About Me

For more than four decades, I’ve helped students, faculty, and churches think carefully about the Christian faith. As a national speaker and apologetics specialist with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, I enjoy engaging honest questions about Christianity from skeptics, seekers, and believers alike.

A significant part of my ministry is helping Christians share their faith with greater confidence and humility. That begins with a theology of witness: God always goes before us. He is the chief evangelist and we are his “junior partners.” From there, I coach believers to become more natural and less fearful in conversational evangelism while learning how to respond thoughtfully to difficult questions about science, the Bible, suffering and evil, other religions, and more.

Where I Serve

I travel throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, speaking on more than 100 university campuses as well as in dozens of churches. Whether I’m at a major research university, a community college, a large church, or a small congregation, I count it a privilege to serve wherever God opens the door.

What I Do

Stump the Chump Q&A: Students, church members, and their friends are invited to ask any question they wish about Christianity. My goal is to offer concise, thoughtful, and gracious responses. And yes—I really have heard just about every question out there!

Apologetics Talks. I speak on topics such as:

• Why does God allow suffering and evil?

• Can we trust the Gospels?

• Why is there so much violence in the Old Testament?

• Christianity and other religions

• Christianity and slavery

• Atheism and Christianity

• and many other questions that thoughtful people are asking today.

Evangelism Training

I enjoy equipping Christians to share their faith with confidence, wisdom, and genuine love for people. We begin with a biblical vision of witness and then move into practical, relational ways of engaging friends, neighbors, classmates, and coworkers.

A Little About Me

I’ve served with InterVarsity in a variety of roles since 1981. I earned a master’s degree in Philosophy of Religion from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

My wife, Sharon, and I live in the St. Paul area. We have two children and eight grandchildren, and we love spending time with all of them.

We’re active at Grace Church in Roseville, and I also teach philosophy part-time at the University of Northwestern–St. Paul.

And one more thing: I’m a serious golfer.

Books

All of my books are available on Amazon.

• Faith Is Like Skydiving: And Other Memorable Images for Dialogue with Seekers and Skeptics

• Faith Unexpected: Real Stories of People Who Found What They Never Imagined

• Witness in the Academy: A Guide for Graduate Students, Faculty, and Those Who Minister with Them

• Objective Morality Without God? A Friendly Debate between an Atheist and a Christian

Ministry Commitments

I am committed to:

• InterVarsity’s Doctrinal Basis, Purpose Statement, Core Values, and Vision.

• Respectful dialogue with people of every viewpoint in the free exchange of ideas within the university.

• Finding common ground with neighboring ministries and people of other faiths without pretending we agree on everything.

Let’s Connect

If you’d like me to visit your campus, church, conference, or retreat, I’d be delighted to hear from you. It would be a privilege to partner with you in the Lord’s work.

Email: rick.mattson@intervarsity.org

Phone: 651-295-5814