Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan

Dec 21, 2011

Jennifer rated it

Shelves: bible-study, christian-non-fic

In this book, pastor Francis Chan attempts to "reverse our tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit", the third of the trinity he has named "the forgotten God." Unfortunately, he spends more of his time apologizing for his beliefs about the Holy Spirit and asking the reader if she has the courage to change her beliefs about the Holy Spirit. Several chapters can be summed up this way: 1. "Would you change what you believe if I showed you the Bible said something that contradicts...moreIn this book, pastor Francis Chan attempts to "reverse our tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit", the third of the trinity he has named "the forgotten God." Unfortunately, he spends more of his time apologizing for his beliefs about the Holy Spirit and asking the reader if she has the courage to change her beliefs about the Holy Spirit. Several chapters can be summed up this way: 1. "Would you change what you believe if I showed you the Bible said something that contradicts your current beliefs?", 2. "Are you sure? Because I may say something you don't want to hear." 3. "Are you sure you're sure? Because, seriously, I could possibly show you something that really challenges your preset beliefs. I mean, let's really question your motives for WHY you want to learn about the Holy Spirit." 4. "Okay, you asked for it!! Here's several well-known passages about the Holy Spirit." 5. "Are you okay? Did I blow your mind with Holy Spirit 101? I am so sorry. Really, really sorry. It's just that I have these radical beliefs... Again, I'm sorry." It takes five chapters to get to any material that is mildly connected to a believer living his life in neglect of the Holy Spirit, and even then the chapter is so basic it makes me wonder if I am have attended the only 3 churches in the world that preach and teach from the Bible. All of this is old hat to anyone who has spent a little time in a pew. Chapter six gets no better as it describes how whole churches are operating on their own power instead of God's. Except for Chan's church who has truly pondered what it is to live like the early church did in the book of Acts. And then the book is over, questioning again, "Do you have the courage to live like you believe in the Holy Spirit? Well, DO YOU?"

On the whole, the basics presented in this book (and workbook, sold separately) are a decent starting place for a new believer with little to no knowledge of what the Bible says. On the other hand, there's a few statements in here that make me think it would be a horrible place for a new believer to start because there's not enough Scripture, and a little too much commentary from Chan. For instance, he writes, "I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit." Good desire! I totally agree! But then he describes the Fruit of the Spirit (from Galatians 5) to be traits that anyone can have (he cites Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists and athiests) but that as Christians we can possess these traits to a supernatural degree. Though I think he was on the right track with this thought, that the fruit of the Spirit is supernatural and only obtained through the Spirit in us, he makes it sound like anyone can have a little bit of it just through their natural goodness. In chapter one he says there is a danger to reading the Scriptures and asking the Spirit to aid your understanding "since the Bible is meant to be interpreted within the context and accountability of faithful community." Say what?! He cited no verse to prove this point, since he would be hard-pressed to find one.

Final Verdict: Chan is more of a danger to those who are not mature and need guidance than he is a help.

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Aug 06, 2011

John rated it

Francis Chan's book Forgotten God was well written and worth the read. I've come from a background that for fear of being too charismatic has down-played the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. As Chan works through Scripture texts, he forcefully points out the work of the Holy Spirit in redemption, sanctification, and preservation--all key components of the gospel power at work in our lives. I was struck with the simple and straight forward way his book reminds just ho...more

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Jul 28, 2011

Zack added it

Francis Chan desperately desires for those who claim to be Christians to use the Bible as the guide for their lifestyle choices and everyday decisions. He is a great communicator who conveys biblical truths without being hard to understand, impractical, or watered down. In this book, he discusses the unbelievably precious gift of the Holy Spirit and the wonder of literally having God live inside of you, always with you, to guide you and give you strength to live a godly life. If this is true in ...more

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Jul 09, 2011

Shelly rated it

I am teaching Sunday School in the morning for a good friend of mine. I do so with much trepidation. Who am I, to attempt to speak on the Holy Spirt, part of the triune God? I don’t even have my Jesus or My God even close to figured out, and now I am tasked with teaching others the theology of the Holy Spirit.

