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The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun

Paul Hattaway,

Brother Yun

4.24 · Rating details · 19,273 ratings · 780 reviews

The dramatic autobiography of one of China's dedicated, courageous, and intensely persecuted house church leaders.
This is the gripping story of how God took a young, half-starved boy from a poor village in Henan province and placed him on the front line for Jesus, in the face of impossible odds. Instead of focusing on the many miracles or experiences of suffering, however ...more

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Paperback, 351 pages

Published December 23rd 2002 by Kregel Publications (first published 2000)

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Mar 31, 2008 Betsy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian

An incredibly challenging view of commitment to the Lord. As horrific as his experiences were, Yun and his coauthor Paul Hattaway share the story with amazing joy and vision. I did lay awake at night thinking about some of the abuses Yun suffered, but this is not a depressing book; it is both tremendously humbling and extremely visionary.

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Mar 14, 2012 Vincent Chough rated it it was amazing

How far are you willing to go for your convictions?

How much are you willing to risk? This book received five stars because it challenged me on many levels. On the surface it is the autobiography of a Christian in China, named Brother Yun, born in 1958. His family was very poor, and early in adolescence Yun had a spiritual conversion. The early chapters read almost like a parable. During his life practicing and preaching the faith, Yun faced tremendous religious persecution including years of im ...more

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Jan 06, 2021 Mark Villareal rated it really liked it

This book kept me glued to the story to understand this one mans journey, obstacles, and persecution for wanting to follow his faith. It is a recommended book for those seeking a story that is enlightening, and at times unbelievable, yet believable. I found myself in awe and reading more to uncover his journey.

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Sep 26, 2008 Stacia rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: biographies

I didn't really enjoy this book. I knew there was a lot of controversy surrounding the book right about the time I started reading it. I asked some missionaries that we know in China what they thought of him. Unfortunately, they know him through an American speaking engagement rather than the house church movement in China.

Anyhow, while I want to keep my mind open to the possibility that God can/does work in miraculous ways I found this book over the top. I've read a couple other missionary bio ...more

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Sep 05, 2014 Natalie Vellacott rated it did not like it

Shelves: christian-missions

I felt uncomfortable when reading this book firstly due to the title. Should anyone really name themselves "The Heavenly Man?" I found the many miracles almost unbelievable and would like to have seen other sources that supported his version of events. I'm just not sure I can accept that these things really happened and as another reviewer has pointed out, several of the stories mirror things that happened in scripture down to the last detail (Yun's escape from prison)

I wouldn't recommend this ...more

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Oct 15, 2014 Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, i-swear-i-read-non-fiction

About this book:

“It is the intensely dramatic story of how God took a young, half-starved boy from a poor village in Henan province and used him mightily to preach the gospel despite horrific opposition.
Brother Yun is one of China’s house church leaders. Instead of focusing on the many miracles or experiences of suffering, however, Yun prefers to focus on the character and beauty of Jesus. Interspersed with his personal account are contributions from his wife, Deling, made mostly during her hu ...more

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Apr 17, 2008 Derek rated it it was amazing

We read this as a family a few years back, but the story has never faded. It is definitely one of a kind. Brother Yun went through some of the most extreme torture, both physically and mentally, while he was in China, but he experienced the most important thing in life too, God mercy and grace. He fasted for more the 40 days, I don't remember exactly, but definitely experienced a life empowered by the Holy Spirit.
It is intense, but it definitely is a life changing book. ...more

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Dec 08, 2014 Dana Roberts rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: no one

This story is not likely true. I have attempted to contact Brother Yun about some of the issues I raise here. But his staff member says he will only answer questions at one of his programs. Does that make sense? Can you imagine Billy Graham requiring this, surrounded by an adoring crowd, with a few hundred people wanting to thank him? Of course the offer was disingenuous. Yun is much more popular among Christians outside his own Henan Province.

Here are the problems. 1) The larger fellowship of This story is not likely true. I have attempted to contact Brother Yun about some of the issues I raise here. But his staff member says he will only answer questions at one of his programs. Does that make sense? Can you imagine Billy Graham requiring this, surrounded by an adoring crowd, with a few hundred people wanting to thank him? Of course the offer was disingenuous. Yun is much more popular among Christians outside his own Henan Province.

