Matt Guzi, Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Staff Development

Matt was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and grew up in VA and NC. While in high school, he came to know Jesus through the ministry of Young Life. He attended college at Wake Forest University and worked with Young Life as a volunteer leader.

He met his wife, Jen, during college while working at a Young Life camp near Asheville, NC. They were married in 1994 and moved to Kernersville, NC to be part of a new church plant, Grace Presbyterian Church. In 1997, he was ordained as a ruling elder in that church. After a few years working in IT, Matt joined the staff of Grace as their Director of Youth & Family Ministries and began taking seminary classes at RTS in Charlotte. In the Fall of 1999, their daughter Taylor was born, and their son Jacob came along just before they started Hope in the Spring of 2002.

Matt’s understanding of the gospel and his philosophy of ministry have been shaped by the writings of C.S. Lewis, Larry Crabb, Dan Allender, Jack Miller, John Piper, Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard, and Tim Keller. Steve Angle, Fil Anderson, and Chuck DeGroat have been trusted mentors and companions on his spiritual journey. Silence, solitude, and contemplative spirituality have become valued aspects of that journey.

These days, he and Jen are enjoying life as empty-nesters as well as spending time with their adult children. Matt likes to spend his free time traveling, fly fishing, bird watching, playing pickleball, and tackling house projects. He also enjoys listening to people’s stories, offering spiritual direction, and leading or being on retreat.