| Title | : | Safely Home |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0842337911 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780842337915 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 416 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2001 |
| Awards | : | ECPA Christian Book Award (2002) |
Safely Home Reviews
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I've seen a number of Randy Alcorn's books around and have read a few of his non-fiction in the past, someone recommended this book which looked interesting. Alcorn's focus in most of his writing tends to be on heaven--one of his better known books is simply entitled Heaven. Although, this is fiction it deals with the same subject from a slightly different angle.
Ben (American) and Quan (Chinese) end up studying together in America and become firm friends. They have both made professions of faith. Several decades later, Ben is a wealthy businessman and Quan is back in China suffering due to religious persecution. The story revolves around their reunion and how things have dramatically changed for both of them over the years.
The author depicts scenes from heaven throughout the narrative. The angels are watching over the characters in the book and recording their deeds. There is an overlap between earthly and heavenly matters. Towards the end of the book, he also describes a person in hell. This part of the narrative was almost unbearable to read but I forced myself to finish it because it is likely the reality of what unbelievers will face. I think it is good for us sometimes to remember the reality to spur ourselves on to share with those who are still in darkness.
I'm in two minds as to whether depicting any type of activities in either heaven or hell is a good idea for an author. One review I read makes the case that we shouldn't put words in God's mouth. Whilst I agree with this in principle, I think the author has done a good job with this material. He makes it clear that it is fiction but not fantasy. The things described are taken closely from the biblical account and therefore are likely to be part of our experience in heaven. Having said that we are told that no human mind can imagine what God has prepared for us....I can see both sides of this debate. As long as the person reading remembers that it is fiction, I think it could actually encourage us as believers as the author has been faithful to Scripture.
The main storyline about the Chinese underground church is powerful. The author has done his research and the text is full of facts and figures and information that brings life to the characters. I was particularly interested in his assertions about the Chinese government's propaganda machine. That they present an image to Western countries but the reality is somewhat different. I witnessed this in the Philippines when the Pope came to visit and all of the slum dwellers were packed off to luxury accommodation for a night only to lose their homes and belongings and be kicked onto the street a day later.....sad but true. Image is everything.
I did enjoy this book and am impressed that the author has chosen to donate all royalties from it to the persecuted church around the world. The ending dragged on a bit and became a little removed from reality. However, this was definitely above an average read, provides a lot of fascinating detail about the persecuted church, has a few pages of gripping (and terrifying) writing depicting hell which will challenge and has some ideas about heaven which are worth exploring.
There is no bad language or sexual content. There is some graphic violence and some torture scenes which some readers may struggle with. However, it remained border-line for me and wouldn't stop me reading this book again.
Recommended for Christians interested in the persecuted church or for those looking for inspiration for evangelism. -
MY REVIEW
Never did I think I would say "You HAVE to read this!" about a fictional book...but neither had I read Safely Home. This book is about two men who were roommates and friends in college but now are two worlds apart and haven't been in-touch for twenty years. When their paths finally cross once again they realize that they are two worlds apart spiritually speaking. As the story unfolds you find your self face-to-face with the persecuted church of China and the amazing love of a Savior and King.
I absolutely loved this book. My stomach churned at the thought of reading about people being persecuted, but once I began, I could not set it down. This thick fiction read gives you an eternal perspective on God's love and why "bad things" happen. While it seems trite to say, it's the simple truth - when I closed the cover on this book I was a different person. It brings to life before your eyes the power of prayer, the possible encouragement we have on a daily basis, and the powerful love of our God. You'll be left thinking about the profound question: "Is this the day I die?".
I highly - HIGHLY - recommend this book for teens and adults alike. While some of it won't be easy to read, you NEED to read it.
* * * * *
This review copy was provided courtesy of Tyndale but the opinion expressed is my own. -
What an outstanding and inspiring book! I cried so many times while reading this. This is a must read!
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Fiction, a story of two Harvard roommates; one American, one Chinese re-united to let Randy Alcorn spin out all this wonderful information about what God is doing in the Chinese Church (which seems to be more healthy that the American church).
I found myself refering to Jesus as "Yesu" (his Chinese name) after reading this book out of my love and awe for the Lord of the Chinese church. I wanted to follow this wonderful master after reading about his faithfulness to Chinese saints.
My copy loaned from Amy Lipsey -
This book was an amazing read. I learnt a ton about China and the Christians there and it still didn't feel like I was reading a history book. It really made me think more about the persecution of Chinese Christians under communism, and after reading it, I felt like I knew the characters personally. This was one of those books you just can't put down, and it draws you in. I think this book is very powerful and very worth reading.
