A Familiar Church in an Unfamiliar City: How God Used the Trust’s Family of Ministries in Matt Nardone’s Life
When Matt Nardone graduated from The Master’s University in May of 2022, he couldn’t have imagined that just a few short months later, he’d move to Miami, Florida, a city he’d never visited. As he donned his cap and gown and walked across the stage to receive his diploma, Matt was incredibly grateful for the past two years at TMU and in the Coast Guard reserves. He’d made good friends, become more established in his faith, and taken the first step toward what he hoped would be a career in law enforcement. There was just one problem. He had no idea what, or where, the next step would be.
“I graduated on Friday and didn’t have a full-time job,” Matt said. “The only certain thing on my summer calendar was two weeks of duty as a reservist (in the Coast Guard).”
During those two weeks, a providential conversation with his supervisor would change Matt’s life.
“My supervisor encouraged me to apply for some of the active-duty opportunities in the Coast Guard,” Matt said. “At first, I thought there was no way I was going on active duty, but out of respect for my supervisor, I looked at the job board. Of the 150 jobs there, I found one that interested me.”
That interesting job was in Miami as part of the Maritime Security Safety Team. It involved security detail for high-profile individuals, including President Biden and Vice-President Harris, as well as former President Trump. If any of those individuals was near the ocean, the unit Matt was interested in would partner with the Secret Service to provide an extra layer of security. The unit was also charged with identifying and intercepting rogue vessels in American waters, including drug and migrant traffickers. Matt applied because he loved the practical, real-life experience this unit would provide. He had no expectation he’d actually get the job. Yet, a couple months later, he was told the job was his if he was willing to move to Miami.
Not only had Matt never been to Miami, but he also had never met anyone who lived there. That made the prospect of moving to Miami more daunting. He’d grown up in Southern California and attended Grace Community Church his entire life. He had lots of friendships through church and The Master’s University. Obviously none of that would be close by if he moved to Miami. He knew that to thrive in Miami both spiritually and relationally, he’d need to find a healthy church. Thankfully, the Lord used the large network of relationships, and the institutions he’d always been part of, to immediately connect him to a vibrant local congregation in Miami.
“I didn’t know the first thing about Florida or Miami,” Matt said. “But a good friend of mine told me about Eric Bancroft and Grace Church Miami. He encouraged me to attend, confident I’d find a loving, like-minded congregation where I could learn and build relationships.”
Eric graduated from The Master’s Seminary in 2002. After seminary, he served as the high school pastor at Grace Community Church for several years before becoming the senior pastor of Castleview Church in Indianapolis. In 2018 he planted Grace Church Miami, eager to build a Christ-centered church that emphasized expository preaching. In the weeks before Matt moved to Miami, Matt was able to connect with Eric and find roommates through the church.
“Before I even stepped foot in Miami, I had built-in friendships with my roommates and a church community,” Matt said. “My first Sunday in Miami, I go to Grace Church. Eric sees me, embraces me, tells me they are excited to have me. It immediately felt like home. I often wonder how people who don't have a church and who aren’t Christians build community when they move. I guess they have gyms and other social gatherings, but there’s something so special about the deep bonds in a church. You can have serious conversations and get to know everyone in the church quickly.”
What’s particularly encouraging for Matt is that many of the friends he’s made in Miami are new believers. They came to Christ because of the influence of one or more of the church’s members and they are eager to learn and serve.
“I didn’t know this when I moved, but Miami is a more secular culture,” Matt said. “Most people didn’t grow up in a Christian home. They came to Christ here as they heard Eric preach the Bible, verse-by-verse. They became friends with each other. Some have dated and gotten married. Now there are children at our church who come from couples who were saved at Grace Church Miami, met here, and now are raising their kids here. It’s the coolest thing.”
In God’s providence, Matt’s days in Miami have come to a close. He was recently accepted into the Coast Guard’s Officers Training School, a twelve-week program. After graduation, he will likely be stationed further up the East Coast, between Georgia and North Carolina. He knows that wherever the Lord takes him, his first priority is going to be finding a like-minded church.
“I’m sure the first place I’ll look will be The Master’s Seminary’s church finder,” Matt said. “And if I find a church where the Bible is faithfully preached and Christ is glorified, my plan is to dive right in, serve, and be as involved as I possibly can.”
Matt models how believers should navigate a move. By prioritizing the local church, he prioritized his spiritual life, ensuring that even though he lived far from family and friends, he was still able to thrive, find community, and grow in Christ because he found a healthy church environment. Matt is also experiencing one of the profound blessings of being so deeply embedded in the family of ministries supported by the John MacArthur Charitable Trust.
As more and more men are trained at The Master’s Seminary, they have taken their training into communities across the United States and around the world, providing expository preaching and leading biblically sound, doctrinally aligned churches. Twenty years ago, someone like Matt, who moved across the country from Grace Community Church, would have had a much harder time finding a healthy church to join in his or her new community.
Today, many of America’s cities have at least one TMS graduate. This vast and growing network of churches isn’t just serving people already in the community around them. It is serving families or individuals who move into the area looking for a church to call home.
“While in Miami, Eric and I read The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel together,” Matt said. “It was such a rich look at how God directs all of life, down to the smallest detail. I can certainly see that in my time here in Miami. I had no idea what to expect when I moved here, but God knew exactly what these years would be like, and He used Grace Church Miami to make them rich and full of so much spiritual growth and community. I’ll forever be grateful for God’s providence in my time here.”
