A LIVING SACRIFICE:
The life story of Allen Yuan
By Lydia Lee. Sovereign World/Open Doors
256 pages. £8.99. ISBN 1 85240 293 8
There is much for us to learn from the suffering Church. Lydia Lee brings a close-up view of Allen Yuan, described as one of the founding fathers of China's house church movement, and his family. This man of God suffered years of imprisonment.
His wife, whose winsome smile is striking in all the photographs, bears the hardship of often not knowing how he is, and of caring for the family on her own in trying circumstances. There are spiritual lessons in every chapter.
Allen Yuan was released from prison in 1979, adamant that he would continue to preach regardless of the consequences. We see the significance of his ministry in the way he is kept under close surveillance during major events like the Hong Kong hand-over, President Clinton's visit to Beijing, and the tenth anniversary of the 'Tiananmen Incident'. If he were allowed to hold meetings at these times, it was felt that they would attract unhelpful attention.
The scope of the book does not allow us to see the extent of Yuan's influence in the house church movement across China. That is not a criticism, as I do not believe it was the author's intention, but it is a fact. We learn of his desire not to associate with the Three-Self Church, as he sees it as being under the governance of the Communists, rather than of Christ. Presumably he would recognise movements of the Spirit within the Three-Self Church, but if so, that area is not covered.
Lydia Lee includes a great deal of detail, and at times this can hamper the flow of the narrative. The story of Allen Yuan is a powerful one. He has shown tremendous and consistent courage, and his ministry will have a rightful place in China's church history. The author's possible weakness in over-abundance of detail should not put people off buying this book, and learning from it.
