The Safest Place on Earth: Where People Connect and Are Forever Changed

by Larry Crabb

Book Overview

In today's frenetic society, people rarely develop intimate friendships. Instead, they spend their lives essentially disconnected from others, rushing through life content with brief visits and casual... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0849914566
• ISBN13: 9780849914560
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: W Publishing Group
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Imagine Love...

I am in the habit of adding notes and references in the front of the books I read so I can return to specific passages when writing or researching issues. I can measure their impact on my thinking by the number of them, and the flyleaf of my copy of this book has little room left. A Psychologist by training, but more, a devoted follower of the Lamb who understands the disciple's journey into the shadow of the valley well, Dr. Crabb shares insights about the nature of the church that bring us back to consider what spiritual community means in real life terms. Larry's writing has the humility and the scars that come from being genuinely engaged in walking with God.This is a timely book, combining an understanding of the intended intimacy of the church with the freshly awakening desire across Christendom for spiritual formation and direction in the church. In my notes I find definitions for things like: love; life and death; brokenness; mysticism; community; the church. He offers observations about what is lacking Psychology and in psychological theory, and he offers workable models for the church to develop the intimacy, love and community our Triune God intended in both our and the church's design.If you are considering small groups, and wondering whether they should be evangelistic, or bible studies, or project based, Larry offers an alternative: building genuine community, intertwining lives in functional and useful ways that further our development and transformation. If you are working to develop an understanding our dual natures of flesh and His life within, Larry speaks clearly and usefully to these issues. Dr. Crabb's book is useful for an individual to study, giving us insights into deeper truths in practical and understandable ways. It is equally useful for a group to work through together in understanding the dynamics of community and in living together in ways that produce authentic change. But, most importantly, this is a book that speaks like the voice of a prophet to a floundering church, calling us back to a simple plan: community... I think this is the single most important book (outside the scriptures, of course) I've ever read. I can't make a stronger recommendation.

Developing healing (safe) communities

With Dr. Crabb's books, Connecting and Safest Place, you begin a new journey with him. He lets you know that he no longer regards himself as the expert, but rather a learner. One idea that we grasped in "Safest Place" has made a major impact on our lives and the lives of others with whom we are in relationship. That idea is this: sometimes we can get so down on ourselves because we still struggle with the old nature. We feel like we haven't grown or we should be "beyond" some things. He simply reminds us that we do have an old nature. But if we will learn to see the new nature in each of us and encourage that part, we can actually help each other live in our new nature more than in our old nature. It is time that the church learn to be a healing community, a real place where we truely build one another up in the Lord. This book will help us get there.

Worth reading

This book was really helpful to me. I have recently been through a difficult church situation, and it helped me to see that my experience is not the way it's supposed to work. The book encouraged me not to give up on relationship with other Christians. It's not going to be easy, but it's worth the effort. The book gave me something to shoot for in my life and relationships.

This book embodies my prayer for the church.

Larry Crabb's vulnerbility is refreshing. He shares his pilgrimage, not his arrival, his thoughts, not his dogmatic conclusions. Life is a process, confusing, disappointing, but hopeful as we learn to live in the Upper Room and envision that experience for others. Charts are a helpful addition to the fresh approaches to old struggles.

I want what this book talks about.

My favorite book is Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. This book ties with that one for first place. I feel like there is so much that speaks to me in this book that I need to read it again. My spirit was captivated by the concept of living in the upper room. I can relate to the constant dwelling in the lower room, but there is a Hope in me that keeps desiring more of Him, keeps wanting to dwell longer in the upper room. I want to experience community life. Where we all have the same desire...to point each other to Christ, to jump up and down for joy when we see Christ revealed. I'm going to pray that my family and I may experience true community living.