flbchurch

Forum role	Member since	Last activity	Topics created	Replies created
Member	Dec 10, 2014 (9 years)	-	1	0

Forum role: Member
Member since: Dec 10, 2014 (9 years)
Last activity: -
Topics created: 1
Replies created: 0

Bio

My name is Matthew Carpenter and I was born and raised in upstate New York. Most of my formative years were spent in Cortland, NY where I was very involved in art and theater. After that, my family bounced around a bit (but it was all upstate NY). Presently I am the pastor of Franklin Lakes Baptist Church in Franklin Lakes, NJ. It's a strange story that is chalk full of evidence for the Sovereignty of God. I met Jesus around the age of 4, wandered from him after my mother's passing when I was 11 and was welcomed back, after some serious fighting, at the age of 19. The last thing on earth that I ever wanted to do was pastor a church (let alone attend one if I could get away with it). Yet, in 2001 God saw fit to knit my heart to a group of rowdy teenagers in Teaneck, NJ. After wrestling with God over who was in control of my life I finally submitted to His leading and reoriented my life towards ministry (in general) and the pastorate (in particular). I made a plan, set my mind on Seminary and God said, "Nope... you're going to Manhattan." So, in 2004 I took the assistant pastor position at the First Baptist Church in the City of New York. In 2006 the head pastor resigned and I positionally took his place as the "acting head" pastor until 2010 when, by God's grace, our church family was able to find and call Pastor Matthew Hoskinson to the position of head pastor. Eager to stay and learn and work I set my mind to ministry in the city and God said, "Nope... you're going to pastor in Jersey." So, in 2010 I took the head pastorate at Franklin Lakes Baptist Church and by God's grace I remain in His service there today.