And, it can’t be made up, that right smack in the middle of preparing for Sunday school to teach on the Holy Spirit, I am giving the topic to my final paper for my Seminary ...moreI am teaching Sunday School in the morning for a good friend of mine. I do so with much trepidation. Who am I, to attempt to speak on the Holy Spirt, part of the triune God? I don’t even have my Jesus or My God even close to figured out, and now I am tasked with teaching others the theology of the Holy Spirit.

And, it can’t be made up, that right smack in the middle of preparing for Sunday school to teach on the Holy Spirit, I am giving the topic to my final paper for my Seminary New Testament Class. Anyone want to take a guess at the topic???

Yep. The Holy Spirit and it’s role and manifestation of Grace.

In the study prep for Sunday School, as well as the research being done for my paper, I think I have nailed down some solid ideas that at least acknowledges who the Spirit is, although for full comprehension, he is beyond our reach.

But as of yet, my work on this subject has been keenly academic in it’s manifestation. When the Bible says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, then we must admit two things. That list is both entertained amongst themselves (ie the heart, soul mind and strength are all connected by a common thread. But that list also can be interrupted as a list of separate concepts….the singular heart……the secured seat of the in your innermost being…….the use of the mind to intellectually and effective come to scripture….and strength in body, to be ready when God calls.

I often joke that I have made it yet to the holy spirit to study him, my hands are full with learning about my God and my Jesus. But the Holy Spirit is MY Holy Spirit as well, seeking a personal relationship with me: Indwelling in me, praying for me, giving me good gifts.

But the Holy Spirit was a gift of God’s to us. Chan writes it so much more precisely than I could, so I’ll add his thoughts here:

“WHEN JESUS WAS ON EARTH, HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES,”IF YOU THEN, WHO ARE EVIL,KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN HOW MUCH MORE WILL THE HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE HWO ASK HIM? (LUKE 10:14)

GOD IS A GOOD FATHER WHO WANTS TO GIVE GOOD GIFS TO HIS CHIDREN. SOMETIMES I FORGET THIS TRUTH AND BEG AS HTUH HE NEEDS CONVINCING. IT’S AS RIDICULOUS AS IF MY KIDS HOUGHT THEY NEEDED TO BEG ME TO HUG THEM. IT DEIGHTS MY HEART TO HUG THEM.

WHEW. THESE ARE HELPFUL THOUGHTS. BUT THEY ALSO CAUSE ME WHAT PLACE I ALLOW THE SPIRIT TO CONTROL IN MY LIFE. I WONDER IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER BIBLICAL CHARACTHERS THAT WERE JUST AS BLASTED STUBBORN AS I AM.

TURNING BACK TO THE TOPIC AT HAND: ALL I KNOW TO DO, IS TO DO THE THINGS I KNOW TO DO, AND STUDY WELL FOR MY CLASS . I AM FEARFUL OF ANOTHER SHORT NIGHT.
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Feb 05, 2011

John rated it

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Francis Chan is on a mission to change Western Christianity.

Not a mission to make us better informed, or more culturally relevant, or even more doctrinally correct.

He is on a mission for us to walk with the "Forgotten God," the Holy Spirit. He calls the Holy Spirit such because he affirms that although we say we know and walk with Him, our lives testify otherwise:

