Tim Vasby-Burnie, Shrewsbury

I hope my desert island is large, because I have always wanted to go solo hiking and camping. Hopefully some inner voice-of-Ray-Mears would help me take a fragment of my wrecked boat, sharpen it into a machete and then use that to construct a Swiss-Family-Robinson-style tree-house. Naturally it wouldn’t be long before I wanted to get home to my wife and daughter. The absence of a church family means that my favourite Bible verses about the wonder of church, or the power of preaching, would sadly not be needed.

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

When he went ashore Jesus saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Mark 6:34

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Luke 7:13

Once the reality of loneliness and hardship sank in, I would need verses like these to remind me of the compassion of my Saviour. Jesus’ mercy towards me is not a duty he has to perform. I love the truth that his heart is stirred towards me, with gut-wrenching compassion and mercy. What is more, he does not get fed up or bored of showing me kindness. Each morning, as the light of the sun drives away darkness, I would probably sing to myself:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercy never comes to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness O Lord. Great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 as turned into a song by Edith McNeil

This is a song that has been in my mind as far back as I can remember: in the middle of that great lament, I take great comfort that God’s mercy is fresh and his faithfulness is constant.

The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Leviticus 14:14

My next verse is a strange one, but I’m hoping that it would remind me of the whole context. A verse from Leviticus would remind me of, and make me thankful for, the people who have taught me that the Old Testament is all about Jesus. If someone pointed a gun at me and said, “Preach a sermon now or else you die!” (an unusual threat...) then my sermon-up-my-sleeve would be Leviticus 13 and 14 – all about skin diseases. It is a section of God’s Word that always amazes me with the full-orbed vision of what Jesus my High Priest has done for me. I am unclean because my being is corrupt and I keep grasping after fleshly glory (Leviticus 13). I didn’t go to Jesus, he came to me – outside the camp, in my place of exile and death. He has washed me clean, baptised me in his blood, carried away my sin, made me a new creation, brought me home to his temple, and offered a “full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice” for me. Then, if that wasn’t enough, Leviticus 14:14 tells me that I have been anointed by blood and oil (Jesus’ death and the Holy Spirit) to make me part of his royal priesthood. Just rehearsing this passage in my mind puts a smile on my face. It makes my heart rise with joy at the overwhelming and comprehensive salvation I have in Jesus!

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. Isaiah 25:6-9

Finally, I need a Bible verse about the future. My congregation know that a theology of food is important to me… So on my desert island, with rather limited kitchen facilities, I want to remember the feast that lies ahead. I would take with me as much of Isaiah 25:1-9 as I can carry. Perhaps I can smuggle in all of verses 6-9. What a future! What comfort as I remember the what of the future (New Creation feasting) and the who of the future: my Lord, wiping away my tears with his nail-scarred hands. Every time I share in the Lord’s Supper I am reminded it is a taster course for the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

Who would I want to share island life with? Perhaps Athanasius (who understands what life in exile is like) to keep me centred on Jesus. I imagine he could recite all the Psalms; that would be helpful. Or Justin Martyr, who knows his Old Testament so well that I can have all the Bible verses I need! I think I might decide on Luther, though. As well as beating the gospel into me continually, I hope he could make sausages and brew beer to make life more enjoyable.

Which song would you take to the island?

Luther could teach me some of his powerful hymns – I have a sneaky suspicion that there are lots of amazing Lutheran hymns that we need to learn. The song I’d bring along may well be Here is love, vast as the ocean but only if that includes the two mighty verses by Richard Bewes. I’ve chosen it at various special services in the past (including my wedding, I think), and it would remind me of the wisdom and support Richard gave my wife and I in recent years. The music soars as we sing words that make my heart soar:

Here is love vast as the ocean,

loving kindness as the flood,

when the Prince of life, our ransom,

shed for us His precious blood.

Who His love will not remember;

who can cease to sing his praise?

He can never be forgotten

throughout heaven’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion

fountains opened deep and wide;

through the floodgates of God’s mercy

flowed a vast and gracious tide.

