Author: Robert L. Hecker

ISBN: 159426256X 

Michael Modesto is your average hard-driving rock star who is getting tired of
the music life style. At a post-concert party, he meets a young woman named Mary
Schaefer, who doesn't look or act like the typical groupie. Against his better
judgment, he accompanies her to a local hospital that treats crack babies. He
holds one of the babies, and is suddenly convulsed by extreme pain throughout
his body. When he recovers, he finds that the baby is cured. Other things happen
to Michael that convince him that something very strange is happening. In a
vision, he is told, "I am the Word, and you are my messenger."

Michael has no idea what this Message is, or how he is supposed to deliver it,
but the thought that he is losing his mind is pretty tempting. He becomes part
of a local church in Los Angeles, with which Mary is associated, as a Guest
Evangelist. As a native of Texas, Michael has plenty of experience with the way
evangelists are supposed to act and sound. His popularity grows like wildfire,
with help from some public healings of the sick. The services are nationally
televised, and the church moves to larger quarters. Michael attracts the
attention of Anthony Stonz, a Washington power broker, who becomes Michael's
biggest fan. For his own reasons, Anthony pushes for the construction of a huge,
brand new cathedral, just for Michael. This is despite Michael's assertion that
as soon as he delivers the Message, his evangelizing will stop. Suddenly,
accusations of fraud against Michael, for "healing" people who are not really
sick, and accusations of financial mismanagement make it look like the whole
thing will collapse.

This is quite a book. It does a fine job looking at faith and religion for those
who are not very religious. It has an interesting and plausible story, and is
very much worth checking out.

The above review was contributed by: Paul Lappen: CLICK TO VIEW Paul Lappen's Reviews