"The light of the Ame...more

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Jan 10, 2011

Seth Comfort rated it

I finished reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan...what a great book! Right from the start, through solid scriptural support, Francis brings us back to the Holy Spirit as the Bible portrays Him. He explains how we have missed a huge blessing in the Holy Spirit and our neglect is causing disastrous results. Not only does he point out where we are missing the Spirit, but he also address how we can bridge that gap.
In between chapters he also gives examples of people he thinks are truly living...moreI finished reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan...what a great book! Right from the start, through solid scriptural support, Francis brings us back to the Holy Spirit as the Bible portrays Him. He explains how we have missed a huge blessing in the Holy Spirit and our neglect is causing disastrous results. Not only does he point out where we are missing the Spirit, but he also address how we can bridge that gap.
In between chapters he also gives examples of people he thinks are truly living by the holy spirit. That is very encouraging to have examples who are living by the Holy Spirit and how that has impacted their daily lives.
This book challenged me in my daily living. One part that has stuck with me, Chan addressed how some people say "I wish I knew God's plan for my life." Chan explains that a lot of Christians today use that more as an excuse not to have faith in God. He points back to the Bible and asks how many people in the Bible does God lay out a 5 year plan for their lives. More often than not, God asks us to follow him by faith, not because we know exactly where we are going. That has really stuck with me and challenged me to live by faith on a daily basis.
Another part that I am still thinking about, Chan says what if you heard God's voice say to you "Sell all your possessions, give them to the poor, I have a plan for you." What would you do? Chan says before we start making reasons why God wouldn't do that, try and answer honestly. I have been wrestling with that, I would like to think that I would follow God, but there are a lot of "things" that I really enjoy in my life, Chan reminds us that although God may not ask that of us, it is not out of God's character to ask us to surrender things in our lives for Him.
It is pretty amazing and encouraging to hear that Francis Chan is willing to follow the Spirit even if that means leaving his position as senior pastor at his church. He is following by faith as he describes in his book.
This book is a great read, I would highly suggest it. Francis Chan is a great writer and he writes with such transparency, I feel like a know him and I can't wait to read his next book, Crazy Love.

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Nov 11, 2010

Jerry Simmons rated it

I enjoy having my heart and life challenged by the Word of God, so I loved this book! The challenge presented in this book is to reverse the neglect of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Spirit, we know about the Holy Spirit, but do we allow the Holy Spirit to fill and overflow our lives? As Christians our lives are often not much different than before we received Jesus, and not much different than the world around us. Yet as we look at what the Bible has to say about the Holy Spirit, it is...more

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Sep 29, 2010

John rated it

My junior year in High School I picked up the habit of listening to the preaching of Charles Stanley. Most afternoons on the way home from school the dial on my family’s ’79 Corolla was set to 830AM and I listened to his baritone southern cadence. It’s not surprising then, that one of the first Christian books I purchased on my own was Stanley’s freshly printed The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life. 15 years later, Chan’s Forgotten God took me right back to that book.

Now, it’s unlikely ...moreMy junior year in High School I picked up the habit of listening to the preaching of Charles Stanley. Most afternoons on the way home from school the dial on my family’s ’79 Corolla was set to 830AM and I listened to his baritone southern cadence. It’s not surprising then, that one of the first Christian books I purchased on my own was Stanley’s freshly printed The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life. 15 years later, Chan’s Forgotten God took me right back to that book.

Now, it’s unlikely those who pick up Chan’s book will have read Stanley’s. Perhaps equally as unlikely is the fact that an old school Baptist preacher born and bred in the south and this cutting edge Chinese-American leader who is Californian through and through would deliver the same thesis: the American church has neglected the Holy Spirit and needs to reclaim and understanding of and a responsiveness to the Spirit and his work.

Chan’s message in the book is consistent with the concerns he has voiced (and acted upon) publicly: “The light of the American church,” Chan says, “is flickering and nearly extinguished, having largely sold out to the kingdoms and values of this world” (17). American affluence has created spiritual cataracts on our eyes and we’re in need of a radical answer to the crisis. Chan responds with a simple solution: “I believe that this missing something is actually a missing Someone –namely, the Holy Spirit” (16).

Chan doesn’t believe our problem is fundamentally theological in nature. He likens the American church to freshwater spring in James 3:11 that pours forth saltwater. Our problem is one of faith-response to the Spirit of God. We say we are born anew and yet the Spirit sits stultified on our theological mantles and not living and active in our hearts. “What are we afraid of?” Chan asks. Perhaps we’re afraid that God might not come through, but even deeper, Chan believes, is that we’re afraid that God will come through and call us to a radical Spirit-led life.

Chan then spends a chapter working out a theology of the Spirit in which he tries to tread some middle ground between those conservative churches who “may quench the Spirit by ignoring His working” (56) and those charismatic churches who tend to “practice prophetic utterances” without rejecting false prophets and prophecies “by calling them out on their biblical inconsistencies” (56). Chan also spends some time fleshing out what a theology of Spirit response might look like.