Here are the problems. 1) The larger fellowship of Christian leaders in Henan Province have distance themselves from Yun and his claims. Many of the independent churches in Henan first learn about Yun from Yun HIMSELF, during their testimony time. They just assumed that Christians do not lie (And just how many people has Benny Hinn healed through his anointed ministry?). 2)This is the second Chinese autobiographer that claimed a miraculous life akin to Paul in the Book of Acts. The first Chinese pop author to do so was Nora Lam. Her miraculous escape was made into a movie, "China Cry." Alas she was exposed and admitted her lies. 3)Those more familiar with the present situation in China say the Chinese tend to exaggerate to make for a better story. Claims about Watchman Nee made outside of China do not accord with the testimony of those attending the Shanghai Christian Assembly in the 1940'a and 50's. One I spoke to attended his trail in 1956. There are indeed great stories from China about faith in the midst of suffering. Yet they are without mighty power miracles. They read more like "The Hiding Place," than "The Heavenly Man." They are published by small Chinese presses. A further caveat: Christians need to remember the Bible requirement of witnesses. The greater the claims, the greater the need for evidence. Two witnesses for some things; 500 for the more wondrous.

In 2001, I visited a Christian church in Xiaolin, Henan. That's the small city famed for "Gungfu." There were no seats in the sanctuary. Many stood before its walls praying. One of the Deacons told me that they wish I could stay and teach them Greek. They are concerned about false doctrine and misinterpretations of Scripture. They desire good seminary/ Bible school instruction more than short-term missionary/evangelists. [Reviewers note: Just checked a new book, "China's Opening Door." Author Dennis Balcombe details some of the mighty events of the Christian church in Bro. Yun's own Henan Province. Nothing about Yun's miracle exploits. Why not? The author did meet him in China just before he left for America. Yun is shown in a picture looking healthy, even athletic. Balcombe details the faith of other Christians there, but not Yun. Why?]
...more

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May 01, 2020 Talia DeBenedictis rated it really liked it

Praise God for the Chinese house church movement! This book is an auto-biography of Brother Yun, a leader of the Chinese house church movement in the midst of the Communist government.

A few thoughts/responses:
-God has been and IS powerful and miraculous
-God doesn’t require our ministry to be in relationship with Him
-The opposite of life is not suffering it is the absence of God. In suffering we experience and know Jesus the only means to true joy and peace

A quote from the book that captures a ...more

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Nov 17, 2009 Ebookwormy1 rated it really liked it

Shelves: currenteventspolitics, memoir-autobiography

I'm not sure why I am unable to give this outstanding book 5 stars. While many Christian biographies tend to be weighed down by an author's infatuation with their subject and autobiographies the self-importance of the subject, this book falls into neither of those pits.

Indeed, I was incredibly impressed with Brother Yun's humility in admitting his mistakes and missteps. He even shares occasions where the LORD supernaturally directed him (through visions and/or prophecies of others) but he disre ...more

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Jul 10, 2017 Joshua rated it really liked it

Lots of controversy surrounds this book regarding whether many of the miracles Brother Yun talks about experiencing in this book really happened or not, since they resemble miracles found in the Bible. I went into reading this book with an open mind because I love a good biography showing God accomplishing His purpose by working through man.
To start with, this book is pretty intense. The things that Brother Yun went through are incredibly horrifying that no man should ever have to go through. T ...more

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Sep 15, 2009 Mac rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-thought-and-commentary

this book is powerful. it's probably the most single, powerful story i've ever come across. it has challenged me more than any other book i've ever read.

yun's story (which is completely true) shows what surrendering our lives to Christ looks like. it's a clear picture of what living selflessly looks like, what being willing to go where your sent by God looks like and what trusting Him in unbearable circumstances looks like.

and it's a clear picture of what it looks like when God delivers us from ...more

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Mar 18, 2008 Chris rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Chris by: Jon Ball

This was a fantastic book. It tells the story of Brother Yun, a Chinese Christian who played a significant role in the house church movement of China. His autobiography tells the story of his inspiring devotion to Christ, his multiple imprisonments (and experiences of abuse and torture), and the amazing miraculous ways he has seen God work in his life. It took me a few chapters to get into the book, but then I was hooked. Some parts are especially gripping, including the account of Yun’s miracul ...more

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Feb 07, 2015 Kimberly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

I was very excited to read this book as I have heard about Brother Yun but had not read his story. Brother Yun received Christ when he was a young man and from the time of his acceptance he had repeated visions from God. When he faced imprisonment and torture for his belief he would come out of it praising God all the louder.

Written from his perspective, with assistance from Paul Hattaway, this book opens the eyes of Christians everywhere of how a journey with God may not always be easy, but it ...more

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May 14, 2011 Brian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-life, biography

We in the West have such cushy lives. Even when things go badly for us, especially as Christians, we cry out to God and say "why are you letting this happen to me?" We think we deserve the good stuff--you know, as though it's our birthright to not have to suffer.

This book will forever nag me when I complain. What I endure as "hardship," no matter how severe it may be will pale to what this man, and literally millions of others around the world endure daily in the form of persecution for what the We in the West have such cushy lives. Even when things go badly for us, especially as Christians, we cry out to God and say "why are you letting this happen to me?" We think we deserve the good stuff--you know, as though it's our birthright to not have to suffer.

