Football is on many people’s minds at the moment because of Euro2020. What better book to review during this time than that of a man who spent 18 years of his life as a professional footballer?!
In this book you’ll read the story of Gavin Peacock, a man who had a very successful career in professional football. Over the course of his career he played over 600 games and scored over 135 goals. This book would be a great gift for a football fan. It speaks about football a lot, obviously, but it also speaks about Gavin’s heart and his Lord.
Here’s what Gavin says about his own book in the introduction…
“As the name suggests, autobiographies are generally written by people about themselves. On one level you can read this book that way. It’s my story: a memorial of the life of a boy from the south east of England in Kent, who lived a schoolboy dream as a professional footballer and went on to another dream career as a BBC commentator, but who gave it all up for church ministry; a story which takes you all the way for the pitch to the pulpit. But there is another way of reading this book: a way that underpins and overarches all of this. This is to read it as a memorial of God’s sovereign, saving grace in a man and to see how knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour is the most necessary thing in life.”
This book unpacks the thoughts and feelings that go on in a players mind before, during and after a game. Gavin speaks about the ups and downs, the joys and disappointments and the wonderful gospel of Jesus that he has the privilege of preaching every week in church. Gavin went, as the book title says, from the pitch to the pulpit.
I would stress that this book could be a great evangelistic tool to give to football fans. It explains the gospel and the hope that Jesus brings, whilst also talking about football and real life. It’s a quick and easy read that I’m sure people, both Christians and non-Christians would enjoy.
Buy your own copy here and let me know what you think. Or even better, buy two and five one away to a friend, it’ll spark conversations about football and the gospel. Talk about what is so special about the gospel that compelled a man to leave a dream career to go and teach the Bible and care for a local church. It’s definitely a conversation starter.
Gavin is husband to Amanda and father to Jake and Ava. He is associate pastor at Calvary Grace Church of Calgary, and the Director of International Outreach for CBMW. He played football professionally for Chelsea, QPR and Newcastle Utd and was a pundit on BBC Match of the Day.
*** I received this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This does not change the way I rate the book, my views are my own. ***
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