Was born 1968, his mother died giving birth to him. His father remarried, and then his step mother died in a car accident when Francis was 9. Then his father died of cancer when he was 12 years old. The only close relatives he had were his aunt and uncle. But when he was in high school, his aunt and uncle got in a fight, and his uncle shot his wife then killed himself. [taken from The Balance Beam Speech]

By God’s grace and mercy, Francis came to know the Lord in high school. Chan was active in Christian youth groups which helped develop his faith in Christianity and his interest in ministry. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Masters College and a Master of Divinity degree from Masters Seminary.

Now Francis Chan is the founding pastor and teaching pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, CA since 1994. He is the author of the best-selling book, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. He has inspired many people with his ‘crazy love’ message. His passion and clarity in sharing the gospel has inspired many to seek the Kingdom of God wholeheartedly, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart,

with all your soul, and with all your mind

-Jesus (Matthew 22:37)

Our family is excited to announce that on Wednesday, January 26th, the program featuring our testimony, entitled “Finding Forgiveness for My Abortion” will air on Focus on the Family’s radio broadcast.

Punctuality is, on the surface, rather uncomplicated: not easy perhaps, but simple enough.

“Be where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there.”

What is so hard to grasp about that? Nothing. All of us know it merely an art of thinking ahead and planning, giving your self time to prepare your food, getting enough rest, having your clothes cleaned and pressed. So that when we tell some one that we will be there we are there, appropriately dressed, fed and in our right mind.

Although we place great importance on punctuality is it perhaps only practice,

Practice in keeping the real appointments of our lives. Let us, for a moment, note the obvious: life is so much more than we see at the first glance.

Life is a mosaic being carefully fitted together by an All Knowing God…a tapestry that He is weaving every day, one thread at a time. We are the threads, the precious stones….

As our great Lord is weaving the masterpiece are we attentive to Him? Have we taken the time to think ahead, to be prepared to meet with Him, to rid ourselves of distractions so that we have the time to be groomed, to be prepared stones, perfectly cut and polished, the threads, vivid, delicate and strong?

We are appalled at the thought of “standing someone up” but why? It shows a major lack of character.

It is proof that something or someone, is or was, more important than the person that we gave our word to.

How many times does this need to happen before it is safe to say that you do not love that person?

In the same way how many times do we need to put God off, failing to meet with Him at appointed

time: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” (Prov.8:17)

in the appointed place: “…before the testimony, where I will meet with you.” (Num.17:4),

before it is safe to say that you don’t love God all that much.

Dear ATI Families,

We are pleased to announce that Phil Downer and his wife, Susy, will be
hosting a Marriage for Life conference at the Oklahoma City Training
Center on August 27-28.

Phil Downer has delighted and challenged audiences at the ATI Regional
Conferences this year. His straightforward approach to disciple making
has encouraged hundreds of families to make a commitment to
discipleship.

Phil and his daughter, Anna, have touched many fathers as they have
shared the practical steps they took to strengthen their relationship.

Now Phil and Susy Downer have created a seminar to teach how to build
intimacy and teamwork in marriage. Here is an excerpt from Phil’s own
testimony:

“We do not know where we would be if God had not reached us in the
despair and pain of our broken marriage, the pressures of business, the
crisis in relationships, the horror remaining from combat as a Marine
machine gunner, and given us a purpose in our family, a biblical context
for ambition and success, and tools and practical paths to follow in
nurturing and discipling our six children and reaching others the way we
were reached. Because Christ reached us through godly and committed
people, strategically placed in our lives, we are committed to spend our
remaining days, not only doing the same with others, but assisting like-
minded people, in addition to pastors and leaders, to be life
multipliers.”

For questions or more information on this event you can visit
www.afamilyforlife.com/okc , e-mail events@okc.iblp.org,
or call the Oklahoma City Training Center at 405-526-0001.

Sincerely,

Andrew D. Warner
Administrative Director
Advanced Training Institute International

I think that true loyalty comes from a heart of love, because without love it is not the same kind of loyalty. You can be loyal to your boss or your job, but it is more out of duty, not because you love them (usually). But if you love someone you will want to stay loyal to them. No matter what may come, and that is true love, true loyalty, to me at least.

