I read Francis Chan's first book Crazy Love just over a year ago. I posted a couple of blogs about my journey through this work (Crazy Love Question, Lukewarm Me). If you have not read this book, I do recommend it for folks at any point in their Christian walk. When Francis Chan's new book, Forgotten God, was published, I was quick to pick it up and dive in.The goal of this book is to educate us about the Holy Spirit and his role in our lives. The question that forms that central theme of this book goes along the following direction, "Could it be that we've forgotten the One who distinguishes Christianity from every other religion and cult in the world?". Chan describes the misperceptions regarding the Holy Spirit (the breath of God) and what our lives could be like if we worked to strengthen our relationship with him. As I read about Chan's central tenet that the Holy Spirit is the most forgotten and/or misunderstood part of the Godhead, I thought of the old Seinfeld bit about the Three Tenors. Let's see, there is Pavaratti, Domingo, and that other guy. Such is Chan's point that our roll call of the Holy Trinity is God, Jesus, and that other thing.
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit was part of all things, from the very beginning to the very end. The Holy Spirit was provided to us as an absolutely crucial aspect of our journey through life. Jesus said:
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. - John 16:7
We are told that: The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. - Galatians 5:22