If I was micro-interviewed by Kevin de Young…
1. Where were you born? Alicia, Isabela, Philippines
2. When did you become a Christian? Since I was baptized as an infant “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). But it was 18 years later, in 1988, that I did “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
Note: If you want to learn about God’s free gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Christ, please do not hesitate to contact me:
Pastor Glem Melo
glemmelo@gmail.com
P.O. Box 40
Cagayan de Oro City
9000 Philippines
3. Who is one well known pastor/author/leader who has shaped you as a Christian and teacher? John Calvin, of course! Next to my spiritual conversion, reading his magnum opus, Institutes of the Christian Religion, in 2007 is a major milestone in my personal journey. More and more, I see myself needing to study and refer to his books (the Institutes, most especially), commentaries and sermons.
Note: You can download Calvin’s Institutes for FREE here.
4. Who is one lesser known pastor/friend/mentor who has shaped you? Dr. Wes Bredenhof, minister at Providence Canadian Reformed Church in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2010, when I was beginning to study Reformed Biblical Interpretation and Preaching, I asked him what the best Bible commentary is. His answer: John Calvin’s! Then, he gave me my first commentaries on the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dort and the Church Order of Dort. In short, Dr. Bredenhof pointed and guided me in the right direction during my formative years of studies on Systematic Theology, Biblical Theology, Redemptive-Historical Hermeneutics and Preaching, Reformed Worship, and Church Government… and how crucial and important it is to study and interpret the Bible in its original language, i.e. Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament.
5. What’s one hymn you want sung at your funeral? Psalm 103. It’s my favorite. Always will be. “Bless the Lord, O my soul… forget not all his benefits…”
6. What kind of nonfiction do you enjoy reading when you aren’t reading about theology, the Bible, or church history? Books on World History and Cultures
7. Other than Calvin’s Institutes, what systematic theology have you found most helpful? Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics (4 volumes). Reading him, I always come away spiritually filled, enlightened and edified.
8. What are one or two of your favorite fiction authors or fiction books? I don’t read fiction books, but I love fiction movies. And to me, Christopher Nolan is the bomb! 😉
9. What is one of your favorite non-Christian biographies? Austin C. Craig’s Lineage, Life and Labors of Jose Rizal. Reading it in 1990 made me love my country, and commit to serve our people for life.
Note: Rizal is the Philippines’ national hero.
10. What is one of your favorite books on preaching? Well first, let me tell you what my favorite Biblical Theology book is. I don’t have to think about it, because to me there’s only one, really. It’s definitely and most assuredly Geerhardus Vos‘ Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments! Next to the Bible and Calvin’s Institutes, it’s #3 on my list of the most heart-, life- and ministry-changing books that I’ve ever read.
Note: Read Vos’ uncollected works here.
About preaching… It has to be Edmund P. Clowney‘s Preaching Christ in All of Scripture. It teaches Jesus-centered, redemptive-historical and applicatory preaching. A faithful guiding light for preachers like me who live and serve in post-modern times. I love it!
11. What is one of your favorite books on evangelism? Will Metzger’s Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel Wholly by Grace Communicated Truthfully and Lovingly. Reading it in 2007 contributed greatly to my becoming a Reformed believer and pastor.
12. What is one of your favorite books on apologetics? Another “of course”! It has to be Cornelius Van Til‘s The Defense of the Faith. The Lord used it to get me rooted and grounded in the centrality and sufficiency of the Bible in defending and spreading the Christian faith.
Note: You can download Van Til’s book for FREE here.
13. What is one of your favorite books on prayer? Matthew Henry’s Method for Prayer. It teaches Bible-rooted, Bible-driven prayer. It’s true… When it comes to prayer, there’s nothing like the Puritans.
Note: To learn how to pray the Bible, visit MatthewHenry.org.
14. What is one of your favorite books on marriage? Winston Smith’s Marriage Matters: Extraordinary Change Through Ordinary Moments. I’ll let Wayne Mack say it: “Marriage Matters is different from and goes deeper than many of the other biblically based books on marriage. In keeping with the Scriptural emphasis on being Christ-centered and heart-centered in all of life, this book helps Christians see what being Christ centered and heart centered actually means when applied to the marriage relationship. After personally perusing this volume, my recommendation to all married people is: read the book and apply its contents and, if you do, you will have a marriage that truly matters.”
15. What is one of your favorite books on parenting? Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp. Because the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. 😉
16. What music do you keep coming back to on your iPhone (or CD player, or tape deck, or gramophone)? Joe Satriani! ROCK AND ROLL!!!
17. Favorite food? SuTuKil!!! Sugba, Tula, Kilaw!
Translation: Fresh fish barbeque, broth dish and Philippine “ceviche”.
18. After the Bible, a hymnal, and a shipbuilding guide, what book would you want with you on a desert island? At the current stage of the personal, family and ministry reformation journey that I am in, I really need to study Bavinck. It will be great if I can have all the 4 volumes of his Reformed Dogmatics. But if not, the abridged version edited by John Bolt will do. ;-D
GlemMelo.com 