Growing Up In Grace
(By: Chad Bennett)
This week our church begins a new book for our homegroups. The book is titled Growing Up In Grace: The Use of Means for Communion with God. Murray Brett, pastor of Grace Baptist Mission of Commerce, GA is the author.
Murray says of the book’s purpose, “Growing Up” is not intended to be an exhaustive study of the private or public means of grace in order to live a Godward life. Rather, it is a sort of manual exemplifying the use of means to grow in grace with a handful of guides to encourage faithful, daily, experiential Christianity. It is my earnest prayer that the book will help you better learn to make use of every means God has appointed so that together we all might Grow Up in Grace for the sake of the glory of God and for our and others’ greatest good” (4).
Here is what two other ARBCA pastors, of whom I have the utmost respect, have said of the book:
“My friend, Pastor Murray Brett is a fine carpenter. He is skilled with hammer and nails to build houses and furniture. He has also demonstrated in this helpful book how he is also a skilled Gospel carpenter. He has hit the nail right on the head. His quest for an “experiential knowledge” of Jesus Christ in the intimacy of a genuine communion with God in the soul is exactly what this pragmatic age needs. And in these days of many recapturing the doctrines of the reformed faith, reformation all too often never gets past being heady and doctrinaire with theological knowledge. Murray calls us to the realm of ‘knowing God,’ personally and daily, that brings on a full-orbed gospel experience which is truly the essence of what it is to walk with God, and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here he has truly constructed in print a very practical and pastoral approach to delving into the mystery of soul communion with Christ. Every reader hungry for Christ will be helped by its pages”—Bob Selph
“Years ago I saw the phrase in a Reformed periodical, ‘experiential Calvinism.’ I said to myself, ‘That is what I want for myself!’ It is just such a wedding of biblical theology and sound piety that moves Pastor Murray Brett. Like two of his heroes, John Owen and Jonathan Edwards, Pastor Brett seeks to turn his biblical studies to holiness and experiential piety. To use a quaint Puritan phrase, ‘Here is the marrow and fatness of the Reformed faith and an experiential walk with God.’—Steve Martin
It is my hope to bring you nuggets of Gold from this treasure as we study through it as a church.
Chad,
I read a good majority of this book on the plane back to Phoenix from last year’s G.A. in Omaha. I must say that it was one of the best, most edifying flights I have ever had!
Looking forward to reading more from you about the book as you share.
Thanks! -DG
This is an excellent little book. I bought a number of copies and gave them away as Christmas presents this year. So foundational. And the book recommendations following each chapter is very valuable.
Chad- one question: how often do your homegroups meet to study through this? Every week, two weeks, once a month? What would be a good timeframe to set for getting through this in a smallgroup? Thanks
Hi Nathan, thanks for stopping by!
I’ve used Murray’s book in my small group and have done so by reading through the scenarios at the end of each chapter and asking for discussion to help the person in the story. We did a scenario each week, and it lent itself to excellent discussion that often led into other areas that were very helpful to everyone. Not everyone read the book, but the scenarios are laid out in such a way that one need not read the material, but it sure is a blessing to do so! Murray is a wonderful brother in the Lord, and my last conversation with him concluded by his telling me that he had several other works in the hopper. I’m excited to see what else he comes out with.