Introduction: Matthew Caward has spent three decades ministering and encouraging Firefighters, firefighter families, and community members after they have endured hardship or suffered a loss in this very challenging life. Whether serving as a soldier, a pastor, a firefighter, a business owner, a coach, a father, or a husband of 27 years, Matt has devoted his entire life to serving others. He motivates and inspires individuals, families, and audiences when he has the opportunity to speak, to rise out of the ashes of destruction or turmoil, and to let God's unique and powerful Grace breathe new purpose for your life and give you a renewed sense to share an Agape love with the rest of the world.
After heading off to College to play football and baseball in Kansas, he met the love of his life and married her the following summer. Matt and his wife Crystal started their family early as Matt began his service in the US Army Chaplaincy Corps. Matt spent the next six years serving soldiers and families as a Chaplain's assistant stationed stateside in Alabama. Matt then moved to Arizona for the next few years as the manager and director of a Christian youth camp in Northern Arizona, where he grew up. Eventually, Matt would find a new calling in the Fire Service. A calling would lead him and his family to New Mexico, where he would serve as a full-time Pastor and professional firefighter for Bernalillo County and Mountainside UMC, respectively. In 2007 Matt was certified as a Fire Service Chaplain By the International Association of Fire Chaplains and began the first Chaplaincy program in BCFD's 50-year History. Matt would make history by being pinned as the first Fire Chaplain and three years later named the department’s first full-time Chaplain. Matt has served faithfully in the New Mexico community since 2003. His Fire Career was exemplary, earning honors as Firefighter of the Year in 2008, being certified in multiple aspects of the job, including Fire Department Engineer, then as a company officer at the rank of Lieutenant, and a promotion to Captain in 2018. Matt's passion continues to be service to his fellow man, service to his family, and his brothers and sisters in the Fire Department and community. Matt works tirelessly to improve the department's morale, teamwork, and communication skills. He inspires members and families to achieve their dreams by coping with and overcoming even the greatest of heartache and tragedy. With his extensive background as a firefighter, company officer, speaker, teacher, motivator, business owner, Father, Husband, Pro Football player, and professional football coach, including the first professional sports Championship in the state of New Mexico, and 27 years in ministry as a pastor and counselor, Matt has honed his skills to motivate, encourage and inspire audiences and people who are often difficult to motivate. With his passion and experience, Matt connects with people immediately. He delivers content, guidance, advice, and leadership that can help inspire people to overcome and rise amid tragedy or surpass their expectations to the heights of their goals and dreams.
Matt is an ordained minister. A graduate of The College of the Open Bible in South Carolina with a Bachelor's and Master's in Biblical Theology. He is also a graduate of Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor's degree in Fire Administration and a Master's degree in Business Administration from California Coast University. He is currently a doctoral student in Chaplaincy at Liberty University.