The final four chapters are spent reflecting on what our response to the Spirit ought to look like. Seeking the Spirit, Chan says, ought to be driven by seeking God himself: his holiness and godliness, and the accompanying fruits his gives us (love, joy, peace, etc). This stands in contrast to those who seek the Spirit to seek out his miraculous gifts or those who seek the Spirit to seek out the ‘will of God’ (as though it was something other than seeking God himself). One of Chan’s fundamental calls in these chapters is for us to turn to the Spirit in prayer and in committing our lives and concerns to him.

Chan’s book is deeply practical and personal. Each chapter ends with a story of a different friend of Chan’s who has responded to the Spirit in a radical way, and like so much Chan writes about and preaches on, he is always holding up his own life and his church to the light and considering what dramatic changes he personally needs to make. Just as with Crazy Love, this makes Chan both authentic and trustworthy as an author. Those who read Chan will inevitably be inspired to follow Chan’s bold faith.

It is worth noting that Chan does not put on airs about his deep convictions. Chan’s generosity and willingness to make radical changes have always been part of his ministry. In fact, this year has brought about perhaps the most radical of those steps. In April Chan stepped down as Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church, a church he founded in 1994 with 30 people that has grown to several thousand. Chan stepped down without any clear direction from God other than that God was calling him to a new chapter. Chan and his wife have spent the last several months praying and walking cities where they feel God may be leading them. One has to deeply respect such radical and humble faith and Chan’s genuineness.
Despite my high esteem for Mr. Chan, there were several components of the book that I felt could have been significantly improved. The first is the basic argument itself. Chan argues that we have neglected the Holy Spirit. Almost always, Chan frames this argument around our neglect in terms of responding to the Spirit, which I think is spot on. But there are times where Chan at least implicitly argues that we have improperly neglected the Spirit as an area of focus in the church. And he doesn’t hold up a simple but important truth that the Spirit’s purpose is to point to the Son (Jn 14:26; 1 Jn 4:2).

This leads to the second component of the book I felt could have used improvement. In the book, Chan admirably tries to bridge the charismatic-conservative divide in terms of our study of and response to the Sprit. In so doing, Chan tends to downplay some significant debates (“I don’t want to get caught up in abstract and nebulous distinctions” (65)) pushing us to consider instead just those “theological issues that shape our faith and behavior” (65). That is a noble intention, and Chan does well in not turning his book into a theological textbook, but I think he’s pushed too far the other direction and downplayed some critical debates. Take, for example, his contention that “it’s needless for us to debate about when the Holy Spirit becomes a part of someone’s life” (68). On the contrary, the debate about when one is or isn’t filled with the Spirit and how one can or cannot lose the Spirit are of the utmost importance as we consider the security of our relationship with God and what he requires of us and calls us to. I appreciate why Chan didn’t want to get caught up in the minutiae, but I think that he really could have served his reader better by discussing some of these important discussions that have a direct impact on our faith and our life with God.

Despite some weaknesses, this is a book I would recommend to readers at all levels of spiritual maturity. The book may not build as sturdy a theological foundation as I might like, but I do believe that God will continue to use it as he has used all of Chan’s ministry, to ‘build His church, an unstoppable force, empowered and sustained by the Holy Spirit” (156).
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Jul 04, 2010

Jo rated it

Shelves: religious-spiritual

I listened to the audiobook, read by Chan himself and you can tell that he's passionate about his subject -- I liked that. In a series of succinct and to the point chapters, Chan writes about why we need the Holy Spirit, who He is, and what it looks like when He is operating unencumbered in our lives. At the end of each chapter, he also includes profiles of everyday people who have been touched and inspired by the Holy Spirit's leadings and models that aspect of life with the Holy Spirit. The b...more

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May 03, 2010

Josh Morgan rated it

This review originally appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café.

I recently finished listening to the audiobook version of Francis Chan's Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. It was not as part of one of the reviewer programs, although I did get it free through a christianaudio coupon code.

This is sometimes billed as the sequel to Crazy Love, which I really liked. The interview with Chan preceding the book itself was very nice, and Chan said he actually...moreThis review originally appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café.

I recently finished listening to the audiobook version of Francis Chan's Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. It was not as part of one of the reviewer programs, although I did get it free through a christianaudio coupon code.

