I LOVE to read! And books that strengthen my relationship with Jesus are my favorite! I also love sharing books that have impacted me with other people so that they can be encouraged and equipped too. That’s the inspiration behind the Book Reviews section of this blog. Me, recommending books to you, that will help grow your faith, and connect you with authors I love and content I believe in. So…
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Here are my thoughts on Letters To The Church by Francis Chan and why you should read it.
What’s It About
The premise of Letters to the Church by Francis Chan is that Christians have strayed away from the way God defines Church in the Bible and we need to rediscover God’s vision for the Church. If you’re jaded and burned out on church/Christianity (or even if you’re not) this is an incredibly powerful read.
In each chapter Chan focuses on different aspects of how God has designed His Church to function, what the Church looks like in those areas today, and how we can get back to the standard of Scripture. He shares biblical passages and personal stories of how he has made mistakes, repented and taken steps to realign with God’s heart during his time as pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA and now as the leader of the We Are Church house church movement. From that place of vulnerability and humility, he calls Christians – leaders and laypeople alike – to do the same.
Topics tackled include the consumer mentality held by many Christians and the Church’s neglect for the value of service and making room for every Christian to exercise their spiritual gifts. The character and role of pastors in the church and how every believer is called by God to shepherd others, not just the professional ministers. What real love, fellowship and community look like for Jesus followers, not just a surface level expression of it. Persecution and suffering and more. He even shares the practical structure and values that guide the We Are Church movement as an example of what rediscovering the values of Church can look like today in practice.
*** Quick note: Two of my favorite Christian YouTubers Justin Khoe (ThatChristianVlogger) and Jon Jorgenson are hosting a weekly discussion through each chapter of this book on their YouTube channels. The odd chapter videos are on Justin’s channel and the even chapter videos are on Jon’s channel. Be sure to watch and share your thoughts with them in the comments.
How It Impacted Me
The chapter on service and every Christian being empowered to use their gifts to build others up when we gather together was probably my favorite.
Being in church communities that intentionally equipped me (and others), creating space for me to exercise the spiritual gifts God has given me and to participate in ministering to others has been one of the most valuable experiences in my life as a Christian. I’ve grown so much as a believer and as a minister because of that and I’ve been so ministered to and encouraged by my brothers and sisters in Christ because of that. It’s something I long for more believers and churches to step into as well as something I want to instill in others as I disciple people, so it was so inspiring to read Francis Chan’s thoughts about that.
Favorite Quote
Even if we wanted all people to use their gifts, is it even possible with the way we are currently doing things? … Are we creating the space necessary for every person to feel like he or she can be used by God to encourage and build up others? Have we made our churches so professional and impressive that only the polished few can contribute? – Franics Chan, Letters To The Church
Why You Should Read It
Have you ever read something that convicted and challenged you but encouraged you and gave you hope all at the same time? That’s exactly what Letters To The Church did for me and will do for you too. There are some zingers in this book for sure, but they are delivered with humility and for the purpose of spiritual growth.
This book will impact you for the better regardless of what age you are, where you are in your relationship with Jesus, or your role in the Church. But speaking as a millennial Christian, I know that there are many things that dishearten me about the Church today when I think about what our hearts and expression of following Jesus, both personally and in community, and making Him known in the world look like compared to the values I see in Scripture.
I’m so grateful for the awesome community God has placed me in right now but, like many Christian millennials, I wrestle with my relationship with the Church at large sometimes, precisely because I love God’s people so much and I want to see us walking out everything He’s called us to in His Word – myself included. I don’t want fluff and I don’t want a watered-down, compromised version of Christianity. Neither do I want a version of Christianity that is legalistic and based more in man-made standards than it is in the genuine boundaries and freedoms of God’s Word. I want the real thing. I want the way of Jesus. I know I’m not alone in that. This book gets us back to basics when it comes to following Jesus and being His Church.
In Letters To The Church, Francis Chan holds up a mirror showing us where we have fallen from God’s best for His Church and gives us a vision for how we can get back up. Using the Word of God and his own mistakes that he’s learned from, he calls us not only to reflection and repentance but also to step into the richness and beauty that’s found in doing life as the people of God the way God intended.
It’s not about church service and organizational structures and what the outward expressions look like necessarily; that will look different for each local church. It’s about the values of God’s Word that each of us can rediscover and allow to shape our lives, ministries and local communities of believers.
If you are a follower of Jesus, you NEED to read this book!
About Francis Chan
Francis Chan has authored several bestselling books, including Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Multiply and You and Me Forever. Formerly the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA, he is now a pastor with We Are Church, a house church planting network based in Northern California. You can connect with Francis Chan and the We Are Church movement on his website. (*adapted from Letters To The Church back cover)
Get your copy of Francis’ book here: Letters To The Church
*Check out one of the discussions between Justin Khoe and Jon Jorgenson
Let’s Talk: Have you read Letters To The Church? What impacted you most from the book? Discuss this post in the comments below.
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