A new book has been released that is aiming to turn the UK’s sporting community, in particular football fans to the teachings of Christ. ‘England’s Messiah’ is the latest publication by Martin Saunders, and is a pre-evangelistic novel set on the Premier division and International football stage.

Martin Saunders is the Assistant Editor of Youthwork magazine, and a regular presenter on London’s Premier Radio. He is the author of ‘East End’ and ‘East Coast’, and ‘David Street’s Christmas Dairy’, but English Messiah is his first full-length novel.

The publishers, Authentic Media are hoping to get in touch with non-Christian players that actually live in the type of world as described in the book. They hope to do this via their partnership with ‘Christians in Sport’ organisation, and through co-operating with the chaplains at the football league clubs. Every single football league club Chaplain has been offered a complimentary copy of the novel in the hope that they will use it with the players around them.

“England has gone football crazy this month,” says Martin Saunders, “It’s what people really care about right now – and this is exactly what the church needs to be plugging into. Like so many other people, I’m passionate about football, but I’m even more passionate about the Gospel, and I’ve written this book as a bridge between the two. We’ve now set up a website, www.englandsmessiah.com, through which a special Euro 2004 newsletter will be available, charting England’s fortunes and again connecting goings on there with the most important prize of all – eternity with the guy who created David Beckham’s right foot!”

The new novel, was released in time for the current Football European Championships, and Saunders hopes that Christian friends, and relatives of football fans of all ages will buy the book as a Euro 2004 gift, and that readers will be inspired by the story to investigate the faith.

There are many parallels drawn between Jesus Christ and John Christie (the main character in the book), and the story examines the concept of a modern-day messiah, showing that, just as in Christ's time, selfish, sinful people will ultimately reject the very thing that they appeared to be crying out for.

"Euro 2004 presents a great opportunity for Christians to engage with culture," said Martin, "and that's what motivated me to write England's Messiah. I don't believe there are many football novels out there, and I know that there are even less about the England team. My hope therefore is that thousands of fans will be intrigued by this book, and be keen to read it. It's not quite the official novel of the England team - but maybe it could become the fans' favourite!"

"This book is designed for people who have no interest in Christianity at all," he continued, "it's literally a first step, but I hope that the people who read it will move a step closer towards Jesus through doing so. I say this purely with a Gospel heart - if you have non-Christian friends who are into football, this could be the perfect first step for reaching them."