This is sometimes billed as the sequel to Crazy Love, which I really liked. The interview with Chan preceding the book itself was very nice, and Chan said he actually was more excited about this book than Crazy Love. When I started it, I liked it a lot more, too. He starts by saying we need to challenge our beliefs constantly to make sure we are as accurate as we can be. I probably liked it because that's the foundation of this blog! :)

In the interview, Chan also acknowledges he is not a great reader, but prefers to read this book himself because he cares so much about it. Like I've said in previous reviews, I'm so happy he did because his passion really comes through. And something happened between Crazy Love and Forgotten God because he is a MUCH better reader. He was very engaging and did not sound like he was just reading.

His basic premise is that Christians often forget about the Holy Spirit, a person of God just as important as the Father and the Son. I particularly like how he asserts that we need to start calling the Spirit "he" instead of "it," which we usually do, relegating the Spirit to some odd, nonpersonal thing. Through these kinds of words, Chan does a nice job of presenting the Spirit in a new way. Like he even says in the interview, this book really does not say anything new, but says it in ways that quite powerful and engaging.

Partway through the book, I started becoming a bit bored. Forgotten God is much more cognitive than Crazy Love, which was much more passionate and heart-focused. This is not always a bad thing by any means. I tend to live in my head more, which may be why I prefer tomes that focus on the heart more because that's more of my need.

The other difficulty I had with the book is Chan presents thing in a bit of an idealistic situation. He talks about ways of living with the Spirit that are nice, but are not always practical. As one friend said, we do not always live in a state of "spiritual heroics." We are not always intoxicated by overwhelming, crazy love for God. Just as in other relationships, feelings are transient, and that is okay. However, with some of the way Chan talks, one could feel guilty for not always being on a spiritual high.

Overall, though, I recommend this book. It is an excellent treatise on the Holy Spirit and definitely made me more aware of him. (less)

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Feb 22, 2010

John Gardner rated it

This is the second book published by the author of “Crazy Love” (which is one of the greatest books published in the last few years). Those familiar with Chan’s previous work will undoubtedly love this one. In it, he explores the theology of the Holy Spirit. His premise is that the Holy Spirit is the “forgotten” person of the Holy Trinity — not in the sense that he is actually forgotten or left out completely, but that our understanding of the Spirit lags behind our understanding of the roles th...more

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Sep 04, 2009

Jud Kossum rated it

Anyone who’s read my blog for any amount of time knows of my respect for Francis Chan, and you probably know how much I loved his first book Crazy Love. And I – apparently – was not the only one! Crazy Love had a pretty big impact. The book sold 250,000 copies in its first year and has been translated into more than ten languages.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited to get the opportunity to review Chan’s latest book Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, ...more

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Oct 25, 2011

Travis rated it

In Forgotten God, Francis Chan challenges believers to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit of God. Chan, a former pastor and widely-acclaimed Christian speaker, brings his trademark plain speech and passion to this, his second major book—his first being Crazy Love.

Positive

Chan argues that many believers have a basic doctrine of the Holy Spirit as part of the trinity, but the same Christians have no real experience with the Spirit of God. The author challenges Christia...moreIn Forgotten God, Francis Chan challenges believers to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit of God. Chan, a former pastor and widely-acclaimed Christian speaker, brings his trademark plain speech and passion to this, his second major book—his first being Crazy Love.

Positive

Chan argues that many believers have a basic doctrine of the Holy Spirit as part of the trinity, but the same Christians have no real experience with the Spirit of God. The author challenges Christians to stop settling for head knowledge of God’s Spirit and to pray fervently for God to allow them to experience his presence and love through his indwelling Spirit.

Chan is very open, honest, and personal in this book. There is no doubt that Francis Chan has been truly convicted about his lack of Spirit-focus in his own life. He believes that he has neglected one of the persons of the Godhead, and he recognizes this as sinful. Thus, Chan’s observations are refreshingly real—they do not make one feel as though they are being talked down to by an aloof scholar.

Negative

Perhaps it is the nature of such a writing, but Chan is unable to offer much by way of action steps for Christians who are finding themselves guilty of neglecting the Spirit of God. Chan suggests a change of mind and more prayer, but these steps are probably already things that guilty Christians know they need.

