Matt Petty
Co-Host of Burnt Hickory | Sermons
Matt Petty has been leading church ministries since 1997 and has seen thousands of students and adults give their lives to Jesus and begin to serve God. Matt joined the Pastoral team of Burnt Hickory in July of 2001 as the Student Pastor.
For 18 years Matt has given leadership to the RADIATE students and staff team that walks with middle school, high school, and college-aged students here at Burnt Hickory. Matt has been a key leader in student ministry here in this community as well as in the state of Georgia and nation. His love of the next generation has been on display consistently within and outside the walls of Burnt Hickory.
Matt is a native of Cobb county, and one of his desires as Senior Pastor is to see all people of his home in West Cobb and Paulding County know Jesus, serve Jesus, and for the church to be a place of love and healing that Burnt Hickory has been since its beginning.
Matt is married to his college love, Melissa, and has two boys Blake and Dalton. If not doing ministry at BHBC, you can usually find the Petty family on a sports field somewhere in Georgia or enjoying all things outdoors. Matt has a Bachelor's Degree from the University of West Georgia in Business Finance, and Masters from Liberty University in Theology.
Matt Petty has hosted 198 Episodes.
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Lasting Faith in the Hard Moments
Episode | April 24th, 2022 | 45 mins 16 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
Once you become a Christian, life isn’t perfect. Everyone still has questions and struggles and luckily, God loves us through our struggles in our faith. As we look into scripture today, we can learn that even when we can’t see God’s hand, we can trust his heart because we remember what God is like. His character is always the same, and he is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. We can remember what He has done in the world and for us through his Son. As we wrestle with faith, we should ask God to strengthen our ability to believe, because He is a good father.
Are you struggling with your faith? You are not alone, and we are a faith community who will walk with you through the hard moments in life with you. If you’ve got questions and want to connect with someone, them reach out – burnthickory.com/next. We’d love to answer any questions you have and take time to pray with you. -
Easter 2022 | The Resurrection Changes Everything | Burnt Hickory
Episode | April 17th, 2022 | 39 mins
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
Jesus is alive, he is alive indeed! Why is this such an amazing thing to celebrate in these modern times? The simplicity of this is the truth of the gospel, and its life changing. The resurrection of Jesus is of first importance, it was physically real, and it is for us. If Jesus had not raised from the dead, then our faith would be rendered of no use. His death was an actual event that happened in history. And we know it is for us because the resurrection provides forgiveness for our past, transforms us in the present, and secures us for the future. Because Jesus is alive, we have hope, faith, salvation, and assurance.
Do you trust Jesus? Have you given your heart to him? Is the power of the resurrection transforming you? If you’ve got any questions about Jesus and the resurrection, we would love to connect with you, answer questions, and pray with you. You can always take the next step here – burnthickory.com/next -
Runaway Prophet | Plants and People
Episode | March 20th, 2022 | 39 mins 14 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
We conclude the sermon series on Jonah today by looking at chapter 4 and the final scenes of Jonah’s heart. The fish has spit him back on land, he has proclaimed the gospel, people have repented and been saved, and now Jonah is angry. As we study the conversation between Jonah and God, we see that Jonah’s heart is idolatrous and ignorant. He has built his identity on something other that God, and has a desire opposed to God’s will. Can we not do the same thing in our own lives? Tim Keller puts it this way – “You are never father from God that when you are close to God and say no.” From the study in Chapter 3 we saw that God delights in mercy not in justice, and now we see that he gives Jonah a new heart even in his own idolatrous and ignorant anger. Are you Jonah or Nineveh?
Are there places in your life that you are saying no to God? Has your heart set its desire on and are you building your identity on something other that God? You can be brought back and restored no matter how angry or how far you have run from God. Repent and ask God for a new heart and find your true identity in what He has created you and called you to be. You can always reach out with any questions or to take the next step – Burnthickory.com/next -
Runaway Prophet | Our Mission of Evangelism
Episode | March 13th, 2022 | 36 mins 53 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
As we study the third chapter in Jonah, we see Jonah come to terms with his calling, and finally obey God in proclaiming the gospel to the Ninevites. We also see how our role and mission of evangelism defines us as God’s people and how urgently people around us need to hear the good news of Jesus. We also learn that God does not delight in judgement, but in mercy, and because of this, we see a people saved from their sins. We know that salvation comes from the Lord, but do you realize that faith comes only from hearing the word of God? We see it over and over in scripture, that we are to speak the word of God into our lives and the lives of those around us every day. This is what builds faith and a faith community.
