Dr. Matt Crawford
Senior Pastor
My Story: The Lord was gracious in allowing me to grow up in a Christian home in Merritt Island, Florida, with parents who made our faith and discipleship a priority. I received Christ as Savior at the age of twelve and was discipled in my home church’s vibrant youth ministry. While I was in high school, God called me into full-time Christian ministry. I met my wife Christie through Baptist Collegiate Ministries at the University of Central Florida, and we have been married since 2003. God has blessed us with five amazing kids! I completed a Masters of Divinity and a PhD at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. I served as a Student Pastor, Discipleship Pastor, Campus Pastor, and Senior Pastor at multiple churches in Florida. My primary passions and gifts are teaching and administration. I love to see God’s Word change lives, and I love to see ministry goals become a reality. My pastoral priorities are to lead God’s people to live biblical, Christ-honoring, and gospel-centered lives and for church members to see themselves as missionaries wherever God has placed them!
Favorite Music:My taste is very eclectic – I study with Classical music in the background all the time. But I also love Alan Jackson, U2, Coldplay, Christy Nockels, Whitney Houston, Switchfoot, PFR, Jack Johnson, Harry Connick Jr., ELO, dc Talk, Austin Stone Worship, Trip Lee, City Alight Worship, and Exodus Music.
Favorite Books: Anything by C. S. Lewis, Knowing God by J. I. Packer, The Cross of Christ by John Stott, Onward and Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, Tactics by Greg Koukl, and anything by David McCullough.
Favorite Movies: Lord of the Rings original trilogy, The Mandalorian, Truman Show, and Downton Abbey.
6-Word Memoir: "God is faithful; trust and obey".
Publications: PhD dissertation at Southern Seminary on C. S. Lewis and God’s use of beauty to draw people to himself, editor of study notes for 10-year revision of the Apologetics Study Bible, contributor to ERLC.com and LifeWay’s Facts and Trends.
Favorite Music:My taste is very eclectic – I study with Classical music in the background all the time. But I also love Alan Jackson, U2, Coldplay, Christy Nockels, Whitney Houston, Switchfoot, PFR, Jack Johnson, Harry Connick Jr., ELO, dc Talk, Austin Stone Worship, Trip Lee, City Alight Worship, and Exodus Music.
Favorite Books: Anything by C. S. Lewis, Knowing God by J. I. Packer, The Cross of Christ by John Stott, Onward and Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, Tactics by Greg Koukl, and anything by David McCullough.
Favorite Movies: Lord of the Rings original trilogy, The Mandalorian, Truman Show, and Downton Abbey.
6-Word Memoir: "God is faithful; trust and obey".
Publications: PhD dissertation at Southern Seminary on C. S. Lewis and God’s use of beauty to draw people to himself, editor of study notes for 10-year revision of the Apologetics Study Bible, contributor to ERLC.com and LifeWay’s Facts and Trends.
Dr. Gerson Garros
Associate Pastor
My Story: Hi there! I’m happy that you are checking us out. I have been the Associate Pastor here at Trinity for 7 years now. Our family has been much embraced by this loving, caring and vision-filled community. I moved to Tennessee from Porto Alegre, Brazil, where I was a pastor and Seminary professor for 25 years. I studied Journalism (PUC-RS) and Theology (STBRS) in Brazil and have a MDiv and DMin from Sioux Falls Seminary, South Dakota. I also spent 2 years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, studying and working as a Resident Chaplain at Aurora Saint Luke’s Medical Center. I’m married to Denise since 1992 and we have two young adult children, Guilherme, or “Gui," and Georgia.
Passions: Besides teaching, preaching and counseling, I love traveling, playing tennis, watching soccer and receiving friends home. Even though I lived in urban setting, I’m always eager for the outdoor life of fishing, sightseeing and being surprised by the wildlife. Oh, and I love barbecues – yours and mine!
