Dr. Matthews was a combat infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. An incident there led to his surrender to the gospel ministry. He went on to pastor churches in Mississippi and Georgia. He retired from the pastorate in July 2012 after serving as Senior Pastor of Eastern Heights Baptist Church in Columbus for 18 years. During his tenure as pastor, he served as moderator of several associations and on committees the Mississippi and Georgia Baptist Conventions.

Dr. Matthews is currently an adjunct professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Since 1989, he has been a regular writer for LifeWay Christian Resources, writing Sunday School curriculum and journal articles. His education includes a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Architecture from Georgia Tech and a Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Matthews and his wife, Pamela, have 4 children and 7 precious grandchildren. His hobbies include fishing, model railroading, and writing.