A young evangelist draws thousands to worship at 'The Basement'
Matt Pitt, 23, operates a youth-oriented church in Birmingham, Ala., that features laser lights, hip-hop music, testimonials, and prayer.
from the September 17, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
Services at The Basement open with roughly 45 minutes of hip-hop performed by local Christian rappers who whip the crowd into a frenzy, encouraging them to dance mosh-pit-style to lyrics like, "Jesus is my rock/ Jesus is my rock star/ Jesus is my rock/ And he's totally cool."
Pitt arrives onstage afterward, looking somewhat like a rock star himself as his lanky frame, clad in a black T-shirt, jeans, and sandals, is projected across two large screens. "Look at those Jesus freaks right there who are not ashamed," he says, pointing to a row of gyrating worshipers. "Jesus is the only way. The Basement can't do it for you. This is not about a man or a ministry. I'm just the messenger."
Keeping it real is a big part of Pitt's message. He addresses issues like school violence, sex, absentee fathers, racism, and suicide. He speaks openly about his personal struggles, as well as those of his family.
"I'm in the business of twisting ears," says Pitt, perched on a bench in the lobby following a service. "I'm going to be as real as I possibly can. There are things I'll probably regret later, but you live and learn."
Pitt's education began at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He was 20 years old, studying marketing and partying hard. Life came crashing down in October 2003, the weekend of the Alabama-Tennessee game. After a night snorting cocaine, Pitt was shocked to learn his parents were in town to see the game. He reacted by taking more drugs.
As he and his parents entered the stadium, Pitt collapsed. The next time he opened his eyes, he was in a hospital. It was the end of college, but the beginning of his life as a Christian. His parents brought him to their Birmingham home and spent two months nursing him back to health. In December, they laid down the rules: Straighten up or get out.
Pitt says his father took him to the basement – hence the inspiration for his ministry's name – and told him he loved him and so did God. With tears in his eyes, he told his son how God had helped him conquer a 25-year addiction to alcohol. "I saw it; I'd lived with him," Pitt says. "I knew his life was totally different, and I knew then there was a God."
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