Giving Francis Chan

In an effort to identify, many pastors struggle to interpret a simple message and communicate it attractively. Author and pastor, Francis Chan has mastered an easy-to-use simplicity in a relevant way. By drawing from solely Scripture, his ideas become useful to a church body. Instead of bothering with individualistic complexities, he focuses around community growth. The audiences focus is on people and their togetherness. When has that message ever been outdated? I will look at a specific message entitled, Filled With the Spirit and wonder: would it lose its meaning if spoken five hundred years ago?

First of all, this is a church in California. This is not only an extremely estranged culture, but there are countless extremely estranged viewpoints. Francis Chan makes no appeal to his church in reference to their society. Instead, he accepts them as people and dialogues with them out of friendship. Chan’s method is plainly scripture and the communication of its interpretation. In this message, he only references one passage. He lays this foundation .This allows the audience to receive scriptural guidance for relationships. Notice that Chan’s concern is not to first make relational problems known and then refer to Biblical solutions. Because this sermon points to relationship, it could have been given anytime in church history.

Within Francis Chan’s interpretation I found some ideas he kept pointing to. Ideas like being filled, thankfulness, and joy come from the text and he uses synonyms and a couple examples to form them. He is speaking with a desire for the spiritual success of his church. Chan acknowledges a common idea that accomplishment feels like a done to-do list. But he says reality is not so. Life is to be spent, “filled with the Spirit.” Chan associates this with singing, being drunk, and submission; a decision that is ongoing. This concept is a beneficial way to interact instead of lacking and trying. Thankfulness is another word Chan discusses as an expression. It’s not an abstract result but a lifestyle that fills all time. Through smiles and broad hand gestures Chan explains joy. Its outstanding qualities are more than a mere, “mind-game.” It’s different, collective, and full of life. He plainly described it as, “God coming into our body.” There is nothing glorious about his examples. He uses the ordinary to explain the divine. This language could be for Christopher Columbus and even he would understand Chan’s references and implications.