Matt Klingler
I grew up in the quaint northern California town of Granite Bay. My family sporadically attended a local church and I would have called myself Christian. But in hindsight, I recognize that I didn’t truly understand or know Jesus during my formative years.
Following high school, I embarked on my collegiate journey at UC Davis, where I joined the wrestling team and pursued my undergraduate studies. My first year at Davis marked a significant turning point; I began to drift from my Christian faith. By the year’s end, I felt a profound sense of emptiness and realized that the path I was on did not bring fulfillment. Coinciding with this period of personal unrest, the university made the decision to discontinue the wrestling program, leaving me with an abundance of free time and a lack of direction.
It was during this pivotal moment that I recalled a friend’s advice to explore Athletes in Action (AIA), a campus ministry dedicated to student athletes. Joining AIA was transformative; for the first time, I encountered individuals who were passionately following Jesus, and I could relate to them on a personal level. My subsequent year was marked by a deepening passion for my faith as I engaged in Bible study, prayer, worship, and developed a profound love for God.
Nicole, my future wife, and I met through our involvement with AIA. Before graduating from Davis, we had the honor of leading the AIA ministry together for a year.
My next chapter began at Azusa Pacific University, where I was accepted into the Physical Therapy program. In the months leading up to PT school, Nicole and I fervently prayed for a church community we could call home.
God graciously answered our prayers. The first weekend after relocating, we visited Foothill Church and immediately felt a sense of belonging. We soon became Covenant Partners and have joyfully continued our involvement with the church ever since.