Name
Derek James Brown
Wife
Amy Louise Brown
Location
Louisville, KY
Education
B.A. (The Master’s College, 2003)-Biblical Studies: Biblical Exposition
M.Div. (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)-Christian Ministry, In Process.
Occupation
Student, Small Business Owner
Contact
fromthestudy@gmail.com
My Testimony
I was born into a practicing Catholic family. I grew up regularly attending Mass with my parents and three older sisters and even entered the Catholic school system at age six. This exposure to Catholicism from very early in life solidified in my mind a belief in God, Jesus, and the eternal realities of heaven and hell. It was not until my freshman year of high school, however, that I heard the gospel. My oldest sister had recently been saved and immediately began to confront our beliefs while suggesting that we should visit her church. Eventually my parents obliged my sister’s requests and we started occasionally attending a small, vibrant, Southern Baptist Church. It was here, during my Freshman year of high school (1993) that I first heard the Bible taught and the message of salvation presented.
Although my parents were converted and baptized three years later, it was not until the winter of 1998-1999 that I began to turn from my sin and cry out to God for salvation. I believe it was during these few months I trusted Christ – God heard my cry for salvation and rescued me from hell, from sin, gave me a new heart, and brought me into the kingdom of his Son.
That following spring semester, I completed my course work at the University of Portland – the school I had been attending since my graduation from high school in 1997 - and transferred to The Master’s College: a small Christian college in Santa Clarita, CA. Here I was privileged to study the Bible, cultivate friendships with other Christians, hear from God’s Word daily, and worship with a group of passionate, Christ-centered Christians.
After I graduated TMC with a degree in Biblical Studies, I took a job as the Director of Middle School Ministries at First Baptist Church of Los Altos. Here the Lord was gracious to allow me to delve into full-time ministry and gave me the opportunity to see lives change by the preaching, teaching and counseling of his Word. After three-and-a-half years of middle school ministry, I was blessed to shepherd the high school group at FBCLA for a little over a year. During this time I started to attend Western Seminary part-time, yet I felt a desire to attend seminary full-time so that I might be fully trained and ready to devote myself to pastoral ministry. In August of 2007, my wife, Amy and I moved from Sunnyvale, California, to Louisville, KY so that I could attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. God has been good.
Below are a few favorites I have compiled for your edification. Thanks for reading and for visiting From the Study.
Books
The Gospel for Real Life, by Jerry Bridges
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Spiritual Leadership, by J. Oswald Sanders
Undiscerned Spiritual Pride, by Jonathan Edwards
The Religious Affections, by Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, By Iain Murray
Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis
A Quest for Godliness, J.I. Packer
Quotes
“My chief delight has always been in study, teaching, and writing.”—Venerable Bede (673-735), Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
“I daily become more sensible that my work must be affected by constant and regular exertions rather than by sudden and violent ones.”—William Wilberforce
Places
Home (Currently Louisville, KY)
Billings, MT
Red Lodge, MT
Big Sky, MT
Los Altos Hills, CA
Yosemite National Park, CA
Lake Tahoe, CA
Richmond, VA
Portland, OR
London, England
The Cotswalds, England
Wellington, New Zealand
Prince Edward Island, Canada
Stuff
Books
Bicycles
Drums
Guitars
Notebooks, Pens, File Cabinets, Binders, College-Ruled Paper (All Things Organizational)
Sweaters
Leather Bibles
Outdoor Equipment
Things To Do
Anything with Amy
Spend time with family
Spend time with friends
Read
Hike
Bike
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Play Basketball
Run
Travel
Play Music
Listen To Music
Watch Movies
Write
Teach
Music
Shane and Shane
Third Day
Michael Card
Nickel Creek
Coldplay
Michelle Tumes
Caedmon’s Call
Sara Groves
Sting
