Matt Ecton

Husband to Colette | Father of Two | Alum @SBTS | Assistant Pastor @EdgefieldNash | Opinions Mine

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

One small practice to make evangelism less awkward.

From Greg Gilbert, @ThirdAvenueBapt

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

https://t.co/ZbJffCagjn

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Man, looking forward to this one in October this year.

@RevKevDeYoung @crossway

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

An all-time tweet.

[Alex @ajak1033]

The Spurs know how to TAKE the lead, they just don't know how to HOLD the lead. And that's really the most important part of the lead: the holding

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Now I can resume with my life…

https://t.co/jLHbsfnfKt #NBA #82and0

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

Man, this is beautiful. A life adorning the gospel.

Listen to what @StevenBartlett—host of one of the world’s most popular podcasts—says to Christian apologist John Lennox.

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

I can’t wait for this.

[Thomas S. Kidd @ThomasSKidd]

Manuscript delivered to @crossway and @between2worlds! Let's go! @JGDuesing

[Chicago Bears @ChicagoBears]

Oh yeah, we're SO back 🙂‍↕️

[Garrett Kell ن @pastorjgkell]

Discontentment tempts you to dream of being faithful where you wish God would place you rather than being faithful where He has placed you.

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

In all my years of pastoring, I have learned this lesson: a person’s spiritual maturity is not truly visible until they DON’T get their way. Then you see the person.

—@ErikReed

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Two new arrivals from @ChrisBrauns and Reuben Bredenhof that I’m looking forward to getting into. Heard great things about each.

@prpbooks @crossway

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Awesome forthcoming lineup from the Pillar series.

[Benjamin L. Gladd @DrGladd]

Pillar NT Commentary Series Update! 📰

🔹 Matthew: Jonathan Pennington
🔹 Mark: Alan Thompson
🔹 John (2nd ed): Don Carson with Dan Brendsel
🔹 Romans: Guy Waters
🔹 Galatians: Roy Ciampa/Brian Rosner
🔹 Philippians: Tom Schreiner
🔹 1 Peter: Scott Hafemann
🔹 1–3 John: G. K. Beale
🔹 Revelation: Ben Gladd

Pray that God would continue to strengthen the church through this series for years to come. 🙏

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Best thing you’ll read today.

[Sean T at RCP @SeanTrende]

I almost hesitate to promote this, because it wasn't really intended to be a piece. I just sort of sat down and it came out. Maybe someone else out there has the same type of day today, and it'll speak to them.
https://t.co/xSMUDOrHcC

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Can’t wait for this one.

[Luke Stamps @lukestamps]

There's a landing page for this one.
https://t.co/KPcSL6qWOh

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Mike Bullmore is the man, this was such a great discussion with @RevKevDeYoung.

Also, didn’t realize Kevin was such a big Chicago Bears fan. My respect for him just went up even more.

https://t.co/FnBpmvCXyf

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

@pastorjgkell @daneortlund Now is *that* reimbursable? 😉

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

This is great.

[Dane Ortlund @daneortlund]

Ten basics for skilled conversation--easily learned, easily forgotten. (I'm envisioning the hallway at church as I jot these down but they're broadly transposable).

1. Eye contact, including when speaking (it's harder to maintain eye contact when speaking than listening).
2. Listen with a view to what is being said (rather than formulating your own next comment).
3. Smile/gentle countenance as much as possible (90% of people are more discouraged than they're letting on).
4. Ask questions (everyone is more interesting than they realize).
5. Remember that this person, as the image of God, is a king or queen, worthy of accordant dignifying.
6. Be slow to pivot someone's joys or sorrows to your own similar experiences.
7. Adjust to the person--if they are painfully shy, be willing to carry more of the conversation load; if they are talkative, be willing to throttle back accordingly.
8. As appropriate be eager to move to deeper/spiritual things, taking the lead to do so rather than trying to prompt the other person to go deep first.
9. But: nothing wrong with small talk! Talking about the weather and sports and flowers greases the gears for deeper conversation. Christians who only ever talk at a spiritual level are exhausting.
10. It is not rude to smile, shake hands, and swiftly end the conversation (usually the other person wanted it to end too but didn't know how).

As a pastor I've been learning that the art of a skilled conversation is vital, though one that is not taught in seminary. I'm trying to grow in these ways, glad I had parents who modeled this well for me.

What would you add or change?

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Love this.

[Jeff Wiesner @JeffreyPWiesner]

Just received a phone call from nearby faithful pastor who I’ve known for a long time and with whom I share secondary disagreements on ecclesiology.

He said, “Jeff, I’ve got a family here who is conscientiously convinced contrary to our polity, and after many discussions, I’m sending him your way. A great family and a blessing to any church they’re a part of.”

Then we shared stories of God’s faithfulness in our lives and ministries, and committed to seeing each other again soon.

This is how local, cheerful, “for-Christ’s-kingdom-above-all”catholicity is done, folks.

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Grateful for the past saints who invested in future generations with our church building. Praising God that the gospel is still being preached in this pulpit all these years later.

[Edgefield Church @EdgefieldNash]

Est. 1867

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

Incredible hire for @MBTS, their faculty just keeps getting better. Thrilled for @bobby_jamieson.

[Bobby Jamieson @bobby_jamieson]

I'm delighted to share that I've accepted a full-time position as visiting professor of biblical and theological studies at Midwestern Seminary (@MBTS). I'm excited and eager to help train the next generation of pastors alongside an excellent faculty!

https://t.co/6WYSkBSG3N

[Matt Ecton @matt_ecton96]

The worst kind of gossip is the sort that’s disguised as concern.

(Paraphrase from Fredrik Backman)

@Backmanland