Bio, Books, and Such: Thabiti Anyabwile

During the summer I’ll be posting micro interviews on Fridays (mostly). I’ve asked some of my friends in ministry–friends you probably already know–to answer questions about “bio, books, and such.” My hope is that you’ll enjoy getting a few more facts about these folks and getting a few good book recommendations.

Today’s interview is with Thabiti Anyabwile, the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church (Grand Cayman) and soon to be a church planter in the Washington, D.C. area.

1. Where were you born? Lexington, N.C.

2. When did you become a Christian? When I was 25 years old. Fourth of July weekend, 1995.

3. Who is one well known pastor/author/leader who has shaped you as a Christian and teacher? Mark Dever.

4. Who is one lesser known pastor/friend/mentor who has shaped you? Peter Rochelle.

5. What’s one hymn you want sung at your funeral? You rushing me off already? But since you’re planning my funeral, how about “Abide with Me”.

6. What kind of nonfiction do you enjoy reading when you aren’t reading about theology, the Bible, or church history? Uhhh… what’s left? I do enjoy good biography. I also enjoy good applied social science.

7. Other than Calvin’s Institutes, what systematic theology have you found most helpful? I enjoyed Lloyd-Jones’ Great Doctrines of the Bible and Grudem’s Systematic Theology.

8. What are one or two of your favorite fiction authors or fiction books? Anything by Toni Morrison (Song of Solomon is my favorite, though) and Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series.

9. What is one of your favorite non-Christian biographies? The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

10. What is one of your favorite books on preaching? Preaching and Preachers. I also really loved Stott’s Between Two Worlds and the recent book, Saving Eutychus.

11. What is one of your favorite books on evangelism? C. John Miller’s A Faith Worth Sharing: A Lifetime of Conversations about Christ

12. What is one of your favorite books on apologetics? Chesterton, Orthodoxy.

13. What is one of your favorite books on prayer? I haven’t read many books on prayer. I did enjoy Carson’s A Spiritual Call to Reformation.

14. What is one of your favorite books on marriage? Emerson Eggerichs’ Love and Respect. Also Dave Harvey’s When Sinners Say I Do.

15. What is one of your favorite books on parenting? Mack Stiles’ 17 Things My Kids Taught Me About God. Not exactly a parenting book but it’s wonderfully encouraging to parents. Besides, I don’t like books on marriage and parenting. They tend to leave me lumbered down with guilt and discouragement.

16. What music do you keep coming back to on your iPhone (or CD player, or tape deck, or gramophone)? Jazz and Christian hip hop.

17. Favorite food? Meat.

18. After the Bible, a hymnal, and a shipbuilding guide, what book would you want with you on a desert island? My wife.