Francis Chan ATL 2009

Francis Chan is the author of Crazy Love?, which I own but have yet to read.???This was the first time I’ve heard him speak.? After hearing him speak, I’m now committed to finish reading this book.

This snapshot of his talk can not convey the apparent impact of his message but I’d hope that you’d read it slowly and think about certain thoughts, more than just read them.? If it’s in quotes, I did my best to capture his exact words. Instead of writing my own thoughts about his thoughts and possible applications or questions at the end, I hope that you prayerfully read this and put your faith in action.

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“I kinda know what to say when I get in front of a crowd and I was working hard for Him.”?He then confessed of being in a rut of just doing, doing, doing and not abiding in Christ.

“I look at youth ministry completely differently now. What do I want of the gal that’s leading the small group for my daughter?”

“Some of you have been in ministry long enough you’ve seen plenty of fruit but if it didn’t last, it wasn’t good fruit.”

He got into fix it mode and lost track for a little bit.? Some of it is just the world we live in and he doesn’t want to blame it on circumstances but there’s so much going on and so connected.? It’s getting harder to give God all your attention.

“I haven’t talked with anyone this year who can say their prayer life is better this year than last.”

“What would God say about your time with him?? Are you really in love with Jesus or are you faking it?”

“If someone asked me 10 or 15 years ago. . . what are your goals in ministry?? I use to tell people.? I don’t really know what I want to accomplish but I have a clear picture of the type of man I want to be.? I didn’t have big dreams for my ministry but I had big dreams for my character.”

Over the last couple of years things have changed a little bit.? He started giving typical answers to what success was “supposed” to be.? He shared a connection with the verse from the hymn “Come Thou Fount” that says,? Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.

If you try to be successfull?and stop trying to be godly, you wind up with neither.

“I believe there are a lot of lies in this room.? What’s the biggest lie in your life right now? The one that you would die if everyone found out about?? What is it you’ve been faking regarding your relationship to God?”

“Do you know more about the Bible this year than you did last year?”

“Are you growing in your godliness?”

“Do you love the students?? Are you creating a family shaped by love in your youth ministry?”

“The Church didn’t start because of a meeting with church leaders to “start a movement”. It started because of the Holy Spirit.”

Satan is doing everything he can to make us busy and we forget prayer and the Word.

“If you just go out and try to do things on your own, you won’t be experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit.”

“Have you been frustrated for a long time? How long since you’ve been on your knees?”

“It’s easy to focus on success and lose track of focusing on your character.”

He told his staff, “If you’re not spending an hour a day in prayer, please tell me, so? Ican trade you in for someone who will.”