Matthew L. Tinkham, Jr.
the journey and reflections of a passionate pastor-teacher
"... his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:9 NIV).
"I charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, ... preach the word!"
(II Timothy 4:1-2 ESV)
About Me
I am native to the southeastern region of the United States—born and raised in the Tennessee River Valley in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am currently serving as the pastor of the Knoxville Grace and Lenoir City Seventh-day Adventist Churches in eastern Tennessee. I am also studying toward a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Religion with a concentration in Theological Studies at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Previously, I graduated in 2015 from this same institution with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in Systematic Theology. My undergraduate education was completed at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee; there I earned Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in Theology and International Studies, Spanish Emphasis, minors in the areas of Biblical Languages and Psychology, and two certifications—one in Ministry and the other in Bible Work. I have been married to Mariesa (Swisher) Tinkham now for more than ten years. She is a very talented musician and a licensed clinical social worker who is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Besides these achievements, I feel a strong call to share the eternal gospel message of Jesus Christ and the Three Angels' Message of Revelation 14:6-12 through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. But this has not always been the case. To learn more about my conversion to Christ and call to ministry, see My Spiritual Journey.
Since my call to pastoral ministry, God has provided opportunities to travel to many places in the United States and around the world (such as Ecuador, Cuba, Costa Rica, Greece, Argentina, etc.) to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ and the three angels' messages (Rev 14:6–12) with countless numbers of people. God ever continues to fill my life with His unspeakable joy and peace and has placed a unique calling and purpose in my life to serve Him in full-time ministry. I now get my greatest fulfillment in life from my relationship with Jesus and serving Him by leading others into a saving relationship with Him.
Some of my favorite hobbies and pass-times are reading, biblical and theological research, singing, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, wildflower identification and photography, paleontology, traveling internationally, language-learning, playing badminton, and golf, and enjoying my home aquarium. Most of all, I enjoy seeing the lives of people become positively changed by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the Word of God.