Matthew Young
Moscow Site Pastor
I grew up in a small college town with my mom and dad and three siblings. Church was a normal part of life and Christianity was familiar. My relationship with Jesus began when I was 10 years old, but significant understanding and growth didn't happen until I got to college.
It was then, in the context of Christian community, that I was challenged in my faith and began to really see what a relationship with Jesus meant for me and the world around me. Because of these spiritual experiences in college I had a strong desire to see life transformation happen in others' lives.
So I moved to Portland, started seminary and began ministering on college campuses in the area. During those five years in Portland God continued to refine me and develop valuable skills in me that continue to shape my activities to this day. He also brought me together with my beautiful wife and ministry partner April and gave us our first son Sam.
The desire that God placed in my heart in college to see the Gospel bring ongoing transformation in others has never gone away and it's what brought us to Moscow. We've been here since 2006 and we love it. We've had two more kids, Ella and Jack, and life stays enjoyably busy at the Young house.