Matthew L. Snowden, 33, hails from Mississippi. He preached his first sermon at age 15 in Highland Baptist Church in Meridian, Miss. He will preach his latest one Sunday as the new pastor of Waco’s First Baptist Church.

“I was very happy doing what I was doing, but there was just something about this church I could not shake. It interested me,” said Snowden, who became a target of First Baptist’s search committee.

Matt Snowden, 33, will preach his first sermon Sunday as the new pastor of Waco’s First Baptist Church. He has served as pastor of churches in Pearl and Monticello, Miss. Most recently he was associate pastor of the First Baptist Church of Meridian, Miss.
Duane A. Laverty / Waco Tribune-Herald

Dick Jackson, who chaired the committee, said the iconic church, founded in 1851, “needed a young pastor to restore some youth among our membership.”

First Baptist’s attendance has declined from about 1,200 between two Sunday morning services in the 1970s to about 400 for a single service now.

Jackson said four members of the search committee were sold on Snowden when they visited the First Baptist Church of Meridian, Miss., where he was serving as associate pastor.

The members ate dinner with Snowden and quizzed him about his background.

“We heard his message the next morning and we were impressed,” Jackson said. “Matt has a heart for people, that’s the main thing. But he’s also a man of integrity who practices what he preaches.”

Snowden, who received his doctorate from George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, preached Aug. 8 at First Baptist Waco in view of a call. He was asked to become its next pastor.

The Tribune-Herald sat down with Snowden, who talked about his ministry — past, present and future.

Q   How would you describe your style of preaching?

A   I guess the best way to describe it would be something I heard from someone else. He used the term narrative exposition. I like to illustrate Bible truths with stories. I’m a Southerner, so I grew up in a story-telling culture. The priority has got to be the text, but I quickly try to apply it to real life.

As an associate pastor, I learned to listen to the sermon. It made me a better preacher to see how people respond to the message. Listening to the sermon is an active experience. The preacher can help you, but he can’t do it for you.

Q   Is there a particular ministry for which you have great passion?

A   I’m passionate about being involved and getting dirty with Christians as they do what God calls them to do. That’s what attracted me to this church, this congregation. The fact that it realizes that church ministry belongs to everybody. When you own that, there is so much more to the Christian life. People crave involvement. They know you don’t just sit and soak things up and go home.

Q   What is your favorite Bible verse?

AII Corinthians 4:5. That was my text when I preached here in view of a call. Paul is talking about his life as an apostle and being a slave for Jesus Christ. That’s the person I want to be.

Q   What is your vision for the First Baptist Church of Waco?

A   My priority is to pay attention. I want to discern where the people and the community are. I don’t have a lot of preconceived ideas. Nothing is pre-wrapped. I want to see what God is stirring within us and move forward. A church has a common voice and a corporate personality.

Q   Do you plan changes in the church?

A   Every institution goes through change. The church is a living entity, and it will change. But I want to be out in front of it and not reactionary. I don’t see anything drastic or radical. I want to encourage. That’s one of the primary roles of the pastor, to be in the midst of a congregation’s life and be an encourager.

Q   From a pastor’s standpoint, how do you perceive Waco?

A   The perception from outside is that Waco is a very Baptist place. I’ve heard it called Jerusalem on the Brazos. There are a lot of churches here, a lot of good churches here. I come from the deep South and I know that the deeply religious nature of a community sometimes can be a hindrance.

In such a community, everybody is a member of a church. They may not have attended in six years, including Christmas and Easter, but they are members. One of the greatest tragedies is not having a deep, vital relationship with Christ and with the church. You miss out on the joys and blessings that come with that relationship.

Q   What do you enjoy most about serving as a pastor?

A   I love people, and being a pastor allows me to work with people in the critical times of their lives, in times of sorrow and times of joy. I like the time in between. I know I’m going to be one of those old guys who goes to the mall to sit and watch people. People are fascinating.

Q   What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

A   It came from my father. We are really close friends, and we speak every day. He instilled in me the need to prioritize Meredith, my wife.

He even told Meredith before we married, “I will always take your side.” He saw so many of his friends blow it by taking their eye off the ball. Most of the things a man should know I learned in my dad’s pickup. (Matt and Meredith have a daughter, Molly Katherine, age 4, and a son, Steven Wesley, age 3).

Q   What will your sermon be about on Sunday?

A   I will preach from Exodus 3 and 4, which is about Moses and his call to serve. For the first few weeks, I’ve asked people to submit texts special to them.

Before you speak, you have to listen.

mcopeland@wacotrib.com

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