VALLEY FORGE, PA (7/1/22)—Luis Matos, husband of International Ministries (IM) Global Servant Sarah Matos, began to discern God’s call to serve overseas after he met Sarah. In 2019, he attended International Ministries’ Hear the Call Retreat, where he began to explore how God might be leading him.
Matos completed an interdisciplinary studies bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University that incorporated both business and organizational leadership. As he worked for five years as a supervisor at a Starbucks in Olympia, Washington, Matos sensed God calling him to use his knowledge to serve in the area of economic development. After praying and visiting Bolivia, he felt a call to serve with International Ministries alongside his wife, Sarah. He will work in economic development and capacity building in Mexico.
“I’m looking forward to building relationships with national partners and using my degree in business and leadership to work with them on both economic and personal development,” Luis says.
A member of Olympia First Baptist Church, Matos has also completed an associate degree in business from South Puget Sound Community College. For eleven years, he worked at CEC Entertainment, Inc, in Washington, where he started as a kitchen employee and the worked his way up to supervisor, assistant manager, manager, and general manager. He oversaw all store functions including hiring, training, scheduling, budgets, coaching, leading, customer service, conflict resolution, ordering, and inventory.
“It was wonderful to see how God was preparing Luis to respond to God’s call to cross-cultural mission. Throughout the discernment process, I saw him growing in confidence, and he became very focused on what he believed God was calling him to do. He will be a blessing to all those whom he will serve,” says IM Director of Mission Mobilization Rev. Dr. Rodney Ragwan.
“What a privilege to witness Luis Matos’ call to missions!” says Area Director for Iberoamerica and the Caribbean Rev. Dr. Adalia Gutierrez. “Luis has learned to love God since childhood, and now will learn to use the skills and gifts God has granted him to serve internationally. His dedication and humility to God’s ministry among our partners in Mexico will be very much appreciated.”
In welcoming Matos to IM, Executive Director/CEO Rev. Sharon Koh wrote, “Luis’ growing sense of confidence in his call to cross-cultural work has been a joy to observe. We’ve been glad to have him around the IM family for several years now, and I am so glad that he is now wanting to offer his talents and experience in cross-cultural mission.”
IM and Luis Matos invite interested individuals, families, and churches to partner with him in ministry as he works in Oaxaca, Mexico.
More information about Luis Matos is available on his profile page on the IM website.
International Ministries, also known as the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, works cross-culturally to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God’s reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.