Inter-Varsity Press

Contents

Foreword by J.John

Introduction: Why read this book?

1. Dracula: The problem is me

2. Lemon and Peartree Hill: Broken world

3. Sex: Who decides what’s right and wrong

4. A box of chocolates: Loving church

5. Knocking on the door: Hearing the right message

6. Coffee: The Passion of the Christ

7. Arthur the gardener: God’s amazing grace

8. Alive: Exploding some myths

9. Snatched from the fire: The Lord’s gym

10. Girls’ legs: Equipped for the journey

11. Tartan army: Celebrating Jesus

Foreword

I am delighted to recommend this book to you for three reasons.

First of all, Mitch is quite simply a good friend and fellow evangelist whose work I value: from my experience, anything he says is worth listening to.

Secondly, in this book Mitch interweaves Christian teaching and real life in a way that is both compelling and utterly biblical. It is not uncommon to hear speakers and preachers whose teaching, for all its merits, seems to be separated from reality. The result is a message that can sadly seem inauthentic or even irrelevant. The pattern in the Bible is of theory and practice shown together. We read not just of Moses’ teaching, but of Moses the man; we are not just told what Jesus taught, but we are shown Jesus himself. Even with Paul, that greatest of theo­logians, we see interspersed with his teachings accounts of a flesh-and-blood man wrestling with applying the message of the gospel to his own life. That invaluable pattern of God’s Word and a human life interwoven is here in this book. In these pages you will read of a real gospel and a real life. Learn from both!

Finally and most importantly, this is in every sense a good read. It is a common rule of Christian books that the deep ones are dull and the entertaining ones shallow. Snatched from the Fire breaks that glum rule. It is at the same time entertaining and educational, compelling and challenging, interesting and instructive.

Read this book, be blessed by it and pass it on to someone else for them to be blessed too. Thank you, Mitch. You have put us in your debt.

J.John

Introduction: Why read this book?

He lives with his son in a clean little semi-detached house with simple furniture and net curtains. He moves slowly, even shuffles a little, and his brown shoes are always shining, just like his face. When he speaks he is a master at pausing mid-sentence, processing his words carefully as his hands move with elegance to the tones of his voice. Leaning towards you when communicating truth, Charlie always has something worth saying. Sharp as a knife and bright as a button. At 102 years of age he loves to tell his story, or should I say, God’s story.

One day at his house he leaned on me and said, ‘Listen Mitch, we must never get away from the message of Jesus – we need to focus on this message again.’

This book is a response to those words. This is not a book about religion, nor is it a book that has all the answers. It’s my story and my musings mixed up with God’s wisdom from the Bible. It is my attempt to help people understand the greatest message ever told. Read it; laugh, cry, smile and allow Jesus to come close.

Mitch

July 2010