Chan’s work also walks into a more mystical level of Holy-Spirit-encounter than many non-charismatic believers may find comfortable. Unfortunately, Chan mostly has only his own experience to cite as his authority for how one’s encounters with God’s Spirit ought to look or feel. Don’t get me wrong, Chan is not neglecting Scripture in this book, but there is an element of mystical encounter in the writing that is simply personal for him. Thus Chan’s experience may be a little more—though not drastically over-the-top—than some would embrace.

Conclusion and Recommendation

I was blessed by reading Chan’s work. His sincerity was touching. His push to not settle for a bookish experience with the Holy Spirit was challenging. His call to radical living was refreshing. While I do not agree with every conclusion Chan draws, I believe most Christians would benefit from some time with this text.

** Note: For this review, I listened to the audio version of this book. I received my files from www.ChristianAudio.com **

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Jul 27, 2011

Chris Mclain rated it

Francis Chan has hit the nail right on the head with Forgotten God. This book is about the "forgotten" member of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. Not only does he lay out the basic truths about this entity, Chan challenges every Christian to reevaluate his or her own relationship with it. To ask the tough questions about what we really believe, and if we believe those things, how they should spur us to action. As a minister, I have been greatly challenged by Forgotten God, and if I am com...more

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Aug 08, 2011

Sean Kahlich rated it

I love Francis Chan and his insatiable desire to "get" the Spirit. The book (with an intriguing title) doesn't focus on the depth of pneumatology that some might expect, rather, it serves as a challenge to daily submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 6 is a personal favorite, but I skimmed major chunks of other chapters. There are some great quotes, some convicting thoughts, and a few good ideas to help the reader understand more of the Holy Spirit's activity beyond Acts ...more

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Nov 11, 2011

Jennifer rated it

Shelves: abc-reading-challenge-books, philosophy-and-religion, 1000000-pages-books

Though this book is considered “Inspirational,” I feel that Chan’s narrative voice is very distinct—he is not preaching at his readers, but rather working through what he is writing for himself and sharing it with those who decide to pick up his book and take this journey with him. This book is not merely another instructional guide for living a better life according to so-and-so’s personal opinion. Instead, this book delves into the Word of God, and Chan lets the Scripture do most of the talk...more

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Oct 03, 2011

Frank Peters rated it

The book was well titled, as it is entirely concerned with the person of the Holy Spirit. Chan manages to pull off writing a book that is entertaining, instructional and challenging. In Forgotten God he describes the false beliefs about the Holy Spirit, and then proceeds to systematically go through what the Bible teaches on the subject – all without losing the interest of the reader. Chan also discusses the way in which most churches have a very unscriptural view and response to the Holy Spirit...more

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Sep 13, 2011

Mark rated it

I loved this book. There were times when I felt like Chan had written what was in my own head and heart - almost as if I had written it myself - and there were times when I was instructed and convicted. It is a book that pulls no punches in talking about the Church's "tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit," but it does so with much grace. A reader may find himself challenged and greatly convicted, but there is nothing here to make one feel condemned, which is as it should be.

Chan...more

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Jan 01, 2011

A. T. Ross rated it

Shelves: theology

A solid book with lots of good things to say. There were only two real flaws with the book and Chan's approach to the Spirit. First, he seems to take prophecy as an ongoing (typical) element of Christian worship and experience, where I believe that such things ended in A.D. 70 (except in unusual circumstances and missionary work). While annoying, Chan isn't me, so I can't really hold him to the standard I would hold the book to if I were writing it.

The (much) larger concern with the bo...moreA solid book with lots of good things to say. There were only two real flaws with the book and Chan's approach to the Spirit. First, he seems to take prophecy as an ongoing (typical) element of Christian worship and experience, where I believe that such things ended in A.D. 70 (except in unusual circumstances and missionary work). While annoying, Chan isn't me, so I can't really hold him to the standard I would hold the book to if I were writing it.

