We Are Church by Francis Chan

We Are Church Reviews

• 
  Craig Turnbull

  [The copy of my version has a different title, Letters to the Church, and the cover resembles the hardcover version listed in Goodreads. Hereafter I'll be referring to the work as Letters to the Church]
  
  I'm not sure at all what to make of Francis Chan's latest offering, Letters to the Church. Described by the author as "definitely the most difficult book" he has ever written, I can see this work being a polarizing word to be sure - received by some enthusiasts, and rejected by others.
  
  Here's his thesis in his words:
  

  "My goal is to get you dreaming, to keep you from settling, to affirm that nagging sense you can’t shake that God wants something more for His Church than what you’re experiencing.

  
  To accomplish this Chan takes both a conventional approach and what I would call an odd approach. First, from the conventional end, he takes aim at American Christian consumerist approaches to church. Church should not be ninety minutes and then done, but a lifelong pursuit of oneness among the body of Christ. Just as New Testament believers did not just "do" or "go to church," so too our North American lives need to break away from self-centered, individual-driven event mentality. In large buildings stuffed with people and programs, the simple message and mission of the gospel is getting lost, and we are the worst for it.
  
  In a thought experiment, Chan asks the reader the following:
  

  Imagine you find yourself stranded on a deserted island with nothing but a copy of the Bible. You have no experience with Christianity whatsoever, and all you know about the Church will come from your reading of the Bible. How would you imagine a church to function? Seriously. Close your eyes for two minutes and try to picture “Church” as you would know it. Now think about your current church experience. Is it even close? Can you live with that?

  
  As for the non-conventional or new critique, Chan offers his house-church model as a better fix and substitute for the vices of mega-church. This, he insists is more in keeping with what the New Testament writers had in mind. Peppering his own story of leaving behind his megachurch in Simi Valley, California, Chan has been renewed by the vibrant growth of the house-church model with its rapid multiplication, every member involvement, care and discipleship and not in the least its missional emphasis with the Bay Area.
  
  As far as critiques go, I would commend Tim Challies' review:
  HERE.
  
  In addition to his suggestions, I'll add a few of my own.
  
  First, it's difficult to not LOVE Chan's enthusiasm for the Church and love for the Gospel. This is a man who loves Jesus and who genuinely wants to see him made known to the ends of the earth. His passion and burden for the growth of believers in the context of a healthy and vibrant church setting, and his experience in many different countries and types of churches has given him a unique perspective and voice into the state of things in America. It's a voice that, though often strong, is one that needs to be heard more than it doesn't.
  
  However, it's equally difficult to not pick up a strong tone of "those guys in that country do it really well, and we here in America do it wrong." This geographical snobbery takes the vices of church here in our affluent setting and causes him to make broad, sweeping, and unfair generalizations like the following:
  

  "But have you ever read the New Testament? Do you find anything in Scripture that is even remotely close to the pattern we have created?"
  
  "But can you name a single church in our country that is known for the way its members love one another?"
  
  "The Church is in dire need of a fresh wave of godly leadership. I pray all existing leaders would be renewed or replaced."

  
  The end result is a book that sounds a whole lot less like a letter to a church, and a whole lot more like a warning to change into his version of church or face the condemnation of God. Even the adjusted title, to reflect the apostolic language of the New Testament, and his direct linking of the churches of Revelation, some of whom, "sound healthier than many [he has] visited in America" sound far more condemning than his other works.
  
  Critiques given, at the end of the day, it's a Francis Chan book, and it's inspirational as we would expect. Though the book seems to forget its audience and lob hand grenades from a lofty "I get to see a lot of global churches and you don't" position, it may prove more prescient than we might imagine as the culture turns away from Christianity in increasing ways. Perhaps house churches will take off in North America not out of desire, but out of need. If that becomes true, I'd love to see a nation filled with churches as he describes.
• 
  Jessica Hampton

  Amazing
  
  This book challenged my way of thinking from the first sentence. All the way to the end I tried to see my church and what we could do differently.
• 
  Justin

