The Christ-Centered Family
00:00:00.000 | We're back with Francis Chan.
00:00:06.680 | He joins us from San Francisco.
00:00:08.920 | Francis and his wife Lisa are the authors of the new book, You and Me Forever, Marriage
00:00:13.240 | in Light of Eternity.
00:00:15.080 | And in the book you write, Francis, "If you'd rather watch your kids grow up than see the
00:00:20.360 | face of your Savior today, you don't grasp the beauty of God."
00:00:26.880 | And on the same page you write this, "I'd bet that at least 95% of American Christians
00:00:32.480 | would choose not to leave their families today if they were given the choice to be with Jesus
00:00:38.080 | instead."
00:00:40.360 | Those sentences have some Philippians 121 punch to them, but I get the impression that
00:00:44.520 | you and Lisa and your five kids enjoy a pretty sweet relationship.
00:00:48.360 | I mean, how is your family more healthy the more Jesus takes center stage in your family?
00:00:54.960 | Yeah, actually I have six kids.
00:00:58.000 | My seventh is on the way in a couple weeks.
00:01:02.200 | So it's busy, you know, and we have other people living with us as well.
00:01:08.880 | And I love being with my kids.
00:01:12.120 | They are so fun.
00:01:13.800 | I mean, so much laughter, just great.
00:01:16.880 | But you know, the more I spend time with Jesus, first of all, the more my wife and kids like
00:01:24.800 | me.
00:01:25.800 | Okay?
00:01:26.800 | And my wife will tell me, "Gosh, why don't you go read some more?"
00:01:29.880 | You know, it's those periods when she knows I've had my time with the Lord.
00:01:34.720 | It's just, I'm more of a delight, I guess, to be, like, I don't notice when I turn, but
00:01:39.960 | I guess they do.
00:01:41.440 | The other thing about it is that the more I pray to God and I see answers to those prayers,
00:01:47.440 | the more my kids see that, "Wow, God listens to Dad," and they want the same thing for
00:01:53.360 | their lives.
00:01:55.800 | It's not just about their current happiness.
00:01:59.920 | And my time with the Lord isn't just so we can have a healthy family, because honestly,
00:02:05.940 | if my connection with the Lord even made our family dynamics more difficult or trying,
00:02:11.680 | it would still be worth it.
00:02:14.120 | Because my goal, my greatest desire is that when my kids leave the family, leave the home,
00:02:20.800 | that they would love Him deeply.
00:02:23.640 | So I need them to experience God when they're with me.
00:02:26.080 | I need to see them experience the answers of prayers so that they pray more.
00:02:32.640 | Because once my kids move out, yeah, it would be tough if, you know, they were interviewed
00:02:39.200 | and said, "Oh, yeah, I had a tough family.
00:02:42.520 | I don't really like hanging out with them," or, "I don't really like my dad that much."
00:02:47.040 | Like, of course, that would break my heart.
00:02:50.040 | But I could deal with that.
00:02:51.920 | What would be unbearable is if they didn't love Jesus.
00:02:56.880 | Like, okay, they didn't like our family, they didn't like that prayer, okay, they struggle
00:03:00.440 | with that, but they're in love with the Lord.
00:03:02.000 | Okay, okay, I'll take that.
00:03:04.440 | But I think about eternity, like the thought of any of my children not being there, that's
00:03:12.560 | unbearable to me.
00:03:14.640 | That's devastating to me.
00:03:16.380 | And so, yes, it would be painful if my kids said I didn't enjoy my childhood.
00:03:20.520 | Yeah, but I'll get over that.
00:03:23.920 | There's something so much bigger.
00:03:25.820 | They need to know Jesus.
00:03:27.240 | I want them to be with me in all of eternity.
00:03:30.120 | They need to love Him.
00:03:31.120 | And so I think one of the things I mentioned in the book is what are you after?
00:03:34.800 | Like do you want them to love you more than you want them to love Jesus?
00:03:39.120 | Obviously I want both.
00:03:40.280 | But if I'm going to choose one or the other, it's always going to be Jesus.
00:03:44.980 | That is eternity focus counsel, which marks every page of your new book.
00:03:49.040 | So thank you, Francis.
00:03:50.040 | I appreciate that.
00:03:51.040 | And speaking of family, you have five daughters.
00:03:53.760 | And so what is Francis Chan looking for when a suitor begins getting serious?
00:03:59.640 | I want to ask you that tomorrow.
00:04:01.000 | I'm your host, Tony Reinke.
00:04:02.000 | Thanks for listening to the Ask Pastor John podcast.
00:04:04.000 | [END]
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