Living on a Devil's Doorstep: From Kabul to Amsterdam by Floyd McClung (2001) Hardcover

by Floyd McClung

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. Hippie trail from Afghanistan to Amsterdam, during the 60's. An ordinary young couple dared to set aside the comforts of American suburbia and committed themselves to stepping out in faith with the message of hope.

Genres: Christian, Biography, Nonfiction, Christianity, Read For School, Faith, Biography Memoir

201 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1988

About the author

Floyd 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.

Reviews

[Dawn Roberts]

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.

[onysha]

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.

[Katherine]

Ummmm WOW. This book was just AMAZING!!!! It’s incredible how God can use us even in the most sinful of places. HIGHLY recommend!!!

[Brianna Martin]

“When we are totally available to the Lord, the big question isn’t where we live, or even which country we live in, but who we live for! The challenge isn’t for all Christians to move into the inner city—the Lord may not want us there—but for us to ask ourselves, ‘What are our values, and what are we living for?’ Is it to please ourselves and have a good life materially, or do we want to be part of the Lord’s work wherever that may take us? “

I loved this book…

[Esther Filbrun]

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?

[Tim Dorman]

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.

[Rebs]

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.

[Angus]

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.

[Abigail Mohn]

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.

[Karen L.]

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!!

[Timothy L.]

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.

[Sheryl]

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.

[Jen]

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

[Nicki]

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.

[Kristofer Strid]

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!

[David Matthews]

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.

[Kelly]

I have read this book twice. It is a powerful testament to the Lord's power.

[ANC Recommended Reading]

Recommended by Pastor L, 2006

[Kjersti]

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!

[Tiffany Parente]

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.

[Valerie]

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...

[Ehab Roufail]

An amazingly inspiring read.

[Dwight Walker]

Excellent story of Christian work in very difficult areas like Amsterdam drug areas and Afghanistan. It inspired me.

[Jonathan Brenneman]

I always enjoy true stories, and I enjoyed this book!

[Amy]

Well written, enlightening, and very inspiring. God is incredible, and so are the courageous, faithful servants he chooses to carry out his work.

[Jeanette Grant-Thomson]

Three and a half or a bit more for an inspiring true story.

[Ben Heise]

Beautiful account of how God can use ordinary people to achieve extraordinary miracles! A must read for any Christ-follower.

[truenorth]

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.

[Benjamin]

Powerful autobiography packed with stories of living in faith and following the Spirit's leading. I'd recommend it to anyone.

[Caeden Justine]

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.