Francis's Secret

I was speaking at Messiah College's FCA last night and I asked the 50 students who were present how many of them have read or were reading the book, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that about 40 students raised their hand.  Wow!  Why is this book so popular?  Certainly one of the reasons is because it is a good book.  It's well written and it hits a nerve among young people.  Some critics might be quick to say that it does not have enough theological precision, but it is on target and it comes from a man who is practicing what he preaches.  What I find most interesting is that it comes from a man who does not have a TV in his home.  Francis is more concerned about holiness than he is about being culturally relevant.  He is more concerned about godliness than he is about being cool.  I was listening to a sermon of his and he explained how TV is just not something that they have at home.  You might think that weird.  Now there may not be a direct connection between the success of his book and his decision about TV, but I'm guessing there is a connection nonetheless.  The connection is between a man who obviously values the pursuit of personal holiness (ie. separation from worldly influences) and his vast influence among young people.  I'm personally challenged by this to think about what media I consume.