Matt Bailey
Pastor
pastor@lorenaumc.org

Matt was born the eldest of five children in Houston, Texas. From Kindergarten to12th grade he was home-schooled. He attended University of Texas Arlington, where he earned a Bachelors of Electrical Engineering. He met his wife Jennifer while attending Texas A&M University, and they were married in 2000. Matt is a musician who has been in contemporary worship groups since he was twelve; he has a background in worship leadership and youth ministry. In 2011, he moved his family to Kentucky in order to attend Asbury Theological Seminary where he received a Masters of Divinity in 2015. Shortly thereafter, in July 2015, he was appointed to Lorena UMC.
Matt and Jennifer have two children, Emma and James. Their family enjoys music and anything having to do with water. Jennifer is an outstanding middle school math teacher at Lorena Middle School. Emma is a multi-talented thirteen-year-old who loves music, making videos, and any kind of performing art. James is nine years old, with a heart for justice; he hopes to be a certified ninja someday, so that he may rid the world of villainy!
Matt's greatest passion in ministry is seeing people set free and sanctified to be all that their Father has created them to be, knowing His love for themselves, so they can better understand His love for others. His favorite scriptures are found in Galatians 5 where Paul tells the Church that it is not by our striving or our will in the flesh that we become Holy, but only by walking "with the Spirit." (Gal 5:16). Matt's call to ministry is centered around this concept, pointing at Christ through whom we receive the Holy Spirit from the Father, rather than pointing at the standards of holiness that humanity can never achieve without God.
Matt and Jennifer have two children, Emma and James. Their family enjoys music and anything having to do with water. Jennifer is an outstanding middle school math teacher at Lorena Middle School. Emma is a multi-talented thirteen-year-old who loves music, making videos, and any kind of performing art. James is nine years old, with a heart for justice; he hopes to be a certified ninja someday, so that he may rid the world of villainy!
Matt's greatest passion in ministry is seeing people set free and sanctified to be all that their Father has created them to be, knowing His love for themselves, so they can better understand His love for others. His favorite scriptures are found in Galatians 5 where Paul tells the Church that it is not by our striving or our will in the flesh that we become Holy, but only by walking "with the Spirit." (Gal 5:16). Matt's call to ministry is centered around this concept, pointing at Christ through whom we receive the Holy Spirit from the Father, rather than pointing at the standards of holiness that humanity can never achieve without God.