Grace and love, like mighty rivers

poured incessant from above;

and heaven’s peace and perfect justice

kissed a guilty world in love.

Through the years of human darkness,

shone the lamp the prophets trimmed,

making known redemption’s story,

of the love of God undimmed.

Christ for every tongue and nation!

All must come beneath his sway;

his the everlasting kingdom

that shall never pass away.

When the stars shall fall from heaven,

and the sun turn black as night,

when the skies recede and vanish,

and the elements ignite.

Then the Son of Man in glory,

coming as the Morning Star,

shall return to claim his loved ones,

gathered in from near and far.

Even on my desert island, Jesus is for me. No matter how far away I am, Christ will gather me. Yes, I think I could sing that song frequently. Hopefully some more stranded Christians could join us, and then we could start singing Psalms vigorously in four-part harmony. I’ve discovered this recently, and it is such an encouragement. O Lord, may this become a reality in my church family!

So: if my desert island (with tree-house) had these Bible verses, Luther cooking sausages and four-part Psalm singing, I’m not sure I would ever want to leave...

Joe Kirby, Wigan

To be stuck on a desert island with just a handful of Bible verses to dwell on sounds idyllic! Perhaps I'm speaking only for myself but I find life so full of distractions. But when I spend time meditating on God's Word, and I mean really meditating, not just ticking the "I've done my quiet time box," I really do find that I'm an activity addict like Martha and need to hear those words of Jesus, "Only one thing is necessary."

Which verses would you take to the island?

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

So let's begin with a verse which a verse which blew my mind when I first became a Christian. Every night, before I went to bed as an early believer, I would read 365 Days with Charles Spurgeon. I remember the text for the evening on the 16th April 2011 was 2 Corinthians 5:21. Spurgeon writes, "When the judge of all the earth said, "Where is sin?" Christ presented himself."

This verse moved me greatly and I dwelled on it for many months that Christ not only was the sacrifice for our sin but he became those wretched sins for us on the cross and that's why "it pleased the Lord to bruise him." (Isaiah 53:10)

…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

There are another couple of verses which, as a street preacher, I often find myself quoting as I'm preaching off the kerbs of Lancashire. Probably the number one most quoted verse from me is 1 John 1:7 - I love that picture of King David in Psalm 51, after he's committed adultery with Bathsheba, crying out "Wash me and I shall be white than snow." I have no doubt that, on the streets, some of the worst kinds of people by the world's standards have walked past me as I've been street preaching. But the atoning blood of Jesus can scrub the filthiest sinner and make them totally clean in God's eyes.

…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27

…without shedding of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:22

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1

Some other verses I often quote are Hebrews 9:27, Hebrews 9:22 and Psalm 14:1. So if this desert island has some kind of indigenous people that need to hear the Gospel I would likely take those verses to them and preach from a palm tree perhaps.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”… 2 Corinthians 12:9

A verse which has helped me personally over the years as a young man who struggles with anxiety have been the warm words of the Saviour in Matthew 6:34. If there are any over thinkers like me reading this, you will be able to empathise that we worriers spend a lot of time living in the future with the two words, "WHAT IF?" etched on our minds. But Jesus reminds us that we aren't even promised tomorrow, that there's enough pain in one day, so live each day at a time. When you couple this verse with 2 Corinthians 12:9 we are reminded God provides a measured amount of trouble in 24 hours but also covers it with the exact amount of grace to get you through the day and this promise has always been true in my wife and my own life.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

Lastly, to take a verse with me to keep me from sin (there have been many). One which is particular dynamite to me at the moment is 1 Peter 5:6. The older I get, the more I realise I'm not a nice person at all! I can be self-centred, quick-tempered, judgemental, arrogant and unguarded. Something I used say to myself was "Get off the throne, Joe" and I think it's helpful for us all to remember we are but dust and ashes. God is the sovereign ruler of the universe who has permitted our heart to beat for this past hour, so let our next breath be a breath of gratefulness, that we might be humble vessels for God realising it is by grace alone we are even alive today.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

One great saint from the past I would take on this desert island with me would be George Whitfield; I'd probably pretend to be a unbeliever for an hour or so just to observe how he approaches sharing the Gospel with me, then after ‘becoming a Christian’ I'd pretend I was Biblically illiterate so that he I could listen to him preach the full counsel of God. After I'd blown my cover, I'd ask him how he managed to preach 28 times in a week and if he could offer any other advice to a budding open air preacher!

