Books, Bio, and Such: Ryan Kelly

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 Ryan Kelly, teaching and preaching pastor at Desert Springs Church in Albuquerque, N.M..

1. Where were you born? Like the Journey song says, “born and raised in south Detroit.” Well, actually, it was Allen Park – a quiet little city just south of Detroit.

2. When did you become a Christian? I professed faith for many years before, but I believe it was at the age of 17 that the Lord gave saving faith.

3. Who is one well known pastor/author/leader who has shaped you as a Christian and teacher? John Owen. Among the living, I’d say John Piper and Don Carson are tied for their influence.

4. Who is one lesser known pastor/friend/mentor who has shaped you? Well, this person is certainly not unknown to many, but is lesser known than Piper or Carson. Fred Zaspel has been a dear friend and mentor for many years, especially in my early (and lonely) days of pastoral ministry.

5. What’s one hymn you want sung at your funeral? Friends are Friends Forever. Just kidding — Crown Him with Many Crowns.

6. What kind of nonfiction do you enjoy reading when you aren’t reading about theology, the Bible, or church history? Mainly secular (non-ecclesiastical) history. I also have a decent collection of books on all things hockey…many of which are very secular history, one might say.

7. Other than Calvin’s Institutes, what systematic theology have you found most helpful? Turretin’s Instititutes of Elenctic Theology…though Charles Hodge is hard to beat for his exegetical vigor.

8. What are one or two of your favorite fiction authors or fiction books? Lewis and Tolkien – predictable, I know. Less predictable perhaps, I’ve read Pride and Prejudice more than once; I’ve even lectured on it! (I should probably mention here that I have three teen/tween girls in my home.)

9. What is one of your favorite non-Christian biographies? Nothing stands out. The vast majority of my biographical reading is of Christians.

10. What is one of your favorite books on preaching? There are so many excellent ones. Dave Helm’s Expositional Preaching is my newest fave. Most of the material won’t be new to anyone who’s done a couple of Simeon Workshops with Dave, but even still, it’s great having that material in tidy print (vs. my own scant and sloppy Simeon notes).

11. What is one of your favorite books on evangelism? It’s hard to beat Will Metzger’s classic, Tell the Truth, since it covers practically all the bases. But Mack Stiles’ Marks of the Messenger is what I give out and recommend most to people in our church since it’s well rounded and more manageable than Metzger’s.

12. What is one of your favorite books on apologetics? I’ve used Frame’s Apologetics to the Glory of God probably more than any other, precisely because it is an intro/101 kind of book. When I’m feeling brave I’ll dip into Van Til or Bahnsen.

13. What is one of your favorite books on prayer? Carson’s A Call to Spiritual Reformation is tops in my book. Also, though I can’t commend everything in it, I’m often drawn back to Forsythe’s The Soul of Prayer.

14. What is one of your favorite books on marriage? While there are always some federal-vision-y bits (or whole chapters) that I don’t agree with, Doug Wilson’s books on marriage and family have been uniquely insightful, convicting, and helpful – e.g., Reforming Marriage, Praise Her in the Gates, et al.

15. What is one of your favorite books on parenting? As I continue to ignore the word “one” in your questions… I’ll go with the Tripp brothers’ trilogy—Shepherding a Child’s Heart, Instructing a Child’s Heart, and Age of Opportunity.

16. What music do you keep coming back to on your iPhone (or CD player, or tape deck, or gramophone)? My musical tastes are quite diverse, but Bach and Mozart probably get the most playtime. Classical (or less so jazz) is always on in my study.

17. Favorite food? Cheeseburgers. I would have a cheeseburger for dessert if it were culturally acceptable.

18. After the Bible, a hymnal, and a shipbuilding guide, what book would you want with you on a desert island? The Works of John Owen. If that’s cheating, then I guess I’d take Vol. 1 of Owen’s Works (though that’s probably cheating too since it contains a few works itself).