He told this story at the National Worship Leader Conference.  He said that he told them it was repulsive to spend that much money on themselves, and he could never pastor such a group of people.  He said that he, as a pastor, would be responsible for that before God.

He suggested that every time an offering was taken that it was divided equally - half spent on their church, half spent on others outside the church.  This is the only way Christians can claim that they love their neighbor as much as themselves.

He said that if we really believe Jesus is starving (cf. Matt 25), then we can’t sit back and let that happen and expect to call ourselves Christians.

So, he told the elders it was repulsive to spend that kind of money on themselves when Jesus was starving on the other side of the world.  He suggested building a park with an amphitheater that the community could use and they could hold services in - and would cost less money; the rest could be given away.  When one asked about the weather, Chan reminded them of the Green Bay Packers fans who sit through a blizzard for the season every year.  Packers fans are that dedicated for the team; are Christians that dedicated to sit outside in Southern California weather so that Jesus, who is starving on the other side of the world, can be fed?

His sermon was one of the best I’ve ever heard.  An audio copy is available from the Worship Leader folks.

This guy and his church are an inspiration to me.  As a missionary who is often discouraged by the lack of engagement of the American church to reach the poor and disenfranchised, he is truly a pastor to me through his podcasts, and he gives me hope that somebody “gets” it when it comes to missions.

His church, Simi Cornerstone, has committed to giving away 50% of what comes in at their church this year to care for the poor around the world - estimated to be $4 million this year alone.  God bless them!

I’m pretty sure that is his wife, Lisa, singing in the video.

Thanks for posting this Shaun.  It’s very inspiring.

Shaun,
we got the awesome opportunity to minister alongside Chan this summer at a Student LIfe Camp. Probably one of the best nights of the Summer. His message on the Bigness of God was amazing, and the spirit of God feel on that place. we had the chance to spend some time with him and hear his story. it’s all legit. that’s why i posted that video...for people to see his heart and the heart of his church…

his church also sent an Elder to plant a church in an area north of Dallas. over 100 members of his church sold there California homes to move to North Dallas to start a church. AMAZING. you and i both know, being texas boys, that a move from California to Dallas had to be a movement of God.

i hope you get to hang and listen. he’s just a humble man who brags on God. pretty amazing stuff. thanks for posting the video.

Wow. The girl had a great voice.
This is so much like your compassion Int. connections.

What a neat story!  Thanks for sharing that.

Incidentally, that video was clearly based on this inspirational and moving video by Sarah McLachlan, which explains how the $150,000 normally used to produce a music video was instead used for various community projects in the Third World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzoNInZ2ClQ

If you want to hear him preach, here is the iTunes link to his podcast:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=74283811

Its very inspiring.

I actually attend Cornerstone where Francis is the teaching pastor and have had the privellage of being part of this revolutionary church. The story is accurate I’m glad you posted it. The singer in the video is actually Francis’ wife, a great singer I might add.

We’re members at Cornerstone and the story is accurate. It’s amazing what is happening at the church and it’s a blessing to be part of it. Yes, his wife Lisa is the singer in the video.

Hey you guys. Awesome job. Praise the Most High.
I was wondering if there are chords up for the song “Think of Me.” Is the music out also. I am very blessed by it. It would mean a great deal to me if someone does respond back to me..
Thank you so much.
Blessings.

Nao~ Lisa just finished her CD with the song Think Of Me on it. You can contact Francis’ church in Simi Valley to have them get you a copy. All proceeds from the album are going directly to Children’s Hunger Fund. You will be blessed!!

Greetings Brothers and Sisters,

I had a question that I wanted to air out and get some feedback on. First off this is not a rip on Francis personally, but it I will say up front I am not a fan of passion and the whole movement.

I will be as gentle as I can with this question. I am not trying to be offensive at all even though it is a critique.

Why does passion (Francis Chan, Louie G etc) focus so much time and energy feeding poor people and making sure they have socks? Don’t get me wrong I think those things ARE important. However, I think the MOST important thing is the Gospel. The only way Africa is ever going to turn around is if Africa meets Jesus. Until then, no matter how much we feed them and make them wells they will be poor. Not just physically but more importantly spiritually.