You may have joined the lost coin challenge a few weeks ago, or are participating in 321 Serve this month, but these are just starting points to beginning a missional lifestyle and seeking opportunities to evangelize and be involved personally in peoples lives in our community. Take time and answer these questions: How can I speak the word of God into people’s lives this week? How can I specifically pray for others in my life that need Jesus? As always, if you’ve got questions about who Jesus is and how to begin your faith journey, then reach out today – burnthickory.com/next. We would love to talk with you and answer any questions as well as pray with you. -
Runaway Prophet | Deep Repentance
Episode | March 6th, 2022 | 42 mins 28 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
We dive deeper into Jonah this week by looking at Chapter 2 as we see the storm that overwhelmed Jonah and now, he’s in the belly of the fish seeking repentance. We can also gather through scripture that God uses storms in our lives for protection, perfecting, and correcting. Being stuck inside the fist for three days, Jonah started to pray. He thought he had been abandoned and banished from God’s sight. Have you ever been swallowed by a storm in life and feel that you are forgotten by God? What we can learn from Jonah’s deep repentance is that you are not forgotten, life is meaningless without God at the center of it, and idols will never fulfil us and will always leave us empty. Salvation always comes only from the Lord, and we see that Jonah was spit out onto dry land.
Are you in the midst of a storm? Do you need to repent and be saved? What takeaways did you get from Jonah’s story? As always, we would love to connect with you and answer any questions and pray with you. You can reach out today – burnthickory.com/next. -
Runaway Prophet | We are Jonah
Episode | February 27th, 2022 | 44 mins 35 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
We kick off our next sermon series called Runaway Prophet this week, and we’re going to be diving into the book of Jonah. As we study the bible, and specifically in the story of Jonah, we can learn lessons from the run – the disobedience of Jonah to God’s call. We see that rebellion is simply saying no to God. We learn that not every open door is from God, and our disobedience will always affect others in our life. Many times, God sends storms to break us from our self-reliance. These may seem like hard lessons to hear, but obedience to God is a very serious matter to him, and as we grow more Christlike, our reliance on God should grow too. Our sinful desires are tempting, and if we choose them, we are sinning, and the only real savior is Jesus. Our hope is found in Jesus because of his mercy and grace, and as we deny ourselves and our sinful desires, we grow stronger in our faith.
What areas of your life are you running from God? Are you in the midst of a storm? Are you going to be thrown overboard? What do you need to repent of to be obedient and reliant on God? Take time to pray and ask God to show you how you are being disobedient to him and ask Jesus to forgive your disobedience. God’s plan for you is so much better than your sinful desire and his deliverance is full of mercy. So, stop running away, repent, and run towards God today!
If you’ve got questions about Jesus and being obedient to God, we’d love to talk with you and pray with you. Reach out and take the next step today – burnthickory.com/next -
The Parables of Jesus | The Love of the Merciful Father
Episode | February 13th, 2022 | 43 mins 29 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
We come to the parable of the lost or prodigal son this week in our study of the parables of Jesus. As we look deeper in Luke chapter 15 during this bible study, we see that the elements of sin are a desire for independence and instant gratification. This son breaks his father’s heart by asking for his inheritance early and leaving home. What Jesus shows us in this parable is the love of a father that reflects our Holy Father, one who loves us even when we break his heart and wander in darkness. His love is so great for us when we are brought home that he wraps His arms around us and gives us gifts of grace. He makes us new. What a great parallel to how God loves us no matter where we are, and the extravagance of that love is way more than our sin.
What stands out to you in this passage? Where are you, wandering in darkness or in the father’s house? Has He rescued you and made you new? We would love to pray with you or talk about who Jesus is and answer any questions you have. We believe in walking through life together, so if you aren’t part of a faith community, then reach out today – we’d love to get you plugged in so that you can grow closer to Christ alongside others. BurntHickory.com/next -
The Parables of Jesus | Will You Listen to the Warning?
Episode | February 6th, 2022 | 45 mins 57 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
The parable from scripture that we look at this week is found in Matthew chapter 21, where Jesus teaches us about a vineyard owner who rents his field to some farmers. The farmers beat and kill the owners’ servants who’ve come to collect what’s owed him. Then they kill his son. But before we judge the sins of these people in the past, we need to realize that we are not beyond sin. The history of human depravity should not make us feel proud and smug, but should make us live in constant humble repentance, begging to God that our heart can march in another direction. The truth is that God has provided our heart with all that we need to trust and serve Him, and most of our unbelief is really just willful refection of God. The root of our rejection comes from our desire to be in control, and God’s grace towards a lost heart is merciful, but won’t last forever. Just like the vineyard owner who has sent warning after warning, God is mercifully warning us about willfully rejecting Him in our hearts. Are you listening to the warning?