Which song would you like to take to the island?

If I could only take one hymn and only had permission to sing that alone, I would sing "I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice." In the church where I grew up, there was an elderly man who used to sing in a choir with other men his own age. I got a copy of his CD and I played this hymn on repeat over and over as I was driving in my little red Citroen. I love this hymn because of it's a joyful tune, I love it because it reminds me of evangelism and above all I love it because it reminds me that, daily, I need to preach the Gospel to myself.

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

And it told Thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith,

And be closer drawn to Thee.

Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To the cross where Thou hast died;

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,

By the pow’r of grace divine;

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

And my will be lost in Thine.

O the pure delight of a single hour

That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I yet may know

Ere Thee face to face I see;

There are heights of joy that I yet may reach

Ere I rest in peace with Thee.

Trevor Brock, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland

So here I am in retirement, recalling the repetitive call to others never to dislodge verses from their context! Dare I now do so myself? I get the drift, and trust all readers to do their homework on each verse below and to diligently re-read them in their setting in the Bible!

Which verses would you take to the island?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

It wasn’t the first verse I ever learned off by heart. Mombasa Gospel Tabernacle, where we belonged in 1957, ensured that we, as children, all followed the Navigator’s Bible memorisation programme. Having learned it, I recognised it when it was being preached by George Lyon. The truth dawned on me that I needed to confess my own sin and enjoy personal forgiveness from God. 1 John 1:9 still forms part of the assurance I need, that God looks kindly on me through Christ. Age serves us well in showing us how bad our sin really is, and it is sweet to be reminded that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, keeps on cleansing us from all sin.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

The years between conversion and entering the Irish Baptist College seemed  like an age – leaving Kenya, settling in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, moving to Beith, finishing school, going to Glasgow University, joining an IVF summer mission, failing exams, becoming a teacher, and then sensing God’s call to Bible College – it seemed to last for ever. In reality that was just eight years. I began to train in Belfast as the “troubles” began in the Province; confident that the Lord wanted me there, but totally unsure what lay ahead. Three years later and this was the text preached by Alec Judd at our graduation service. The truths never left my mind through forty-two years of ministry – a fragile clay pot even at my very best moment. It’s a great text to keep pride at bay in a world that prizes fame, success, and illusions of grandeur; a great text to comfort when physically, mentally or spiritually the task seemed too big, and I too inadequate; a good text to filter my view of other Christians when I saw their weaknesses and puzzled over their failures; a lens through which to look at believers with disability or serious failure; and it is extremely good medicine as old age beckons!

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

This is risky ground now! I’ve preached all those years that God keeps us on earth, partly to refine us, but even more, so that He can use us to engage with unbelievers. I’ve scolded myself and others who have hardly got a real close friend who is unsaved! I really need the ones I have to keep me in touch with the mindset they have, the doubts they struggle with and the heartaches they feel. I need the challenge to be real and authentic that comes from heart-to-heart conversations with those who don’t understand our heart for God. So I’m limiting myself to take with me someone whose unbelief has been high profile, let’s say Charles Darwin or Richard Dawkins …conversations should be good!

Which song would you like to take to the island?

I might be pushing seventy years old, but I love so many of the newer songs that have been brought to us as the Church. Among them: My worth is not in what I own. My warped sense of humour reckons that those words would be perfect on a desert island!

My worth is not in what I own

Not in the strength of flesh and bone

But in the costly wounds of love

At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name

In win or lose, in pride or shame

But in the blood of Christ that flowed

At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest Treasure,

Wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other.

