Let’s start out by telling our readers a little about you. (Current ministry context, family, joys in life, etc.)
I serve as Associate Pastor at FBC Atlanta, TX. I’ve been married to Jenny for eight years now. We have three children: Kaden (6), Maya (5), and Chandler (2). We serve as foster parents, so most of the time we have four children in our home. I am currently working on my Ph.D. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
I enjoy outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, and growing a vegetable garden for our family. My kids are getting old enough now to enjoy some of these activities, so that makes it even better! I also enjoy reading, writing and running.
What are you reading right now?
Like most folks, I always have a variety of books going. I try to ensure that I’m always reading at least one work on theology/history, one on Christian living, one on development (preaching, writing, etc.) and one fiction book.
- Imperfect Disciple by Jared Wilson
- Gospel-Formed by J.A Medders
- Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
- Story Craft by Jack Hart
- Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
What are some books you regularly re-read and why?
- The Bible
- The Chronicles of Narnia
- The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (I recently finished it for the first time, but I plan on re-reading it soon it was so good).
- The Sovereignty of God by Pink
I also enjoy and re-read poetry as it stirs my heart for the Lord. A few examples include Job by John Piper and A Year With George Herbert by Jim Scott Orrick.
What biographies or autobiographies have you read recently?
- The Daring Mission of William Tyndale by Steven J. Lawson
- Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland H. Bainton
- Martyn Lloyd Jones: His Life and Relevance for the 21st Century by Christopher Catherwood
- The Life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones by Iain H. Murray
Speaking of biographies and such, is there any particular one that has influenced you a great deal in your faith?
I am working on a dissertation on Martyn Lloyd-Jones, so his biography by Murray is one of my favorites! I love his passion for truth and sound doctrine with an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. I appreciate that even in the midst of a very busy ministry, he didn’t neglect his family.
If you were sitting down with a fellow believer and they asked for your top five book recommendations on Christian living, what would they be?
- Knowing God by J.I. Packer
- Desiring God by John Piper
- The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink
- The Cross of Christ by John Stott
- Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
What books have molded how you to serve and lead others in the gospel?
- Preaching and Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- Revitalize by Andrew Davis
- 9 Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever
- Discipling by Mark Dever
- Light and Heat: The Puritan View of the Pulpit by Bruce Bickel
- Spirit Empowered Preaching by Arturo G. Azurdia III
- Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell
Finally, let’s conclude with this question. What are you learning about life and daily following Jesus?
Since becoming a Christian, I’ve known that I can’t-do anything without Christ. “As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4). The more I go through the struggles of life, the more John 15:4 truly resonates with me. More and more, as I try to be a pastor, father, husband, preacher, writer, etc. I’m continually confronted with my weaknesses and inadequacies, which drives me either to despair or deeper dependency on Christ. 2 Corinthians 12 has also become a great comfort to my soul: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Matthew D. Adams serves as Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, PCA in Dillon, SC. He graduated from Erskine Theological Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina with a Masters of Divinity. He lives in a small town by the name of Hamer, SC and is married to Beth.