In my life, I think the best example or way that I can practice Loyalty is in my devotion to God. Like making sure I find a time each day to spend with Him, no matter how long, just to acknowledge Him as my Lord, my Savior, the one who gives me life each day, and by my spending time with Him, I am letting him know that I am being Loyal in my devotion to Him. Also by fearing Him, if I truly love God and fear Him then I will want to be Loyal to him all the days of my life.

photo via Flickr

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

(photo via Flickr)

Libby Zellon, who works in the ATI Department at Headquarters, went to the WIT Conference as an Assistant to Paul and Jenny Speed.  The following is her testimony of the conference.

Have you ever experienced the presence of a Holy God? Have you ever realized that you were on sacred ground? Have you ever looked into the eyes of a hopeless person searching for love? As I was able to watch and examine the people surrounding me I was in awe. To see the people lost in darkness and death is something I can’t really describe. However, when I saw them embrace the light and freedom that comes along with it, it causes my mind to explode with thanksgiving. Our God is so good to rescue those lost in themselves.

What happened at the WIT conference is beyond description. God is amazing. He doesn’t need to prove it to me, but when He does it usually blows my mind. That is exactly what He did this past weekend. He allowed me to be a part of a movement of Him that was powerful-the movement of the WIT conference.

The WIT conference is not your typical marriage conference. It deals with the things that you normally don’t want to deal with. They are things that people would rather shove under the rug and forget about them. However, when people try to ignore this ugly beast of sin it usually ends up destroying families. The beast rises in many different ways and quickly shackles its victims. When these couples come they are bound and chained by their sin. They are trying to blame the other person for putting them in their bonds but miss the fact that they are they ones who allowed the chains to be placed on them. I watched couple after couple enter the auditorium that were oppressed and tormented. Couples entered the room apart from each other as if this invisible wall was standing firm between them.

Before the conference began we met in a room for a meeting that lasted about 3 ½ hours long. In the meeting all the table leaders met and shared amongst each other. They shared their hurts, fears, pain, tears, and allowed their masks to be torn off. They declared in that room that they would be wiling to go back to their past for the sake of freedom for others that would be attending. One proclaimed, “I will NOT stop! I will declare to the spiritual realm victory and freedom!”

Session after session Paul and Jenny Speed repeatedly opened up their ugly past to these couples, reliving the memories and visited each story with a yearning for those listening to find freedom. The power of the openness and brokenness was beyond human power. People often question the reality of ‘supernatural’ power at events such as this. What happened as they spoke was indeed supernatural. It’s almost like you could see freedom coming out of their speech and reaching into the lives of the people around them.

I will admit it was a hard thing to sit back and watch it happen. I wanted to go around and inject truth into these people’s lives. It was like looking at a person that was dying and wanting to just shoot them up with life. But we couldn’t do it; we couldn’t force it upon them. The people there had to choose life for themselves. There was one time I won’t forget for a long time. My parents attended and so I met them in the hallway as they were talking to another couple. This couple was entangled in darkness that they were totally unaware. I had the opportunity to speak to the man and drench him with perspective, life and love. Watching him react to all of those things was heart wrenching. The man broke and tears streamed down his face. It was a beautiful thing to see how Jesus love can be used in people to reach people. To be used by Him was so humbling; it caused me to weep for this man and wife that were struggling in the chains that were tearing them apart.

Please allow me to paint a picture of what freedom looked like at this conference. Imagine this man-once full of strength and honor is now sitting in a dark room looking haggard and shrouded in black. What once used to be a man that people looked to for guidance now was under the control of something more powerful. This power pulsed through his being, changing his appearance and glazing over his eyes. He was so manipulated by the power that he couldn’t even recognize that the people he had loved were now in pain and agony because he had given in to this power. The power is that of sin. It completely changed him inside and out to the point that it looks like he will never return to how he used to be. Suddenly another man in white steps in to the room. He starts speaking truth and life to this man. He commands the possessed man to look him in the eyes. The glazed eyes fight not to look, the strain is evident throughout his entire being. Finally they make contact-the Man that is full of light starts proclaiming that the man can be free. Suddenly, as the man accepts it, the darkness is bound and caste out of the room. Life rushes into his body and floods his soul. His eyes are lit with fire as he rises from the place he has been sitting in. He finally goes to his family and embraces them and is able to rise up again in the position of honor.

There are so many vivid images that will remain with me for a while. They are those of couples finally understanding pure love as they come together in communion, husbands drawing their wives close, and wives becoming beautiful from the freedom they have found. He made beautiful the ashes that were once there.

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

(photo via flickr)

"And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct."

2 Timothy 2:24-25a

(photo via Flickr)