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Living on the Devil's Doorstep: International Adventures
When thousands of young people checked out of Western society and sought enlightenment in the East, Floyd and Sally McClung set aside the comforts of American suburbia and answered God's call to reach out to them with the gospel.
In Kabul, Afghanistan, a key stop on the hippy trail, and later in Amsterdam, Holland, the West's own window to that trail, the McClungs committed themselves to meeting the penniless, the drugged, the sick, and the disillusioned right where they were. Whether among hippy seekers or the addicts and prostitutes of Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District, the McClungs lived out a message of hope.
Living on the Devil's Doorstep is a dramatic example of the difference one family can make when they are willing to trust GOd and walk in obedience to His call for their lives.
On every continent, in every nation, God is at work in and through the lives of believers. From the streets of Manila to mysterious Albania to the jungles of Ecuador and beyond. This and every title in the International Adventures series emerges as a dramatic episode that could be directed only by the hand of God.
There are 17 books in this International Adventures series.
In Kabul, Afghanistan, a key stop on the hippy trail, and later in Amsterdam, Holland, the West's own window to that trail, the McClungs committed themselves to meeting the penniless, the drugged, the sick, and the disillusioned right where they were. Whether among hippy seekers or the addicts and prostitutes of Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District, the McClungs lived out a message of hope.
Living on the Devil's Doorstep is a dramatic example of the difference one family can make when they are willing to trust GOd and walk in obedience to His call for their lives.
On every continent, in every nation, God is at work in and through the lives of believers. From the streets of Manila to mysterious Albania to the jungles of Ecuador and beyond. This and every title in the International Adventures series emerges as a dramatic episode that could be directed only by the hand of God.
There are 17 books in this International Adventures series.
196 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1988
30 people are currently reading
787 people want to read
About the author
Floyd McClung
47 books24 followersFloyd McClung Jr. is the senior pastor of a large, growing church in Kansas City, Missouri, and the international director of All Nations Family. He has lectured on more than 100 university campuses and traveled in more than 175 countries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 6, 2013
This book was not what I was expecting when I saw it was about missionaries in Afghanistan. Rather than a contemporary account of witnessing to Muslims in a war zone, this follows a young Christian couple who hit the Hippy Trail from Amsterdam to Nepal in the early 1970s. They established a ministry to strung-out western Travelers in Kabul, then moved back up the trail to Amsterdam, where they raised their children in the Red Light district. Amazing stories of compassion and God's grace. How cool to Google the McClungs and find they are still active in international evangelism today, forty years later, now living in South Africa.
November 2, 2014
This book made me feel like dropping everything to go to YWAM for training. Made me feel like reviving that crazy childhood dream of being a missionary again. It has interesting things to say about the hippie culture. I never knew the hippie trails existed until I read this book. The McClungs have fascinating stories to share about working with the hippies, as well as insight on how to live the missionary life. I appreciate that Floyd McClung wrote on how he realized that his relationship with his wife and kids had priority over the work he was doing. Overall, good read.
September 10, 2018
Ummmm WOW. This book was just AMAZING!!!! It’s incredible how God can use us even in the most sinful of places. HIGHLY recommend!!!
May 12, 2022
Another excellent book in this series. I didn't appreciate just all of the description in there (at times, there was quite a bit), hence the slightly lower rating. However, this really challenged me to think about how am I--with the Lord's strength--trying to make a difference to the lost souls around me? How am I being a witness?
January 11, 2011
Living on the Devils Doorstep is one of the most inspiring books that I have ever read. It has been years since I read this book and yet the rememberance of it still burns in my mind. I remember vividly the years the McClung's spent in both Afghanistan and in Amsterdam, Holland. The Afghanistan portion of their journey takes them to the drug infested Hashish capital of the world to the prostition capital of the world in Amsterdam. Throughout their ministry they go where few people have wanted to go. In a sense to the Devil's doorstep. Throughout the book there are stories that I recall.
July 16, 2011
I read this book a few years ago. It was a gift from my friend, April. I ended up trying a new church a couple sundays after I read it and Floyd and Sally happened to be the guest speakers. Very cool. Now I have a dear friend serving with them in SA from my church. Their story is deeply humbling to me....reminds me that I have wasted much of my life on things that really have nothing to do with furthering the Kingdom....and encourages me to keep keeping on to try and not waste my life from this point forward.
May 21, 2014
A good missionary story - very inspiring. It's obvious that Floyd McClung has a LOT of faith, and it's encouraging to read his story. However, the book is very lacking in the writing department, coming off as a little condescending and a lot amateur. His frequent use of the exclamation mark annoyed me.
