Calvary's Leaders
Matt Davis
What do you do at Calvary?
I get to pastor the kids at Calvary, from our brand new babies to our rambunctious preteen sixth graders. I serve with a passionate staff and faithful, kid-loving volunteers who get to walk briefly with kids and their families to share and model the love of God.
How did you come to Calvary and how long have you been here?
In the summer of 1998 I was finishing up my fourth summer at Alpine Conference Center in Blue Jay, California. I was a Bible teacher, worship leader and counselor and loved interacting with all of the kids that passed through. Calvary Church came up to Alpine and I fell in love with the kids and staff. As they were leaving that week I wanted to go with them. I instantly connected with Suzanne Jensvold (who can make anyone feel at home) and later Geri Templeton, and I knew I was going to be at Calvary for a long time. It just so happened that I needed an internship and Calvary could use an intern and I started working as a paid intern for Calvary on September 1, 1998.
What is your educational background and training?
I graduated from Biola University in 1999 with a BA in Christian Education and Elementary Education and followed up with an MA in Christian Education with an emphasis in Children’s Ministries.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Lakewood, CA for the first eight years of my life and then relocated to Diamond Bar, CA where I lived through high school.
Tell us about your family...
I have lived and breathed with an amazing wife, Marilee, since 2001. If it helps you pronounce it, you say her name like the lyrics in the song, “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” Having a partner in life who challenges me and keeps me grounded has been God’s goodness to me. I also have two other sweet humans who call me dad, Noah and Jedidiah, and one more on the way. We live in the middle of Old Town Orange and love the community that we’re in.
Tell us how you "popped the question," or how it was popped to you.
I knew very early on Marilee was “the one.” She confirmed it when she bought her wedding dress after four months of us dating. I knew my chances of her saying, “yes” at this point were pretty good. A night before our six month anniversary of dating, I set things up to have us meet my parents for dinner in Laguna Beach and then check out a potential wedding spot, a place we made up called, “The Bluffs.” Kinda funny since the whole thing was a bluff. Anyway, as part of my master plan, my parents did not show due to a “miscommunication” that our appointment at “The Bluffs” was scheduled for the following week. I told Marilee that we should just make a night of it and hang out around the beach, but she was so upset and cranky and really wanted to see the place anyway. She was even asking waiters in BJ’s Pizzeria for a phone book to look up the number.
Note to the guys: Not really a good idea to make your bride-to-be really mad and cranky just before you pop the question.
Anyway, after a long and cranky dinner I convinced Mar to come down to the beach so I could sing her a song I wrote her. This significantly changed her mood. (By the way, I lost the paper I wrote the song down on and it is gone forever in history.) After this I spotted an artist painting a seascape on the beach. I suggested we go down to look. Marilee didn’t know that this artist was Calvary artist extraordinaire, Priscilla Burris, who Marilee had never met. I set it up with Priscilla ahead of time to be there and she had already painted a picture ahead of time, hidden on her easel, of me proposing to Marilee at the beach. We were looking over Priscilla’s shoulder when she asked us if we could go sit on the rocks while she painted us into her picture. While Mar and I sat there on the rocks Priscilla switched out the pictures and put the one up of me proposing.
When we came back around and Marilee saw the picture she got totally flustered and we were enacting the scene on that painting. I was on one knee and she said yes. We grabbed a limo and headed up PCH to meet our families for some dessert. That picture hangs in our house today!
What is your favorite memory from your time at Calvary Church?
I remember it like it was yesterday. Fiesta VBS, 2006. Friday morning, August 11 at 8:34am in the Worship Center. It was about 71 degrees and the wind was at 5 mph from the south. My good friend, Pastor Eric Wakeling, threw out a challenge to the kids that if they brought a bunch more friends to VBS that I would dye my hair bright red. They did it, so I dyed my hair. On the morning of the reveal, Eric asked the kids if they wanted to see what my hair looked like and I came out. I came out and showed more than 1000 kids my head and they cheered so loud that my ears rang. It was the closest I’ll ever get to a “rock star” moment. They were so excited, and I was literally tearing up with joy at what an awesome moment it was. Every Children’s Pastor should have a moment like this in their life.
Who have been the biggest spiritual influencers in your life?
There have been many writers and speakers who have shaped me over the years and caused me to think. But in life we need real people to walk alongside of us, or in some cases, slightly ahead of us to give us the wisdom of their experiences. There are a few guys who I consider my best friends who know me and speak truth, grace and wisdom into my life. Great spiritual conversations that take place over good food and good coffee.
I would also be insane to overlook how significant my relationship with my wife and kids are and how they push me to God daily. If I remain open, God uses them to help make me holy.
Favorite place you’ve been in the world and where do you want to go next?
I love Israel. Nowhere else on earth does God speak through His Word more than the Holy Land. For my next adventure, I am very drawn to green, nature-saturated places like New Zealand or Scotland and Ireland.
When I can't be found at Calvary, I can be found...
At home. With little guys at home, I am learning more and more that home is the place to be. If I ask my kids where they most want to be it isn’t somewhere like Disneyland or Sea World. They just like being home, with their toys in their environment and with both of their parents right in the middle of all of it. Every once in a while a wrestling match breaks out and nothing is better than being at the bottom of the pile tackled by your kids.
Hidden Talent?
I was a professional clarinet and saxophone player. I have played in many classical orchestras and musicals in Hollywood on clarinet, and some jazz clubs on sax. I only picked up guitar in college to try to get a girlfriend. It eventually worked out….my wife likes that I play guitar.
What do you count as the greatest invention of the last 100 years?
The iPhone. Seriously, is there anything that can’t be done on that thing?
On what reality show would you most want to be a contestant?
Iron Chef America. I would definitely challenge Bobby Flay to the cook-off and the secret ingredient would be garlic. Eric Wakeling would be sou chef and Chris Gniffke would be there just for comic relief. We would lose miserably but it would be a ton of fun!