IRVING, Texas — Since taking on the role of senior pastor at Plymouth Park Baptist Church in Irving in 2024, Matt Henslee has focused on revitalization efforts to reshape the church into a multiethnic and multigenerational congregation that desires to “make much of Jesus, because Jesus changes everything.”

“Our biggest change has been coming together as one family,” Henslee said. “Our Spanish and English congregations are now coming together for one service under one roof. We have a bilingual call to worship, and the music is blended a bit between English and Spanish.”

In addition, earpieces are provided for those who would like to listen to the sermon translated into Spanish.

“This change better reflects the community around us and has allowed us to have a little taste of heaven on earth where a multitude of people from every tribe, tongue and nation will worship the King,” Henslee said.

Furthering the opportunities to reach the community with the gospel, Henslee began serving as the chaplain for the Irving Police Department. He is also the regional coordinator for the Church Ambassador Network and serves on the membership and annual meeting committees of the Dallas Baptist Association.

Before coming to Plymouth Park to serve as lead pastor, Henslee was assistant preaching pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville and helped revitalize the Collin (Texas) Baptist Association as its associational mission strategist.

“I’ve been pastoring in a variety of contexts and ministries since I was 16 years old,” Henslee said. “From churches in the middle of nowhere to churches in the heart of a big city, God has provided me with a number of opportunities to preach and teach the good news in a myriad of ways. God called me away from what I thought was my dream job as the executive director of Collin Baptist Association to pastor a declining church in need of revitalization. Our four daughters left a ton of friends, and we were initially reluctant until we saw God not just help us get over obstacles, but God removed those obstacles completely. His calling was clearer than it has ever been, and following Him here has brought more joy than we’ve ever had, especially as we see what He is doing in and through this church.”

Over the past year, Henslee has attempted to bring new life to the congregation with a down-home and hospitable approach. By offering a variety of outreaches and fellowships, church members have had many opportunities to invite their neighbors, friends and co-workers to church activities and have been encouraged to engage in random acts of kindness as they enter the mission field that is before them daily.

“One of my biggest pushes has been for us to become more outwardly focused in our ministry efforts,” Henslee said. “We’re not saved to sit and soak but to be sent to serve and share the good news. So, with ministries like Crockett Connection, a ministry that brings in more than 100 middle schoolers each Wednesday after school to share the gospel with, and opportunities like Blue Jeans & Blue Bell, a western-themed high-attendance Sunday fellowship, we’re regularly looking for opportunities to reach out, both in our weekly offerings and through special events.”

As a result, the community is taking notice as church members are extending invitations to church and helping their friends experience new life in Christ.

“The most exciting thing for me has been the recent baptisms,” Henslee said. “It seems it’s harder to find a Sunday where we’re not either baptizing someone or having someone come forward asking to be baptized. God has been doing some amazing things in all of our age groups, and particularly in our student ministry that has grown from just one student on Wednesdays to over 20 students. Even our more seasoned adults are ministering well, too, with opportunities like mission trips and other projects.

“My first goal has been getting each and every member of Plymouth Park comfortable having a conversation with a stranger, particularly a lost person, with a simple evangelism strategy I teach almost weekly. My next step is to see if I can start getting some of us to do that more regularly and intentionally door to door and with more community-minded opportunities.”

Along the way, Henslee has learned valuable lessons through revitalization that he hopes will encourage other pastors.  

“You are not who your critics say you are or your fans,” Henslee said. “You are who God says you are, and as His child who He has called into this awesome, hard, amazing and sobering ministry of shepherding His flock, look to Him, not your friends or foes, and pursue honoring and pleasing Him above all else.”