Has this sermon caused you to consider God’s warning about sin in your heart? Do you want to know how to take the next step and not be lost? We would love to pray with you or answer any questions you have about Jesus and what He has done for you. Reach out today – burnthickory.com/next -
The Parables of Jesus | Sheep or Goat?
Episode | January 30th, 2022 | 44 mins 48 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
This week, we dig deeper into Matthew looking at the parables that Jesus taught that relay huge truths to our lives as Christians. Today we look at the difference between sheep and goats, and the distinction that Jesus warns us in being a lukewarm believer. Is it enough to read the bible, attend church, and avoid the “big sins”? Who will go to heaven? When should you start living for Jesus? Pastor Matt poses some important questions from this bible study that need serious consideration about where you stand in eternity. Signs of being a lukewarm Christian include not really wanting to be saved from sin, only the consequences of sin, not sharing your faith with people around you, and thinking about life here on earth much more than eternity.
Do any of these seem familiar? Are you afraid that you are living a lukewarm life? Begin today by asking Jesus to be the savior of your life and start living for him now. We would love to celebrate your decision to follow Christ, and talk with you more about your next step, so reach out today – burnthickory.com/next -
The Parables of Jesus | Five O’clock Faith
Episode | January 23rd, 2022 | 37 mins
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
There are times in your life that you might ask the question, God, why did you let this happen to me? Does life just not seem fair? How are we supposed to by happy in an unfair life? Well, if God gave us what we deserved, we’d be doomed from the start. God has called us to trust in his goodness and promises, no matter what our circumstances in life look like. We need to reflect on our relationship with God and find any places where we are bitter because we feel he has withheld some blessing, or when we are jealous of the good things that others have. This actually robs us of our happiness. Do you get angry when God doesn’t answer your prayers the way you think he should? Or do you feel uncertain about where you stand with God. Then this shows that we are not trusting in God’s promises. When we do trust him, our bitterness, jealousy, anger, and insecurity is replaced with gratitude, contentment, peace, and assurance.
Do you feel like life is unfair, or are dealing with understanding why you are going through tough times if God is so loving? God will always have you, so never give up. Then take time to reach out today, we’d love to pray with you and help you shift your insecurity to assurance through trusting in God. We want you to live a happy life, one of gratitude, filled with peace, and grateful to God for his promises – burnthickory.com/next -
The Parables of Jesus | What’s the Gospel Worth?
Episode | January 16th, 2022 | 46 mins 35 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
When we truly value something, we ascribe a cost which is related to what we will give up for it. We see in Matthew 13 a parable taught by Jesus about discovering the true worth of salvation and how that will revalue every area of our life. We see in scripture in this parable about a pearl and a treasure in a field, that the gospel is hidden in simplicity and in ordinary believers, and that gospel attracts us with a promise of greater and eternal joy. But in this simplicity, we see that the gospel requires us to leave everything else. We must have no rivals and no refusals, and we will end with no regrets.
God is not upset with you because you want to be happy. He's upset for you because he knows that your happiness and joy will only come through him. He knows that's the only thing that will last. When we say that God is a jealous God, he's not jealous because he's insecure. He just knows that he's the only one that can make our lives truly happy. He knows he's the only one that can bring us true joy. The rest of the things in our lives are just fleeting.
What things are you valuing more than the gospel? In what ways are you complicating the gospel? Are you willing to have no rivals and no refusals? What you might be feeling is conviction, fear, or even anxiousness. We would love to pray with you and walk along side you in your faith journey. You can reach out today to find out more about who Jesus is, how to be forgiven of sin, and how to live out your faith – burnthickory.com./next -
The Parables of Jesus | What Kind Of Soil
Episode | January 9th, 2022 | 45 mins 31 secs
baptist, bible, church, preaching, scripture, sermon
We begin a sermon study on the parables of Jesus in the bible with the intention to understand, interpret, and apply the things Jesus taught directly into our lives today. Many times, we can learn truth from these parables, but Jesus also hid meanings inside his teachings, and we have to understand the intentions behind this scripture. Today we look at Matthew 13:1-23, the parable of the Sower. We can learn from this bible study that understanding truth is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and it’s a matter of the heart as well as the head. We also see four types of hearts, the hard, shallow, divided, and the open heart. The hard heart is distracted, the shallow doesn’t follow through. The divided heart is concerned with life, and the open heart represents one who understands and does what the word of God says. The real question is which soil are you?
If you feel that you have been blocked from scriptural and godly truth because of unwillingness to change of by cherishing sin, then let us pray with you. Maybe today is the day you take the next step in your faith journey, and choose to accept Jesus as your savior, we’d love to walk along side you, celebrate your decision, and find a place for you to walk out your faith – reach out today – burnthickory.com/next