CITY LIVES:
True stories of changed lives from the workplace
By Marcus Nodder
10 Publishing. 213 pages. £5.99
ISBN 978 1 912 373 093
Living out their faith in a number of different spheres, this book tells 14 separate stories of people’s journeys to follow Christ.
For some it has been through a dramatic crisis and for others it has been more gentle and gradual. All of the individuals featured are so called ‘highflyers’, who have risen to positions of prominence, but their desire to live passionately and enthusiastically for God in their context is evident throughout.
Big questions
Among those we meet are Stef Reid, a Paralympic Medalist, injured in a boating accident; the Premier League footballer, Gavin Peacock; John Lennox, an Oxford Professor; the TV ‘Bake Off’ star, Martha Collison; and a bank CEO, Jeremy Marshall. Each story is self-contained and deals with some of life’s big questions about the truth regarding the resurrection, how science points to God and why a God of love allows suffering and evil in our world.
It’s interesting to note how friendships play a key role in terms of these people coming to faith and how many of the struggles to believe and commit are similar, even though backgrounds are different. Some come from strong Christian families, others are agnostics or atheists and one had a Muslim background.
One of the consistent melodic lines is that we are all engaged in full-time Christian work and this description does not just apply to those in church ministry. Each person featured takes seriously their responsibility to live for Christ where they have been placed.
Marcus Nodder’s style is accessible and engaging, with an effective blend of quotations alongside his own personal reflections. Some of the stories are well known, like that of Jonathan Aitken, but others are less familiar and contain surprising elements.
Arguably, there is a gender imbalance, as out of the 14 individuals only three are women! But the appeal of the book is wide, as it gives an enjoyable holiday read, while being equally suitable to share with a colleague or friend who has not yet discovered faith in Christ.
