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Getting to know our Interim Pastor…. Pete Mattix Can you tell us about your family? My wife, Fran, and I have been married for 29 years. We met while we were in college at Jacksonville State University. We have 3 sons; Brandon who is 24 and is pursuing his PhD at Clemson; Tyler who is 22 and completing his undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at Georgia College; and Jake who is 13 and is an 8th grader at Providence Christian Academy. Fran is a high school Biology teacher at Providence Christian Academy. She’s also the Cheerleader Coach at Providence. How did you come to know Christ? I was saved during my junior year in college at Jacksonville State University. A young man from Baptist Campus Ministries knocked on my door one day and asked if he could share something with me. He shared the Gospel and I made a decision that day to invite Jesus into my life as my Lord and Savior. I had spent many years in church, practicing “religion” but knowing nothing of the importance of a “relationship” with my Heavenly Father. My life was changed, forever, on that day! How did you end up in the ministry? God called me to be a Pastor in the early 90’s while I was serving as a Deacon in a large church in the Atlanta area. At first, I thought it was the craziest thing He had ever asked of me, but after wrestling with it and praying over it; I enrolled in seminary to attain my M.Div. I started my studies at Moody Bible College and have decided to complete them closer to home at Luther Rice Seminary. I am a bivocational Pastor, which means I also have a career outside of the ministry. In fact, I have been employed with a large pharmaceutical company for almost 28 years and am nearing retirement at which time I plan to transition into fulltime ministry where I will serve the Lord until I leave this earth! My secular career has taken me through a variety of positions that include sales, sales management, and sales training. What is your philosophy on ministry? Ministry is about sharing the love of Christ with others. The Church should be an extension of Christ’s love. I also believe in “ministry over mortar,” meaning that our focus should not be on our buildings and facilities, but on reaching those around us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I also have a passion for seeing the Church reach the next generation of believers. We must be steadfast and determined in our ministries to reach the younger generations that are in our communities! And our doors must always be open to anyone and everyone in our community! We can’t fulfill the Great Commission if we “lock the doors and close the blinds!” How did you end up at Lucerne Baptist Church? It’s a God story! I didn’t feel like I was ready to accept an assignment until I had completed my M.Div., but God said otherwise! I knew the first time I preached at Lucerne that this was where God was leading me. It’s hard to explain, but after “auditioning” a couple of times, the Spirit said, “Don’t accept anything else….I’m going to put you at LBC when the time is right.” I chuckled when the call finally came almost a year later asking me if I would be interested in becoming the Interim Pastor at LBC! God truly is sovereign and has a plan for our lives….we just need to sometimes get out of His way and let Him work! What do you like the most about Lucerne Baptist Church? I love the people and their love for the Lord! It’s been heartwarming to see how much the LBC family loves the Lord and loves each other. It’s probably one of the most loving congregations that I have ever encountered! I struggle sometimes on Sunday mornings to get folks back in their seats after our “welcome and hug” period prior to the sermon! They just love to be together and they truly love each other! And they love visitors! It’s truly a very welcoming congregation! What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy spending time at the lake, hunting, fishing, and coaching Little League baseball. The bottom line…I actually love to do anything that involves the great outdoors! I even love to cut grass! One of the most relaxing parts of my week involves riding my John Deere mower as I listen to some tunes on my IPod and cut my grass! It’s a “guy thing!” Where did the name, “Pete” come from? I was nicknamed “Pete” during my high school days by my friends who said I had a strong resemblance to the Cincinnati Reds player, Pete Rose. It has stuck all these years! My real first name is actually, “Scott.” The only time I ever hear anyone call me Scott is when I’m talking to my mom! What’s one thing that most people wouldn’t know about you? I’m actually a high school football announcer on Friday nights in the fall. I have been the “Voice of the Shiloh Generals” for the past 6 years. On any given night in the fall, if you pass Shiloh High with your windows rolled down, you might recognize a voice coming out over the PA system that is yelling, “Gooooo Generals!”