Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon
By
Greg Laurie and Marshall Terrill

This book was sent to me recently as a gift. I did not quite know what to think about it at first glance. It certainly was not on my Winter 2017 Reading List.

Steve McQueen was affectionately known as the “King of Cool” in the 60’s and 70’s. Most men idolized him as a man’s man and most women adored him and his baby blue eyes.

In his day, he was the number one movie star in the world. (Great Escape, Bullet, Towering Inferno…) This book unfolds his highly dysfunctional upbringing and sins, his longing to know his biological father who he never found, his driven purpose to achieve stardom, wealth, fame and women in the hope that it may satisfy a deep longing within him.

In the 70’s, God began to send His servants into Steve McQueen’s life who began to faithfully witness to him and point him to the real reason for life, Jesus Christ. When Steve McQueen finally started attending a Christian church, one of his first questions to the Pastor was if all his sins could be forgiven and if the Bible could be trusted? Steve shortly thereafter received Christ as his Savior. Six months later, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He once recorded these words while getting treatment to cure his cancer, “That’s what I’d like, and try and be able to change some people’s lives. To tell people that I know the Lord, what I have to offer, what happened to me.” Steve never had the chance to witness to many people about forgiveness and God’s love.

But you can! God has given you the opportunity now to be His witness to your friends and family members. Why wait any longer?

Billy Graham came to visit Steve in his last days and gave Steve his personal Bible. Inside was written these words, “To my friend Steve McQueen. May God bless you and keep you always. Billy Graham, Philippians 1:6, November 3, 1980”

This book is a great read winter, spring, summer and fall. Our stories are powerful tools.

Pastor Greg