About Matt Gabhart

My name is Matt Gabhart and I am the founder of Biblical-Inspiration.org. I have felt led to create a biblical website for many years. I saw it as a good way to record the things I have learned in the Bible, not just to share with others but for me to go back and reference myself. I also saw it as a good way to share spiritual resources that have been a blessing to me with others. One of my favorite things to do is study the Bible because that is where I experience God most often. I love this website because it challenges me to dig deeper into God's Word and gives me an avenue to share what I learn with others.

I grew up in Willisburg which is a small town in central Kentucky. My parents brought me up in Mt. Olivet Baptist Church which was a small country church down by Chaplin River. (It has recently relocated to higher ground because of flooding) Playing with friends and throwing rocks in the creek after church are some great childhood memories. When I wasn't throwing rocks and running around with other kids, I was inside being taught about the Bible. I don't remember it, but my Mom says that I could recite the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation when I was three. I can relate to Timothy when Paul said about him in 2 Timothy 3:15 "how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation." I wouldn't trade anything for my Christian upbringing. The lessons I learned laid a strong foundation for the rest of my life.

I began studying the Bible on my own somewhere around fourth or fifth grade. In Sunday School class we always filled out a report that was turned in with our offering. It asked questions like, "Did you bring your Bible?", "Are you staying for preaching service?", etc. One of the items on the list to be checked off was "Did you read your Bible daily?". I never paid any attention to it until the girl in my class began checking it off every week. Being the competitive young man that I was I wasn't about to let her beat me. So I put my Bible beside my bed and would read just a little bit before I went to bed each night just so I could check the box each week. I didn't have the most honorable motives but I got into the habit of reading my Bible on a daily basis. This stuck with me even through my teenage years. I wasn't following everything I read but I was still reading and learning.

Through an inward struggle I had at 17 I came to the point where I fully surrendered my life to Christ. During this time the Bible became alive to me. The stories I had learned in my childhood became completely real and applicable to my life. I read and studied the Bible as much as I could and noticed that I was changing from the inside out. I had the experience that Peter describes in 1 Peter 1:22-23, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." (NIV) The joy, peace, and excitement I experienced during this time was indescribable, yet I wish I could describe it to everyone so that they could experience God the way that I did.

At 18 I went to school at Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands) where my relationship with God grew even deeper. The great people I met there enriched my life as we followed God together. Psalms 133:1 describes this period of my life well. "How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity." I had never been around so many people my age before that were excited about God. I realized that the effects were astounding. Every night there was an activity to go too, whether it was BSU Celebration, FCA, or my baseball Bible study. My knowledge of God grew deeper and deeper as I was encouraged by my friends on a daily basis.

I went on to surrender my life to ministry at the age of 19. At that point I began getting involved with youth ministry and worked with youth for 9 years. I have had many marvelous experiences taking youth to camp, teaching Bible studies, and ministering to teenagers one on one. I thank God for these opportunities and hold them dear to my heart. The last youth position I held was chaplain at a youth treatment center called Care Academy. I got the opportunity to minister to dozens of teenagers that had extreme hurts in their lives. Many of these teenagers knew little or nothing about the Bible, which made ministering to them a great challenge. However, I got to watch God work in their lives and do many great things.

In May of 2009 I finished up my bachelors degree at Asbury College with a degree in Leadership and Ministry. I tell people all the time that I was on the twelve year plan. (ha, ha) Though it was challenging to balance school and work, I am very glad that I decided to finish my bachelors degree. The knowledge and experience I gained are invaluable. I finished through Asbury's Achieve Program which is designed for working adults. The Cohort that I graduated with consisted of some great people many of which had been in ministry for several years. I learned a lot through our classes by listening to their ministry experiences and hearing their insights on the Bible. It was a great way to go to school, especially for ministry.

I currently am a member of Vinyard of Columbus Church. I am a part of the Saturday night KidsQuest worship team. I also lead worship in my small group. I've started this ministry, Biblical Inspiration, as a way of sharing my passion of the Bible with others. Hope you are blessed by the site and that it helps you draw closer to God. Please let me know of any blessings or encouragements you have receive from this site.

Sincerely,

Matt Gabhart