Walking In the Same Way

What Francis Chan shared yesterday wrecked me.

On Sunday, Chan stepped down from his 16-year Sr Pastor role at his church in Simi Valley, CA to pursue another adventure to which God is calling his family and him. Beginning this summer, the Chan family will begin ministering to the people of inner city Los Angeles.

Chan told us a story about a youth pastor in San Diego who frequently took people across the border to the slums of Tijuana for purposes of ministry. This youth pastor would immediately be recognized by the people. He would take a cloth and wipe the dirty faces of the children. he would bring them gifts and love on them. Those he took with him often said, "When I was with him, I felt like I was actually with Jesus."

By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:5b-6 ESV

Chan went on to say that his own life - speaking engagements, writing books, traveling, shooting videos, etc. - didn't closely enough resemble who Jesus was. It was time to get back to basics.

There are too many people in the position of leadership in the Church who pursue the wrong kind of success. It's so easy to want to be the leader of a mega church, to get published and be recognized as a celebrity Christian. When, all the while, we're simply supposed to be like Jesus.

When was the last time someone said about spending time with you, "When I was with him, I felt like I was actually with Jesus."?