By Michaela Bankston
Photos by Blair Ramsey
A late night knock on the door can create unease in many minds, but it’s just another night at the Mullinax home. Their kids’ friends, former Sunday school students home from college and current students all know of the hangout with no closing time.
“It’s always open,” Matt Mullinax said. “I’ve had boys show up here at 11:30 at night, knock on the door, ‘Hey, we’re in town from college. We just wanted to stop by.’”
However, the Mullinaxes’ spirit for hosting didn’t begin when they became parents or started teaching Sunday school.
Matt and Jill Mullinax met after their mothers set them up on a blind date during their freshman year at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They began dating, and when they were 20, started a small group they hosted together.
“It was a bunch of folks who were just trying to do the right things, but trying to figure it out,” Matt said.
In 1999, the pair got engaged and joined First Baptist Church Trussville, before marrying in 2001. From leading at Vacation Bible Schools to decorating for events, and most recently teaching Sunday school to high school seniors, Matt and Jill still attend and serve at FBC Trussville.
“Anything we can be a part of at our church, we try to be a part of,” Jill said.
That doesn’t stop on Sunday mornings. Matt hosts Testimony Tuesdays with the other male Sunday school teachers as a time for the senior boys, including his and Jill’s youngest child, Nathan, to talk about what is going on in their lives and equip them to move forward.
They also welcome the students for swim parties, game nights and general hangouts at the house.
In addition to serving at the church, Matt is a full-time volunteer for Foundations for Hope, which he founded with his former business partner.
“We work in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Sudan to advance the Gospel in unreached and underserved communities,” he said.
When he’s not in East Africa, Matt spends the majority of his time meeting with people, both for the foundation and discipleship.
“Our goal and what God’s called us to do is to draw people and allow them to know Jesus and then to know what it means to follow Jesus,” he said.
As part of that goal, Jill also serves with Foundations for Hope, and almost two years ago, began hosting the StoryTellers Live Trussville podcast and subsequently, joined their team.
Most months, the Mullinax doors open for any woman who wants to gather and listen to a local woman share her testimony, which is also recorded for the podcast.
Of course, those same doors also open with a simple knock.
In addition to Nathan, the Mullinaxes have two other children: Kate, a senior at Auburn University, and Jacob, a sophomore there.
Whether one of their own children or a group of friends, the Mullinaxes continually welcome them with open arms to foster fellowship and hangout.
“We could, at 10 o’clock tonight, have 18 kids here. Our door’s always open,” Jill said with Matt adding, “Our pantry’s always open; our snacks are always open.”
Face of the Home
Since the Mullinaxes purchased this home in 2017, they have aimed to create an atmosphere where people don’t just know they are always welcome, but feel it as well.
Living Room
After purchasing the home, Matt designed the renovated floor plan to open up the space and make it more inviting.
For StoryTellers Live, the storyteller sits in this chair in the corner of the living room, and many chairs are added for everyone else to gather around and listen.
Before Foundations for Hope, Matt and his business partner owned a fire protection engineering and construction firm. When they renovated, he used fire protection pipe as the stair rails.
Dining Room
The dining room is just inside the front door and like the living room, has an open and inviting feel. The Mullinaxes gather around this table for holidays and more formal gatherings.
Sitting Room
Jill said they don’t sit in here much, but they did on the last Sunday their daughter’s graduated senior class was at church. One of Kate’s best friends sat on the floor and played guitar, and the group sang acoustic, worship songs for three hours.
Kitchen Area
Anytime children are around, they typically begin in the kitchen area. Tables are added, so everyone can sit and eat before heading downstairs or to the pool.
Just outside of this space, Jill’s favorite piece of art, this church painting by DeAnn Hebert, rests.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom combines a variety of neutral colors to create a simple, yet elegant feel.
Kate’s Room
The white, gray and pink color combination complete with gold accents form a light, chic space for Kate.
Jacob’s Room
The accent wall in Jacob’s room matches the blanket, which Jill’s stepmom crocheted for all three kids. He taught himself to play the guitars hanging on the wall.
Nathan’s Room
None of the children were very opinionated about their rooms, but Nathan did request a desk for gaming.
The Costa Rica sign is from a mission trip Nathan went on with FBC, and the elephant is from a recent trip to Africa with Foundations for Hope.
Pool Room
This space leads out to the backyard and pool, making it a great place to hang out inside and eat during pool parties.
Back Porch
The back porch looks out to the pool and features a porch swing built by Jill’s dad.
Backyard
When the weather is nice, many hangouts and functions the Mullinaxes host are out by the pool.
Downstairs Area
When they’re not out by the pool, the kids spend a lot of time hanging out downstairs, which includes a game room with tributes to their Auburn fandom.
