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    Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale
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    Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale
    Unavailable
    Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale
    Ebook285 pages4 hours

    Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale

    By Ian Morgan Cron

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    What happens when the pastor of a mega church loses his faith?

    Pastor Chase Falson has lost his faith in God, the Bible, evangelical Christianity, and his super-sized megachurch. When he falls apart, the church elders tell him to go away: as far away as possible. Join Chase on his life-changing journey to Italy where, with a curious group of Franciscan friars, he struggles to resolve his crisis of faith by retracing the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, a saint whose simple way of loving Jesus changed the history of the world. Read this riveting story and then begin your own life-changing journey through the pilgrim’s guide included in this powerful novel.

     

    Hidden in the past lies the future of the church

    When his elders tell him to take some time away from his church, broken pastor Chase Falson crosses the Atlantic to Italy to visit his uncle, a Franciscan priest. There he is introduced to the revolutionary teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi and finds an old, but new way of

    following Jesus that heals and inspires. Chase Falson’s spiritual discontent mirrors the feelings of a growing number of Christians who walk out of church asking, Is this all there is? They are weary of celebrity pastors, empty calorie teaching, and worship services where

    the emphasis is more on Lights, Camera, Action than on Father, Son, and Holy Spirit while the deepest questions of life remain unaddressed in a meaningful way.

     

    Bestselling author Ian Morgan Cron masterfully weaves lessons from the life of Saint Francis into the story of Chase Falson to explore the life of a saint who 800 years ago breathed new life into disillusioned Christians and a Church on the brink of collapse. Chasing Francis is a hopeful and moving story with profound implications for those who yearn for a more vital relationship with God and the world.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateMay 7, 2013
    ISBN9780310336709
    Unavailable
    Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale
    Author

    Ian Morgan Cron

    Ian Morgan Cron is a renowned teacher of the Enneagram, the bestselling author of The Road Back to You and The Story of You, an Episcopal priest, and a trained psychotherapist. Cron hosts the popular podcast Typology and is a highly sought after speaker for conferences. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Anne.

    Read more from Ian Morgan Cron

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    Reviews for Chasing Francis

    4.5/5

    15 ratings8 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Is there a way to digest the pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all easy answers Churchianity that happens in so much of our culture? Is there a way past the Sunday show that allows us to wrestle with the deep complexities of Christian faith and allows space for questions and doubt? Is there a faith that focuses its resources outside the building and into the world at large

      And is there a way to answer these questions in an engaging story form, rather than yet another “What’s wrong with the Church and what I propose to fix it?” textbook?

      This is the goal of this book.

      Ian Cron’s novel tells the story of a megachurch pastor who is struck with questions that he cannot answer simply, for the first time in his life and much to his consternation. He seeks advice from his uncle, a Franciscan friar, who invites him onto a pilgrimage following the story of Francis of Assisi as a way to discover a larger Christian heritage and a way to connect his questions and his soul to God.

      Cron’s story is well written and engaging. I had a few laugh-out-loud moments reading witty dialogue, and I learned quite a bit about St. Francis and contemporary Franciscan spirituality along the way. The plot has a few heavy-handed moments along the way, but on the whole, the story is well worth your time, especially if you are curious about pre-Reformation spiritualities in today’s culture.

      Make sure you check out the individual and group study guide at the back of the book, which would make it very useful for a small group. There’s an excellent biography as well.

      I found the book to be very similar in form to Brian McLaren’s trilogy of “A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey, “The Story We Find Ourselves In, and “The Last Word and the Word after That: A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity, which were helpful to many of us in proposing an alternative way to view our Christian story.

      I’m looking forward to reading more from Ian Cron.

      As for my own personal impact, I found myself looking not just at Franciscan spirituality but more to the Celtic spirituality which informed Francis. Franciscan scholars say that Francis took his monastic training at the monastery in Bobbio, in northern Italy – Bobbio was founded by Celtic St. Columban. Certainly Francis’ themes of humility and simplicity, his emphasis on artistic creativity, his peer relationships with female leaders such as Claire, and his recognition of the God speaking from within nature are Celtic themes as well.