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Even though I read this book several years ago, it left a distinct impression on me. The information provided about the church in China is inspiring and heartbreaking. Some of my favorite images of the book are in the way Alcorn depicts heaven and the role heavenly beings play in warring on our behalf. Highly recommended!
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Life changing fiction at its best.
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One of the most profound books I've ever read. Eye-opening. I... can't really review it well right now. Wow.
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Wow! This one surprised me. I wasn’t prepared for what this was. It was very difficult to read about someone basically being treated like a POW by his own government for practicing his religion. Very eye opening and lots of things I wasn’t prepared for.
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This is one of the most impactful books I've read in my life. If you are a Christian and you read at all, or even if you don't usually read, this is one book you must read. It will challange you.
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Initial thoughts straight after reading this book: This book is absolutely incredible. Gah. I have no words. It's so beautiful, and heart-wrenching, and challenging and awe-inspiring. It makes me realise just how blessed I am to live in a country with very little persecution, and it made me long for heaven. Our God is powerful and mighty and so very loving above all else and he will return for his people! Come quickly Lord Jesus, come quickly...
Updated official review on the 17/02/18: This book. Gah… I almost have no words to describe how good it is. Though since it’s been about 6 weeks since I finished it, I’ve had some time to try and gather my thoughts. But still… just wow.
In simple terms, this book is about persecuted Christians. In complex terms… where do I even begin? I guess I’ll just share a few thoughts I came away with after reading it…
1. - Christians in the West have no idea how good we’ve got it. Seriously. We can go to church openly, pray openly, teach our children about God openly, own a Bible openly. We can practice our faith openly and without fear that authorities are going to come crashing in and kill us all because it is against the law to believe as we do. This freedom we have is not a reality for the majority of Christians around the world. And boy, do we need to remember that. This book gives such a clear picture of what life is like as a persecuted Christian – a picture that is shocking and oh so saddening. I have thousands, perhaps millions of Christian brothers and sisters around the world that live in fear 24/7 that they are going to be caught for owning a Bible. Hundreds of Christians die every day because they are willing to risk all for the sake of Jesus. And I let my Bible collect dust on the shelf because I’m too easily distracted by YouTube. Ouch. It kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it? I came away from this book feeling incredibly blessed with the religious freedom I have, but also very aware that 1. Many Christians do not experience this freedom, and 2. This freedom could be very easily snatched away. I pray that Christians in the West will be wise stewards of the freedom we still have and use it to magnify the name of our wonderful God.
2. - We have such a small view on what Heaven is going to be like. Guys, how many times have we been told that Heaven is going to be amazing, and we’re just like “Yeah I know Jesus is going to be there and it’s going to be wonderful” and then just go on with our daily routine like it’s no big deal. Guys. Jesus is going to be there. We are going to be with Jesus. WITH Jesus! And that’s no big deal?! That’s seriously the biggest deal we will ever face. Literally. One day we will see him face to face – God become flesh, the greatest sacrifice. And he will hold out his nail-scarred hands and welcome us into his arms with a smile. Our Saviour, our God, our brother, our friend, the one that satisfies all longings – he will welcome you into heaven with a smile and a hug. Let me tell you, Heaven is going to be AMAZING. There will be boundless realms to explore and millions of people to meet. All the beauty and goodness we have in this world will be there, magnified by eternity, with no sin or death to mar it. And we will be with our God, as we were created to be, for the rest of eternity. That my friends, is a reality worth dying for, and a reality that we should be incredibly excited for. And too often I’m ambivalent about it. This book opened my eyes to see just how blind we humans can be when faced with the reality of Heaven (and the reality of hell for that matter, but that is another topic for another day). Heaven is not going to be a boring place for all eternity. It is going to be the more wonderful than our humans hearts can conceive, and we will be worshiping our God for all eternity. Now that is something to get excited about!
In the end, Safely Home opened my eyes to see how blessed I am have religious freedom, and how staggeringly horrific the persecution of Christians around the world is. It also reminded me about just how wonderful the prospect of Heaven really is. This was one of the first books I read this year, and I’m pretty sure it will remain one of the best books I’ve read this year. When I finished the book, my heart’s cry was ‘Come, Lord Jesus, come!’ And when a book does that to you, you know it is a good one! I’m giving Safely Home 5* out of 5 and recommending it for ages 15 up because of intense and sometimes graphic (details about the torture Christians go through) content.