This book will forever nag me when I complain. What I endure as "hardship," no matter how severe it may be will pale to what this man, and literally millions of others around the world endure daily in the form of persecution for what they believe.

Martyrdom and persecution may seem a quaint relic of ancient history, people who burned or thrown before lions. The reality is that Christians all over the world are imprisoned, tortured, and discriminated against in real deleterious ways right now. In our life time.

This book will challenge you because it will confront you with questions we don't want to think about. Do you really believe God can reveal himself to those who only have a vague idea of who he is? Do you believe God can miraculously provide his word for people who long to receive it but don't know how to find it? Do you believe physical and emotional suffering for the cause of Christ can yield a greater intimacy with him? Can you imagine choosing the suffering over enticement of relief that recanting would bring? Do you think that miracles have ceased, and God no longer works as he did in biblical times?

For believers, the stories in this book will challenge you with things you've been taught about how God works. It will challenge you with your own personal beliefs, and may make you wonder what you will someday do when faced with similar challenges.

For unbelievers, this book will force you to confront one question: Is it true? We can call Yun stubborn, extremist, even insane. We can try to explain away the miracles, the dreams, the healings, and his endurance. What Yun knew however, is that even his suffering, as brutal and inhumane as it was, was a drop in the bucket compared to the suffering of Christ for us as he bore our sin. ...more

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May 25, 2012 Mary Garcia rated it really liked it

Two years ago, I tried to read this very same book, but not even halfway through I stopped because of lack of interest.

Now I see that it's required reading for our Values Ed class in school so I decided to finish it in advance. The same problem went up again. The writing style just failed to captivate me and bring me "inside" the story and so I was eager to finish it just to get it done with.

But as I progressed, I got used to the blunt writing style and really got sucked into the story which, i ...more

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Oct 05, 2013 Loraine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: biographies, christian-life

The Heavenly Man The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun by Brother Yun

The true life story of Brother Yun. Liu Zhenying took Christ as his Savior at the age of 16 in 1974. For the following 27 years, he was a leader in the Christian movement in China which led to two imprisonments, many incarcerations, and persecution, torture and life beyond our imagination. This book truly made me realize how easy it is to take our faith for granted in those countries where freedom of religion is truly a freedom. While in more recent times, there has been more and more dispa ...more

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May 17, 2019 Maureen Russell rated it it was amazing

Wow, so good. Unbelievable (yet true!) stories of miracles and persecution. And a faith that proves genuine through it all. So inspiring! Definitely for mature audiences. But highly recommend.

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Dec 13, 2011 Jimmy added it

It is incredible to think that this book is the autobiography of a Christian who began evangelizing and preaching at the age of 16 under the rule and persecution of communist China. It is a heart-wrenching read as Brother Yun describe living the Christian life--from the serious famine of Bibles, illegal Church meetings, and evangelizing different parts of China. The most grueling part of the book is to read of his time imprisoned for the faith. Reading about his imprisonment seems so different t It is incredible to think that this book is the autobiography of a Christian who began evangelizing and preaching at the age of 16 under the rule and persecution of communist China. It is a heart-wrenching read as Brother Yun describe living the Christian life--from the serious famine of Bibles, illegal Church meetings, and evangelizing different parts of China. The most grueling part of the book is to read of his time imprisoned for the faith. Reading about his imprisonment seems so different than reading the account of those who were POWs--Brother Yun's testimony gives hope of one who is living out the Christian life in a situation that most people would survive by being driven by hate. No review of this book would be worth it's salt if one doesn't acknowledge the massive amount of tales of the miraculous and the supernatural. I am not one who is prone to Charistmatic and Penecostal expectation of signs, wonders and miracles, but I got to say that his final escape from the maximum prison in China was probably the greatest climax of the book. I read this book as Chinese American who is born in the US, and I cannot help but to think about my own unbelieving father who grew up under Communist China and suffered greatly during his time there. I know there were Christians my dad has met in China--from the songs he heard people sing that are based upon the Scriptures that have been so powerfully set in his heart, that decades later when he heard it again he is deeply moved. Beyond the Charismatic and Cessasionist debate, this book is a great and encouraging testimony and I would even say a great indictment of the conditions of the Church in the West that is struggling with materialism, fame and even simple obedience. I also found the author's discussion and that of his wife about the type of persecution in the West to be fascinating. The wife wrote a line that I always say to people and was surprise how she said it like I would often say at church: It's not the nonbelievers persecution that bothers me the most, but that which comes from believers and so-called believers in the form of character assassination, gossips and down right lies. That hurts the most. And she sees this form of persecution in the west to be unbelievable. Good work--I read this book thinking of where I was in my life while all these events was going on in the life of Brother Yun and other Chinese Christians persecuted for their faith. Definitely convicting. ...more