The (much) larger concern with the book is a typically loose understanding of the Spirit common in evangelical circles. He speaks of us "wanting" the Spirit, the "absence" of the Spirit, and how we should pray to "get" Him. To me, this communicates to Christians that the Spirit is somehow not present in their lives already, and that His Presence is somehow connected to rushing winds, tongues of flame, and miraculous events. And it is true that this happened, and still occasionally happens. But the Spirit is also the breath of Life breathed into Adam in the creation, and He acts "under" the radar far more commonly. When we speak of the fruit of the Spirit, we don't really expect thunderstorms to congregate around our heads, and all anger, impatience, lust, and other bad habits of the heart to rush away and be perfect, right? Rather, we think of the slow, often painful struggles of combating sin in our ongoing sanctification. But sanctification is the work of the Spirit within us, and through us, so that we would think it was just us ourselves without the Scriptures having told us that every toddling step in holiness and faith is given to us, and made possible through us, by the Spirit. To make the expectation of the Spirit as some dramatic event draws the average Christian away from seeing the Spirit at work every moment in their every good deed, and stumbling act of faith.

Further, where are the sacraments in all this? I have not read one book on the Holy Spirit that has dealt with the most common Christian experience and encounter with the Spirit, namely in baptism and eucharist. It is in the sacraments that we see (with the eye of faith) the Spirit miraculously communicating Christ to us. In baptism, we ought to see the Spirit descending as the dove, and the tongue of fire, as He effects our union with Christ, our forgiveness of sins, the death of our old creation and the birth of the new, and the beginning of our walk in Christ and in the Spirit, who dwells with us and in us. In the Eucharist, we ought to see the Spirit bearing the strengthening and persevering presence of Christ to us in the act of eating, bringing us close to the physical presence of Christ in heaven by His Spirit. The absence of this discussion of the miraculous presence of the Spirit has the tendency to disconnect our everyday experience with the promises of the Spirit's empowering presence, with the result that people begin to seek further and further into emotional trickery and tomfoolery. When we disconnect the Spirit from the physical means through which He has promised to be with us, the sad result is jumping and howling in the isles to muster up some "presence" that we think isn't with us. Chaos.(less)

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Sep 12, 2011

Terrie rated it

This book was good if it was the first one you had read on the subject. Having read several books on the Holy Spirit and on having a relationship with God, this was rudimentary. The first few chapters he seemed to be convincing me to read the book. Around chapter 3 or 4 he gave the theology of the Holy Spirit. The next couple of chapters he seemed to be questioning my motives for wanting to know the Holy Spirit better. The last few chapters were spent telling me that the Holy Spirit is an e...more

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Jan 16, 2012

Teni rated it

When I started reading this book, I didn't really like it. The font was too big (unfortunately I read the Large Print Edition; I dislike large print, it makes me feel like the subject matter is not as serious as it should be), the italics were in a different font from the rest of the text (I know, stupid thing to complain about, but it's a pet peeve) and the first two chapters just seemed like a lot of clarification of points and ideas and statements, and not a lot of actual content. However, th...more

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Sep 27, 2011

James Belmonte rated it

Great book!! so challenging and convicting. It gave me new perspective on some things. For example, we need to desire more of the Holy spirit out of a spirit of servitude. We cant desire the Spirit just so we can feel like a better Christian. We need to truly desire the spirit for more intimacy with God and to better serve his people.

Another thing that really convicted me was the book talks a lot about living by the spirit to glorify God. We need to live in a way that allows the...more

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Mar 19, 2011

Hope Rozenboom rated it

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In this book, Chan seeks to remind (mainly American) Christians about the person of the Trinity that our churches have largely forgotten or ignored, the Holy Spirit. This book is solidly based in Scripture. He says his purpose is not to find a "moderate" between the two extreme views of the Holy Spirit--because that would be to suggest that one can have too much of God. We should not seek to be "moderately" filled with the Holy Spirit, but totally and completely filled. HOW...more

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Jul 23, 2011

Kurt rated it

This book is a very good examination of who the bible says the Holy Spirit is. Chan walks through relevant passages and investigates the results of the Spirit's actions and presence, and in a neat feature, each chapter ends with a short testimony of someone Chan knows personally. The book is engaging and encouraging, definitely written by a pastor who wants the best for his people. My only concern about the book is that it is so basic - the target audience is probably someone who has been a Chri...more

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Jan 21, 2010

Elizabeth rated it

Shelves: non-fiction-spiritual

Well worth my time, but I had mixed feelings about some of the content. While Chan addressed the problem of forgetting about Grace, his themes seemed to emphasize OUR part in a transactional relationship which, if taken too far, minimizes the importance of Grace and the undeserved love of God in our lives. I agreed with his conviction that our churches need to turn more to the Bible to model the early church and its energetic and viral Spirit at work.