* I know I didn’t really explain properly what this book is about. Sorry, it’s kind of hard… Just go and read it and you’ll understand. I highly, highly recommend it! -
I read this book about 10 years ago, and have just finished reading it aloud a second time to my daughter. Generally I would only read a book twice if it were a stellar classic. I cannot say that about this book--- fine literature it is not. But it strips away my complacency on the issue of persecution of political and religious dissidents in China. It is successful in that it will not allow me to forget those imprisoned for their faith, those who desperately need to be brought before the public eye, the "least of these" who need targeted support and prayers.
This is well researched fiction, centered around the friendship of a rising corporate businessman (Ben Fielding), and his former Harvard college roommate, Quan. Both men became Christians during their college years, but the ramifications of that decision were different for them. As Ben climbed the corporate ladder, his faith waned and became dormant. Quan, on the other hand, returned to China and found his faith severely tried when he was barred from using his coveted Harvard degree because of his profession of Christianity. His faith was vibrant in direct proportion to his persecutions.
When Ben arranges a visit with his old friend in China, he is shocked to find that Quan is forced to be a lowly locksmith--- totally barred from exercising his brilliant scholarship. *SPOILER ALERT* The timing of Ben's visit to China is strategic. He witnesses the joys of Quan's very humble home life, his pride in workmanship, and the fervor of belief in the underground church. He also witnesses Quan's arrest and from the sidelines sees the torture and ultimate martyrdom of his friend.
Ben returns home shaken, a changed man. He is able to redirect his energies and his corporate influence in such a way as to call attention to human rights violations. He is able to extricate his company from using political slaves in their factories.
Also of interest is how Ben is able to do missions-in-reverse after returning to America. He teaches and mentors and befriends Chinese university students, who---like his former college roommate--come to this country for education. He makes sure they receive a special book, a wonderful book, a dangerous book--- the Bible. -
This book was given to me as a birthday gift when I was at university (as the Brits would say), and at the time, I really loved it. It was during a time when what occupied my mind a lot was doing missions and traveling. It was very well-written and the descriptions of modern China were pretty accurate.
This book made me cry a lot, though I do realize after reading it that there was a lot of posed sentimentality in its, which makes for bad literature. This is personal to me, I know, but it made me think of being a firstborn in a Chinese family. My grandfather made my parents cut my hair short like a boy's until I was five. This book spoke a bit about the metaphor of being a woman regarding steep Chinese traditions. Girls used to be given broken pottery to play with instead of jade. Metaphorically speaking, I am so grateful that i was always given jade and never anything broken.
The ending was disappointing and too ambitious. Overall, this book was a good read. I learned a lot. -
I would have never imagined while reading this book that I would see parallels between my country, Canada, and communist China, but alas that is where we are at...
This is a very powerful book, and although I don't agree with everything theologically, I still enjoyed it as a fiction story. If I owned my own copy I know I would have underlined so many quotes and portions of this book. Many great nuggets of truth. Brave souls standing up for Christ no matter what the circumstances. Stories of God calling his own when you least expect it, or when you aren't even looking. Examples that if you have true saving faith you will never turn your back on God, you will persevere until he calls you home.
"And those he predestined, He also called; those he called, He also justified; those he justified, He also glorified" -Romans 8: 30
Also after reading this book it is a great reminder to remember the persecuted churches in your prayers, as they are battling everyday and are probably often forgotten among the saints.🙏 -
I've read this book twice, and I distinctly remembered it from the time before, so I wanted to read it again.
It's a powerful message of faith and suffering. Ben and Li Quan are complete opposites. Ben's all about business, he's prosperous, he's divorced, he drinks, and he is empty. He quit believing in God a long time ago. Li Quan, on the other hand, is focused on the next life, is not prosperous, has an adorable wife named Ming, and he is fulfilled.
Persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ is something not talked about often enough. They endure so much for His sake. And their focus is completely on Christ and the eternal life He promises them.
This book, while telling an interesting and amazing story, is still full of conviction and good morals. Little hints of humor are thrown in as well.
My conclusion is, just read the book, okay? Please? -
This book was so good. I wrote several inspiring quotes down in my journal. It not only opens your eyes to see what the persecuted church is facing, but also opens your heart for a full inspection of your life and makes you ask the question "What are you going to do with this?" Now that I know, what will I do? Now that I've seen, what will I say? How will I live differently.
I love how it shows things form both the perspective of the 'persecuted' and the perspective of the 'sceptic and easy-life guy'. It makes you realize what a cushy life does to many of us. We can't just say we're Christians. We actually have to live it.
