Our Team
Matthew Davis
I was born and raised in Southern Illinois and am blessed with an amazing wife and two wild little boys. I work as a line clearance tree trimmer for a local utility company. While I don’t necessarily love or hate what I do, I’m content to glorify Christ wherever He places me.
Like many who grew up in Christian homes, I made a profession of faith at a young age but later wrestled with whether I was truly regenerate. A few years ago, the Lord gave me a deep love for His Word and a desire to be fully conformed to the image of Christ. Around that time, I began leading a small group at Second Baptist Church in Marion, Illinois. Teaching Scripture led me to pursue formal theological education, and I graduated from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in August 2025 with a Master of Christian Studies degree.
I love Christ and my family—and beyond that, my interests are pretty simple. I enjoy Dodgers baseball, building Legos with my kids, and firmly believe Tombstone is the greatest movie ever made. (It’s still a travesty that Val Kilmer wasn’t nominated for Best Supporting Actor.)
I look forward to seeing what our God and King will do through Grounded Doctrine Ministries.
Zach Furlong
I was born and raised in Marion, Illinois. Through my mother’s faithful witness, God graciously convicted me of my sin and brought me to saving faith in Christ when I was eight years old. I met my wife, Krista, in the fall of 2018, and just six months later we were married. God has since blessed us with two children—our daughter, Selah, born in the summer of 2022, and our son, Ben, born in August 2024. I enjoy reading, hiking, fishing, camping, and playing disc golf, but my greatest joy is spending quality time with my family.
I began serving as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Collinsville in August 2023. Before coming here, I served as Care Pastor at Cornerstone Church in Marion and as Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Cutler, Illinois. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Spurgeon College and a Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Eric Ruhe
I was born and raised in Southern Illinois and have been involved in ministry in various forms since 2002 with a strong focus on discipleship, small group teaching, and pastoral leadership. I had the privilege of serving as Pastor of North Benton Baptist Church for over four years and as Director of Forge Southern Illinois Ministries for eight years.
My wife, Sarah, and I have been married since 2001, and together we have two wonderful adult children, Joyanna and Jaden. As a family, we love spending our free time outdoors, enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Mid-Continent University and a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Through Grounded Doctrine Ministries, my passion is to help believers grow in their understanding of Scripture and strengthen their commitment to Christ’s mission in the world.