Safely Home [Deluxe Edition] [Paperback]

Randy Alcorn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 19, 2011

Is this the day I die? Li Quan asks himself this question daily, knowing that he might be killed for practicing his faith. American businessman Ben Fielding has no idea what his brilliant former college roommate is facing in China. He expects his old friend has fulfilled his dream of becoming a university professor. But when they are reunited in China after twenty years, both men are shocked at what they discover about each other. Thrown together in an hour of encroaching darkness, both must make choices that will determine not only the destinies of two men, but two families, two nations, and two worlds.

Editorial Reviews

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 434 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers; 10 Anv edition (July 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141434855X
• ISBN-13: 978-1414348551
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (289 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Randy Alcorn is an author and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit ministry dedicated to teaching principles of God's Word and assisting the church in ministering to the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled, and unsupported people around the world. His ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity. He accomplishes this by analyzing, teaching, and applying the biblical truth.

Before starting EPM in 1990, Randy served as a pastor for fourteen years. He has an MA degree in Biblical Studies from Multnomah University and an Honorary Doctorate from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and has taught on the adjunct faculties of both.

A New York Times bestselling author, Randy has written more than forty books, including Courageous, Heaven, The Treasure Principle, and the Gold Medallion winner Safely Home. His books in print exceed seven million and have been translated into over fifty languages. Randy has written for many magazines including EPM's issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives. He is active daily on Facebook and Twitter, has been a guest on more than 700 radio, television and online programs including Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, Revive Our Hearts, The Bible Answer Man, and The Resurgence.

Randy resides in Gresham, Oregon, with his wife, Nanci. They have two married daughters and are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research, and reading.

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#66 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#66 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

150 of 156 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Judge This Book By Its Title September 10, 2001

By Eric Wilson TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

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.

143 of 151 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Too many late nights! December 27, 2003

By Jacob Hantla TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, captivating, and challenging September 7, 2001

By Oliver Tseng

Format:Hardcover

An insightful look into Christian persecution in China (and in the US, if you can call it persecution). The book presents a look into the life of the Chinese house church Christians and wraps it in a fictional, but very believable, story. As an Asian-American, I appreciated how well Randy Alcorn immersed the reader into the Chinese culture. The use of pinyin for key phrases throughout the book really made me believe I was there listening to them speak (though I believe "Zhen jin bu ba huo lian" should be "Zhen jin bu PA huo lian"). There's a lot of interesting information throughout the book about Chinese history and culture, language appreciation, persecution, and governmental corruption. It also takes on addressing several issues such as human rights, civil disobedience, God allowing suffering, and what is heaven like. While reading the book, it was apparent a lot of research and prayer went into it.

The book has personally challenged me to live a life of picking up the cross daily and to pray for those around me and the persecuted Christians throughout the world.

If you want to learn more about China and be challenged in your Christian walk, I'd highly recommend Safely Home.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've ever read November 28, 2004

By Jackie Tortorella VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.