We are well into the summer of 2021, and it’s evident that people are on the move! After a year of varying degrees of lockdown and quarantine, many are eager to be out and about again. This June ministry spotlight will point you in the direction of an encounter you won’t soon be forgetting. Answers in Genesis (AiG) is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ effectively.

While many of our past newsletters have focused on those serving in official ministry or missional capacities, we wanted to share with you a slightly different story of this unique family and their ministry. Not only is this family modeling a Jesus-looking life in their many capacities, but they also happen to be close friends of us here at MATS! 

At MATS we have the honor to work with clients that are serving in ministries across the US and even some around the world. It’s one of our greatest joys to serve these folks who are giving of their time and resources to care for others and live the Gospel to those around them. One of the ministries that we are particularly close to is Young Life.

While many of us across the US have been hunkered down and encountering all kinds of winter weather these past few weeks, this month’s MATS ministry spotlight lands us in the warm, sun-soaked Baja desert of Mexico. Former clients of MATS, Pete and Emily Johnson and their family work with a ministry in La Paz called Rancho el Camino.

We’ve turned the page from 2020 into 2021, and it seems clear that this new year comes with continued challenges that linger from last year, but also arrives replete with fresh opportunities that lie ahead. For those in ministry, this past year has likely proven to be full of the unexpected and may have even been discouraging and draining.

We’ve rolled right on into 2021, but is your car ready for the road? As car experts, we’ve compiled a short list of things to check as you cruise on into the near year. 

One of the ways we love to support our friends in ministry is by capturing their story and using it to inspire our readers toward the work of the ministry. We caught up with Zac West with Jacksonville Young Life this past week and are excited for you to hear how the Lord is using this challenging season to grow trust in his providence but also inspire innovation and creativity. 

The internet is full of used-car horror stories. One of our favorites is from a man named Eric, writing to Popular Mechanics. He tells the story of winning an auction for a used but pristine Acura TL, towing it home full of anticipation, and opening the hood to find…nothing. The engine was missing.

The first thing you need to navigate the world of used auto sales is a map. Luckily, marketers and dealerships themselves have given us theirs—a glimpse at the way they approach the car selling process. 

So, you’re ready to buy a car. You know what you’ll be using it for, you’ve got a price range in mind, and it’s time to start looking at your options. What’s your first step?