A new favorite of mine! -
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Wake up call to awareness of persecution of Christians in China. I enjoy Randy Alcorn’s non fiction books, Heaven is a favorite. I wasn’t sure what to expect from him with fiction, it was touching and life changing. My emotions were all over the place. Highly recommend! -
Loved this book! It combined a couple of my favorite genres. Great perspectives and I wish I could meet Li Quan.
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I'm pretty sure if I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. Safely Home is a novel about an affluent American businessman who goes to visit his (Chinese) college roommate as a business ploy to help PR in China. His roommate had been saved during college (at Harvard) and then returned to live in China. The book is really about God's supremacy and how rapidly the Church spreads through suffering and persecution. Convicting, enlightening, eye-opening, and certainly a book to spur us on to do more than we are doing, to pray for and serve the persecuted church. I consider this a must read. Thanks for the recommendation Deanna!
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4.5⭐
This book totally took me out of my easy American life and reminded me what I've known about the persecuted church. It made me so much more grateful for my freedom but also so convicted to pray for the persecuted Church and to cling to Scripture. What surprised me about this story was that it left me not feeling an urgency to pray that the persecuted Church will be delivered as much as almost praying that we would be tested a bit more than we are here in America.
I don't love the parts in which the author envisions heaven for us. Those portions just felt a bit odd to me... I don't really want to imagine them; not sure why I feel that way.
Overall, I'm so glad I read this! -
Thank you Jamie for this book. I loved it. It was very well written and the message was beautiful. As Christians we know that in the days prior to the Second Coming of the Savior that there will be persecutions of the righteous. It helps us remember that the fight against Satan is real and that we need to be spiritually prepared for the battle as well as ready and willing to take Missionary work to all nations despite the costs.
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A beautiful and edifying story that was an absolute pleasure to read. The more I read of Alcorn, the more I want to read of his.
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This book is excellent. I had some clue what to expect from a brief previewing, but I didn't know what I was really in for. I was reluctant to bring this book to work today to finish it because I didn't want to cry in the office. I had to hold back tears so often through reading this novel, and upon reading the last few pages, I had tears streaming down my cheeks (I was alone by then!). I think more pages are dog-eared than not, actually.
I'm a Christian, but I feel like I would become one after reading this if I wasn't one already. I learned so much about the continuing persecution of Christians in China and about the history of Chinese Christianity along with China's general history. I also learned more about God and the Bible reading the verses that Alcorn includes. I read the Bible every day, but seeing verses out of context without their references, along with the translation Alcorn uses, gave me a different perspective. I love seeing Christianity and faith through Li Chuan, an amazing example of fortitude, courage, and perseverance. I loved reading about the two main characters' platonic love story--Ben Fielding and Li Chuan have a strong bond that transcends not only physical hardship but also many arguments and sometimes bitter (on Ben's end) disagreements. Through it all, Ben and Chuan remain friends and provide us with an example of two people who can disagree but still love each other.
The characters in this novel are all well-developed, and the plot is straightforward and unfolds really well. The ending is fairly obvious from the beginning, especially because Alcorn includes a frame story that takes place in heaven, and the observations of the angels, the King, and the martyrs of the Li family let us know what to expect, for the most part. Still, reading the story and watching it build towards the climax is emotionally impactful. I also love a good redemption story, and that's what this is, among many other things.
I enjoyed the fact that Alcorn's narrator's commentaries are true to the Bible and don't take a denominational standpoint but stick 100% to the Word of God, nothing doctrinal or dogmatic. That's a feat in itself! The only agenda Alcorn seems to have is informing people about the truth of what happens in China and accurately conveying the message of Biblical Christianity. A lot of Chuan's explanations helped me understand the Bible more clearly but also the relationship between Christianity and the world. It was great to see explanations of concepts I've thought about but never fully fleshed out.
My favorite part of the book, by far, is the Epilogue. It's beautifully written, including passages directly from Revelation but also interpreting some of the "vaguer" parts of the Biblical book and putting them more clearly in chronological order.
I highly recommend this book, whether you're a follower of Christ or not. If you are, you'll see amazing examples of faith, and you'll be encouraged to pray for your brothers and sisters, not only in China but all around the world, who are punished for refusing to deny Jesus. If you're not a follower of Christ, you'll learn about Chinese Christianity, you'll see some interesting parallels between modern American culture and Chinese culture regarding the suppression of religious ideals, and you'll also get some insight into why people who believe in Jesus refuse to stop believing even when people ridicule us or tell us there can't be a loving God when so many bad things happen. You might not convert exactly, but the book offers a true perspective on Christianity, not the hypocrisy, negativity, and lies spread by people who claim to believe but propagate the complete opposite message that Jesus came to give us. -
This was a great Christian fiction novel and definitely would recommend it to other believers to read at some point. It taught me so much about the persecuted church in China and what believers there have to go through. The lengths they go through to get their hands on scripture and their hunger for it - I think through the persecution and suffering and having lost so much of their worldly status and possessions make them value the word of God so much more and their faith is so much more refined because of the sufferings. It was convicting that we so often take advantage of free access to the Bible and faith that we often don’t hold tight to faith and don’t learn to stand firm as these brothers and sisters do in China. They stand firm in the sufferings and as a result, the underground church has grown and prospered despite the enemies purpose to crush them.