  I liked some things said early on in the book, but otherwise I have mixed thoughts about it. After the first few chapters, I had to set it down and go read something else. Chan seems to think the early church was way more awesome than the reality was by focusing on Acts 2-4 as the baseline to the exclusion of what was going wrong. Most people only notice the dysfunctional reality starting to hit the fan with Ananias and Saphira, and then the onset of persecution. Out of most commentators and Bible teachers, Dr. Bill Creasy is the only person I've ever heard point out that the pooling of resources by the church was because of all people that were visiting Jerusalem for Pentecost (when 3000 were added to their number) and were from foreign lands -- and after the upper room experience that led to their conversion, they didn't want to leave (i.e. go back to the far corners of the earth from which they had come), hence (perhaps providentially) the persecutions lit a fire under them to finally leave what otherwise seems to Chan and others like some idyllic church community that was "doing it right." Persecution may have done more to grow the church than bickering over whose needs were being so generously neglected and who was contributing most to the community's benevolence fund.
• 
  Jeremy Bloom

  Great insight on how to be the church
  
  I would recommend this book to leaders in the church who find themselves discontent with the church in America's current condition. This book was written with experience, hope and humility.
  I like how Francis Chan illustrates his points with stories and analogies. The result is a book that should be prayed through and not just read through.
• 
  Steven Robertson

  Chan's style is very hyperbolic, which lends him an air of energy and enthusiasm, but also tends toward painting with a broad brush.
  
  The book is good for encouraging a healthy view of the church and a view of the importance of the Church. The more prescriptive (which he qualifies as the way they do it, but not necessarily the only way) elements of the book are more sketchy to me.
  
  It's not a bad book. Especially toward the end, it's less compelling (and borderline condescending), but it's still a good challenge for Christians, especially American Christians.
  
  Needs some pretty hefty filtering in places, but otherwise not bad.
• 
  Ray Zoller

  An Essential and Timely Message for me and, I Think, The Church
  
  I read "Letters to the Church" and for some reason, Goodreads is referring to it as "We Are Church" - I suppose they'll sort that out but if you decide to read it, look for "Letters to the Church."
  
  I attend a multi-campus megachurch. A couple of months ago, our local community campus closed and we've been trying to re-acclimate to a larger campus farther away. We're still called to this church but we're also still in community with those who attended our local campus. We're all sorting out what to do next. This book was a timely read and will help inform our next steps.
  
  It will challenge your idea of Church, give you a fresh and Biblical perspective and call you to a deeper commitment to Jesus and His bride. I highly recommend it. Thanks to Francis for writing it.
• 
  Moises Godinez

  Compelling, Inspired & Challenging
  
  Pastor Francis Chan does an excellent job of presenting his understandings about what the Church should be according to Scripture. He points out shortcomings in the Church in a loving and caring manner that should challenge us to reevaluate our current methods. He also challenges us as individuals within the body. Are we building up the body using our gifts or are we depending on the gifts of a few? Are we causing division or promoting unity in the church? Overall, its a call to humble ourselves and love one another in such a supernatural way through the power of the Holy Spirit that the world can’t help but notice God’s presence on earth through His Bride.
• 
  Jonathan Johnson

  Great book
  
  This book is the gold standard
  It is not about having a big or a small church, but about being fulfilled from the simple pillars of Christianity:
  Fellowship, discipleship, bible reading, love of suffering, and prayer (I add fasting)
  Unfortunately, it seems like human nature to become complacent
  This is not a book to convert people to Christianity, but a book to challenge already Christians to live lives that are more simple but yet more fulfilled that are easily distinguishable from a happy non Christian
  A joy and a happiness that feels supernatural to the outside world
  I love it
  I would recommend this book to any Christian trying to simplify yet grow their life
• 
  David

  Convicting and inspiring
  
  Chan as usual writes with an infectious conviction. He loves to root all of his ideas in the Bible, and does not mince words where he sees himself or the church falling short. Some of the issues he discusses deserve more depth than he gave them. The ending of the book would be better if he had taken some time to discuss issues or challenges with his proposed church model. Several important questions occurred to me that were not even mentioned.
  