It is my opinion that Africa’s greatest need is not a well, food or vaccines for aids. The CHIEF need of Africa is Christ! I just do not understand why the emphasis on feeding people is so heavy with this movement.

Please, dont misunderstand my question/ critique. I DO most certainly think we should do mercy ministry. My question is more about the emphasis placed upon feeding people.

I have not heard them “preach” about giving your money to sound missionary societies like Paul Washer with Heartcry. Or instead of bringing a pair of socks with you to a Passion conference, why not go into the city and share Christ with the poor people? WHy not hand out socks and give the Gospel of Christ? Cant you do both? Think of the huge impact thousands of Christians could make on a city if they are prayed up and out in the streets sharing their faith. The early church grew because they preached Christ and him Crucified.

Here is an honest question. What good are socks, wells and food when you are in hell?

In Christ,
Mitch

mitch - i’m not going to assume that you’ve never been to a country like africa where children are dying everyday from a lack of clean water...like you’ve assumed that Passion, Giglio, & Chan do all of this without presenting the Gospel. I think when you meet these people’s needs that is in turn presenting the Gospel. i also know that the Gospel is being presented in these situations.

I ask you to go to one of these countries (if you haven’t) where Children die everyday from something so simple as a lack of clean drinking water ...or the lack of food...and tell them about Jesus without meeting their physical needs. you can’t witness to someone if they’re dead from starvation.

i guess i also ask people with questions like this to put themselves on the other side of the coin. put you & your family in a 10’x 10’ mud hut, no electricity, no running water, no toilets, and no meat...then tell me how you’d react to someone presenting you the Gospel without meeting any of your needs? i think we’d sing a different tune.

Mitchel, what is the Good News Jesus preached?  Please site chapter and verse.

What is the “gospel?” Please site chapter and verse.

I appreciate the question and your answers are in these questions...I believe.

Friend,

I agree with you. However, you must have missed what I said. The emphasis is off…

I think we SHOULD feed people.

I think we SHOULD give them water.

However, I think we need to keep the Gospel Primary. I dont hear them ever bang the drum about the Gospel being central and most important. And I never see videos produced about evangelism. I see videos all focused about food, and temporal things. I think food is important but not nearly as important as the Gospel of Jesus.

Mitch

The good news Jesus preached is simply this.

1. Forgiveness of Sins
2. Wrath from God diverted and placed upon Jesus.
3. Right relationship with God and fear of death and hell are gone.
4. Because of the new relationship, and new heart Christians now have a new attitude toward life. It is manifested in acts of mercy, sharing the Gospel and conforming yourself to be more like Jesus Christ.

Romans Chapter 4

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Colossian Chapter 2

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Jesus shares the Gospel in Luke 4 quoting Isaiah

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Look at the mission of Christ. He came to set the captives free. That is in reference to SPIRITUAL captivity. He came to give SPIRITUAL site to the blind.

Luke Chapter 19

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Notice Jesus primary mission. He came to earth to seek and save the lost.

Matt 1

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus came to save his people.

I beleive the primary mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The final command of Jesus was for us to evangelize and to make disciples.

Mark Chapter 16

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

I hope this is sufficient

Mitch

Mitch,

One of the most important ways to share Jesus is by meeting what we call “felt needs.”

These are the things one is focused on.  If you are hungry, you are much more likely to be thinking about your empty stomach than that Jesus died on the cross for your sins.

I know where Shaun is going, but even coming from a more traditional American understanding of gospel, most missiologists would agree that you aren’t going to get very far if you are not trying to meet the needs of the person.  Meeting felt needs opens the door to sharing Jesus.

Cali Amy,

Thanks for the response. I understand the idea of meeting “felt needs”. I am just not sure I see that in the Bible. I understand the idea, and I am not sure if I fully disagree with it.

My main problem with Passion is that they put almost no emphasis on the Gospel of Jesus. They never talk about forgiveness of sins, imputed righteousness, justification, or Gods wrath being expiated. The focus is always on feeding hungry people or getting them water.

My problem is the emphasis. What is MOST important. What were Jesus’ commands? Did he say “Go therefore and feed the world and make wells”?

