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Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God. A Broken Mother's Search for Hope.

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In this joint memoir, mother Angela Yuan and son Christopher Yuan alternate chapters in describing Chris' prodigal son experiences, in parallel with Angela's experiences as a mother moving from suicidal depression to Christian community, along with hope and prayer for her still-troubled son. Their voices trade off as describe Chris' early successes in grad school, his growing identification with the gay community and embrace of a partying lifestyle, and his movement into success as a drug dealer. His crash when busted and jailed, along with his mothers' prayers and involvement, leads to his conversion to Christianity and eventual role as a prison minister. Now, it seems, he and his mother speak at Christian events about his transformation, a role which I assume has produced this book.

I got this review copy for free from WaterBrook Multnomah (full disclosure!), and was initially quite skeptical and concerned with how the book would portray homosexuality. Because the book is written within the conservative Christian social field, it probably will not be appreciated by liberal or secular readers. But for its intended audience, it strikes the right note. Addressing this social issue with both grace and truth has been a difficult issue for the American church, and it would be easy to turn this story into a polemic about sexual identity and the church.

But the Yuans, in general, refrain. While their story clearly fits within the cultural genre of "Christian testimony" (with overtones of Augustine's confessions as well as an identification with the specific trope of the prodigal son, moving from pride to fall to faith to restoration), it is well-handled, emotive, and lovely -- a good example of the genre. In his chapter on Holy Sexuality (182-189), Chris is frank about his long-standing desires and rejects movements which focus on trying to change a person's sexual orientation:

"But now, as I searched the Scriptures for the way I should live, I began to ask myself a different question: Who am I apart from my sexuality? ... I had always thought that the opposite of homosexuality was heterosexuality. But actually the opposite of homosexuality is holiness. God never said, 'Be heterosexual, for I am heterosexual.' He said, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' ...Holy sexuality is not focused on becoming straight -- orientation change -- but on obedience." (p.187)

Chris recommends that Christian sexuality remain within cross-gender marriage or celibacy, the most predominant framework within the Christian faith. In acknowledging his inborn nature but reframing the discussion from sexual identity to Christian identity, Chris moves away from sexual identity as a central social marker for the Christian and towards the question of what it means to be a Christian. This seems to be one appropriate stance within the Christian context -- I would love to hear others address Chris in dialogue about this. I know that Jenell Williams Paris has recently written a related book, The End of Sexual Identity, and hope to review her book soon!

On January 16 I attended a Chicago area seminar titled: "A Conference on Faith and Sexuality." The topic was same-sex relationships and the church. The host church invited four speakers to give biblical and theological presentations. The speakers clearly held widely different perspectives. The last of the four speakers was Christopher Yuan. Since I did not know Chris at the time I as not prepared to be moved to my depths by his story of a life of homosexual practice and drug dealing followed by a powerful conversion to Jesus Christ. After three years in prison, an HIV-positive blood test result, and an obvious transformation in Christ, Chris entered his new Christian lifestyle, a lifestyle that has been tested and proven for some years now. Our of a Far Country is a unique book in so many ways but one of the most unique aspects is that it is the story as told by both Chris and his mother, Angela. This means parents will be especially grateful for insights they can gain on how to respond to a prodigal child.

Christopher Yuan is one of two sons of Chinese immigrants. His father, as my father was in his professional career, is a dentist. Angela assisted Dr. Yuan in his dental practice. Chris' dad had a nominal Catholic background but Angela was an atheist. Chris was thus raised in a context without the church or any real expressions of faith around him. At an early age Chris discovered that he had an attraction to other boys. He tried dating girls but still felt strongly attracted to guys. His mother was, in her own testimony a "controlling mom." The more she tried to control her own life, and that of her son Chris, the worse things got in the Yuan family. Then Chris returned to Chicago from dental school in Louisville, Kentucky, and "came out of the closet" about his sexuality. Prepared by his homosexual friends for total rejection this is exactly what he got thus he stormed away from his family looking for love, acceptance and a new family identity in the gay community. Angela's life then spiraled out of control even more then ever once she began to deal with her feelings about her unresponsive husband and her gay son. She determined to take her own life in despair. In his mercy God intervened and Angela became a devout follower of Jesus as Lord. She had a lot of things that needed changing. She began to absorb the Scriptures and grow in God's grace. Her marriage was turned around, hope became her spiritual strength and Chris became the focus of her regular prayer and fasting times. She learned to accept Chris and love him without conditions.

