Communion, Protestantism, & the Love of God (Pt. 1) | Francis Chan & Gavin Ortlund
Francis Chan sits down with theologian and apologist Gavin Ortlund (truthunites.org) for a vulnerable, wide-ranging conversation about communion, church unity, and what it means to love other Christians in a fractured age. Francis shares his own journey wrestling with the Eucharist, reading the church fathers, engaging Roman Catholic and Orthodox perspectives, and discovering the “real presence” within a Protestant framework. Gavin explains why he remains gratefully Protestant and how he understands the richness of the Lord’s Supper and church history.
Together, they talk honestly about the harsh tone of much online “discernment” content, the temptation to chase clicks by attacking other believers, and the deep grief they both feel over division in the body of Christ. Francis opens up about this new season of life and ministry, sensing a renewed childlike faith, a burden to guard and walk with younger leaders, and a longing to see gospel-centered unity rooted in truth and shaped by the love of God.
If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about the Lord’s Supper, Protestant vs. Catholic/Orthodox claims, or how to contend for truth without losing love, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you to fix your eyes on Jesus and pursue a unity that flows from the gospel itself.
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A Race for the Bottom | Francis Chan
In this powerful teaching, Francis Chan shares his experience visiting a village church in rural China - one of the most beautiful pictures of the Body of Christ he has ever witnessed. What he encountered wasn’t consumer Christianity or personality-driven gatherings, but a community of believers who had truly given themselves away.
Francis contrasts this with the Western tendency to attend church like consumers, evaluating leaders, seeking comfort, and avoiding sacrifice. Through Philippians 2 and 2 Corinthians 8, he calls us back to the simplicity and costliness of following Jesus: dying to ourselves, becoming servants, and letting the grace of God transform us into givers.
This episode paints a stirring vision of what the Church is meant to be, one that displays the manifold wisdom of God not only to the world, but to the heavenly realms. It’s an invitation to rethink what we’re chasing, to pursue the “race to the bottom,” and to embody the self-giving love of Christ.
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Striving for Holiness | Francis Chan
Francis Chan invites us to linger at the foot of the cross and fix our eyes on Jesus. Drawing from the story of Gethsemane and 2 Peter 1, Francis reminds us that we’ve been given “everything we need for life and godliness,” called to become partakers of the divine nature, and urged to “make every effort” toward virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. He calls us to worship without distraction, to pursue holiness with grit, and to live for what is unseen and eternal (2 Corinthians 4).
Scripture references: Matthew 26:36–46; Isaiah 53:10; 2 Peter 1:1–9; Ezekiel 36–37; 2 Corinthians 4:17–18.
This message was originally delivered at the Passion Conference (2014).
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Staying Anchored in Suffering | Francis Chan
In today’s message, Francis Chan paints a picture of what the Church was always meant to be - a family where every member brings their gifts, their stories, and their brokenness into the light. He shares how honesty, humility, and repentance create space for God’s Spirit to move and bring real revival. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 1 and the book of Job, Francis reminds us that God’s comfort in suffering is never wasted; it’s meant to be shared with others.
If you’ve ever wrestled with shame, questioned God’s fairness, or struggled to make sense of suffering, this episode will remind you that the story always ends with God, the Creator, who holds the clay in His hands and is worthy of our trust, even when life doesn’t make sense.
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Desperate for His Presence | Francis Chan
In this powerful message from a worship night at Pepperdine University, Francis Chan challenges us to long for more than just emotional moments or great worship experiences, but to hunger for the presence of God Himself.
Drawing from Exodus 33, Francis unpacks Moses’ bold statement to God: “If Your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” He reminds us that Moses wasn’t satisfied with blessings, success, or even an angel leading the way. He wanted God Himself.
Through Scripture and stories from his own journey, Francis describes what happens when the Holy Spirit truly changes a person’s nature, when worship becomes a response of the heart rather than an act of habit. He contrasts outward religion with inward transformation, calling us to let God put both His fear and His love within our hearts so that our walk with Him endures for a lifetime.
This message is a passionate invitation to examine what we really want from God: His gifts, or His presence. May it stir a holy desire in you to seek Him above all else.
Podcast with Francis Chan, best-selling author of Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Erasing Hell, Multiply, You and Me Forever and Letters to the Church, and most recently Until Unity. For more resources from Crazy Love Ministries or to support the work of Crazy Love please visit our website at crazylove.org
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