PARRISH
Have you ever been around someone who is so overly zealous about something that it’s almost annoying? Well, that’s Parrish in relation to his passion for Christ and the Truth of the Gospel.
Parrish is originally from Louisiana but moved to Nashville when he was young. After his father passed away during his childhood, the responsibility of raising him fell upon his mother. For a time, Parrish didn’t really care about who Jesus was or seek him out; in fact, he identified as an Atheist. He found himself annoyed by the Christianese talk that often lacked genuine action. The very people who claimed to be the hands and feet of Christ pushed him away from Jesus, leading him to perceive their actions as hypocritical.
During his faith journey, Parrish sought a relationship with a woman who practiced the Catholic Faith. He realized that if he had any chance with her, he would need to start seeking this God he didn’t believe existed. Ultimately, through this pursuit, he found the Lord. It wasn’t the woman who brought him to the Truth; rather, the Truth itself brought him home. Parrish was baptized in water and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Almost a year later, he experienced Christian baptism in the Holy Spirit and was “Born Again.” This transformation ignited a hunger for the Truth in him—not just quotes or Christianese phrases, but a deep desire for authentic Truth. His faith journey evolved into a zealous pursuit of understanding what God has for us and how that manifests in our lives.
Now, Parrish is a true “Born Again” believer who wakes up each day determined to live a life that honors Christ. He is a skilled Farrier working on a ranch in Colorado, fully devoted to the Will God has for him, guided by the “Truth” of His Word.
MATT
A long road traveled is probably the best way to describe Matt’s faith journey with the Lord. Matt was saved in a prison cell with no one around him but God. At the lowest point of his life, he reached up, asking God if He was real, and God answered. Matt hit the ground and was immediately saved, receiving Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior without fully understanding what it meant to be a Born Again believer.
About a month and a half later, he participated in Christian baptism as a formal declaration of his transformation. Shortly after that, he received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, officially becoming a Born Again Christian. Matt’s path before Christ was tough; living in the world brought turmoil, leading to prison, the loss of his family, and all his possessions. He was truly alone and without anything when Jesus became his King. Life didn’t get any easier at that point. When he was saved, God gave Matt a vision, revealing a ministry beyond most people’s imagination, but not his. God knew he could handle the task ahead. There’s a great quote that says, 'The bigger the trial, the greater the mission,' meaning that God builds you up through trials to prepare you for the mission He has for you. The mission God has for Matt is evident through the many trials he has endured over the years. But those trials paid off, and now Matt is in a position of strength to accept God’s will for his life, no matter where that might lead him.
From prison to salvation, through struggles, failures, enlightenment, and victory, Matt’s walk has been unique in the Body of Christ. Truth is all he desires, and living out that truth through the message of being a Born Again believer is what he embodies each day in Christ.
Today, Matt drives limousines and works each day to live the life the Lord showed him in the vision He gave him the day he was introduced to Jesus Christ.