I am pretty sure he placed a high emphasis on forgiveness of sins.

Feeding people is good, but it is NOT the Gospel. Forgiveness of sins is the Gospel, and it must be primary.

I think this is a strong quote, and it is possible that this kind of movement can fall in this ditch.

“That’s the kind of missions trip where we make the world a better place for people to go to Hell from."- Adrian Rogers

Mitch

How do you respond to the Sheep and the Goats then?

I don’t understand your question.

Matthew 25:31-46 Seems to end the question for me.

Chan preaches the Gospel (penal substitutionary atonement) in every service that I have watched.  And his church supports missionaries that go to do the same.

Jesus didn’t say I was hungry and you didn’t give me a tract.  He says I was hungry, and you did not give me food.

I just recently found Pastor Chan and his sermons online.........the more I read and hear the more I’m impressed with the fact that this man truly is only out the advance the Kingdom....... not himself.

So I’m not suprised that he feels this way...............whatever happened??  Are they going to build a church at all??

Hey Mitchel,

I would have to say that I disagree with your statement:

“I understand the idea of meeting “felt needs”. I am just not sure I see that in the Bible… What is MOST important. What were Jesus’ commands? Did he say “Go therefore and feed the world and make wells”? I am pretty sure he placed a high emphasis on forgiveness of sins. Feeding people is good, but it is NOT the Gospel.”

First off let me say that caring for the poor and hungry is part of the Gospel...In Matthew 24 it says:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
Mt 25:36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Mt 25:37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
Mt 25:38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
Mt 25:39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
Mt 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

I believe if it is a command to us to do it, then we had better do it… Preaching the Gospel is great but that is not the only thing that God has called us to do...In Matt 5:16 God says “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Notice it said “Deeds”, that’s not just a bunch of words but “action”...Feeding the poor is an “action” that shows them God’s love...if we don’t feed them and clothe them then we are a bunch of big mouths with no action to back up what we say.

On another note...Nicole Parker...I attend cornerstone in simi and we are not going to build a huge church building but we are going to build an outdoor area that costs alot less money...You can see the architect plans on the website (http://www.cornerstonesimi.com)

Lena,

Hi there! I posted this a long time ago, but I guess I can still respond.

I would ask you to go back and do a little digging in matt 24. Who is Jesus talking to, and who is he referring to when he asks us to feed people.

Hint: The key is in verse 40 when he says “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”

A common word in the NT is adelphoi which means brothers. It is almost used in connection with believers. Jesus himself said “Who are my brothers and sisters but those who do the will of God”

I challege you to find Biblical support to back up your statement that feeding people is part of the Gospel. I personally think that is really bad teaching, and dangerous.

The Gospel is about forgivness of sins and eternal life. After we have been reconciled with God and are no longer his enemy we are changed people.

BECAUSE of that, we then go out and feed and help people. It is not the Gospel to feed people but it flows FROM the Gospel. Redeemed hearts care PRIMARILY about the souls of lost people, then their bellies. I see a monster shift in priority in evangelicalism.

Its all about wells and food, not about open air preaching, tracts and sharing the faith so God can save souls.

And you quoting of Matt 5:16 is not an honest proof text. I could argue that letting your light shine and doing good deeds could be a multitude of things. It doesnt have to be feeding people. And even if it did mean feeding people, that is not the Gospel it shows that we are Gospel people because we care about things like that.

Feeding people and doing good deeds is NOT the Gospel. Jesus never attached the two, and you shouldn’t either.

The Gospel is forgiveness of sins, and its a glorious Gospel, please don’t tamper with it.

Hi Shaun, good post albeit a tad late in me finding it.I was looking up Francis on google and I found you.
Mitchel intrigued me.I was a volunteer “mum” at Passion 07.Passion’s verse Isaiah 26:8 sums up speading the Gospel.Obviously Mitchel has never heard the talks form there or he wouldn’t be criticising the lack of any of them preaching the Gospel.
One only has to listen to Louie Giglio’s Unthinkable DVD or Francis Chan’s Lukewarm and Loving It to clearly hear the Gospel.
Good on them for keeping people alive to then share the love of Christ with.