Hearing this story from the perspective of a heart-broken mother, and a rebellious son who finally came home to Christ, makes it one of the most unique accounts of a prodigal's conversion that I've read in modern narrative memoir. I would not hesitate to give this book to parents or even to older (young adolescent) children. Some may question the wisdom of older children, say 12 or 13, reading a book like this but this is a book that explains how sexuality identity can destroy lives. And it explains how God's grace puts them back together again. It is not so much a book about homosexuality, as such, but a testimony that homosexual advocates should be encouraged to read since the story truly rises above the various debates and takes the reader into two human hearts longing for God and his glory above the clamor of modern disagreement.

Does Chris have a view about homosexual identity? Yes, and it seems that he accepts the fact that he has homosexual desires regardless of how this happened. (He doesn't address the debates about how a person becomes homosexual, simply saying he was drawn to boys and men.)

Does Chris have a view about homosexual practice? Yes, he does. He shares it in only a few pages without the typical polemical rhetoric. He tells of searching the Bible soon after his conversion asking "How should I now live?" He began with the feeling that it would be pleasing to God for him to remain a practicing homosexual and a follower of Christ. He ends, without telling you all the turns in the road, saying he came to believe that he was called to a higher standard of sexual purity thus he should stop practicing same-sex intercourse. This has led him to become a celibate in the years that followed his conversion. He says nothing about desiring marriage, about changing his sexual identity per se, etc. What makes his story so compelling to me is that he never engages in attacks on other views and people but very simply allows his story to stand for what it is, the story of a remarkably changed man. The reader can judge what they will about Chris and his life but you can be sure of this - he is a man who knows who he is in Christ and is clearly following holiness as he understands it in Scripture. Honestly, this makes the book unique since it is a story, not a biblical defense or apologetic in the normal sense of these terms.

Chris and Angela cast an extremely compelling vision of God's love, God's grace and God's holiness. Their book really speaks to prodigals of all kinds and to the parents of prodigals. And yes, it speaks to those who want to minister to the gay community in a way that is not based on rancorous polemical stereotypes and arguments.

After attending Moody Bible Institute Chris did an M.A. in biblical exegesis at Wheaton College Graduate School, as a Charles Colson Scholar. (This is a program designed for ex-convicts). He is currently pursuing a doctor of ministry at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul (MN) and is teaching at Moody Bible Institute. He also travels with his mom speaking to churches, conferences and youth groups about God's desire for all prodigals to come home to him.

I recently had lunch with Chris and can tell you that he is the real person this story presents him to be. I love him as a brother and friend and hope you will read his story and pray for both Chris and Angela. You can follow Chris on his blog. You can see his amazing story, from Saddleback Church, on YouTube.

You might think this book is about sexual brokenness, but it's not. It's about being broken in every dimension and how God is able to redeem the "unredeemable". The paths of Christopher, his mother, and to a small extent, his father are definitely scattered with risk at every turn. Angela Yuan is so desolate that the only solution she saw was suicide. But God had other plans for her...and in her search for meaning, purpose, and a reason to live, she opens the path for her younger son and her husband. This is definitely a "page-turner". Once you start, you can't put it down. This is not a book about being gay...it's about being broken before God and how God can miraculously rebuild lives, if you let him.

Christopher Yuan is an amazing trophy of grace, and his mother is as well. This story should be read by everyone whose life is touched by someone who is gay. There is no formula here, just love, prayer, and a wild dependence on God.

What resonated with me most was Christopher's discussion of identity. I think for those of us who have transgressed the body with sexual sin, identity in Christ is such a huge concept to accept, and it takes time to accept. I Corinthians 6:12-20 addresses this. The last stumbling block perhaps to accepting grace in full. Once understood and accepted, though, what a freedom, what a privilege to identify with Christ. He is our identity, not the earthly identities we either grew up inherently believing in or were abused into believing through mockery or similar (and here I'm speaking of sexuality). This part of the book is very profound and timely for the sexual culture prevalent today (though it's always been around - hence the eternal relevance of the scriptures!).

Second, Angela's testimony convicted me. I'm a mother now and I struggle with praying for my kids. She set an example! The prayer closet, the fasting, and memorizing of scripture. She inspired me to get on my knees for them, even though they are so young still. It is an issue of obedience and also of reverence to lift up the gifts God has given us to him in prayer.

Last, I think that the transparency of the book, the frankness and openness will entice readers. There's no Christianeze or gloss. It's hard to read sometimes, but the details do not glorify the sin but rather the redemption story.

I praise God for this testimony!

One of the very real questions in society today is whether or not homosexuals can change. Out of a Far Country brings a delightfully unique perspective to this issue. Mother (Angela) and Son (Christopher) hold the reader captive as they recount the profound impact of homosexuality on their individual lives-and God's incredible power to change both of them. I was deeply blessed and encouraged by this book and would highly recommend it for churches or families dealing with homosexuality, anyone questioning God's ability to transform a life steeped in sin, or persons struggling with same-sex attraction issues themselves. A Discussion Guide is included at the end of Out of a Far Country, making it a wonderful tool for small groups.

