Learn About Our Leader

Matt Young

Matt Young is a straightforward communicator who uniquely connects God’s unchanging truth with a diverse culture through compelling and creative teaching methods. He is the Senior Pastor of Access Church. Since beginning to minister over 25 years ago, he has been a strong believer in breaking down barriers to reach all people no matter their educational, social economic, or religious backgrounds. He has been, and continues to be, a community leader in combating addictions, poverty, and other social issues that hold individuals from developing into what God has called them to be an advocating voice for individuals who need a chance to live a restored life instead of a life of regret.

Senior Pastor

What We Believe

One Holy God  Eternally existent in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Holy Bible  Is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God and the source of Christian belief and teaching.

Man  Was created in the image of God but fallen – lost and powerless to save himself.

Jesus Christ  Is the virgin-born Son of God and was crucified to take upon Himself the punishment for the sin of all mankind.  He arose from the dead; thereby conquering sin, death and the grave. Jesus will personally return to the earth in glory and take Christians to Heaven.

Man’s Only Hope  Is to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

What We Celebrate– Water Baptism and Holy Communion are among the ways we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Every service is a celebration of the hope we have in Christ.

Healing  Consistent with His ministry on earth, Jesus Christ still offers healing for our physical, relational, and emotional needs.

Holy Spirit  Indwells those who receive Christ and empowers believers to live righteous and holy lives. We believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit along with the Gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12.  We believe these gifts are available to believers today.

Lifestyle  When a life is changed by the love of Christ, we begin a journey of becoming like Christ.  It is displayed inwardly by joy and peace; outwardly by a life of integrity and service; and relationally by love and grace. Our lives are directed by the commandments found in God’s Word and the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

The Church  The Body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the head, is comprised of believers who have been spiritually changed by the atonement of Jesus Christ and the personal work of the Holy Spirit. Christians are called to pursue God’s mission, both collectively and individually. For some it is a vocation, for all it is a passion.

Baby Dedication  Baby Dedication is a ceremony in which Christian parents and sometimes entire families, stand before the church and make a commitment to raise their child according to the Word of God. Christian parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise the child in a godly way until he or she can make a decision for his or herself. (1 Samuel 1:11, Luke 2:22)

Communion  Communion is “the believer’s meal,” a sacrament intended for Jesus’ followers, by which they acknowledge and remember his work on the cross. The Biblical foundation for Communion is Jesus’ final meal with His disciples the night before He was crucified. With His twelve friends gathered around Him for the traditional Jewish Passover meal, Jesus “took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, ‘This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:19-20)

Life Church extends an “open” Communion table, meaning the invitation to receive Communion during a service is open to any follower of Christ, regardless of membership at Life Church. People who have accepted His forgiveness and surrendered their lives to Him are invited to share the Communion table at Life Church.

Core Values

Prayer – “At Access Church, we pray first.”

“Pray continually” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

Compassionate Evangelism – “At Access Church, lost people matter.”

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10 (NIV)

Teaching of God’s Word – “At Access Church, we teach to transform.”

“Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” –

Romans 10:17 (NIV)

Authentic Community – “At Access Church, we grow in groups.”

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and

ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And

the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:46-47 (NIV)

Generations – “At Access Church, all generations matter.”

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” – Psalm 90:1 (NIV)

Leadership – “At Access Church, every member is a minister.”

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of

service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)

Generosity – “At Access Church, we live to give.”

“And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life

and breath and everything else.” – Acts 17:25 (NIV)

Creative Arts & Innovation – “At Access Church, we create & innovate.”

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1 (NIV)

Acceptance – “At Access Church, we say to all ‘Welcome Home!’”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not

perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)

Excellence – “At Access Church, excellence matters.”

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Philippians 4:8 (NIV)