Books: My favorite authors are John Ortberg, Henry Cloud, Phillip Yancey and the Brazilians Ed Rene Kivitz and Luis Carlos Pondé.
Music: I enjoy Contemporary Christian and Folk music. If you catch me alone, you may find me worshiping while watching Matt Maher, Casting Crowns, David Crowder, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and some oldies like Harvest and The Imperials on Youtube.
Six-word memoir: Love God, love people, trust Jesus.
Passions: Besides teaching, preaching and counseling, I love traveling, playing tennis, watching soccer and receiving friends home. Even though I lived in urban setting, I’m always eager for the outdoor life of fishing, sightseeing and being surprised by the wildlife. Oh, and I love barbecues – yours and mine!
Books: My favorite authors are John Ortberg, Henry Cloud, Phillip Yancey and the Brazilians Ed Rene Kivitz and Luis Carlos Pondé.
Music: I enjoy Contemporary Christian and Folk music. If you catch me alone, you may find me worshiping while watching Matt Maher, Casting Crowns, David Crowder, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and some oldies like Harvest and The Imperials on Youtube.
Six-word memoir: Love God, love people, trust Jesus.
José Zapata
Pastor of Hispanic Ministries
My Story
I was born in Lima, Peru, into a family where my father was an atheist and my mother had traditional beliefs. The Lord rescued me at age 16 and allowed me to be a member of the Baptist Church of Salamanca where I was able to teach children, adolescents and adults. Many of them are current leaders of the Church. I have been married for 41 years to my beloved wife Gladys, we have three children and seven grandchildren.
I served the Lord in Peru and the United States, in the Salamanca Baptist Church, La Roca Church in La Molina and the Vida Nueva Baptist Church in Rinconada, where I was part of the Pastoral team.
In the United States I was the Hispanic Pastor at the Central Baptist Church of Ocala, Florida.
I am a teacher at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Monterrico, where I also studied. I studied Economics and have a Master's degree, I taught Banking and Finance courses at the University. The Lord allowed me to work for more than thirty years in various companies. I am a regular reader, and I receive many blessings from giants of the faith, such as the Puritans, C. Spurgeon and more contemporaries such as Rev. Martin Lloyd Jones, CS Lewis, RC Sproul among others. A book I return to: Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.
Passionate about expository preaching and convinced of the absolute need for prayer. Ephesians 6:18-20.
Favorite Scripture: Psalm 23 and John 6:37
Rev. Nathan Chester
Pastor to Students
My story: I came to know Christ at an early age, although my faith didn't truly become my own until my sophomore year of high school. I felt a call to ministry during my junior year of high school, and I've been pursuing that call ever since. I'm originally from the Memphis area, and I graduated from Union University in Jackson, TN in 2020. I also graduated with my masters in pastoral ministry from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in 2023. I came to Trinity as the student pastor in 2020, and I've been serving the Lord ever since. God has been faithful to me in this community, and I'm thankful for all the opportunities that I have received.
Passions: As a pastor, I obviously love preaching, teaching, and simply being in fellowship with other people. I’m a huge sports guy, especially basketball. Tennis, football, soccer—you name it, and I’ll be there. I also love to write and have previously written for Grizzly Bear Blues, a popular site that covers Memphis Grizzlies basketball. I’ve also written about various other issues for several other publications.
Favorite Music: Johnny Cash is my favorite musician. I like all kinds of music - just don't play pop country for me.
Favorite Writer: I’ve read most of what C.S. Lewis has written, with Screwtape Letters being my personal favorite. The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is, in my opinion, the greatest memoir on suffering and a person’s eventual triumph over it through grace and forgiveness. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer radicalized me in a sense as to realizing the personal cost that being a Christ-follower can bring in a culture that despises them.
