Review: Out of a Far Country by Christopher Yuan & Angela Yuan

Title: Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God. A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope.
Author: Christopher Yuan & Angela Yuan
Released: May 3, 2011
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Pages/format: 240 (Trade Paperback)
Genre: Nonfiction, Christian Memoir
Source: WaterBrook Multnomah Publicist

Quick Synopsis: Christopher Yuan and mother Angela Yuan tell the story of Christopher’s journey through homosexuality, drug abuse, and finally reconciliation and new life in Christ.

From the back cover:

Christopher Yuan, the son of Chinese immigrants, discovered at an early age that he was different. He was attracted to other boys. As he grew into adulthood, his mother, Angela, hoped to control the situation. Instead, she found that her son and her life were spiraling out of control––and her own personal demons were determined to defeat her.

Years of heartbreak, confusion, and prayer followed before the Yuans found a place of complete surrender, which is God’s desire for all families. Their story, told from the perspective of both mother and son, offers hope for anyone affected by homosexuality.

Quick Review: Out of a Far Country is an inspiring book that addresses both Evangelicals and homosexuals with truth and love.

In-Depth Review:

In Out of a Far Country, Christopher Yuan and his mother, Angela, share the story of the long, hard road that eventually led them to Christ. The book consists of thirty-two short chapters which alternate between Christopher’s and Angela’s narratives. Christopher tells his story in a straight-forward manner, starting with the break from his parents when he first came out of the closet as a gay man, the partying lifestyle that followed, and his eventual involvement in dealing drugs and subsequent time in prison, where he finally broke down and surrendered his life to Christ shortly after discovering he was HIV positive.

I particularly enjoyed the chapters written by Angela and found her spiritual journey to be just as incredible and inspiring as Christopher’s. Her commitment to lengthily periods of prayer and fasting for Christopher is unique in modern Evangelical culture and an amazing example of faith despite seemingly unanswered prayer.

Although Christopher’s struggles with his sexual identity are a vital part of his story, the focus is not on homosexuality and the church or evangelical culture and how it relates to sexual orientation. In the tradition of the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, the focus is on God and how He draws people to Himself and embraces them with open arms when they turn to Him.

Near the end of the book, Christopher does address the issue of homosexuality head on by setting a vision for what he calls “Holy Sexuality,” which universally applies to people of all sexual orientations. He differentiates between homosexual orientation and acting on those desires. He also challenges all believers to define themselves not by sexual orientation, race, political views, etc., but as children of God.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I think it has the potential to reach a broad audience.

About Christopher Yuan:

Christopher Yuan teaches at Moody Bible Institute (MBI) and holds a bachelor’s degree from MBI and a master’s degree in biblical exegesis from Wheaton College Graduate School. He is currently pursuing a doctorate of ministry from Bethel Seminary and shares his story of redemption in a variety of venues around the country.

About Angela Yuan:

Angela Yuan travels nationally and internationally to speak about God’s desire for prodigals of all types to return to him. Angela is a businesswoman and advocate for Chinese-American cultural causes.