Beginning the first Sunday after Easter, we’re embarking on a new series titled Lifeboat. This series is inspired by Mitch Albom’s novel The Stanger in the Lifeboat.
Mitch Albom is the founder of SAY Detroit, a nonprofit that provides pathways to success for Detroiters in need through major health, housing, and education initiatives. The nonprofit is funded in part by profits coming from a dessert shop and a gourmet popcorn line. He and his wife Janine also operate Have Faith Haiti, a home and school for impoverished children and orphans in Port-au-Prince.
As an author, Mitch Album has written eight #1 New York Times bestsellers, Emmy Award-winning TV films, stage plays, screenplays, a nationally syndicated newspaper column, and a musical. As a result of his work at the Detroit Free Press, Album was inducted into both the National Sports Media Association and Michigan Sports Halls of Fame and received the Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement.
In his New York Times Bestseller, The Stanger in the Lifeboat, Album ponders the question, “What would happen if we called on God for help and God actually appeared?” It is a story of hope and faith.
A diverse group of shipwrecked passengers pulls a strange man from the sea who claims to be “the Lord.” The group challenges the man’s assertion. “If you’re really who you say you are, prove it! Save us!”
The Lord is willing, but there’s a catch. He can only save them if they all believe in Him.
I want to share more with you, but I don’t want to spoil any surprises. In his book, Albom keeps us guessing until the end. You, too, will be anxious to discover whether this strange man is really who he claims to be.
The novel is fast-paced and compelling and promises to cause you to ponder your deepest beliefs. Is it possible that the answers to our prayers may be found where we least expect them?
If you choose to follow along, I suggest using the following schedule:
| Sundays | Pages | Parts |
|---|---|---|
| April 27 | v – 55 | One & Two |
| May 4 | 56 – 97 | Three & Four |
| May 11 | 98 – 144 | Five & Six |
| May 18 | 145 – 191 | Seven through Nine |
| May 25 | 192 – 228 | Ten & Eleven |
| June 1 | 229 – 268 | Twelve through Epilogue |
We’ll have a few books available for purchase. New copies of the paperback edition are available through Amazon for $10.86, and used copies in good condition are under $7. This book may also be available at the local library.
Our Book Club does not meet as a group. However, our weekly messages reference that week’s chapters. You can anticipate spoiler alerts unless you keep up with the pace. You can purchase your own copy or visit your local library.
You can contact our office with questions by phone or simply type your question or enter a prayer request on our website’s homepage — FlintAsburyChurch.org.
Pastor Tommy
Mitch Albom. The Stranger in the Lifeboat. New York: HarperCollins, 2021.