Product Description

You are Invited to a Dinner with Jesus of Nazareth

The mysterious envelope arrives on Nick Cominsky’s desk amid a stack of credit card applications and business-related junk mail. Although his seventy-hour workweek has already eaten into his limited family time, Nick can’t pass up the opportunity to see what kind of plot his colleagues have hatched.

The normally confident, cynical Nick soon finds himself thrown off-balance, drawn into an intriguing conversation with a baffling man who appears to be more than comfortable discussing everything from world religions to the existence of heaven and hell. And this man who calls himself Jesus also seems to know a disturbing amount about Nick’s personal life.

…………..

"You’re bored, Nick. You were made for more than this. You’re worried about God stealing your fun, but you’ve got it backwards.… There’s no adventure like being joined to the Creator of the universe." He leaned back off the table. "And your first mission would be to let him guide you out of the mess you’re in at work."
………….

As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt–and it seems that having Dinner with a Perfect Stranger may change Nick’s life forever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7611 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-12
• Released on: 2005-07-12
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 112 pages

Amazon.com
In Dinner With a Perfect Stranger, David Gregory relates the story of two men sharing a meal. The point of interest is knowing that one man believes he is Jesus. What will the other man think by the time the evening is through? The conversation begins, as one could imagine, scratching the dry hard surface of skepticism and doubt, but gently and persistently goes deeper and deeper, spiraling in from that starting point until they are eventually talking about the true stuff of life; the career drifting off-track, the marriage experiencing its own kind of strain, the life being lived where the philosophical questions of youth have given way to simply coping with modern day-to-day living.

Gregory's book is a refreshing reminder of what evangelical Christianity is at its very best -- a faith enlivened by the personal relationship between the Creator and the created. In the end, evangelical Christians are focused on who Jesus Christ is, and more specifically, who He is to them. Doctrinal stances, theological conundrums, questions about literal or non-literal Biblical interpretation, these are all beside the point for the certain type of Christian whose central focus is the life and person of Jesus.

In the Narnia series, C.S. Lewis touched on some of the core questions of religion, from the Christian viewpoint (is there a hell? What is heaven like, really? How can other religions be wrong, and just one be right?) Taking his cue from Lewis, Gregory does the same, realizing that questions like these come alive when they're in the context of a story, and we can be the third party, watching with interest while they are put on the table and considered. In the end, Gregory's book succeeds because of his willingness to approach interesting, hard questions like these. He is always, undoubtedly, aiming for the heart, but he realizes that to win the heart one must never forget that the mind has to come along for the ride. --Ed Dobeas

From Publishers Weekly
In this didactic inspirational novella, Cincinnati workaholic Nick Cominsky accepts an invitation that he assumes is a gag: to have dinner with Jesus Christ himself. He soon finds out it's no laughing matter, and, despite his doubts and initial misgivings, he engages in a long conversation with the deity (who has jettisoned the long locks and sandals in favor of a Brooks Brothers haircut and blue suit). That conversation constitutes the novella's light plot. As the courses of their elegant Italian meal are delivered, Nick and Jesus discuss the dichotomies of sin and salvation, grace and works, organized religion and personal faith. In his quest to prove why Christianity is superior to other religions, Gregory has Jesus make misleading statements about Hinduism, Buddhism and particularly Islam. These unfair caricatures add to the book's heavy-handed feel, as do strawman arguments for the veracity of the Bible and the resurrection. What's appealing about this book is that its Jesus is refreshingly down-to-earth; he digs good food, draws theological illustrations from Star Trek, and quietly chafes at wearing a necktie. But that can't disguise the fact that Gregory has not written a story so much as a dressed-up and controversial sermon. (July 19)
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Review
"Here’s a wonderful feast for the mind and soul! Pull up a chair and eavesdrop on this provocative conversation. If you’re like me, you’ll hear questions that match your own — and answers that can change your life."
— Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith, and The Case for a Creator

“There's just one thing people need in order to live a happy, abundant life: to be convinced that God loves them. Want to be convinced? Read Dinner With a Perfect Stranger. The author deftly anticipates and answers every question. I predict this little book will become a classic--one of a handful of modern books (like Mere Christianity) that people read to kindle or rekindle faith. All of the "business" surrounding the dinner is done so well it reminds me of Babette's Feast--simple, earthly details that profoundly convey spiritual reality.  Dinner with a Perfect Stranger is truly a wonderful book that makes me feel I've just heard the gospel for the very first time.”

--Mike Mason, author of The Mystery of Marriage, Champagne for the Soul, Practicing the Presence of People, and other books

“The choice is yours: Enjoy a delicious meal of, say, veal fantarella with grilled vegetables. Or spend a quiet hour reading David Gregory’s book. You may find an altogether different sort of hunger has been sated by the final page. Brilliant in its simplicity, fearless in its presentation of the truth, Dinner with a Perfect Stranger is one invitation you'll want to RSVP.”

–Liz Curtis Higgs, author, Thorn in My Heart and other books

Customer Reviews

a thoughtful interaction with Jesus
I just finished this book and I must say I was surprised. It was very good. My initial worry was that it would be fluffy, but the portrait of Jesus struck the right balance between his being compassionate and winsome on the one hand, but far from passive or a push-over on the other. It was enjoyable to the end. If I have friends who wonder what a conversation with Jesus would be like or are seeking to find out more about Christianity in a non-threatening way; Dinner with a Perfect Stranger will be at the top of the list!

Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower's Guide for the Journey

A Serving of Pablum
Trite, predictable, uninteresting, unchallenging, and more. A peculiar little book that did nothing for my faith. I want something that stretches or even challenges. This appeared to be narrow, party propaganda. Perhaps, however, this is for someone who has never heard of Christianity. I am also troubled at the numbers who raved about this book. That fact, to me, is a sorry commentary on the depth of Christianity in America. St. Paul indicated that, "When I was a child, I thought like a child." Now that I am a man, I need something more.

EXCELLENT book - answers a lot of questions
This book is an easy read! The book basically takes place during a 4-course meal in a restaurant. The over-ambitious husband feeling failure in his marriage and life gets invited to dinner by Jesus. The dialogue is very simple and easy to get. It's a story of hope and inspiration! Excellent book for non-believers & believers!! I recommend it as a MUST READ. A+++++++++++