Forgotten God by Francis Chan
Week 1: Introduction — My Aim (and Fear) for This Book
Read the Introduction of Forgotten God by Francis Chan. Key Scripture: John 14:16–17, 26; Acts 1:4–5.
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Chan opens the book with a confession of fear — fear that writing about the Spirit might do more harm than good. Sit with that honesty as you enter these questions.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Chan admits that he is nervous about writing this book — afraid it could lead readers toward either cold intellectualism about the Spirit or wild emotionalism. Why do you think the topic of the Holy Spirit is so prone to those two extremes? Which extreme is more tempting for you personally?
2.Chan asks whether the church would look any different if the Holy Spirit were taken away. What is your honest answer for your own church — and for your own life?
3.He describes a growing sense that something is desperately 'off' in the Western church, not just stylistically but spiritually. What evidence, if any, have you observed in your own church experience that points to this kind of deficit?
4.Chan frames the Spirit as a person — not a force, feeling, or theological concept. How have you most commonly thought about the Holy Spirit up to this point in your life? Has that view been more personal or more abstract?
5.The title uses the phrase 'Forgotten God.' In what ways can someone claim to believe in the Trinity and yet practically forget one of its persons? What does that kind of functional forgetting look like day-to-day?
a.Can you think of a time when you made a decision, planned an event, or faced a crisis without once thinking about the Holy Spirit's role? What does that reveal?
b.How might recovering awareness of the Spirit change how you approach ordinary decisions?
6.Jesus called the Spirit a 'Counselor' or 'Helper' who would be with his followers forever (John 14:16). What does it say about us that this Helper often goes unconsulted? What would it look like to actually consult Him?
7.As you begin this study, what is your single biggest question or hesitation about the Holy Spirit? Write it down — we'll return to it at the end of the book.
Closing Prayer
Father, we confess that we have often treated Your Spirit as an afterthought — something we affirm in a creed but rarely rely on in a day. We are not sure what we are afraid of. Perhaps we fear losing control, or perhaps we fear nothing will happen and our faith will feel even emptier. Forgive us for the ways we have made the Christian life manageable without You. As we begin this study, give us the courage to be honest, and the hunger to go further than intellectual agreement. We want to know the Spirit — not just know about Him. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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