It uses a fiction perspective to tell of the tale of two friends, one in America who seems to have it all and one in China who has nothing. Yet as the tale goes to where they meet and have discussions, we realize the one in China, who has Christ has everything - and through the suffering and persecution for his beliefs- he holds tight. The one in America, who has fallen away as he is choked away by the pleasures of this world and little idols, slowly starts to see that he has nothing and that Christ is all. Their conversations throughout the book wonderfully weave scripture and wisdom that we must look beyond this earth to the new earth and new heaven that is to come. Our home is not here, and in fact our time here is so limited we must make good use of it to share the gospel to those around us. This book put such perspective on it through the lenses of the believers in China, and honestly, and we must rejoice in trial for we are being refined. In fact, as one part of the book says, perhaps we must pray for trials so that our faith may be further strengthened and refined.
Surprisingly this book also discusses Gods grace even for the persecutors. It reminds us we too are unworthy, no one is worthy, and no one is beyond the reach of Gods saving grace. Though we might cry to God for the sufferings; he delays it to allow his grace to work so that more may be redeemed and that includes those who may have persecuted believers at one point. One day he will execute His justice and the wicked will be judged- but until then, who are we to know who is to be redeemed by Christ and our duty is to call others to repentance.
It also emphasizes the importance of prayer and will make you want to look into how to support these believers in persecuted countries. -
I give it 5 stars because of the way it challenged and convicted me. A challenging book is a great book in my opinion. I did find some parts fairly prosey, too informative and educational for a work of fiction. However, the sum total of the book I found to be excellent and greater, in my opinion, than its parts.
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What do you get when you take the vice president of Getz International, who is an atheist, and drop him into rural China with his old roommate, who is a staunch Christian? In this book, we meet Ben Fielding, who from the outside has the world by the tail. He is the vice president, is on track to be CEO, and has everything that money can buy. What he also has is a divorce, a broken family, and a feeling of desperation. No matter how hard he works, he is never happy. Even when he gets the things that he thinks he wants.
Jump across the globe to China, and we meet Li Quan. He comes from a long line of Christian martyrs. After denying his father's faith as a teen, and going to Harvard, he becomes a Christian when his roommate, Ben, invites him to Bible study. Once that fire was lit, it soared out of control. Now, twenty years later, he is risking everything to tell others of Yesu. He has been in jail, has been persecuted, and has almost lost his life. Yet every day he continues to speak openly about Yesu and the lies of Mogui, knowing that this might cause him to lose his life.
These two roommates, who used to be best friends, meet after twenty years while Ben is on a business trip to China. Ben has everything that Quan dreamed of, yet as he sees his friend, he is jealous of him. He is happy. He has a loving wife and an adoring son. Why is this the case? Ben Fielding, future CEO of Getz International, could not be jealous of a poor Chinese locksmith with a "primitive" religion.
This was one of the most amazing books that I have ever read. It beautifully portrays the gospel, and gives us a glimpse of what heaven might be like. It was shocking to read such an accurate portrayal of Chinese society, especially as an American, but it was eyeopening to see just how strong the church is in China to endure the persecution. I thought that the end was going to be really sad, but it turned out to be one of the most beautiful endings that I have ever read.
Join Ben, as he experiences what true Christianity looks like, goes to an underground church, is expected to teach about a religion that he no longer believes, and learns for himself the truth about China. -
Randy Alcorn is one of my favorite writers and I really enjoyed this novel of his. It mostly takes place in mainland China , or Communist China. It tells of the persecution of underground churches by the atheistic government. I used to live in Taiwan and I also understood some of the Mandarin Chinese used by the people of Taiwan and by the mainland. Mr. Alcorn mentions some the Chinese characters which brought back memories of my experience among the Chinese people. It has been more than 20 years since I was there, and the fact of the persecution of the people on the mainland was a well known fact. This story also shows how the government covers up the persecution by propaganda in order to attract American business to the mainland. If you want to understand the persecution, I recommend that you get this book and read it. The persecution if anything has gotten worse on the mainland.
