Matthew Skiles

My guitar playing skills began when I took a guitar class at our church around 1998 from a member of the church we were at. I went on to play acoustic guitar for the student (grades 7-12) worship band at the same church from 2000-2001. From 2001-2003 I joined a worship band called "Crimson Chord" which was a part of the Baptist Student Ministry at Trinity Valley Community College. This gave me the opportunity to not only to continue to develop my skills with an acoustic guitar but also learn to play the bass guitar. I had the opportunity to teach a few people how to play the guitar during this time. In 2003 I went on to begin my studies at Criswell College, initially working on a Bachelor of Arts degree in Worship Leadership, where I learned some valuable insights into leading worship in churches. I had moved on to another church by this time where I was able to train students in leading worship as the Minister of Student Worship. In 2004 I began a student ministry at another local church, whereby I was also given the opportunity to fill in for leading worship in the main services when the worship leader was absent. During the summer of 2007 I had the opportunity to spend some time at a local church training students in leading worship while I transitioned to another church to lead in student ministry. This opportunity came later that year when I was called to another church as their student pastor. This included the opportunity to lead in a contemporary worship service on Wednesday nights where I joined a band we had developed for this service. At this time I took a few years to pause playing guitar while I pursued my Master of Divinity degree in Preaching and Pastoral Leadership at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After seminary I took on a pastoral position at a church in Ohio, where we eventually moved to a more blended (hymns and contemporary) service. I took up my guitar once more and led this church in Worship during Sunday services. This is the story of my adventures in acoustic guitar playing over the years.

I teach the different parts of a guitar and different chords and how they go with each other to make songs. Sometimes I use chord charts with finger placements of needed. I also show how to use other tools, such as a capo and a pick.