Christopher and Angela Yuans new book, "Out of A Far Country" is a wonderful testimony to Christ's redemptive power in our lives.

Recounting his experience as a prodigal son who turned from God into a life of Homosexuality and sexual sin, Christopher Yuan beautifully recounts the darkest hours of his life and the power of prayer and the Gospel to turn him away from the darkness and into the light of Christ.

Angela Yuan tells of her experience as a mother who fervently prayed for her prodigal son as he ran from his family and his faith. We see the heart of a mother who was deeply pained by her sons actions, and even was brought to the point of suicide. However, the Lord renews her strength and through prayer and faith, we see how God redeems both her life and her sons.

"Out of A Far Country" has been one of the best books that I have read, and certainly the best book dealing with the issue of Homosexuality and the Christian. Through Christopher and Angela Yuans testimony, Christians who struggle with homosexuality as well as those who do not can gain a better perspective on how to view the struggle of homosexuality and how God can and will redeem it for our good and His glory.

This book is worth the read, and I honestly recommend that you pick up more than one copy. This is a great tool for the Church!

Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God. A Broken Mother's Search for Hope. by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan

This book is the new The Cross and the Switchblade for this generation. In the same way that David Wilkerson opened our eyes to a world of gangsters, Out of a Far Country opens our eyes to people inside of the gay community. I was expecting this story to be mostly about a Christian mother who struggles with her sons homosexual lifestyle. It isn't, though.

Out of a Far Country is as much about the testimony of Angela Yuan coming to Christ as it is about her son, Christopher, and his journey to God. Angela had been a staunch atheist her entire life. Her marriage was in shambles, her two sons had forsaken the values of their Chinese upbringing and she no longer had anything to live for. Before following through with her plan to end her life, she visited a priest to satisfy her thoughts about possibly being wrong about God. He gave her a pamphlet for her son who had recently come out of the closet with his gay lifestyle. Angela was on her way to give it to him and say her goodbyes when she made the decision to read the pamphlet for herself. God met her on that train and a relationship with Him was born that would turn her world upside down.

Christopher, on the other hand, had found a place to belong inside of the gay community. He had always had an attraction to the same sex and over the years had come to believe that he was defined by his sexual tendencies. His newly converted mother committed him to fervent prayer and fasting while trying to reach out to him with the Gospel but all her efforts seemed to ostracize him further. One of the most gripping aspects of the book is how Yuan describes the emotions and thought processes he dealt with as he interacted with Christians while living an open gay lifestyle.

Yuan eventually found himself heading up a major drug organization that spanned across the nation. It wasn't until he was busted and sent to prison that he came face to face with his need for God. Out of a Far Country is a powerful testimony of a mother and son who found Christ, a mother who fought for and believed for her son when he was neck high in drugs, sex, and a high profile party scene, and a gay man who wrestled with whether God created him to be a homosexual.

The chapter where Christopher faces what God thinks about homosexuality isn't very long in comparison to how big of a deal our culture makes about the issue, but it is the most powerful content I have read on the subject. Yuan tells of his revelation about holy sexuality and a willingness to surrender his whole person to God in a way that leaves you awestruck at the power of God.

This book is a "must read". It has the potential of opening the eyes of Christians who have been homophobic to the real people who live inside of the gay community. The power of God in transforming the life of Christopher Yuan is compelling and inspiring. His vulnerability into his thoughts and emotions help the reader to identify with him and break down the same walls that Yuan had built up towards Christ. I can see this book having a far reach- not just for people dealing with the affects of homosexuality but for all Christians who love people and want to see them come to Christ.

The topic of this book is a very "hush hush" one for many Christians. It's a subject matter wholly ignored, ostracized, glossed over, or so demonized that anyone who does or has struggled with it is afraid to even bring it up among other Christians. What is the topic I'm talking about? Homosexuality. "Out of a Far Country" is a book that is long overdue for the Christian community. The story of Christopher's struggle with homosexuality and eventual surrender to Christ will have you hurting for him and later rejoicing with him. This man is proof that anyone can have new life in Christ, no matter what you did or what you struggle with. The book does not condone homosexuality or ask us to approve of this lifestyle, but it does remind us that we need to reach out to these individuals, love them, pray for them, and in doing so, show them the love of Christ. I think this is a reminder the church needs, especially in today's world where get so caught up in not wanting homosexual marriage legalized (rightfully so!) that we get angry at the way our country is headed and forget that the people fighting for homosexual marriage are just that - people - who desperately need a Savior. In our fight for marriage, we forget that God wants to use us to bring these people to Him.

