Papa began as a worship leader at
The Summit Church in
Raleigh, North Carolina. He was on their staff for four years and then began studying at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in
Wake Forest (for a master's degree). For a time, he was also the worship and arts director at Christ Covenant Church in
Atlanta. In 2009, Papa and Matt Boswell, pastor of The Trails Church in
Celina, Texas north of
Dallas, began writing hymns together including “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” and “Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor”. By 2016, Papa had released nine albums. In 2019, Papa and Boswell released their first album together:
His Mercy Is More –The Hymns Of Matt Boswell and Matt Papa. The album was nominated for a
2020 Dove Award (best inspirational album) and their song "His Mercy Is More" was nominated for best inspirational song. The vocal group
Selah won in both categories. On October 23, 2020, Papa and Boswell released a new song, "
Psalm 150". He was the artist-in-residence that year for Marco Presbyterian Church in
Marco Island, Florida. Papa and Boswell then released their second album together
Almost Home – The Hymns Of Matt Boswell And Matt Papa (Vol. 2). == Artistry ==