Francis Chan: How the Lockdown Can Help Us Reach a Lost World

The U.S. evangelical, who just moved to Asia, sees Christianity turning the coronavirus crisis into an unprecedented opportunity

Americans are home now. For years, Francis Chan, the Christian pastor and “Crazy Love’’ author who just left California to begin missionary work in Hong Kong, has talked about moving from large to “house churches.’’

Christianity began by spreading person-to-person and house-to-house. He calls the coronavirus crisis “one of the greatest opportunities we’ve ever had as a church.’’

“Take advantage of this time, don’t miss this opportunity,’’ Chan says. “This is one of our greatest opportunities for reaching out to a lost world and showing them that we haven’t lost our love, joy and peace — even at this moment.’’

Last November, Chan felt called to go to Asia…

He moved his family there recently, even as coronavirus was exploding in China. He wound up finding the Hong Kong neighborhood where his mother spread the Word 70 years ago. She would immigrate to San Francisco, where she died while giving birth to her son.

Chan’s California birthplace was one of the first U.S. cities to quarantine in place, confining people to homes.

“We can do all things through Christ — that means even during this time, as you guys are in lockdown,” Chan said. “We can get closer together somehow, whether it’s through technology or whatever else. We will figure out a way.’’

Being shown how vulnerable and volatile we are…

“This is what we’ve been working for — for seven years,’’ Chan said of the turn homeward. “We’ve been preaching: ‘We’ve got to get ready. There’s going to come a day when we can’t get in these big gatherings…’ When you’re going to need to know by yourself, no matter where you are, that you can thrive in your walk with God. You can gather with other believers and build each other up.’’

Just one month ago, The Wall Street Journal featured commentary titled “Thank God, American Churches Are Dying,’’ arguing that thousands of new “more lively’’ churches were taking the place of denomination-based churches that were declining as 42 percent of new churches were growing, practicing “church multiplication,’’ committing to start new smaller churches.

Chan has continually turned to less-traveled roads. He left his megachurch in 1994 to start Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. He left Cornerstone to start We Are Church.

He announced his latest move to missionary work in Asia last fall, seeing too many fishers competing in America and feeling called to an area hungry for the Word. He provoked a viral debate in January on the importance and meaning of communion.

When we are separated from leaders, we have to act

“Two weeks after I leave, we’re living it,’’ Chan said. “The country is having to live that. We can go anywhere to create our own gatherings… Am I prepared to take advantage of this time? One of the greatest opportunities for reaching out to a lost world?’’

Alone in your room, all isolated, you are also with God

“We don’t need the giant crowds or anything else if I just have a couple people with me in the room,’’ he adds. “When we take communion, there’s a way Christ is present. We have this right... Some of my most meaningful times of communion have been times with the family or with two buddies.’’

Here is Chan’s message from Hong Kong:

Don’t lose your love, joy or peace, he stresses

“We are people who are supposed to be fearless,’’ Chan adds. “I don’t have to fear death… This is the way Christ wants me to live… What do I have to fear?… I don’t have to fear death because this is the way Christ wants me to live… No disease, no death, nothing can separate me from God.’’

This story is published in Koinonia — stories by Christians to encourage, entertain, and empower you in your faith, food, fitness, family, and fun.

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