How to save a life

Scratching where they itch

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
Becoming a Christian
By Krish and Miriam Kandiah
Authentic Media. 54 pages. £2.99
ISBN 978-1-85078-821-8

I gave this book to two ‘not-yet-Christians’ to read. They both accepted it readily, showing that it is an easy book to give away. It is short and to the point, explaining how to become a Christian and what that means. Both friends read the book and thought it ‘very good’. One commented that it ‘scratched where she itched’, which is high praise indeed.

The book kicks off with an exciting story and before you know it you are half way through the 54 pages. The back cover claims that it is plain and simple, which is true — no biblical jargon here.

There are only four chapters to the book and I encouraged my friends just to read the ones they thought relevant to themselves. The chapter titles are: I’m too good, I’m too bad, It’s too late, and It’s too soon. The conclusion ends with a prayer of commitment. Both of my readers admitted that they had read the entire book despite that not being their original intention.

It may have been useful to have a couple of pages after the conclusion on ‘I can’t keep it up’, but I acknowledge that we could keep adding ‘important’ sections which would detract from the pithy nature of the book.

When I asked for the book to be returned so that I could write the book review, I was given it reluctantly and asked to give it back to the ‘itching’ reader so that she could read it again.

This is a great little book, something between a tract and a serious introduction to Christianity. I suspect that even those who aren’t big readers would get into it. It is well worth keeping a few of these on the bookshelf to give away.

Telda Peskett,
pastor’s wife at Downe Baptist Church, Kent;
also works two days a week in kitchen design

© Evangelicals Now - June 2010
Please consider supporting this ministry by subscribing.

• Request Free Sample

Main Articles

• Cloud of ash to cloud of witnesses
• The Commentary
  Healing the nation?
• Breadwinner challenge
  Coping when the traditional roles have to be reversed
• A pastoral approach to bereavement and miscarriage
• God's gangster
  From street gang member to Christian role model
• What's in a name?
  Barnabas as a role model
• Evangelicalism with a broad brush
  The editor's personal overview of where we are now
• Technology boulevard?
  An article linked to the Lausanne Global Conversation
• Cohabitation?
  New insights into current trends
• Monthly media and arts column
  The Burj Khalifa
• The Music Exchange
  P.A.: everyone needs a Rhodri
• Letter from America
  Western evangelicalism and 'postmodernism'
• Mark Ashton, 1948-2010
  Obituary
• Earle Ellis, 1926-2010
  Obituary
• 60 years of ministry to children
  CEF in Britain

Other articles

• Cemetery Junction
• Robin Hood
• What wondrous love is this (CD)
• The Assassin's Song - Shelf life: Looking at secular books
• Gospel-centred life - Sixth of a series of extracts
• Peacemakers - Building stability in a complex world
• The unquenchable flame - Introducing the Reformation
• The intercession of Christ
• Dominion over wildlife?
• Love & War - Finding the marriage you've dreamed of
• The message of holiness
• The word of God?
• The breeze of the centuries - Introducing great theologicans
• Darwin's racists
• David Brainerd - A flame for God
• Rediscovering Roy - Roy Joslin
• A history of Christianity
• How to save a life - Becoming a Christian
• Filling up the afflictions of Christ