"A man is not measured by the breadth of his influence, but by the depth of his love."
Mattie Montgomery
Pastor Mattie and Candice Montgomery are the Senior Leaders of The Altar Fellowship. They have been in ministry together since before they were married in 2009. Mattie first stepped onto the stage of international ministry during his 10-year stint as the vocalist of renowned Spirit-filled hardcore band “For Today,” and prior to establishing The Altar, both he and Candice spent years of their lives serving in itinerant evangelistic ministry.
Pastor Mattie is an author, speaker, and instructor who, through his evangelistic ministry, has lead many thousands of people into the Christian faith, and trained many more in outreach and worship. He and Candice have the heart of a father and mother, and are passionate about raising family, cultivating worship, and hosting revival. They live and lead The Altar Fellowship in Johnson City, TN with their three sons, Kai, Caleb, and Carver.
THE ALTAR STAFF
ASSOCIATE PASTOR & CHILDREN'S PASTOR
WORSHIP DIRECTOR
IAN & CHRISTINE MILLER
Ian and Christine Miller hail all the way from Sydney, Australia, where they lead a significant multicultural church for 17 years. With decades of experience in leadership and cultural transformation, they bring a wealth of wisdom and passion to our Altar team. Ian is a sought-after author and speaker who carries an innovative vision for the church to be the visible and tangible presence of the Kingdom on earth. Christine is a favorite speaker who demolishes religious mindsets that hinder God’s people from stepping into their full inheritance as sons and daughters of God. Together, they bring a passion to our community for strong family, prophetic legacy, and regional transformation.
ZAC HAGERTY
ZAC @THEALTAR.ORG
Zac oversees our worship department and leads the Altar Music. His heart's desire is to cultivate the Presence and he strongly believes that the Kingdom of God is established and sustained in family. Zac is a dynamic worship leader, musician, and songwriter. When he leads, a unique sense of freedom and purpose is unlocked for all to grab ahold of. He faithfully leads the department and our church family in worship and continues to allow Yahweh to be expressed and encountered in a well crafted worship experience. Zac is the Director of the Altar Music. Their first album will be out in the Spring of 2022.
STUDENT MINISTRY PASTOR
SETH PATTERSON
Seth and Kristen Patterson with their two children, moved to Johnson City in October of 2021 from their hometown of Port Charlotte, Florida. They received a word to step away from youth ministry of six years and pursue the family at the altar fellowship. Seth & Kristen Have always had a desire to see the next generation know and pursue the Lord on a personal level. It's their hearts that through devotion and family, that students will find their voices and establish the gifts that the Lord has instilled in every single one of them.
MEDIA DIRECTOR
LUKE ENFINGER
Luke is our Media director for The Altar Fellowship and The Altar Conference. He oversees all our social media, branding, and graphics for the organization. He has taken our social media and graphics to an entirely new level as a ministry, We are so grateful for his many gifts. He is also an anointed worship leader, and you will find him playing drums on an occasional Sunday. Luke and his wife Katie and their five children moved to Johnson City, TN in August of 2021. We are so glad they have found home here at the Altar Fellowship. They are such a beautiful asset to our family here in Johnson City!
CONFERENCE DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR
THOMAS COOK
Thomas Cook grew up in East Tennessee and has been serving Christ through various ministries and churches for the last 13 years. Thomas is married to his amazing wife Nancy Cook, and they have a burning desire to exalt and follow Jesus for the rest of their lives. Thomas loves to worship the Lord through organizing events, connecting Christian leaders, leading worship, writing music, and preaching. He is honored and thrilled to be serving Yahweh at The Altar!
MANDY HAGERTY
Mandy Hagerty is an Associate Pastor and our Executive Administrator overseeing the Pastoral Team's schedules and managing the office. Mandy plans and executes church events, gatherings, Revival Nights and is the stream of communication for the family. Mandy is a gifted speaker and teacher. She carries a deep understanding of the Word of God and the heart of the Father. She works faithfully with every department to assure they have everything they need to be successful in everything they do for the Kingdom of God to be advanced in Johnson City, TN.
DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL INITIATIVES
DAVID & NIKOL MORRISON
DAVID@THEALTAR.ORG
NIKOL@THEALTAR.ORG
David and Nikol have a passion to lead the lost to Jesus, inspire young people to run after God, live a life of the Kingdom, and go after miracles in the least and lost places of the earth. David formed and played for 7 years in the Christian hardcore band For Today alongside Pastor Mattie before being called as a missionary to Ecuador, where he served for 2.5 years planting a church. Nikol, born and raised in Ecuador, served for years in children’s ministry before the Lord called her to church planting and missions. They both met & served on their church planting missions team in Ambato, Ecuador and were married 1-year after they finished their term and moved to the States. They both continued to serve in missions mobilization and leadership for 6-years with Ardeo Global, mobilizing missions teams to plant 9 new churches in 6 countries. In 2019 Yahweh led them both to serve alongside Pastors Mattie & Candice when He said, “Go to Tennessee and the world will never be the same.” That is the word they’re still believing today with expectation & excitement to launch the Altar ministry & missions school as a catalyst to the Great Commission!
LOVE
1 Corinthians 13:2
"We believe that love is the engine that drives the Gospel. We are people who have been loved wildly, so it is our joy to love wildly as we engage the world around us. While fear seems to be devastating our generation, we cling tightly to the knowledge that 'Perfect love casts out fear.' So, we choose to love, and we expect to see its power prevail every time."
WHAT WE BELIEVE
There is only one true God, Yahweh, who is the eternal King, Redeemer, and Creator (Deuteronomy 4:35, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6).
He is perfectly holy, just, loving, and truthful. He has revealed Himself to be eternally self-existent, one Being in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (John 10:30, John 15:26, John 4:24).
The Bible is the only universally infallible, inspired, and authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 1:1).
God created humankind in His image to know and enjoy Him; and to honor Him by stewarding His creation. We have each willfully rejected the Lordship and standards of God. Because of our rejection, sickness, death, and judgment entered the world, and now, creation experiences the effects and consequences of man’s sin (Isaiah 53:3-5).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God—the firstborn over all creation and the firstborn among many brethren. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is God’s Anointed One (Messiah). During His earthly ministry, He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to embody and establish God’s eternal Kingdom on Earth (Romans 8:29, Luke 3:21-22).
Jesus was crucified as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, died, was buried, resurrected, ascended into heaven, and is alive today, seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for His people. Jesus is wholly God and wholly man (Ephesians 2:6, Romans 8:34).
We are saved by God’s grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Anyone can be brought into fellowship with God by repenting of dead works, trusting in the sufficiency of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and receiving Him as his or her Savior and Lord (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Putting our faith in Christ is the only means by which sinful men can be brought into right relationship with God (Ephesians 2:13, Ephesians 3:12).
The victorious redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides freedom from the power of the enemy--sin, deception, sickness, lack, and torment (Ephesians 2:19-22).
The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and adopts us as God’s sons and daughters. His work in the life of the believer is to teach and equip us to better embody the character and power of Christ in the earth (Romans 8:12-17).
The Holy Spirit sanctifies and dwells in us, enabling us to live holy lives and to minister supernaturally (1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 John 2:27).
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is poured out on believers so that they might have the power to bear effective witness to the Gospel and the glory of Christ Jesus (Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:4).
The Church consists of all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, and Jesus gave His church the sacraments of baptism and communion as a means by which to align with and publicly profess allegiance to Him alone (Acts 2:23-26, Acts 22:16).
The Church exists as an extension of the ministry of Jesus Christ, to further advance His Kingdom by preaching and living the good news of God’s love, making disciples of nations; baptizing, and teaching those in our sphere of influence how to love and obey God (John 13:34-35, Matthew 28:19-20).
Based on the redemptive work of Christ, the Holy Spirit joins God’s people (the Church) together as family in Christ, to glorify God by loving each other, and encouraging each other toward love and good deeds, as we await the final consummation of all things, when the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdoms of our God (1 Corinthians 12:12, Revelation 11:15).
Heaven and hell are real places. There will be a resurrection of the saved and the lost. Those who have trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior will go on to everlasting life, and those who have rejected the lordship of Jesus, to everlasting death (Matthew 25:31-46).