I was again asked by the publishers of Francis Chan’s new book, Forgotten God, to read it and blog on it. I absolutely loved his book Crazy Love, so I was excited to read his new book about the Holy Spirit.
Initially Chan's explanation of the Holy Spirit seemed restrained and I was confused by his linear view of an untamable God, and I was left wondering where the fervor was that sang through the pages of Crazy Love. However, as I continued through the book I saw glimpses of a freer exchange emerge. I loved his chapter endings with great stories about impassioned believer’s lives.
Then as I read Chan's after thoughts to the book in his section titled, Afterword, my spirit leapt. “My hope for you, the reader, is that the church people don’t try to normalize you.”
He went on to write about his burden for the plight of the thousands of innocent girl’s sold into sex trafficking, a passion for justice I also carry. When friends suggested that he ease up on his conviction, he countered with the Holy Spirit's instructions, “Treat them as your own!”
He suggested that we, in the church, are often guilty of dumbing down the zeal of vibrant believers contradicting the biblical model we we’re given. He went on to relay a story about a sixteen year old girl who sponsors fourteen needy children on her own. That is a lot of money for a high school kid to shell out from part time jobs.
As I closed the book I was newly inspired by a sixteen year old and Chan’s clarion call to the church at large. It is time we get out of our comfortable Western boxes and wake up to live lives that have eternal significance and that cannot be done apart from an intimate, unreserved, passionate relationship with the Forgotten God.