Forgotten God by Francis Chan

Whatever happened to the Holy Spirit and why are Christians not living lives led by the Spirit? These questions are part of the focus of Francis Chan's latest book, Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.

Many Christians (and I have been guilty) give a nod of acknowledgment to the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, but fail to actively strive to be led by the Spirit in daily living. This was the aspect of Forgotten God that resonated with me. How often do I meditate on and live in accordance with the Spirit of God that indwells me? I have part of the triune God that has taken up residence within me. That is not only breathtaking and awe-inspiring, but unmistakeably liberating in its possible effects on my life. The same power that raised Jesus to life has made His home in me. He resides in you as well, if you have been born again through the Blood of Christ that took on your sin and gave you His righteous standing with God. Why does my life not reflect the Holy Spirit within me? That's a question this book left me asking myself over and over again. Oh, the number of times is countless that I have grieved the Spirit by living in accordance with my fleshly desires, rather than that of the Holy Spirit and His desires.

I was pleased that Chan pointed to scripture throughout the book because that is where we will encounter and learn from the Spirit as He guides us into truth. I was also glad that he didn't succumb to the temptation of delving into the ongoing debates that have divided the church throughout history with regards to various aspects of the Spirit and the role and gifts provided by the Spirit. His purpose was to bring us into remembrance of the Spirit, the Forgotten part of the Trinity, and to provide a tool to rescue us from the tragic neglect of the Spirit. I believe he achieved his goal and it without a doubt has made me give more careful attention to the Spirit in my life.

If you liked Francis Chan's previous book, Crazy Love, the Forgotten God will be no disappointment. I recommend them both, but I must lean to Forgotten God as my favorite of the two.

Watch the video below and hear Francis Chan talking about Forgotten God.