Over the past few years I have had the privilege of hearing Francis Chan speak on several occasions and he has become one of my favorite speakers. My heart resonates with the message that he shares.
I find it comforting that he is very informal. He appears to be a regular dude having a conversation with his buddies. I also appreciate that there isn’t any pretense of having all of the answers. He is asking questions and seeking answers just like everyone else.
Here are a few quotes and thoughts that I have captured as I have listened to Francis:
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When I read the book of Acts it is foreign, it’s not like us and I am troubled.
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Don’t you miss the old days when you didn’t know a whole lot but you just wanted to tell people about God, and then you got educated and started depending on what you know.
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Do you still believe in the power of the Holy Spirit?
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The right people can draw a crowd, but where is the supernatural in that?
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Do people come to your church and say, ‘This is the real deal.’
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The book of Acts is an unstoppable Church movement. We should consider that it could be that way today.
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People need to be attracted to God, by God. Not by speakers, musicians, programs, and other stuff.
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Elijah was a man just like us.
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Peter and John were uneducated common men. You are more educated than they were, so don’t compare yourself to others.
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The disciples were commissioned to reach the world with the message of Christ. Are you telling me you can’t get eleven other men to reach a neighborhood with the same message?
Francis Chan makes blunt observations and asked bold questions to help those of us that follow Christ to break out of our comfort zone.
Prayer: Lord, open our hearts that we might recognize your truth; burden our hearts for those that have never responded to it; and give us an unquenchable thirst for your presence.
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Wow. What a fantastic post. It is so funny actually. This must be precisely the message I need to hear at this point in my life. The funny part is that just a couple of days ago, I heard of Francis Chan for the first time. (Assuming the speaker you mention is the same author of this book.) Someone mentioned his book, Crazy Love, which I subsequently recently picked up at the store. I have not started reading it yet, but it sounds (from the reviews and the summary I read on the back) like he is an amazing and down to earth author. From the sounds of things, he is the same kind of speaker. That’s awesome. Some simple, yet so powerful insights and quotes you shared above. Thank you so much. God is amazing, and I am proud to be called His child. His is a love that touches deep. We need to always keep that in mind. I said all that to say this: thank you for writing this post, and for helping me remember these very important truths.
Laura, this is the same guy. Crazy Love is a great book. You won’t be disappointed for reading it. Although it may leave your toes a little sore.
That is awesome. I hope he has some videos or recordings or a podcast or something. Thanks for sharing Larry, these are great observations.
Hi Seiji. Yes, he does indeed have multiple videos online.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=francis+chan&aq=f
Lukewarm and Loving It is possibly the most convicting sermon I’ve ever heard.
Balance Beam is also very challenging.
When Sin Looks More Enjoyable Than God is encouraging, challenging, and hilarious all at the same time.
And if you haven’t read Crazy Love (by Chan), I highly, highly recommend that you do.
Chris is right. If you haven’t read the book Crazy Love, you need to pick up a copy. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it.
Thanks for this summary. Francis Chan always kicks my tail (in a good way), and I think God is using him to say some very important things to the Church.
He always leaves a big footprint on my behind as well. Although I appreciate it.
You are right, he is saying some important things to the church. It is hard to be apathetic after listening to him speak or reading one of his books.
I wonder how many pastors have had the exact same thoughts as Francis, but choose not to share them because they are scared they would lose their jobs? The sad reality is that many of them would lose their jobs. I praise God that Chan matches his walk with his talk and does both with boldness and courage. May we follow his example, regardless of what it may cost us!