My soul is satisfied in Him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die

Fame, youth and beauty hurry by

But life eternal calls to us

At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might

Or human wisdom’s fleeting light

But I will boast in knowing Christ

At the cross

Two wonders here that I confess

My worth and my unworthiness

My value fixed - my ransom paid

At the cross

Gwydion Lewis, Bala

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

Needless to say, choosing a favourite portion of scripture is very hard. Different verses have been such a help at different times in my spiritual life. But, I am particularly fond of Hebrews 11 and the first 3 verses of Hebrews 12.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

I have been blessed in studying this portion and in preaching it. I trained as a Physical Education teacher, so the picture of the athlete running a race naturally appeals to me. I enjoy looking at this gallery of men and women of faith – this cloud of witnesses. As well as these Biblical characters referred to in Hebrews 11, I can think of other mature Christians that I also look up to and who encourage me to continue to run the race set before me. Their wealth of experience, their love for their Saviour is like the crowd in a stadium, encouraging me to keep going. I am challenged by the practical application of these verses also – the need to throw off those things that hinder us. We can often neglect the practical side of the Christian life! And, of course, more importantly than all of this is the encouragement to look to Christ himself – the one who ran the race perfectly. We can never gaze enough at him.

Which song would you take to the island?

Choosing a favourite hymn is another difficult task, especially as someone who was brought up to worship in the Welsh language – all my favourite hymns are Welsh! My favourite, perhaps is Y Bugail Mwyn by David Charles, (Thomas Charles of Bala’s younger brother, and author of Rhagluniaeth Fawr y Nef, Great Providence of Heaven)

Y Bugail mwyn, o'r nef a ddaeth i lawr,

I geisio'i braidd trwy'r erchyll anial mawr;

Ei fywyd roes yn aberth yn eu lle,

A'u crwydrad hwy ddialwyd arno 'Fe.

O'm crwydrad o baradwys daeth i'm hôl,

Yn dirion iawn fe'm dygodd yn ei gôl;

'Does neb a ŵyr ond ef,y Bugail mawr,

Pa faint fy nghrwydro o hynny hyd yn awr.

Â'i hyfryd lais fe'm harwain yn y blaen;

Cydymaith ydyw yn y dŵr a'r tân;

Rhag pob rhyw ddrwg, yn nyffryn angeu du,

Pwy arall fydd yn nodded i myfi?

Pan âf i dref, i'r hyfryd gorlan fry,

Ni chrwydraf mwy oddi wrth fy Mugail cu;

Wrth gofio'r daith, a'i holl ffyddlondeb Ef,

Mi seinia'i glôd i entrych nef y nef.

Roughly translated (although not as poetic), it reads:

The gentle Shepherd, from heav'n has come to earth,

To seek his flock through barren, ugly pains;

He gave his life, an offering in their place,

Their foolish wand'ring was avenged on him.

How great my wandering, yet he brought me back,

So tenderly he drew me to his side;

Still no one knows but he, the Shepherd dear,

How oft I've wandered on life's journey.

With his sweet voice he leads me safely on;

A friend is he in water and in fire;

From every evil, in death's darkest vale,

Who else will be a refuge to myself?

When safely home, in the eternal fold,

I'll cling to him, my ever faithful friend;

I'll marvel at his faithfulness and care,

I'll live to sing his praise forevermore.

I love this hymn because it is a wonderful balance of focusing on Christ, our Shepherd, but also on the experiences of a Christian. It captures the spiritual life in an honest and warm way. There is a spiritual progression in the hymn, and finishes on the great hope we have of being home with our great God. It provides firm theology and warms the heart, as a good hymn should do.

If I had to choose an English hymn it would be Immortal Honours by William Gadsby:

Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my portion, and my living bread;
In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.

He is my refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,
And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

My every need He richly will supply;
Nor will His mercy ever let me die;
In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.

O that my soul could love and praise Him more,
His beauties trace, His majesty adore;
Live near His heart, upon His bosom lean;

Obey his voice and all his will esteem.

I love singing any hymn that helps us to truly worship Christ. This hymn gives us so many reasons to worship and to love him. I often find myself echoing those words, ‘O that my soul could love and praise Him more’. I love the fact that the hymn finishes with the nitty gritty of how we express our love for God – obedience! Like those verses from Hebrews 12 – the practical application is so important.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

For his wisdom, I would like to find the Apostle Paul there. I would have plenty of questions to ask him – the time would fly!

