Sinclair Ferguson will be well known to many – he is first and foremost a pastor, having served churches in Scotland and the United States and he is also a professor, having taught countless students. Ferguson draws on this wealth of experience of discipling and teaching others within his book, Maturity. In so many ways as you read the book you feel that you are listening to the wise words of an older Christian seeking to equip and encourage you to grow in your faith.

There are a lot of books which look at discipleship and the Christian life so you would be forgiven for asking why we need another book on this topic. However, Sinclair Ferguson is not primarily offering his own latest insight into the topic of Maturity – rather he draws together the Biblical picture of maturity and illustrates it with many of the great Christian minds of the past such as John Bunyan, J.C. Ryle, Anselm, Augustine, Calvin, Luther, John Owen, Robert Murray M‘Cheyne and Martyn Lloyd Jones. He combines clear expositions of Scripture, with historical insights and his own experience to provide us with key insights into the Christian life.

Maturity is not a quick read – Ferguson packs so much into each chapter that you will find yourself pausing and reflecting on what you have read. Good – that is exactly what Ferguson intends as he is adamant that there is no silver bullet to maturity in the Christian life – there is no shortcut. It takes time to develop character and so it is vital that we begin at once pursuing this lofty goal.

Maturity is a book aimed at helping Christians to develop and so you might think that it is primarily for younger Christians, however, the truth is that the book would benefit all Christians. None of us are really where we would want to be in the Christian life and all of us need this encouragement in the Christian life from an experienced pastor who points us continually to Jesus in all that he writes.

This book is available to purchase from Banner of Truth.

Stephen Allison, Kiltarlity Free Church