Francis Chan - Living Crazy Love: An Interactive Workbook for Individual or Small-Group Study

Praise for

CRAZY LOVE

Chan writes with infectious exuberance, challenging Christians to take the Bible seriously. He describes at length the sorry state of lukewarm Christians who strive for a life characterized by control, safety, and an absence of suffering. In stark contrast, the book offers real-life accounts of believers who have given alltime, money, health, even their livesin obedience to Christs call. Chan also recounts his own attempts to live crazy by significantly downsizing his home and giving away his resources to the poor. Earnest Christians will find valuable take-home lessons from Chans excellent book.

Publishers Weekly

In Francis Chans unique style, and with an urgency that seeks to awaken a sleeping church mired in the comfort of middle ground, Crazy Love quickly gets to the heart of the matter and leaves you wanting more more of the matchless Jesus who offers radical life for all right now.

Louie Giglio, visionary architect, director of Passion Conferences, and author of I Am Not, but I Know I AM

Franciss life reflects authentic leadership tempered by a deep compassion for the lost, the last, the littlest, and the least. Its all because this man, my friend, is an ardent and devoted disciple of his Savior. In his fresh new book, Crazy Love , Francis peels back what we think the Christian life is, and guides us down the path toward an uncommon intimacy with Jesusan intimacy which cant help but change the world around us!

Joni Eareckson Tada, best-selling author and speaker

In an age of religious phonies, spiritual apathy, and disheartening books suggesting that God is a delusion, Crazy Love shines like a glorious beacon of hope and light. If youre stuck in a religious rut, read this refreshing book. I found it eye-opening and soul-thrilling. Whether in the pulpit or on the page, Francis Chan effuses love for Jesus Christ and demonstrates practical ways to throw off lukewarm Christianity and embrace full-on, passionate love for God.

Kirk Cameron, actor and author of Still Growing

LIVING CRAZY LOVE

Published by David C Cook

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David C Cook Distribution Canada

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David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England

The graphic circle C logo is a registered trademark of David C Cook.

All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, scanned, resold, or distributed by or through any print or electronic medium without written permission from the publisher. This ebook is licensed solely for the personal and noncommercial use of the original authorized purchaser, subject to the terms of use under which it was purchased. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights.

The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

LCCN 2011932485

ISBN 978-1-4347-0387-3

eISBN 978-1-4347-0466-5

2011 Francis Chan and Mark Beuving

Published in association with the literary agency of

D.C. Jacobson & Associates LLC, an Author Management Company

www.dcjacobson.com

The Team: Don Pape, Karen Lee-Thorp, Amy Kiechlin Konyndyk, Nick Lee, Caitlyn York, Karen Athen.

Cover Design: Jim Elliston, The Regime

First Edition 2011

CONTENTS

: STOP PRAYING

: YOU MIGHT NOT FINISH THIS CHAPTER

: CRAZY LOVE

: PROFILE OF THE LUKEWARM

: SERVING LEFTOVERS TO A HOLY GOD

: WHEN YOURE IN LOVE

: YOUR BEST LIFE LATER

: PROFILE OF THE OBSESSED

: WHO REALLY LIVES THAT WAY?

: THE CRUX OF THE MATTER

GETTING STARTED

Would you say that your life is characterized by love? Love for God? Love for the people around you? Or is there something else that drives you? Wed probably all be quick to affirm that we love God and love the people around us. But how many of us could really say that we are driven by love?

The Christian life is as simple and as difficult as this profound statement: God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:16). Thats it. Abide in love. Greater than any self-help strategy or formula for achieving happiness is this powerful call to simply love. It sounds easy enough, right?

I suppose love would be easy if we could define it any way wed like. But at the heart of the biblical concept of love is a God who demonstrated His love by making the supreme sacrifice: God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). When you put it like that, love doesnt seem so easy. Add to that Jesus statement in John 14:15: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Clearly love is far more important, far less fluffy, and far more involved than we tend to think.

Our lives should be characterized by love. First, we should be absolutely transformed by the love of God. Most of us need to radically expand our view of Gods love. Have you ever sat in awe as you considered the fact that the Creator of the universethe God who spoke the world into existence, the God who conquered sin and death by bursting forth from the grave, the God who will ultimately set the world to rights and to whom every single knee will bowthat this God loves you?

I dont hesitate to say that if we truly grasped the improbability and overwhelming power of Gods love, we would be changed forever. We would think differently. Feel differently. Live differently. Nothing would be the same.

Probably the biggest change would come in the form of our love for God. What do you suppose an appropriate response to Gods love looks like? Should you do a bunch of good things so you can pay Him back? Should you try to stay out of trouble so He doesnt have to worry about you anymore? Or should you continue to pursue His love and allow it to transform you and everyone you come into contact with?

This study is meant to help you think through Gods intense, relentless love and how that love should transform every aspect of your being. The thoughts and questions addressed in the following pages will help you to examine your life and take important steps toward pursuing God. Living Crazy Love is about growing into a wholehearted devotion to God.

When Paul prayed for the Ephesian churches, he asked God to strengthen them so they could comprehend the incomprehensible love of God (Eph. 3:1419). My prayer for you is the same. Gods love changes everything, and I want nothing more for you than that you would understand Gods love and respond appropriately. Never forget that we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS WORKBOOK

There are a few different ways to use this workbook. You can work through the study as an individual, as a part of a small group, or even during a weekend retreat. Ive made some suggestions for using the workbook in each of these settings below.

This workbook is designed to work hand in hand with the Crazy Love book and the Crazy Love DVD Study Resource . Ideally, you will read the relevant chapter from Crazy Love, then go through the corresponding session in the workbook, watching the appropriate video from the DVD when prompted.

But while that is the most thorough way of studying the material, the workbook also stands on its own. Youll notice that each session refers to the book and the DVD, but you can get a lot out of this workbook without those resources.