Forgotten God

Forgotten God

Author	Francis Chan
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Christian literature
Publisher	David C. Cook
Publication date	2009
Pages	186
ISBN	978-1-4347-6795-0

Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, is a 2009 Christian book written by Francis Chan, the author of bestseller book Crazy Love. It is the second book written by Chan, and is co-authored with Danae Yankoski. This book was published by David C. Cook and was released in the United States in September 2009.

Content

The book is divided up into seven chapters, containing a foreword and an afterword, all intended to help deepen your understanding of the Holy Spirit. The seven chapters are as follows:

• Chapter 1: I’ve Got Jesus. Why Do I Need the Spirit?
• Chapter 2: What Are You Afraid Of?
• Chapter 3: Theology of the Holy Spirit 101
• Chapter 4: Why Do You Want Him?
• Chapter 5: A Real Relationship
• Chapter 6: Forget About His Will for Your Life!
• Chapter 7: Supernatural Church

The book also contains an introduction, acknowledgements, a section about the cover, notes, and an excerpt from his previous book, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God and both books can be downloaded in audiobook form, here.

About the Book

Forgotten God is not a book that bashes the Christian Church, but states that problems with the Church are obvious. However, the solution, which is the Holy Spirit, is just as obvious. In the book of Acts the Holy Spirit is moving and active, and the people watching were in awe, and when people often talk about churches and people they’re usually addressed as good, not as powerful.

A follow up to the message of Crazy Love, Francis Chan offers an invitation to understand, embrace, and follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives. We sometimes pray to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but we often live in awareness of only the first two.

Chan focuses on the character of the Holy Spirit and how He is missing in church. When the Holy Spirit is active, we produce the fruit of the spirit (which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control) and that all of these attributes would come out in a supernatural sort of way, concerning our character. There should be a noticeable difference between us and the unbelievers around us when the Holy Spirit is present. Chan talks about how people that attempt to seek out a “balance” as a way of not wanting to have to give ourselves one hundred percent to something, and how in scripture people are supposed to seek the kingdom first. Chan seeks to pursue the Holy Spirit in a biblical way, growing up in a church, in which there wasn’t much talk about the Holy Spirit. In response to his first book, Crazy Love, Chan wrote his second book because living out radical lives is impossible without the Holy Spirit. Chan looks to seek out the most obvious interpretations of scripture.

Reception

Publishers Weekly reviewed Forgotten God saying that Francis Chan passionately pleads with the church to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. Chan calls Christians to more than just a better life, but a life so dependent on the Spirit that if it doesn’t come through then you’re “screwed”. He offers several in depth personal stories and illustrations about how the church should help Christians to discern the gifts of the Holy Spirit, rather than lessening radicals. Chan gives a biography of people that are “keeping in step with the Spirit” at the conclusion of each chapter. This book is not meant to be a comprehensive study, but is rather intended for application, it lacks depth in most Bible references. Overall, the book looks to end ceaseless talk and follow God’s calling to assist the poor, the abused and anybody without hope. Chan himself has given all royalties from Crazy Love to a ministry to children trapped in sex trafficking. Chan’s voice is fresh, earthy and fiery.

References

http://www.bookschristian.com/Forgotten-God-by-Francis-Chan-book-p/576318.htm