When Doug Sweeney, dean of 海角直播’s Beeson Divinity School, called Grayson Holbert to congratulate him on being named this semester’s recipient of the James Earl Massey Student Preaching Award, Holbert said he went through about 10 different emotions in five minutes.
“If you ask me, I’m not the best preacher in our class,” said Holbert, who will graduate this Friday with a Master of Divinity. “In the middle of my seminary experience, I was wondering whether or not I was making the right decision in staying in seminary.”
Sweeney’s call affirmed Holbert’s decision to stay in seminary, which he began in fall 2022.
Holbert became a Christian in elementary school while attending Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama, and began at Beeson after graduating from the University of Alabama.
During his time at UA, elders at his collegiate church encouraged him to lead community groups, which led Holbert to reconsider seminary, something he thought seemed unlikely during the middle part of his college experience.
Beeson has helped him reflect deeply on theology while preparing him to help Christians grow in their biblical literacy.
“I came into Beeson really passionate about biblical literacy and helping people know more of their Bible,” Holbert said. “One of the ways my education has transformed that is I don’t just want people to know what’s in their Bible, but to have a framework for how to read the Bible and how to hear the word that God speaks to them throughout the Scriptures.”
Holbert also learned from Beeson’s Lutheran professors how to think in a more Trinitarian way and understand the use of the means of grace.
In his sermon, delivered April 22, Holbert encouraged his fellow students to remember that Jesus will never give up on them, has gone before them and is worth everything. Drawing from Jesus’ post-resurrection meeting with Peter, Holbert talked about how Peter learned what it truly means to “grow up.”
“Peter thought growing up looked like a lot of different things. At first, he thought it looked like being the most zealous follower of Jesus,” Holbert said. “He thought it looked like taking the kingdom by force. But when Peter sees Jesus isn’t going to give up on him, growing up takes on a whole different meaning. Growing up means coming back to Him again and again and again.”
Growing up looks like becoming a child of God, Holbert said, and relying on our older brother Jesus, who is our great high priest.
“He’s still working, and He’s writing a book out of every one of your lives,” Holbert said. “Friends, when all of our days are done, when we have left all to follow Christ, we will all meet again, in the new heavens and new Earth. And there we will all be children of God. And the Lord Jesus will wipe away every tear from your eye, and when you walk in, He’ll look at you, and say, ‘Look at you. You’re all grown up.’”
After graduation, Holbert will continue to serve his church while his wife, Elisabeth, finishes her medical training with the Cahaba Medical Group.
Other award winners honored during the April 22 service were:
- History and Doctrine Award – Josiah Trombley
- Biblical Languages Award – Ford Galin and Vadim Kichuk
- Pastoral Ministry Award – Daniel Terpin
- Most Distinguished Student Award – Caleb Craft