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 3 of 3
It's a message Pitt repeats over and over to his followers. "You've got to understand how crazy Jesus is about you," he tells them. "He can't get you off his mind. He's not mad at you. He's mad about you."
He encourages them to make better choices, to turn away from things dragging them down and be victors, changing the nation one Christian at a time. Services end with a dramatic skit and an altar call. As the lights dim, worshipers close their eyes and lift their hands in prayer, singing along with the music. Some kneel. Many cry.
Andrew Rape, 18, rocks in his seat, cradling his head in his hands. The crowd is thinning, but he's unaware, fingers clenching and unclenching tightly across the top of his cap as he prays. While some teenagers admit they come to The Basement because it's fun, Mr. Rape finds a deeper experience. He says he resisted coming at first because it sounded "like a party." But after the first visit, he was hooked.
"My family has a lot of problems, and I'm caught in the middle," Rape says. "Coming here gives me my own time and gives me the strength to go home. I just talk to God and get all my issues out, and it really helps."
Sherry Brazee, 50, enjoys Pitt's quirky analogies. "You can tell he spends time with God," she says. "For 23 years old, he's totally anointed."
The ministry has grown from a handful of people in his parents' basement to church after church. It's gotten so big, he's formed a nonprofit corporation, Whosoever Ministries, which pays his salary and handles legal and financial issues. "I live every day like it's my last," says Pitt, stopping to hug three elderly ladies. "I'm dedicated to this ministry, and it's taken a lot of the kid out of me, but I'm completely sold out to what I believe. You only get one chance to live. I was given a second chance to spread the Gospel."
While a few area ministers have questioned Pitt's interpretations of the Bible, others embrace his services and style. Some, like Pat Perkins, youth pastor at the World Outreach Center, an evangelical church in Oneonta, Ala., even take their young members to The Basement on Tuesday nights. "Matt's definitely reaching this generation," says Mr. Perkins.
Wake Forest's Leonard believes that, at some point, the lack of formal religious training could become an issue when people start asking larger theological questions. He says it's critical for evangelists like Pitt to find people who can both mentor them and teach the converts.
As for Pitt, he says he'd like to go to seminary, but things are moving too fast right now. His eyes flit over the church lobby, distracted momentarily by the crowd. For the hyperactive kid who could never hold still, life continues to be a rush. But for now, he's staying put, riding the wave.
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