Matt Samler

Matthew Samler has been a pastor at Pathways Church under their lead Pastor Brent Freeman, for the past four years. He oversees the youth ministry (6th-12th graders) and he absolutely loves the students. In the past two years they have designed, built and expanded their Teen Center (The Hangar) and connect with over 400 students each week in our community. Matthew is married to Nicole, who is a stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher to their two kids. Audrey is 9 and Noah is 7.
Matt has been in theatre world for over 20 years working at theme parks, traveling shows, cruise ships and opening and working for Lumberjack Feud, Fee Hedrick and as the Director of Operations at Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Adventures which is currently Pirates Voyage. He has been blessed to have traveled to 60 countries around the world and live on three continents.
He is so overjoyed that God has led him to the Smoky Mountains where he can do what he knows God wants him to do and reach the lost in an ever-darkening world. He believes his role is not only for students in our community, but all people are to convey the message of “hope” to them in Jesus.