  Still he is not pushy with his small home-based model and many of his ideas could be incorporated in a hybrid form of his ideas and a traditional church. Not quite 5 stars but certainly worth the read and consideration for churches.
• 
  Jeff Whittum

  Great book. Parts of it are difficult to relate to if you are not currently operating as (or transitioning to) a house church. But I found all the challenges offered to the church in general to be good and godly ones. I have used this book as a template for a Sunday School series at the church I pastor and I think it has been very fruitful. I would like to give it 4.5 stars, but that's not an option and I just didn't think it was quite a 5. Still, another great offering to the church by a man that so obviously loves the Church and (more importantly) the head of that Church - Jesus. Francis Chan has done it again. I assume this will not be the last time I say this.
• 
  Mike Smith

  Letters to the Church. Two things I detest; change and the way things are! Leave the work of the Spirit to God. Work where he’s working. Be a humble Servant in a face of arrogance even
  
  You’ve got to give this idea a great nome. Older people need to ask “is this (current church) want we want to pass on to the next generation? Really? Part of it perhaps, but not the whole. We’ve messed it up pretty badly over the past 500 years. Let the young innovate and bring energy. Let the old pass on wisdom. Strive for unity and diversity. Love one another as Christ loved us. Pray for the world.
• 
  Luis Jimenez

  Powerful and love-filled message
  
  What should a church actually look like? This is a bold message that pastors and laypeople need to hear. It will challenge you to question your own motives for even attending church, but especially if you are a leader. At many points I felt convicted to stop reading and do something. Glad to say it didn’t stop with the conviction and actually led me to step out and do something about what I was reading.
• 
  Karrel Buck

  Convicting
  
  This book is very good and maybe some day I will attend church like this. Right now I am where I belong. However, I long for Bible studies to be less videos and more Bible. I love that my pastor actually teaches from the Word. We need to devalue teaching from the “famous” and turn to the actual Word of God. It is enough!
• 
  James L. Bevins

  Letters to ME
  
  Francis Chan is a wonderful communicator and this book is no exception. His in depth look at the early church model is sobering to me, and I found myself repenting after almost every chapter. My heart is encouraged and refreshed as I recommit myself to serving others as Christ has demonstrated for us. You need this book.
• 
  Wilfred Teo

  Christ-like
  
  Such is the power of a christ-like and christ-centered man. Pastor Chan's book compassionately yet clearly cuts into the rut of modern churches and brings us back to the heart of God in scripture. He does it with the utmost patience and humility.
  
  It's a page turner because he makes a God look really great in every page.
  
• 
  Tony Fraley

  Being the Church
  
  My heart has been reflecting on the New Testament Church model for some time. This book has been a great reminder of the model that helped Christianity explode in the 1st Century. Chan has done a great job reflecting on what Scripture shows us. It’s given me much to consider and to pray about.
  I’m probably going to read this again in the near future.
• 
  Mike Finton

  This will change your view of church
  
  Wow! Going back to the church to the way it started as described in the book of Acts. Does that seem radical or does that seem right? I have been in small groups that feel like places where there is more love and care and spirit like Chan talks about in this book. I think he is really into something, but leave my warm and fuzzy church?
• 
  Kimberly Van Diepen

  Whoa! Fantastic Book
  
  There is so much goodness wrapped in this book. Francis Chan gets to the point concerning the struggles in the church backed with scripture throughout. I found myself belting out many “amen’s” as I read. Most important was recognizing my own sin throughout my reading.
• 
  Becky Miller

  Reformation Revival
  
  Overall, I liked the book. I'm a big fan of Francis Chan. I loved reading about his rediscovery. I too experienced my own reformation revival, so I can relate; however, there were times I felt the book lacked the fierce passion I believed Francis was endeavoring to get across.
• 
  Patricia

  Inspiring!
  
  I love the honestly in Francis Chan. He inspires me to be honest with myself and God. Why shouldn’t I be honest with God, he knows my every thought anyway! I want to draw closer to God, and reach out more to others. I’m not gifted with words, but this book is a “must read it to believe it” book.
• 
  Denise Chastain

  Humbly written
  
  This book was incredibly challenging. As someone who has worked overseas and plans to go back, this book gives new thought process to go back to the Bible to see how the church began and what God wants from his church. A must read for leaders! This is supposed to be a review for “Letters to the Church” by Francis Chan. I don’t know why it says “We are Church.”