The Book That… (9)

Richard Holst, Terry Johnson, and Gerard Hemmings agree to talk about books that have impacted their life and faith.

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Richard Holst is a retired Presbyterian minister from Cardiff.

Terry Johnson is a Presbyterian minister of Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia.

Gerard Hemmings is the Baptist pastor of Amyand Chapel, Twickenham, London.

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The book that I am currently reading…

R.H: Finlayson on Luther.

T.J: J. C. Ryle, Holiness.

G.H: Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God’s Spoken World, N. D. Wilson, and A Little Book for New Theologians, Kelly M. Kapic.

The book that changed my life…

R.H: Allein, Alarm to the Unconverted and Whitefield’s Journals.

T.J: J. I. Packer, Knowing God.

G.H: Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic? Walt Chantry , cleared the sky and set me on a Calvinistic trajectory. Power Through Prayer by E.M. Bounds , From the shocking opening paragraphs to the final page, it turned my walk on its head. This should be read slowly.

The book that I wish I had written…

R.H: A popular book on the principles of biblical interpretation.

T.J: H. O. Old, The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship.

The books that helped me in my preaching…

R.H: Westminster Directory for Public Worship , the section on Preaching.

T.J: M. Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers.

G.H: Truth Apparent, Jay Adams , apart from the occasional bonkers suggestion, it is sane, wise, godly advice.

The book that I think is most underrated…

R.H: Ryle, Practical Religion.

T.J: William Still, The Work of the Pastor.

G.H: Heavenly Springs, Andrew Bonar , simple, seminal, sublime.

The book that made me say amen as I read…

R.H: Murray on Romans.

T.J: William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour.

G.H: The Glories of God’s Love: A Gospel Primer for Christians, Milton Vincent.

The last book that made me weep…

R.H: Isaiah.

T.J: J. D. Vance, Hillbilly Elegy.

G.H: But I’m an Englishman! It would have to be Jesus Himself: The Story of the Resurrection by Marcus Loane.

The book that I am ashamed not to have read…

R.H: I’m not sure about that one.

T.J: Van Til, Defense of the Faith.

G.H: Apart from the occasional dram, I have barely read Calvin’s Institutes.

The book that I most often give to new church members and young Christians…

R.H: Ryle, Practical Religion.

T.J: C. K. Cummings, Confessing Christ.

G.H: Walk Worthy, Peter Jeffrey.

The book that I give to people thinking of becoming a Christian…

R.H: I’m not sure.

T.J: Evangelism Explosion’s booklet, Do You Know?

G.H: You Might Have Asked, by Stuart Olyott , now out of print. It needs a little updating and a new cover but it is so clear, engaging and helpful.

The book that I wish I were able to write and want someone to write…

R.H: Again, I’m not sure on this one.

T.J: The Directory for the Public Worship of God: Backgrounds, Debates, Influence.

G.H: In The Collected Writings of James Henley Thornwell, Volume 2, there is a wonderful treatise on the Priesthood of Christ. The prose is dense and perhaps, for some, impenetrable, but it is so full of light, life and the beauty of Jesus, that it needs to be rewritten to recover it for a new generation. ‘Make Jesus your friend , confide in Him as your Saviour, and you conquer the world, trample over death and take hold on eternal life.’ Or perhaps a book in the Kingdom of God , its origins, its dimensions, its ‘already but not yet’ nature, and its consummation, to put heart into our people.

The best books for children…

R.H: Sinclair Ferguson’s short series of historical biographies.

T.J: Douglas Jones, Huguenot Garden.

G.H: Ferdinand: The Engine Who Went off the Rails by Ann Benton , terrific! The Narnia Chronicles by C. S. Lewis, too. They are only stories but the landscape, imagination and imagery all help seed the ground when speaking of the Lord. Pilgrim’s Progress is another good one.