Rev Dr. Art Matheny is the Lead Pastor at Living Vine Church and also the Director of the Living Vine Center. Art is a pastor, retreat leader, spiritual director, supervisor, and pastoral mentor. Art has pastored in large and small churches, in cities and rural areas in California, Oregon, Canada, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas.

Art met Jenny, his wife since 1996, while they both pursued biblical studies at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO. Art and Jenny continued biblical studies at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, with Art later completing a Masters of Divinity degree (Spiritual Theology emphasis) and then a Doctorate of Ministry degree (Spiritual Direction emphasis) from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. Art has taught as an adjunct professor at Manhattan Christian College and Ozark Christian College in the areas of Spiritual Formation and Pastoral/Applied Ministry and has worked with Spiritual Direction training programs supervising and mentoring spiritual directors and pastors.

Jenny and Art have two adult children, Emma and Sam as well

as a daughter-in-law named Dez. As a family they enjoy watching, playing, and

coaching sports and camping outdoors. Art was raised in a small farm town in

Iowa, Art first became a follower of Jesus when he was nine years old. The town

he grew up in had big front porches and no fences, people and communities are

inherently important to Art. Art has pastored for over 25 years in the local

church in various pastoral roles such as Youth Pastor, Lead Pastor/Church

Planter, Revitalization Pastor, and Pastor of Discipleship.

Art loves preaching and teaching God’s Word and delights listening to people share about their spiritual journey. He also loves playing board games, coaching youth sports, garage sales, cheering for the Seattle Seahawks, and 7-11 slurpees.

You can see more about Art at his website: https://akouolife.org

One of his favorite verses in the bible is John 15:5 where

Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches, if a person remains in me,

and I in them, they will bear much fruit, apart from me, you are unable to do

anything.”