If you want to know what happens to Christians in China.

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Product Description

A soul-stirring story of two college friends who reconnect after 20 years. One is living life apart from God in comfortable corporate America, while the other is living for Christ under intense persecution in China. This challenging book will convict the heart of readers to live in the light of eternity.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4945 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780842359917
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Library Journal
Executive Ben Fielding hits upon a perfect plan: he will make his company millions of dollars by using Chinese labor to manufacture its electronic components. To kickstart his plan, he visits China, where he stays with college roommate Li Quan, whom he hasn't seen in over 20 years. From Li, Ben learns that his initial impressions of China from his research and from visits over the years are false, but Ben doesn't believe Li's stories of the persecution of Christians until Li is taken to jail. As Ben rediscovers Jesus through Li's faith, he discovers the truth that God does not promise an easy life on Earth, only eternal happiness after death. Part of this novel appeared as a short story in The Storytellers' Collection (LJ 9/1/00); here, its strength is magnified tenfold. Alcorn (Lord Foulgrin's Letters) lifts readers high with joy and casts them down in immeasurable sorrow as Ben and Li's story unfolds with intense emotional impact that recalls Sylvia Bambola's Refiner's Fire (LJ 6/1/00). Required for all collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Safely Home is not only a first-class story; it’s a bracing wake-up call about Christian persecution in China. You’ll be challenged.” —Chuck Colson

“This brilliant story mixes the warmth of a good novel with the harsh reality of the persecuted church.” —Dr. Tim LaHaye

From the Back Cover

“Is this the day I die?”

Quan stiffened at the shout behind him. The voice rang with the authority of the Gong An Ju, the Public Security Bureau. “You meet in the night like the criminals you are. How dare you defy the law? In three minutes,” Scarbrow said matter-of-factly, “we will shoot every man and woman—and child—who does not declare himself loyal to the people rather than the gweilos, foreign devils.”

“Surely this is the day.”

American business executive Ben Fielding has no idea what his brilliant old college roommate is facing in China. But when they’re reunited in China after twenty years, the men are shocked at what they discover about each other.

Thrown together in an hour of encroaching darkness, watched by unseen eyes, both must make choices that will determine not only the destinies of two men, but two families, two nations . . . and two worlds.

All royalties will be donated to the persecuted church around the world.

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Customer Reviews

Too many late nights!
We could not put it down. My wife and I read this book in about a week. That week was one of the hardest weeks of our lives simply because of the fact that we couldn't wait to read some more. Even though we are asleep most of the time by 10 pm, we were up until 3 am on at least two occassions. If the un-put-down-ableness were the only thing going for this book, it would be occassion enough for the five-star rating. However, the fact that this book stirred up in us both a passion to share the Gospel, instilled a greater love for God, and humbled us greatly makes me want to give it six stars. Amazon, unfortunately won't let me.
I don't normally read Christian fiction...I don't normally read fiction at all. I usually would prefer books like Piper's "Desiring God", Stott's "Cross of Christ", and Mahaney's "Cross-Centered Life," but this book has made me aware of a whole genre of life-changing books which I would have downplayed had it not been for my encounter with this one. Please read it, enjoy it, and then pass it on.

Don't Judge This Book By Its Title
Let's face it, the title "Safely Home" has a placid, unappealing sound to it. In fact, before seeing the cover, I thought perhaps Randy was delving into the Christian romance market.

That all changed when I saw the Chinese writing on the dust jacket. Having travelled in China, smuggling Bibles and sharing my faith, I was intrigued. Then, I peeled back the jacket to discover the amazing picture of a Chinese believer held in Jesus' arms. Standing there in the bookstore, I was hit with emotion, with moisture in my eyes. Suddenly, the title "Safely Home" made sense. The persecution of the Chinese church is real, and Alcorn shows clearly the difference between the state church and the underground church. I've met some of these underground believers. Alcorn captures their heart for God in ways that I've never seen in fiction before. He captures much of the Chinese believers' humility and struggle in this heartfelt novel.

The contrast between two former college friends, one a Chinese doctor, the other an American businessman, is credible and lends itself perfectly to the contrast in their levels of faith. Through the looking glass of this story, Alcorn forces us to weigh our own faith. Do we know what it means to stand for our beliefs? Do we know what it means to pay a price for our integrity?

Although Alcorn can come across as preachy at times, he always has something worth saying. By mixing a fascinating cultural and spiritual struggle in a fictional form, he opens our hearts to hear the truth...The response is up to us.

One of the best books I've ever read
I had "Safely Home" in my bookcase for at least a year before reading it, which is amazing considering how much I loved Deadline and Dominion by this author. I've just never been too interested in the Orient, and when I saw that the story took place in China, I kept putting other books ahead of this one. Thank God someone happened to mention how good it was. I was completely captivated from the beginning. Li Quan lived and breathed for me...this hero made me really stop to think about courage and commitment to God. Watching the slow conversion of his visiting classmate from college days was so satisfying. Li Quan was the kind of man who preaches a sermon silently, through his manner of living and coping with hardship. The persecution of Christians in China is a sad reality. I honestly cannot see how anyone could help but love this book. The story line is exceptional, the characterization is superb, and the message is life-changing. You simply can't close the cover of Safely Home and not look for a charity that distributes Bibles to the Christians in China. Another thing you can't do is ignore the message: God may require the supreme sacrifice from those who truly love Him and follow Him with steadfast faith. Few of us will ever be called to give our lives for our faith, but we must be WILLING to do so. And it is our eternal destination that really matters. Safely Home will entertain you immensely, but that is the least of what you'll gain by reading it! Please do get this book, and pass it along to a good friend after you've read it.