feel like you are family." Christ has gone ahead of us.

On Saturday, we went to the YMCA to get a tour and talk about getting our family signed up. The woman giving us the tour asked why we just moved so I was able to explain it to her. She asked where our church was going to meet when we begin to gather. She was very excited about the idea of us meeting at the downtown Beverly YMCA which is a prime location. She said she would be very negotiable on any pricing. We are scheduled to meet with her on Wednesday morning to take a tour of the building. Christ has gone ahead of us.

Keep up to date with us. We love you and are so thankful for your faithfulness in following along with Netcast Church.