The first time I heard Francis Chan speak, I was seated on the floor of the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia with 22,000 college students.  God spoke to all of us in a powerful way and from that moment on, whenever I had a friend who attended a conference where Francis spoke, he was their favorite presenter.  Francis’ transparency and willingness to open the Scriptures and challenge others to actually live out its teaching in radical ways has indescribable power.

However, when I read his first book, Crazy Love, I was frankly unimpressed.  I chalked it up to “Some speakers aren’t good writers and some writers aren’t good speakers.”  So, when I heard the book had sold 300,000 copies, I figured that it was probably just me.  Recently, Francis has released his second book, Forgotten God, and after several friends started posting quotes on their Twitter feeds and Facebook status, I decided to get my hands on a copy.

Francis outlines how the Holy Spirit has been neglected and forgotten by many in the church.  ”Sadly, most believers and churches are known for talent or intellect rather than supernatural power.  What’s worse is that we are okay with it.”  Francis makes a compelling case for how some have wrongly overinflated and misapplied the person and work of the Holy Spirit, while others have marginalized Holy Spirit out of fear or concern for appearances’ sake.

Some noteworthy statements from the book:

I have yet to meet anyone with too much Holy Spirit.

Thousands of years later, I think that most of us would choose a physical Jesus over an invisible Spirit.

I honestly believe that most of us – while we might say we want to be led by the Spirit – are actually scared of this reality.  I know I am.  What would it mean? What if he asks you to give up something you’re not ready to give up?

When we are at our wits’ end for an answer, then the Holy Spirit can give us an answer.  But how can He give us an answer when we are still well supplied with all sorts of answers of our own? -Karl Barth

I think dwelling on God’s plan for the future often excuses us from faithful and sacrificial living right now.

Each of us tends to switch from living the gospel of grace to trusting in a system of works.

I dont want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit.

I heartily recommend this book to you for a Christmas present to a friend or a book to read in early 2010.  If you are a follower of Jesus, then I think Francis Chan will be used by God to challenge you to your very core and push you to come to terms with how we have marginalized the Holy Spirit and what we can do to re-establish our openness to His work in and through our lives.