Christopher's writing is very transparant as he goes into detail of his prior lifestyle, his dislike of Christians, and his life as a drug dealer, among other things. Yet he does this without glorifying his time as a homosexual. His writing shows good tact and restraint when dealing with the sexual aspects of homosexuality, yet in showing such restraint, he is still able to get his points across without oversimplifying that time of his life. Christopher was fully immersed in this lifestyle, yet God, in His rich mercy, drew Christopher up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set his feet upon a rock, making his steps secure (Psalm 40:2). Reading about Christopher's journey to God made me weep. To know that what happened to Christopher could happen to so many others struggling with the same thing brought me hope and an eagerness to better love those struggling with homosexuality in my own life and to do a better job ministering the gospel to them, instead of judging, shunning, and resenting them, as I'm too prone to do. This book reminded me that we are all sinners, and that homosexuals are no less deserving of salvation than any other "group" or person, and that God can redeem them and save them from that lifestyle. As I Cor. 6:9-11 says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral...nor men who practice homosexuality...will inherit the kingdom of God...and such WERE some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Amen. I've never loved the word "were" in any other sentence as much as that one.

The story of Christopher's mom, Angela, was also a welcome addition to the book. Instead of just sharing how she struggled with being the mom of a gay son, she also recounted her own life story from nightmarish childhood memories to her own marriage struggles and suicidal contemplations. She came to Christ after Christopher "came out", along with her husband later on, and it was neat to read how God used her and her husband to bring Christopher to Himself, in spite of the strained relationship that existed between all of them. Angela relentlessly pursued Christopher and faithfully prayed for him in her prayer closet (an unused bath shower in their home). She even fasted for him once a week. This kind of parenting is an example to all mothers, even those without a child struggling with homosexuality. Angela really exemplifies the power of prayer and how God uses it to bring about His plans.

This book can be recommended to all, even those who don't know anyone in the snares of homosexuality. It is a very timely topic and will certainly cause a Christian's heart to yearn for this group. This book will especially be a source of encouragement to a Christian parent who has a child that has declared himself or herself gay. Hopefully this book will bring them to their knees in the same way that Angela was brought to hers. While this book would probably be ridiculed and considered controversial by a practicing homosexual, God could still use it in their life since He was certainly able to work in Christopher's. I hope that God uses this book in the lives of many people who are struggling with homosexuality, Christian or not, and that Christopher's story of redemption will help them turn from their path, no matter how far down it they are. I have nothing but praise for this book and hope God uses it in mighty, mighty ways!

Out of a Far Country is the story of a family - specifically, a non-Christian Chinese family. A marriage filled with hope had become one of silence and dread, and two sons slated for medical success changed when one announced he was gay, left the family, (at which his mother decided to commit suicide), became a drug user and seller, became HIV +, and went to jail.

But that wasn't to be the end of the story: Our of a Far Country is told in the first person, alternating between Christopher and his mother, Angela's, telling of their story. This could have been one of a hundred similar stories I have read - and the story of broken families, homosexuality, drug use and suicide plans are not, unfortunately, unique, but it is not: it is a compelling format, and the conclusion that are drawn in the story are much more helpful.

Angela and her husband both become Christians during Christopher's ordeal as a club boy and dealer, yet, to this day, they are working on their marriage - Christianity didn't magically fix their marriage. Likewise, Christopher did become a Christian in jail, and he is a minister today, but he did not become a heterosexual and married with 2.5 kids.

The powerhouse chapter of this book is entitled "holy sexuality" - it is worth the price of the book, because in it, Christopher explains that he did not lose his same-sex desires in becoming a Christian, but he did come to an understanding that God calls all people to "holy sexuality." What that means is that there are two sexual realities - and only two - which are pleasing to God - either being a married man and woman or being celibate. There are no other choices.

Christopher brilliantly and honestly avoids the messy "nature/nurture" discussion and states that God says we can be in a man-woman married sexual relationship or celibate, there is no other acceptable option.

For too long, Christians have written about how they instantly went from gay to straight in conversion (which may happen for some) or have ignorantly told those struggling with homosexual temptation and sin to just "shake it off." What Christians need to do is what Christopher presents: explain that God calls all humans to "holy sexuality" - and there is no gray area in holiness. Compassion acknowledges the struggle and does not dismiss it, but holds all people to God's sexual standard.

May all Christians - however they are sexuality tempted and fall into sin - learn compassion and stand firm on the Word of God.

[This review appears on Amazon.com and my blog. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.]