Matthew and Krista Decker
Planting in Churches in Ghana
Pastor Seth Antwi, a Ghanaian pastor, showed Matt and Krista his country during their survey trip in 2009. “This town has so many people but no church,” he would say. “And this is a Baptist church, but it’s very liberal.” Across Ghana, Matt and Krista’s hearts were broken to see abundant outward signs of Christianity but few true believers who were well-discipled.
In a team ministry with Ryan and Joy Owen and Charlie and Carol Ann Sellers (see pp. 9, 12), the Deckers hope to reach into some of those towns that have no church, particularly in central Ghana. But first their team will pair up with veteran missionaries to learn the culture and help in their church-planting efforts.
During their Ghana survey, Matt and Krista taught at BMM’s Wa Bible Institute in northern Ghana. As God leads, Matt and Krista would like to help teach in a BMM Bible school. Because of the large numbers of youth in Africa, they also will include children and teens ministries.
Lives Offered Up
Matt’s parents prayed that their children would go into missions and saw their prayers answered in Matt and his sisters Iris (story above) and Erika Gibson, who are also BMM missionaries. Matt and Krista look forward to building up the Ghanaian people for the Lord, just as they were influenced.
Biographical information
In November of 1985, Matthew was born into a Christian family in Cleveland, Ohio. Through the unfortunate death of two of his friends at the age of four, Matthew received salvation through the leading of his mother. Throughout his years growing up, his parents always stressed their great desire to see their kids serving the Lord in ministry. It was through that influence of his parents and also through personal experiences with missionaries that God called Matthew into full-time missionary service. However, Matt did not always follow the call of the Lord.
Matthew attended Perry High School in Ohio where he determined to do his own things. He unsuccessfully attempted to follow after material wealth and prestige by desiring to become an astronomer or lawyer. However, through a summer trip to Brazil in 2003, God reaffirmed the Matthew’s call to missions. From that point forward, Matthew sought to follow the Lord’s leading to wherever it may be.
As a result of following after God, Matthew was led to attend Piedmont Baptist College to earn a degree in Biblical Studies with a Missions Emphasis. While at Piedmont, Matthew met his wife Krista who also had a burden for missions, and they were married in July of 2007. Upon completion of his degree at Piedmont, Matthew began work on a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies at Tyndale Theological Seminary.
In the summer of 2009, Matthew and his wife Krista had the unique opportunity to go on a six week missions trip to Ghana, West Africa. It was during this trip that God placed a burden on Matthew and Krista’s hearts to serve Him in Ghana, particularly in an urban city located in the central region of Ghana.
Matthew has had many opportunities to grow and learn from others around him. He was privileged to be a Missionary Intern at his home church, Grace Baptist Temple, for six months. Matthew has also been involved in four missions trip where he learned from several veteran missionaries in addition to his faithful service in his local church. Matthew is experienced in preaching, teaching, and working with youth among other things.
Krista was born December 10, 1985 in Rockledge, Florida. She was raised in a Christian family and was saved at the age of four when her older sister led her to the Lord. Her family attended Faith Baptist Church in Palm Bay, Florida where Krista grew spiritually and began to have a burden for missions. There was a missions conference at her church when she was eleven years old, and Krista surrendered her life to God to go wherever He would lead her.
Krista attended local Christian schools from preschool through forth grade. Then her mom began homeschooling her and her sisters through Faith Christian School, a ministry of their church. Krista graduated from Faith Christian School in 2003 and went on to attend Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Krista earned a degree in Elementary Education with a Missions Concentration from Piedmont and a Elementary Education degree from High Point University.
While attending Piedmont, Krista met Matthew Decker. They were married on July 28, 2007. In 2009 they had a chance to go on a short term missions trip to Ghana, West Africa where they saw the spiritual needs of the people there. God used that trip to give them a burden for the people of Ghana and a desire to return there as full time missionaries.
Krista was an elementary school teacher from 2007-2010. She has had many opportunities to be involved in her local church. She has been involved in music ministries through playing the piano. She has had the opportunity to teach Sunday school classes, children’s church, become a leader in the AWANA program, and help in Vacation Bible Schools.