My personal take-aways from this ...more

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Aug 22, 2011

Dustin Gabel rated it

This was one of those books that you have to put down while reading and try to soak up what is said and ask yourself if you are applying these truths to your life. In today's society we forget to realize how important it is to have the Spirit guide us because we are surround by so many temptations and sin, because that is what's "normal." We see it everywhere, books, tv, billboards, shopping centers, public gatherings etc. etc. so we tend to be influenced by all the sin around us and w...more

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Jun 12, 2010

Dave Johnson rated it

this is one of the best books i've read in a while. i was unfamiliar with Chan, having never read any of his books, but being curious about this one and Crazy Love. when i saw that i could download it for free, i was all about that!

first, this books isnt necessarily a "teaching" book, per se. it's goal isnt to expound on every biblical point about the Holy Spirit, and it's style isnt communicated through a knowledge viewpoint. this is an emotional book. Chan is trying to g...morethis is one of the best books i've read in a while. i was unfamiliar with Chan, having never read any of his books, but being curious about this one and Crazy Love. when i saw that i could download it for free, i was all about that!

first, this books isnt necessarily a "teaching" book, per se. it's goal isnt to expound on every biblical point about the Holy Spirit, and it's style isnt communicated through a knowledge viewpoint. this is an emotional book. Chan is trying to grab our attention through emotional resonance instead of just quoting 15 of the top theologians on the Holy Spirit. and i really like that. i write like that, so whenever i read an author who does the same, it always resonates with me. and i have to say, Chan did a fantastic job with this book. the writing is spectacular, his openness is humbling, his assertions are challenging but without all the guilt-tripping that one can do if they were in his shoes, and his explanation of the Holy Spirit and his ministry is very easy to listen to no matter what your denominational affiliation and upbringings. and that is what actually impressed me the most. with a book like this, you could easily go off into extreme views either for or against the Holy Spirit, but he handles this with care, stating his beliefs backed up with Scripture. even though he doesnt really delve into "tongues" or anything, i think i can guess where he stands by some of the contextual clues that he gives--which, again, doesnt bother me at all.

a friend of mine read this and didnt like it as much as me, saying that he wished the author spoke more of the power of the Holy Spirit which fills us, etc. But i had to disagree with his assessment, because that's not the point of this book. Chan isnt trying to talk about "the power", though he does talk extensively about yielding to the Holy Spirit and talks a lot about being filled with the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Chan was trying to explain his title, asking us, "why have we forgotten or avoided this necessary and vital role of God?"

this book is so good that i am actually going to relisten to it with my wife.

MUST-READ!!(less)

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Oct 12, 2009

Tracey rated it

I feel that there are many flaws to this book. Certainly, there are a few gems of wisdom in there. But the thing I found the most infuriating and almost caused me to stop reading was that Chan seems to spend the entire first half of the book questioning the reader's motivation for wanting to read a book about the Holy Spirit. He seems to make assumptions that the reader is probably suspicious of charismatic churches, and that perhaps the reader's motivation for reading the book is that we want t...more

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Jan 28, 2010

Tim Beck rated it

Recommends it for: Eli Dorman

Shelves: 2010

this book got substantially better as i read it. i made a note on page 74 - when Chan begins to breakdown and dissect the active work of the Holy Spirit - and i took many more notes from then on til the end.

Forgotten God is a book about the one forgotten or neglected aspect of God in the western church: the Holy Spirit. it was a book that i didn't realize i needed to read until i started reading it. it really opened my eyes to a vital, living part of the Godhead that i've obvio...more

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Jan 05, 2012

Bethany rated it

Chan does a great job of boiling the mystery of the Holy Spirit into down-to-earth everyday language, and helps us see the practical ways He's involved in our everyday. This translates into the uncomfortable - dying to self and allowing Christ to be magnified rather than ourselves.

Perhaps my favorite line in the whole book speaks to our penchant for believing we are more faulty humans than the 'super-spiritual' people in the Bible. "Do you genuinely believe that Moses, Esther, Da...more

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