Our castaway this time is Colin Leyshon, pastor of Stanmore Chapel, in North West London, a church affiliated to the FIEC. A youthful grandfather and a former student of the LTS, Colin (in case you miss it) is originally from South Wales. (published Spring 1999)
The thought of being cast away on some desert island far away in the Pacific Ocean indeed seems idyllic. Mind you, being in London, even the thought of a week in Anglesey is wonderful!
Choosing five books is very, very difficult. However, having thought long and hard about it, giving due consideration to the circumstances, that is being alone for possibly several years, the following are my first choices.
I trust that the kind editor will have provided an Interlinear Hebrew/Greek Bible among the Bibles, including Strong's number system. To my great shame, my knowledge of the original languages is practically nil, so that would give me a chance to learn them, at least the vocabulary, if not the grammar.
Otherwise, my first book would be William Gurnall's The Christian in Complete Armour. This is truly a classic from the Puritans. I was given a copy back in 1966, and although I've dipped into it over the years, it has certainly not been read from cover to cover. This would be a unique opportunity to read it completely. What giants the Puritans were! Here are just two examples of Gurnall's wisdom.
As a mother teaching her child to walk, sets it down, stands at a distance, and bids it come to her to try its strength, so, when a poor soul comes and prays against such a sin, God seems to step back; the temptation increaseth, no visible succour appears, that the Christian, though weak, should exercise the strength he hath. Grace in this life is but weak, like a king in a cradle, which gives Satan advantage to disturb this young king's reign in the soul. It is like fire in green wood, which will in time go out, except blown up; so will grace in the heart.
The second book would have to be a biography. Difficult choice. In the end it comes down to three great preachers from the last three centuries -- George Whitefield, C. H. Spurgeon, and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Now I trust my choice of the last of these in no way suggests any Welsh bias! However, there are several reasons for deciding this way, apart from his and my Welshness. Most evangelical believers, even outside the circle of the Evangelical Library, would surely acknowledge his tremendous influence on British evangelicalism if not further afield. Also, of course, Iain Murray's very thorough two volumes give a very good insight into 20th century Christianity in general.
We must move on, and my third book will be Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, published by IVP. Now I am well aware that some of my Reformed friends will be surprised, if not horrified, at the choice of this more recent work. Why not one of the older more established works such as Louis Berkhof or Charles Hodge? That would be less controversial. My justification for choosing Grudem before others would be that on a desert island one would have much time to thank and would want to stretch one's mind. You do not have to agree with everything that Grudem writes (as with Berkhof and Hodge one might add, being a good Baptist). He has had the advantage of having read the others and sets out other points of view ina very helpful manner. Another small but significant thing that I like about Grudem's work is the way in each section he always ends with a hymn and an encouragement to worship, which surely must be where the "study of God" should jalways lead us.
The fourth book would be one on revival. Not of the "speculative and spectacular" type that some modern writings seem to go for. Rather accounts of genuine movements of the Spirit of the Living God. There are several good works, such as Sprague's Lectures, Iain Murray on Revival and Revivalism, and Arthur Fawcett's account of the 18th century Cambuslang Revival. However, my choice would probably be the definitive work by one who was actually involved in a gracious work of God, and that is Jonathan Edwards (obviously from Welsh stock with a name like that!). Therefore I would choose the first volume of his works in which he recounts the happenings in New England in the 1780's., Narrative of Surprising Conversions, and gives a theological and biblical explanation for it, Thoughts on the Revival in New England. I would like to take volume two as well, but I must not be greedy, especially as I am already hoping the editor will allow me to take both volumes of the Lloyd-Jones biography!
Finally, like several others, while gladly acknowledging that the Bible contains its own inspired hymn book in the psalms, I too would take a hymn book along. Although we use Grace Hymns in our church, and I'm not one to get "moody" when some of the older folks start to sing Sankey, my choice would have to be Christian Hymns, with its excellent words and great tunes.
Finally, being a good Welshman, I would have to build two chapels on the island. There would be one for me to go to and one for me not to go to...
My biggest lament would be that, as much as I would enjoy my books and, of course, my fellowship with the Lord, I would be missing out on fellowship with my family and other believers. Surely that ultimately is "Paradise on earth".