      At the same time, there is a well-developed lay Franciscan framework which has done a wonderful job of engaging “everyday” Christians as third order members and expanding a spirituality which encompasses peacemaking and service of the poor.

      Anyone interested in either Celtic or Franciscan spirituality would be well served to investigate both histories and learning from these close cousins.
    • 5/5
      Chase Falson is the co-founder and pastor of a large and thriving church. But, when tragedy strikes, Chase finds he is losing his faith and unfortunately for him, it is during a sermon that he admits it. After the public breakdown, he is forced to take some time away from the church. During this time, he is invited to Italy by his Uncle, Friar Kenny, where he embarks on a pilgrimage. Hesitant, Chase finds himself rethinking his perception of the church and faith.

      This is an excellent book. I strongly urge you to read it.
    • 5/5
      Thank you Ian, for opening my eyes, and my heart to see In a way I never have before
    • 5/5
      This book changed me. Everyone should read it. Twice.
    • 4/5
      I’m not sure how I ended up downloading this book to my Kindle - I think it was a long-standing admiration I have for Francis of Assisi along with the description of the book. Whatever it was, I’m delighted it ended up on my Kindle, because I really enjoyed reading this story.

      It’s fiction, written a bit like a long parable. It’s the story of a young evangelical preacher, and his crisis with faith.

      Here’s the author’s (or publicist’s) description of the book:

      Author, musician and speaker Ian Morgan Cron sheds new light on the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi, “the Last Christian.” Cron masterfully weaves actual accounts from the life of Saint Francis’ into the fictional story of Chase Falson, a New England minister on a pilgrimage to regain his faith. It’s an amazing story with profound implications for the contemporary church. Read the story, and then learn even more about St. Francis’ radical activism and theology in the robust forty-page study guide.

      While at times the story is predictable and over-simplified, I don’t really find this as a fault within the context of this book and this story, as I think it makes the story more accessible for a broader audience.

      The story itself is a wonderful one, connecting the church of several hundred years ago with the church of today, helping the reader to see the “unity” or “catholic” of western Christianity. It’s so easy for Protestants today to see ourselves as quite separate from the Catholic Church, but this story does a really good job of illuminating the sameness of both the bright spots and the blemishes. I also very much enjoyed the fact that the author stayed away from doctrine, and talked about the real heart of the Faith, drawing a line from Jesus to Francis, then extending it forward and wondering where it can be connected today.

      In all fairness, I have to say that I suspect the author’s view of Christianity is similar to my own. When this happens, it’s always easier to find the good in a book. Notwithstanding this caveat, I do think this is an excellent first book by a young author. I suspect that folks who are firmly entrenched in a right-wing sort of fundamentalist, with no desire to hear a different point of view, won’t like the book. I also suspect that folks who are firmly anti-Christian for whatever reason, with no desire to hear a different point of view, won’t like this book. However, for that vast center of western Christianity - folks with good and legitimate questions who find themselves on the edge of faith crisis from time to time - folks who wonder why the Christianity we practice today seems so distant from the life Jesus led - I think those folks will find this book educational, entertaining, and inspiring.