Favorite Movies: The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Glory Road, Infinity War, Silence, Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge
Six-word memoir: "Imperfect vessel for a perfect God"
Passions: As a pastor, I obviously love preaching, teaching, and simply being in fellowship with other people. I’m a huge sports guy, especially basketball. Tennis, football, soccer—you name it, and I’ll be there. I also love to write and have previously written for Grizzly Bear Blues, a popular site that covers Memphis Grizzlies basketball. I’ve also written about various other issues for several other publications.
Favorite Music: Johnny Cash is my favorite musician. I like all kinds of music - just don't play pop country for me.
Favorite Writer: I’ve read most of what C.S. Lewis has written, with Screwtape Letters being my personal favorite. The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is, in my opinion, the greatest memoir on suffering and a person’s eventual triumph over it through grace and forgiveness. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer radicalized me in a sense as to realizing the personal cost that being a Christ-follower can bring in a culture that despises them.
Favorite Movies: The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Glory Road, Infinity War, Silence, Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge
Six-word memoir: "Imperfect vessel for a perfect God"
Garrett Addington
Minister of Worship and Music
My story: I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up there surrounded by a loving, Godly, family. In 2012, I moved with my family to the Memphis area, and it quickly became home! In 2020, I graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance. During college, I was blessed with the opportunity to serve as an intern in the Worship Arts ministry at Germantown Baptist Church. It was during this time that I began to feel the Lord leading me towards the ministry. In 2021 I was called to serve as the Worship Leader at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Germantown, and I served there until joining Trinity in March of 2024. I have been married to my wife, Lexi, since 2022, and we have a three-year-old Great Pyrenees mix named Teddi.
Passions: Music is a very big passion of mine. I wouldn’t be very good at my job if it wasn’t! I greatly enjoy singing, playing piano, and worshiping with my fellow brothers and sisters! My start in music came from a love of musical theatre, which I still enjoy regularly in my spare time. I also enjoy composing and have had several pieces commissioned for various events in and around the Memphis area. I am also a huge movie buff – most Friday nights you can find me at the theatre seeing the latest release!
Favorite Music: There are several different genres of music that I enjoy. My favorite Christian artists would probably be Chris Tomlin, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Kari Jobe and any choral arrangements by Tom Fettke and Bradley Knight. As I mentioned above, I am a big fan of musical theatre, specifically “The Phantom of the Opera,” and the other works of Andrew Lloyd Webber. I also enjoy listening to and analyzing film scores, specifically the work of composers John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Alan Menken, David Arnold, and James Horner.
Favorite Movies: It is hard to pick just a few! In no particular order, some of my favorites include: Star Wars (both the original and prequel trilogies), Jurassic Park, Inception, Man of Steel, and Beauty and the Beast.
Six-word memoir: In all things, praise the Lord
Passions: Music is a very big passion of mine. I wouldn’t be very good at my job if it wasn’t! I greatly enjoy singing, playing piano, and worshiping with my fellow brothers and sisters! My start in music came from a love of musical theatre, which I still enjoy regularly in my spare time. I also enjoy composing and have had several pieces commissioned for various events in and around the Memphis area. I am also a huge movie buff – most Friday nights you can find me at the theatre seeing the latest release!
Favorite Music: There are several different genres of music that I enjoy. My favorite Christian artists would probably be Chris Tomlin, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Kari Jobe and any choral arrangements by Tom Fettke and Bradley Knight. As I mentioned above, I am a big fan of musical theatre, specifically “The Phantom of the Opera,” and the other works of Andrew Lloyd Webber. I also enjoy listening to and analyzing film scores, specifically the work of composers John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Alan Menken, David Arnold, and James Horner.
Favorite Movies: It is hard to pick just a few! In no particular order, some of my favorites include: Star Wars (both the original and prequel trilogies), Jurassic Park, Inception, Man of Steel, and Beauty and the Beast.
Six-word memoir: In all things, praise the Lord
Trinity Staff
(Left to Right: José, Nathan, Garrett, Gerson, Matt, and Emily)