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Dec 23, 2010 James Jacob rated it it was amazing

My rating of books is far more about how much I enjoy them, the impact they have, and how they make me feel than the actual quality or merit. Perhaps due to translation from the Chinese or for whatever other possible factor, Heavenly Man isn't very well written. It reads sort of like a collection of journal entries and letters kind of flung together. However, Brother Yun's story/testimony, as well as his wife's and various other co-workers and friends, is nothing short of miraculous. What a beau ...more

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Jan 23, 2009 Stacey rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Stacey by: Carol

Shelves: faith, favorites, missions, china

An Amazing book, with much to think about after I have finished. I do not want to stay in the same place after reading this book but I am encouraged to become more like Christ and surrender my life again to his call.

So many parts stood out, the faithfulness of the church in China, in the midst of persecution.... Brother Yun says, "Don't pray for the persecution to stop! We shouldn't pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the world will see that God is with us, emp ...more

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Apr 15, 2012 David rated it liked it

This is a great testimony type book by Brother Yun, his wife and close friends. Their testimonies are added to the book to bear witnesses to Yun's testimony since the stories are fantastic about what God did for him and what sufferings he endured. It was as if I were reading the book of Acts. I am sure that some who read this book will think his stories have been exaggerated but if half the stories are are true and the way they really happened, the sufferings and experiences are far more than mo ...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Stu rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

To be honest, I was first put off by the title "The Heavenly Man." I just assumed that Brother Yun was lacking in humility. Boy, was I wrong!

In reading this book I understood that when Brother Yun was arrested for preaching the good news of Jesus, the communist thugs would torture him for information about the location of other Christians. They drilled him over and over for places where the underground church met. When asked what town he was from, he said "Heaven" in order to protect his Christ ...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Judi rated it it was amazing

A difficult book to read, but also a very powerful book that every Christian should read. Now I see why the church in North America is so weak. We are not truly committed to going to all the world and making disciples of all men, as Jesus commanded his disciples before ascending to heaven. From a western point of view it is hard to understand how Brother Yun was willing and able to go through incredible suffering for the sake of Christ. We shrink from suffering, not even willing to risk the disa ...more

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Jun 30, 2015 Carol rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookfun-org

This is the biography of Liu Zhenying. At the age of 16,Lui
took Christ as his savior. He began a challenging life of
commitment to Christ. Lui, who is better known to all as
Brother Yun, suffered torture,abuse and imprisonments but
still remained devoted to Christ.
This was a very powerful to read. The language in the book
was easy to read but the content addressing how the Chinese
Christians live in danger because of their faith was hard to
digest…..beatings, forced abortions, sterilizations, i ...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Phil Morgan rated it it was amazing

I had this book on my (real world) bookshelf for several years, but had not gotten around to reading it through. I was inspired to pick it up after reading "Safely Home" by Randy Alcorn. So glad I did. What a challenging and inspiring read.

Despite some malicious attempts to discredit his testimony, Brother Yun's story has been vouched for by other well known house church leaders from China.

Some of the early chapters left me very convicted about our Western versions of Christianity, but the final ...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Andrew rated it it was amazing

In stark contrast to a lot of what I like to read, this book is in fact the true story of a real man who, to the best of my knowledge, is still very much alive today.

Brother Yun is a Chinese Christian, and this book tells the story of his Christian journey and the horrific treatment he has endured as he lives out his faith. It also brings glory to God through accounts of the amazing things he has done in Brother Yun's life, rescuing him from all manner of torture and imprisonment and sustaining ...more

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Sep 18, 2017 Greg Bodwell rated it it was amazing

This book showed me many things including that I suffer and sacrifice very little for Jesus. It was convicting and also incredibly encouraging to read of God's amazing work in China and Brother Yun's heart for the gospel. The church truly does thrive in times of persecution as Christians must rely on God for everything. I highly recommend this book! ...more

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Oct 03, 2018 Brandi McPeak rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: missions

Must read

I legit have no words. I kept thinking the book would end bc of this struggle or that but it didn’t. This man has endured more then his share, for sure.

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Jan 18, 2021 Alex Lupoian rated it it was amazing

Wow... Feeling pround of your devotion to the Gospel?
Read this, read Wurmbrand - it will put a break on your pride. Hopefully it did something benefic to mine.

Recently, a friend in mine asked me to tell him a great example of a man devoted to Christ.
I told him: Apostle Paul.
Him: yeah... He is a bit overused.

Well, brother Yun is a good example of a modern apostle.
(Not saying that he has the same authority or function as the first apostoles, but if there is still an office of the apostole, this ...more

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