Articles
Why Unity-Not Apologetics-Is What Will Bring People to Jesus
by Francis Chan on April 28, 2020Watch the video to hear Chan's whole message.
An excellent message on unity by Francis Chan on May 23, at the 2019 Church Leaders Conference held by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
Francis, who has a large family with seven kids, used a helpful analogy from his own family to illustrate how the Lord feels about unity and division in the body of Christ. He talked about what if one his kids caused division/polarization in his family, and encouraged some siblings to stay away from other siblings (overtly or subtly), and how He would feel about that as the father of the family.
Divsion/polarization has its "leaders". They are not motivated by what's on the Lord's heart (Unity), and the Lord hates what they do to the body of Christ (Proverbs 6:19)
Francis Chan reminded Christian leaders that it is unity in the church—not logical arguments and apologetics—which will ultimately bring people to salvation in Christ. That's why Jesus dedicated one of his final prayers to praying for complete unity in the church (John 17:20-23).
backAn excellent message on unity by Francis Chan on May 23, at the 2019 Church Leaders Conference held by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
Francis, who has a large family with seven kids, used a helpful analogy from his own family to illustrate how the Lord feels about unity and division in the body of Christ. He talked about what if one his kids caused division/polarization in his family, and encouraged some siblings to stay away from other siblings (overtly or subtly), and how He would feel about that as the father of the family.
Divsion/polarization has its "leaders". They are not motivated by what's on the Lord's heart (Unity), and the Lord hates what they do to the body of Christ (Proverbs 6:19)
Francis Chan reminded Christian leaders that it is unity in the church—not logical arguments and apologetics—which will ultimately bring people to salvation in Christ. That's why Jesus dedicated one of his final prayers to praying for complete unity in the church (John 17:20-23).
"That equation to me messes with my logic," Chan says. "Like, how would our oneness make the world believe that Jesus is the Messiah? ... But you've got to understand: [the Bible] is filled with illogical equations. I don't understand how marching around a city seven times will do anything. I don't understand how touching a staff into water is going to do anything. Right? There is this element of faith. ... So as we talk about apologetics, man, praise God for that. But somehow in that, Jesus also says there's something that we do as the church that is the apologetic. There's something that we cannot do alone."
