Deserted Island Top 5: Sugel Michelén

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols asks Sugel Michelén to share five books he would want on a deserted island.

Stephen Nichols (SN): On this episode, we are at Ligonier's National Conference, and we are joined by a guest from the Dominican Republic. We have Sugel Michelén with us.  I'm going to let you say the name of the church where you pastor.

Sugel Michelén (SM): Iglesia Bíblica del Señor Jesucristo

SN: “The Church of Jesus Christ.” Is that part of it?

SM: “The Biblical Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is a Baptist church.

SN: It is a Baptist church in the Dominican Republic.

SM: Yes, in the Dominican Republic, in Santo Domingo, the capitol city.

SN: And you are visiting with us here in Orlando at our National Conference.

SM: Yes.

SN: And you have also written a book, and the English title is From God and For God.

SM: Yes.

SN: And the Spanish title is?

SM: De Parte De Dios Y Delante De Dios, and it will be published in English in November.

SN: Oh, wonderful.

SM: Yes.

SN: Well, we're going to give you a little bit of a reprieve from your pastoral duties, and we are going to send you to a deserted island. You did ask if you could take your wife along, and the answer is yes.

SM: Yes, okay.

SN: And you can also take books with you. What books would you like to take with you to your deserted island?

SM: The Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges once said that if he stayed alone on a desert island, the book he would like to have with him is How to Build a Boat.

SN: Okay, so I’ve got to tell you something. This reminds me of when I had R.C. Sproul on the podcast and I asked him this question. R.C. said, "Well, the first book I want to have is How to Get Off a Deserted Island."

SM: Oh exactly, okay. But speaking seriously, if I could take only five books it would be very difficult for me.

SN: Yes.

SM: One of them would be The Confessions of Saint Augustine for sure. I read this book about thirty-five years ago, and I still remember the impact of his evident passion for our Lord Jesus Christ. So The Confessions for sure would be one of the books.

SN: Great choice.

SM: The second one would be Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin. I do not know another compendium of theology written with such erudition and with such a pastoral heart.

The third one would be Temptation and Sin by John Owen. Even alone on a deserted island, the content of this book would be of great help in my struggle against the remnant sin. I have been using this book for more than thirty years in my pastoral ministry in the church.

The fourth book would be Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I suppose that under these conditions, I would need to remember the wise advice of the Doctor to fight with depression. But this book had a strong impact on my life in such a way that Lloyd-Jones, after reading this book, became my favorite dead preacher, even now he is my favorite. I love Lloyd-Jones, he's one of my heroes.

And finally, I would like to have The Whole Christ by Sinclair Ferguson. It is one of the best books I have read in recent years. One very necessary book to deal with the problem of legalism and worldliness. So, I would have with me The Whole Christ.

SN:  I love all your choices, and especially your last choice. I had Dr. Ferguson as a professor when I was at Westminster Seminary.

SM: Oh wow.

SN: I've loved him and his books. And I think that book is his legacy book.

SM: Oh yes.

SN: And I hope it is for generations to come.

SM: Yes.

SN: Well, you've got great books. I'm going to leave you. Enjoy them.

SM: Thank you.

SN: You're quite welcome. That was Sugel Michelén joining us from the Dominican Republic.