In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Dr. Chris Crain interviews Matt Mason, senior pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, where he has served for almost ten years. Matt was the Worship Minister for three years before becoming an internal candidate for senior pastor during the transition period of former pastor David Platt's call to the International Mission Board (IMB). The church voted Matt in as senior pastor with his wife Paula by his side.

Matt shares about his call to ministry at a young age after growing up as a PK and seeing his father and mother's love for the church. He tells the story of a pivotal moment in his life, at the age of twelve, when his father died in the pulpit in the middle of preaching a sermon on Palm Sunday on March 27th, 1988. His father was only 45 years old at the time. It is a remarkable story of faith and perseverance. His whole family, including all of his siblings and children, serve in ministry at various churches around the country.

Matt shares about his love for the book of Philippians and how it was one of the first books in the Bible to light him up for the scriptures. He especially loves Philippians 3. Every morning Matt starts his day praying, engaging in the scriptures, Bible journaling, and reading his daily verses in the Psalms.

We know you will be inspired by this wonderful interview with Matt Mason, senior pastor at The Church at Brook Hills!

In today's Undivided Birmingham podcast, Dr. Chris Crain interviews Austin Hardison, executive director of Red Mountain Grace. Red Mountain Grace provides safe, clean, and affordable apartments to patients and their families receiving long-term medical care at hospitals throughout the city of Birmingham. Red Mountain Grace has 20 fully furnished apartments and has served over 1,000 families since 2013. There are many ways that churches can be involved at Red Mountain Grace, including adopting an apartment and volunteering through cleaning, celebrating milestones, catering, and ministering to families.

Learn more about Red Mountain Grace at https://www.redmountaingrace.org/.

In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Dr. Chris Crain interviews Luke Long, our new BMBA Missions & Ministry Intern.

Luke, a student at Samford University, is currently pursuing a degree in Christian Ministry with a business minor. A native of Trussville, Luke grew up in a large family of ten—eight children, four biological and four adopted. As the third child in the family, Luke’s upbringing was shaped by the lessons of faith, service, and community, values that continue to inspire his calling to ministry.

Ministry runs deep in Luke’s family. His grandfather, James Long, serves as the Homebound Minister at First Baptist Church of Trussville, and his father, Alan Long, transitioned from 25 years of practicing medicine to serving as a Teaching Pastor at First Baptist Church of Trussville. Through their examples, Luke has gained valuable insight into what it means to serve others through the local church. “My parents never pushed a certain vocation on me or my siblings, but they have always been supportive of our callings. It’s all about parents being supporters and cheerleaders for God’s work in their children,” Luke said.

Luke is eager to serve the BMBA in a variety of ways, assisting with tasks that support our churches and their ministries. He looks forward to guest teaching in student ministries and small groups, as well as preaching in churches throughout the association. “I am here to be a sponge and to teach what I have been taught,” he said. As his calendar begins to fill, Luke is enthusiastic about putting his education into practice and investing in the churches of the BMBA.

If you would like to have Luke speak at your church, you may contact him by email at LukeL@BMBAonline.org, or you may call him at (205)790-5448 or at the BMBA office at (205)599-3245.