Evangelism through fiction

Christianity Today looks into a popular new book from WaterBrook Press:

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger.

In the past few years, fiction used as straight-up apologetics rather than literature or entertainment has gained ground in the Christian marketplace. Brian McLaren did this in A New Kind of Christian, which is less about plot than about dialogue that conveys certain theological views.

Now author and speaker David Gregory uses a similar, if more succinct, device in the July release of his evangelistic, inspirational novella, Dinner with a Perfect Stranger. Classified as “Christian Living/Spiritual Growth” by its publisher, and rightfully so, it is less about the craft of fiction and more about the evangelization of seekers and the reinforcement of certain doctrines for questioning believers.

…

Using books for evangelism has a noble and notable track record. But perhaps the character of Nick offers the best answer of all for seekers. “What is your deepest desire?” Jesus asks Nick, who answers, “I suppose people’s greatest desire is to be loved.” Jesus tells Nick that no one can satisfy our need to be loved as God can. What finally intrigues Nick about Christianity is not church programs, or catchy sermons, or even a book. It’s the person of Jesus himself, and by inference, the saving knowledge of Jesus’s unconditional love for him. Although Jesus’s gently reasoned arguments for Christianity are compelling, there still remains a place for a leap of faith into those arms of love.

Good food for thought.

Has anyone here read this yet? Any thoughts?