francis chan

I spent the past couple of days participating and speaking at the City Impact conference in San Francisco.  700 of us (sorry to the hundreds turned away- we ran out of space) walked around the streets of the Tenderloin district passing out hot meals, clothes, groceries, cutting hair, visiting apartments, washing feet, and various other acts of love.  Mainly, we sat and listened to the stories about their lives, told them about the love of Christ and prayed for them.  Some will now be discipled.

Hard to say what the greatest blessing was…  Maybe it was watching my 15 year old washing and massaging the feet of homeless people for hours while telling them about Jesus.  Maybe it was seeing my 11 year old pass out meals or walk the streets sharing her faith.  Maybe it was watching my wife lead worship in a room full of passionate worshippers.  Maybe it was the opportunity to preach to a gathering of believers who spent the day living out what they believed.  Maybe it was listening to the stories of lost people and being able to speak truth into their lives..  Ultimately, it was a great time watching my family join with other believers who were willing be uncomfortable.  I’m used to seeing this on mission trips, but not so much in our own backyard.  

And yes, Rachel is safely home from  Thailand.  Thanks for your prayers.  Now comes the task of trying to live the Spirit-filled life right here, amidst our comfort-driven culture.  Something the whole family is trying to do.  It was nice that we were able to do it for a weekend, but now we’re trying to make it the norm.

FYI- I don’t facebook or twitter, so any Francis Chan tweets or facebook pages didn’t come from me.  I’ll be sure to let everyone know from this website when I choose to do so. 

I have nothing against those who make pages or tweets in my name, but just want you to know that none of them are from me.

Over the years, I’ve been convicted by passages that describe the unity Christ wants in His church (John 17, 1 John 4, 1 Corinthians 12, Philippians 2, Acts 2…).  But whenever I’ve made efforts toward bringing believers together, I run into seemingly insurmountable barriers.  I don’t know how to overcome the differences in theology, convictions, and personalities.  So I gave up long ago.

But once again, His Word is bothering me.  This time around, it’s the second half of Ephesians 2 that is convicting me.  I confess, I had never taken a real close look at this passage. Until this recent study, I hadn’t noticed the deep connection between the cross and unity.  Our oneness is far more than a “nice idea” we should pursue if we can find the time.  It was a motivation for the cross. 

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

I don’t know how this will play out in my life this time.  I don’t have a brilliant master plan to unite His children.  I just figured I would start by getting you to stare at His Word again, and by praying that His Spirit would bring unity to His church.  I certainly don’t have the answer, but I care again and more than I ever have.  Our Father wants His children tightly connected, and our Savior died to make it possible.  Shouldn’t we be working and praying harder about this?