February 24, 2023
This was an incredible account of God’s ability to work in even the most far gone of people and places, and it was an incredibly inspiring work. Floyd and Sally are great role models and strong Christians whose trust and perseverance are admirable. My one critique is that the writing seemed a bit scattered at times, but the story itself was beautiful.
March 7, 2008
McClung is a good story teller. This book takes you through his young families' life as Christians living in Amsterdam near the "Red Light District." These folks literally lived on the Devil's doorstep, yet reached many lives for Christ in their bold choice to live there. Emergents: read this!!
June 5, 2011
I liked this book. I enjoy autobiographies/biographies... Of course we get the high points of what really happened but certainly there is a place for looking at things this way. This is definitely an encouraging book.
August 16, 2012
I recommend this book! Really appreciated the author's stance on the safest place for a Christian to be is in the center of God's will. Challenging for parents -- sometimes, the center of God's will is in a place that doesn't seem, in our human minds, to be the best place to raise children.
January 7, 2013
Reaching out to the lost in far reaches of Asia and in Amsterdam... This book inspires me to work towards having an open and loving home, to be completely hospitable, to seek people who are lost, and bring them to into the loving and forgiving arms of Jesus. This family are truly after God's heart
January 9, 2015
This was my second read through and it's still amazing. I love the vision, the truth and the stories of faith!!! Such an inspiring read that makes me want to get out in the world and radically love people.
May 25, 2015
A very challenging book and at the same time inspiring with what God wants to do to reach out to a world that is lost without Him. And He wants to use you and me, even if we're like broken vessels, He is the one that can mend us together and make His glory shown. If we allow Him to!
May 17, 2018
For wannabe missionaries everywhere this is a book for you. It speaks of transforming culture and engaging your enemy on his turf, building the kingdom of God in the midst of Satan's stronghold. This is living for God.
September 3, 2008
I have read this book twice. It is a powerful testament to the Lord's power.
Want to read
February 28, 2009Recommended by Pastor L, 2006
July 12, 2010
I grew up with this book, and for the longest time my carreer aspiration was to work with hippies in Amsterdam. :)
Seriously though, this is one good story. Read it!
Seriously though, this is one good story. Read it!
April 4, 2016
I have read & reread this book every spring/summer for the past 5 years. It's not particularly well written but it is very inspiring. About faith, love and the amazing ways God (repeatedly) works.
April 7, 2012
read this in my early 20's and at the time it made a permanent impact on me, partly for personal reasons. should go back to it again 10+ years later and see how it feels...
December 14, 2012
An amazingly inspiring read.
January 24, 2016
Excellent story of Christian work in very difficult areas like Amsterdam drug areas and Afghanistan. It inspired me.
May 30, 2016
I always enjoy true stories, and I enjoyed this book!
October 29, 2016
Well written, enlightening, and very inspiring. God is incredible, and so are the courageous, faithful servants he chooses to carry out his work.
June 20, 2017
Three and a half or a bit more for an inspiring true story.
October 2, 2017
Beautiful account of how God can use ordinary people to achieve extraordinary miracles! A must read for any Christ-follower.
November 18, 2017
An inspiring read, one that makes you think again about how good we have things and how much there is to do for others. Not particularly well written.
February 21, 2018
Powerful autobiography packed with stories of living in faith and following the Spirit's leading. I'd recommend it to anyone.
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August 17, 2022 This is a no-spoiler book review. Living on The Devil’s Doorstep is a book written by Floyd McClung describing his own life as a missionary. God called him and his family from India to Africa to Kabul to Amsterdam. Floyd’s family consisted of his wife, Sally, his daughter, Misha, and his son, Matthew.
As Floyd was a missionary, he was surrounded by unending spiritual warfare and constant persecution: watching his children suffer by living in such a despicable place, waking up at 3 AM to the cries of prostitutes fighting their pimps, and facing the blatant disregard for the gospel that few wanted to hear. As Floyd had been called to be a missionary, he specifically felt called to the Hippy Trail. The Hippy Trail was a trail with easily accessible drugs, obvious sex industries, and a place for people to “find themselves” through the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and through religious gurus. Eventually, Floyd found himself in Kabul, Afghanistan, also known as “the crossroads of Asia”. Moreover, the bottleneck of the Hippy Trail.
Floyd watched the community around him falling quickly away from God: watching pornography, engaging in the sex industry, facing complete and utter loneliness, smuggling and theiving, scandalously dancing, getting addicted to drugs, kidnapping and raping, and even murdering. It came to the point that what was done so unashamedly in the open made him shudder at what was done in secret.
