Over the last two weekends (and trailing into the wee hours of this morning!), Jenni and I listened to three more outstanding audio books by Randy Alcorn: Deadline, Dominion, and Deception. They’re like modern Sherlock Holmes novels that deal in an edifying way with issues like abortion, racism, and faith and challenge readers to live in light of eternity.

Since Randy is the author, I expected the novels to be edifying. What I didn’t see coming was his ability to write a riveting murder mystery. This partially explains it:

Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors/artists?

Those who read Deception will see that I have a special love for Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories—every chapter begins with a Holmes quote. In Deception, I also pay tribute to the Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout. I’ve read or listened to most of the forty-seven Nero Wolfe books.

1. Deadline (Multnomah, 1994)

From Randy Alcorn’s site:

Deadline is the story of a politically correct journalist forced by tragic and mysterious circumstances to come to terms with his own mortality. In the process he must also deal with the consequences of his skewed perspectives on life, family, morality, and religion. Intended for believers and unbelievers.

Deadline portrays friendship, family, faith, morality, social decline and media bias in the context of an unpredictable and hopeful story of personal crisis and change. The second story line, on death’s other side, compliments the who-done-it mystery. Deadline is a unique pro-family, pro-values, pro-life, pro-faith book. It portrays the vital connection between how we think and live in the present, and how that will inevitably impact our future, both on earth and in eternity.

2. Dominion (Multnomah, 2006)

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This week my wife and I listened to the audio book of Randy Alcorn‘s novel Safely Home (Tyndale House, 2001). We finished the six audio CDs last night after our church’s cross-centered Good Friday service. The novel is excellent, and it was a means of grace for both of us. It helped broaden our horizons on multiple levels (e.g., re persecution of Christians in China in particular and a heavenly perspective on persecution in general). Highly recommended.

It’s available in the following formats: paperback, hardcover, Kindle, audio download, and audio CD.

Related resources:

1. introduction to the novel
2. excerpt: chapter 1
3. discussion questions
4. a biographical note from Randy (including this: “100% of royalties from Safely Home will go to help persecuted Christians and to spread the gospel in their countries.”)
5. articles on China (including this: “Is there still persecution of Christians in China today?“)
6. articles on the persecuted church
7. readers’ responses
8. a 43-second clip of Randy talking about the book:

That’s the thesis of Randy Alcorn’s The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving (Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2001).

Also available are an audio book, study guide, and DVD presentation:

The Treasure Principle is a short, pocket-size book (122 pp.) that one can easily read in one sitting. It’s very edifying.

Summary

Alcorn calls this “the treasure principle”: “You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.”

He supports this with six “treasure principle keys”:

1. “God owns everything. I’m His money manager.”
2. “My heart always goes where I put God’s money.”
3. “Heaven, not earth, is my home.”
4. “I should live not for the dot [life on earth] but for the line [eternity in heaven].”
5. “Giving is the only antidote to materialism.”
6. “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.”

Highlights

Two portions are especially memorable.

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That’s the thesis of Randy Alcorn‘s The Purity Principle: God’s Safeguards for Life’s Dangerous Trails (Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2003).

I read through this little 94-page volume in one sitting this evening. It’s outstanding. Alcorn’s approach to the issue of purity is biblically informed, sobering, wise, refreshing, and motivating.

Related: Alcorn lists the following resources on his website:

1. The Purity Principle Study Guide
2. articles on sexual purity: page 1 | page 2
3. Alcorn’s MP3s, PDFs, and PowerPoint presentation on sexual purity
4. Guidelines for sexual purity (Alcorn originally prepared this for his daughters.)
5. Links to resources for sexual purity
6. Selected Scriptures related to sexual purity