Posted on : 06-07-2009 | By : Brent | In : Misc.
I can’t remember what I was looking for, but in the process of looking for whatever it was, I came across this video clip from Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love. It’s a humorous but healthy challenge to us to stay away from the “safe” Christian life:
[...] As Long As You’re On the Balance Beam… [...]
I will have to think about his analogy, but right off the bat, I think it fails because he never makes it clear what is analogous to doing great things for Jesus on the balance beam of life. I think, in fact, that it is quite courageous and risky to home school. The easy option, IMHO, seems to be outsourcing education. No risk in just doing what everyone else does. This is hardly an issue of Christians playing it safe. I had lunch with some homosexual friends yesterday who were extolling the virtue of educating your children, and for them (as for me) it had to do with what they perceive to be a better mechanism for optimum influence.
I thought it was short of the truth in watching the video.
Mostly, I don’t think he really addresses the scriptures that say God is active in our sanctification. That God is faithful to complete His work.
If that is the case can the person in relationship with Jesus remain comfortably on a balance beam?
Additionally, is it really up to us to stay on the balance beam? Is that not the work of Christ? That no matter I am always on the rock, I cannot fall off. I do not need to hold on anymore.
I did not want to be critical as I have my issues with Chan and his church. So I just figured my opinion was jaded.
Rob
Rob: Certainly, our sanctification is by faith, is accomplished by Christ, and is commanded of us, as well. It is this last aspect that is at play in the video, rather than the first two. I suspect Chan would agree there is much more to the subject, but we cannot fault him for not addressing something he didn’t intend to address at all, or I could say, make that kind of critique based on such a short clip.
I am interested about your critique of Chan’s teaching, aside from the clip. I have not read any of his books, but what I hear of his teaching is positive. However, I am always open to hearing a charitable critique
Thanks!
Adam
I do not know if my critique is charitable.
One of my agreements with him is focused on something other than yourself and comfortable life.
I would disagree with how He chooses to motivate people, is it out of a response of the grace of God or is it out of a duty? The fruit will not last if it is not born out of the first. To me the piling on of guilt approach is not effective and can miss several aspects of the gospel that are essential.
Mostly, my response comes from being first introduced to his church via the out door church they are building. While they state they are building a facility that is cheaper than they could have done, I cannot buy into that. I see no real need for the American church to build more facilities. I think it needs to be invested in the global church or global missions or mercy. To me it seems disingenuous. They have excessive facilities already as a church and maybe the time needs to be focused on utilizing the numerous buildings they already have.
I also was turned off immensely from one video I watched of his preaching where it seems most of what he talked about what himself and what his church is doing. It seemed a little too self-focused and what they were doing instead of a focus on God’s glory. Is there really a place for self-congratulation and adulation? It too had a number of missing the mark on the preaching of the full gospel and being centered too much on what we do, versus what Jesus has done. I’ve only seen several videos on Chan and have had my discernment bells ring loud each time I have along similar lines.
Rob
I sort of agree with the main message of this - that Christians should follow God even if it’s risky. This point is well made.
But I think his examples of living safely are just wrong and this distracts me from what he says. He uses practical examples from caring parents as though they were bad things - should Christians send their children out on bikes with no helmets? or never bother with sunscreen because they have faith that their children won’t burn? etc. Jesus said we should be wise about the world not ignorant. Living on the edge for Christ is about doing what God requires of us no matter the cost it has nothing to do with helmets.
I’ve got to say that I’m at least mostly with Chris here. I think the challenge is right on: most of us live less than mediocre Christian lives (myself included) and then look forward to that day when we hear God tell us “well done.” Most of us love comfort more than challenge, but that’s not what Christ calls us to. For that, I applaud Chan for continuing to call us out.
However, as has been pointed out, his choice of examples was not only poor but counterproductive to the argument he’s trying to make. We homeschool, so I obviously disagree with him there, but at the same time, come on, let’s try to be at least a little charitable. There’s a reason that there is a caricature of homeschooling and it’s up to this generation to perhaps do it a little better than has been done.
As to some of the other comments, the point is not to address the ordo salutis, so to say that he leaves out sanctification is simply a practice in missing the point. Scripture is clear that even Christians will have to give an account for what we’ve done, hence Chan’s challenge to at least do something “while on the balance beam.” To deconstruct his entire view of salvation from a three minute clip, taken entirely out of context is simply not fair.
Rob, I know that Chan’s building project is a pet peeve of yours, so instead of second-guessing on motives, I strongly suggest that you try to contact him directly. It’s easy to throw stones at a church spending money on a building, but we simply don’t know the discussions that have taken place behind closed doors. While I don’t know figures, I think it’s a safe bet to think that Chan’s church gives more percentage-wise to church planting and global missions than do most.
So does my church for that matter Brent. I suspect if you looked at his 3000 person church to my 700 person church that his church has not done as much. It is not a pet peeve about Chan’s church in particular as it has been about the American church in general for a long period of time.
I’m remiss why they need to build a knew bible college with the plethora of those in the US? etc.
I have been thinking a lot about my concern with Chan. And I probably have a lot more in common with him than I admit. I do think we need to move away from passivity, but that comes out of living life flowing from the gospel outward. You cannot give what you do not have