In my opinion, this book is an Adventure book as you read through Floyd’s insane adventure and process his unfathomable steps that he’s forced to take in life. Moreover, the cover of his book has “International Adventures” on the top.
Because of how deeply this book goes into the sex industry, drugs, poverty, loneliness, and pornography, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone under the age of 13. Once readers are mature enough though, it offers many valuable insights on life along with an entirely different perspective on the world we live in, but don’t even know about. If you are 13 or older, I would most definitely recommend this book, if you are prepared for it.
In summary, Living on The Devils Doorstep is a fantastic read for mature audiences, but also not for the faint of heart. It is captivating and heartbreaking as the readers imagine what Floyd’s life is like and what the world we live in truly is.
I hope this book review answers any questions you may have had prior to reading this; thank you for your time.
As Floyd was a missionary, he was surrounded by unending spiritual warfare and constant persecution: watching his children suffer by living in such a despicable place, waking up at 3 AM to the cries of prostitutes fighting their pimps, and facing the blatant disregard for the gospel that few wanted to hear. As Floyd had been called to be a missionary, he specifically felt called to the Hippy Trail. The Hippy Trail was a trail with easily accessible drugs, obvious sex industries, and a place for people to “find themselves” through the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and through religious gurus. Eventually, Floyd found himself in Kabul, Afghanistan, also known as “the crossroads of Asia”. Moreover, the bottleneck of the Hippy Trail.
Floyd watched the community around him falling quickly away from God: watching pornography, engaging in the sex industry, facing complete and utter loneliness, smuggling and theiving, scandalously dancing, getting addicted to drugs, kidnapping and raping, and even murdering. It came to the point that what was done so unashamedly in the open made him shudder at what was done in secret.
In my opinion, this book is an Adventure book as you read through Floyd’s insane adventure and process his unfathomable steps that he’s forced to take in life. Moreover, the cover of his book has “International Adventures” on the top.
Because of how deeply this book goes into the sex industry, drugs, poverty, loneliness, and pornography, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone under the age of 13. Once readers are mature enough though, it offers many valuable insights on life along with an entirely different perspective on the world we live in, but don’t even know about. If you are 13 or older, I would most definitely recommend this book, if you are prepared for it.
In summary, Living on The Devils Doorstep is a fantastic read for mature audiences, but also not for the faint of heart. It is captivating and heartbreaking as the readers imagine what Floyd’s life is like and what the world we live in truly is.
I hope this book review answers any questions you may have had prior to reading this; thank you for your time.
June 8, 2023
A challenging read.
Floyd McClung and his young wife Sally, left the familiar shores and comforts of western life to rescue hippies on the drug trail between Europe and India. Setting up a home in Kabul, Afghanistan, they saw the desperate consequences of young people dropping out only to sink deeply into drug dependency, sickness and poverty. The good news of Jesus saw many of them put on a firmer path, restored and with a new sense of identity and purpose.
Floyd & Sally then moved to Amsterdam and lived on a boat (The Ark) and later, The Cleft, with their two small children, in the heart of the red light district, next door to a satanist church. A lot of people thought they were mad. With what could only be supernatural love and compassion, they poured themselves into the lives of people struggling with self-esteem, shame, guilt, and a life of depravity. As people caught their vision and came to help them, the work grew.
Some fascinating stories, strange encounters, painful struggles and shifts in perspective are told with honesty in a warts and all recollection of their time in ministry in Holland. Since Floyd died last year, I have been wanting to read more about his early years in YWAM, so was grateful to find this book second-hand.
Floyd McClung and his young wife Sally, left the familiar shores and comforts of western life to rescue hippies on the drug trail between Europe and India. Setting up a home in Kabul, Afghanistan, they saw the desperate consequences of young people dropping out only to sink deeply into drug dependency, sickness and poverty. The good news of Jesus saw many of them put on a firmer path, restored and with a new sense of identity and purpose.
Floyd & Sally then moved to Amsterdam and lived on a boat (The Ark) and later, The Cleft, with their two small children, in the heart of the red light district, next door to a satanist church. A lot of people thought they were mad. With what could only be supernatural love and compassion, they poured themselves into the lives of people struggling with self-esteem, shame, guilt, and a life of depravity. As people caught their vision and came to help them, the work grew.
Some fascinating stories, strange encounters, painful struggles and shifts in perspective are told with honesty in a warts and all recollection of their time in ministry in Holland. Since Floyd died last year, I have been wanting to read more about his early years in YWAM, so was grateful to find this book second-hand.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews