In a world with so much tragedy, pain, and suffering, holding on to faith in a higher power is sometimes the way to survive the emotional and mental turmoil that living in such a world brings. For this, one needs those who have walked the path that lies ahead; those who are committed to the ministry of guiding others through the path of faith. One of the outstanding men in America who have served humanity in this way and continue to do so is Francis Chan, the American preacher who was born the son of Chinese parents. He has been serving for over two decades. If you would like to learn more about Francis Chan, including how he came to his ministry and how difficult his start in life was, read on.
Who Is Francis Chan?
Many people leave God after having gone through a difficult time in their lives, but this is not the case with Francis Chan. His challenges brought him closer to God. Francis lost his mother while giving birth to him. After Chan’s father married another woman when he was just one year old, he grew up with his stepmother, who was the maternal figure in his life. Unfortunately, he lost his stepmother in a car accident; he was 9 years old at the time. Before Francis was 15 years old, he had suffered three major losses in his life, the last being his father at the age of 13 who died of cancer.
Chan was raised by his second stepmother, whom his father married after the death of his first stepmother. Chan was raised by Josephine Chan together with his three other siblings. After suffering all these tragedies, it was the love of the Church for Chan and his family that brought him closer to God.
He spent his high school and early college years as an active member of church groups. Francis recognized that it was this time in his life that helped him to become a strong Christian, to build a solid foundation of faith in God, and an interest in serving in the ministry.
As a young adult, Francis worked as a low-level employee for a number of companies before becoming a full-time pastor. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts from Master’s College and a Master of Divinity from Master’s Seminary.
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After working for several years for various employers, Francis and his wife felt it was time to fully commit to the ministry and start a church in 1994. Cornerstone, the name of the church, began with only 30 people. Since its founding, the church has grown rapidly and in 2000 had a congregation of 1600 people. Today the church is considered one of the largest in Ventura County, California.
Francis Chan’s ministry is strongly focused on teaching about the Bible and its actual message. The ministry is also greatly enhanced by outreach programs, where he regularly gives to charity and has made a remarkable contribution to saving sex slaves in foreign countries.
Chan is also an author who has written several books, including his first book – Crazy Love: Overcome by a Relentless God, which was a bestseller. So far Chan has written nine books. He donates most of the royalties from his books to charity.
In a world where church leaders take more from the church than they give back, Chan donates half of his income from his stores – restaurants, a marina, a hotel – and refuses to take a salary from the church. His philanthropy is not limited to the church. He is on the board of directors of the Children’s Hunger Fund and World Impact.
In 2010, Chan took his uniqueness as a Christian leader to another level and resigned from his own ministry on the grounds that his popularity was getting in the way of the Church’s mission. He is also an educator who teaches those who want to serve in this ministry in his bible school, Eternity Bible College, founded in 2004.
What Is Francis Chan Net Worth?
Although he owns a hotel, a marina, and a number of restaurants, Francis Chan is worth only $300,000. Chan has made a name for himself as a habitual philanthropist and regularly gives away half of his income.
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Family, Wife, Daughter
Francis Chan is married to Lisa Chan, née Lundgren. The couple married in 1994 and together they have seven children. One of their children, Rachel Chan, who is also the oldest, is a singer. She is a recording artist in the Christian genre. She is married to Justin and the couple has one child together.
Where Is He Now?
In 2010, Chan announced to his church in Cornerstone that he would step down and step out of the spotlight to put the ministry back into focus. Since then, not much has been heard about the American preacher, but it is currently believed that he has moved to Northern California where he is working on starting a new church for downtown San Francisco.