For his practical skills I would like to find Joseph (father of Jesus) there. We don’t get to know much about him in Scripture, but what we do know leads me to think highly of him. I love his humility and gentleness. I like to dabble in woodwork, I would like to serve an apprenticeship under Joseph to find out what type of joints and construction Joseph used. His practical skills would be very handy on a desert island.

I would like to find there Eric Liddell. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 400m race (having refused to take part in his usual event, 100m, because the race was run on a Sunday). I used to teach running and was interested in analysing running techniques. I would enjoy such conversations with Eric Liddell since his running technique was quite unique. But also I admire him for his brave stand on keeping Sunday as the Lord’s Day – something that I feel is very much under threat these days for Christians.

Luke Crawford, Ontario, Canada

While I may never experience being a castaway on a desert island, life often brings adverse experiences that remind me of my desperate need for God. In these moments, God not only demonstrates his faithfulness through the truth of his Word and the provision of his Spirit, but he actively transforms me into the likeness of Christ through experiences of loss, pain, or abandonment. With this in mind, I have shared some foundational Scriptures that have anchored my life in surrender, perseverance, hope, and joy.

Which verses would you take to the island?

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Psalm 86:11-13

When I was fifteen, God used this text to change the entire trajectory of my life. My heart was corrupted by sin, my allegiance was to selfish pleasure. In his mercy God convicted me, opened my heart to the supreme worth of Jesus Christ, and invited me into the lifelong mission of making my life a hymn of exaltation to Him. Since then, this text has daily served as my prayer of devotion, purpose, and declaration of commitment. Every season of life offers joys and challenges - whether that be personal loss, adverse circumstances, or abandonment on a desert island - which invite me to renew my commitment to Christ and walk in surrender to his truth, godly fear, earnest worship, and grateful faith.

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58

I have the privilege of serving as a Youth Pastor in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. High School is a complex, messy time for young people. I have a front row seat to beautiful moments of personal growth and brutal moments of immaturity in the lives of several dozen teens. Moreover, I join other ministers, medical professionals, counsellors and the like on the front lines of this generation’s struggle with mental health – a reality in which death is often considered a good solution. This scripture passage anchors me in the victory of Christ over our greatest enemies – sin and death – and the hope of eternal life. It calls me to persevere when discouraged, to pray in faith when helpless, and to give my best in declaring that the kingdom of God has come through Christ.

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

Like many of you, I have an intimate experience of tragic loss. Specifically, the suicide of a friend in 2013. The emotional journey of grieving the suicide of a loved one is akin to having your heart ripped from your chest; you are at once overwhelmed by excruciating pain and crippling numbness. Tragedy powerfully reduced me from an outwardly confident person to an inwardly broken man. Yet through this trial, Psalm 33:20-22 became my daily, moment by moment prayer, a declaration of trust in the one true Source of hope, my haven amidst the storm of death’s destruction.

This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11

I love that God redeems our most painful circumstances; turning what is broken into something beautiful. Being a castaway on an island would be a painful reality, but one in which God is still actively working to forge in me the character of his Son. This text reminds me that, if I will walk in surrender, God will use every experience – especially hardship –to glorify His name in me. It is both an encouraging reminder, and a blessing to speak over whomever I journey through life with – or call my neighbour on an abandoned island.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

I would hope to find the Olympic Gold Medallist, Missionary, and Chariots of Fire hero Eric Liddell on the island. Lidell’s life is an inspiring testimony of faithfulness, excellence, and godly surrender. His companionship, character, and experience of joyfully navigating life in a Japanese World War II concentration camp would be a huge gift while stranded on an island.

Which song would you like to take to the island?

Recently the song The Lord is My Salvation by Keith and Kristyn Getty has deeply encouraged my heart, especially in the face of adversity. It’s a strong reminder that God has redeemed my life in Christ, journeys with me in hardship, and promises abundant, forever life with him. His greatness is unparalleled, and the glorious reality of what he has done through Christ is too incredible for me to comprehend. No matter what I face, I can’t lose with Christ as my Saviour and King.