      I highly recommend it! I'd like to give this 5 stars, but realize that some of that motivation is from the fact that I enjoyed the content and viewpoint of the author so much. 4.5 stars is right for the book, since I reserve the 5-star ratings for the ones that fit into "best I've ever read" - the stuff like Ken Follett. I'd be delighted if most folks liked my first book as much as I like this one!
    • 5/5
      Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale is a spiritually uplifting novel for anyone who has lost their faith and are in search of a renewal. The author, Ian Morgan Cron, has weaved a tale of fiction with non-fiction that is sure to enlighten all those who peruse its pages.Chase Falcon is a pastor of a very successful ministry who begins to see flaws in his parishioners and the church he preaches from. While struggling internally with the materialistic trappings that have become a part of the religious cycle, Chase doubts his influence. The day one of his young members dies from an accident, Chase's floodgates can no longer be held back and in front of his congregation he laments about the evils that each of them has allowed into their house of God. The elders are appalled and ask Chase to take a leave of absence until he can get his head together. Stepping into Chase's shoes is his Senior Pastor, Chip, causing a rift in the church, and eventually, the churches demise. Suffering from depression, Chase is uncertain of his future, and has no direction. A phone call from his Uncle Kenny, a Franciscan Monk, to come spend some with himself and his brothers in France and retrace the steps of his patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi, sounds appealing to Chase and he embarks on what will be one of the best experiences in his life.Dispersed throughout the narrative are aspects of St. Francis that will give a different light on the Patron Saint of Children and Animals. Ian Morgan Cron has given you insight into the kind of person St. Francis was and why he is still reveled to this day. I quite enjoyed the book, it was easy to read, understand and the characters are enjoyable. I found myself wishing I were hanging out with the Franciscan Monks. Their jocularity and intense love of life would be refreshing to be around. SYNOPSIS:Author, musician and speaker Ian Morgan Cron sheds new light on the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi, "the Last Christian." Cron masterfully weaves actual accounts from the life of Saint Francis' into the fictional story of Chase Falson, a New England minister on a pilgrimage to regain his faith. It's an amazing story with profound implications for the contemporary church.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale by Ian Morgan Cron
      published by Zondervan and released May 7.13

      Ian Cron introduces us to Francis of Assissi via his impact on a contemporary pastor, Chase Falson, who hits the wall in his faith journey after the death of one of his parish children. Taking a much needed break to restore, refresh and rediscover faith, he travels to Italy to spend time with his uncle, a Fransiscan priest.

      While he's on this spiritual journey, the youth pastor back home is on a campaign to aggrandize his position to the elders and ingratiate himself to the congregation in order to become the replacement senior pastor. Chase had planted the church after his graduation from college, and seen it through all the early struggles, growth and building enlargement to its current place of respectability in the academically and intellectually wealthy area of Thackery.

      Chase's beliefs and the teachings of Francis collide in the experiential realities Chase encounters during his time in Rome and pilgrimage in the steps of Francis. God orchestrated connections and relationships speak deeply to him, re-orient his spiritual direction and focus that dramatically impacts his future upon returning to his US homeland.

      I'm including some of author Ian Cron's quotes to introduce readers to Francis and inspire us as readers to new ways of being Light to our world as well ...

      “First, if Francis were around today, he'd say our church community relies too much on words to tell others about our faith. For Francis, the gathered community was as potent a form of witness as words. He was convinced that how we live together is what attracts people to faith.”

      “Francis taught me that if we spent less time worrying about how to share our faith with someone on an airplane and more time thinking about how to live radically generous lives, more people would start taking our message seriously.”

      “Beauty can break a heart and make it think about something more spiritual than the mindless routine we go through day after day to get by. Francis was a singer, a poet, an actor. He knew that the imagination was a stealth way into people's souls, a way to get all of us to think about God. For him, beauty was its own apologetic. That's why a church should care about the arts. They inspire all of us to think about the eternal.”

      ― Ian Morgan Cron, Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale


      I appreciate the thought provoking challenges of this novel that had me countering with my own spiritual insights and responses. Definitely an interactive read. Thank you, Ian.






      I received this book from Zondervan Publishers to read and review without obligation. Thank you for the opportunity.



    • 3/5
      Chase Falson is a man struggling with his faith. The church he has spent years building in New England is doing well, but he can no longer muster up the same cookie-cutter sermons Sunday after Sunday. And then, when the only daughter of a reformed drug-addict dies in an innocuous bike accident, he loses his cool in front of his followers. He decides to find a new faith, a new way to Jesus and to Christianity. Ian Morgan Cron’s Chasing Francis follows his path.The first thing you have to know about this is that it is an extended parable. None of the characters are real, but they serve as vehicles for the exploration of the history of the life and church of St. Francis of Assisi. Chase travels to Italy at the request of his Uncle Kenny’s request, a friar with an order of Franciscans near Rome. Once there, he meets the rest of the order and becomes inundated with Franciscan history and tradition. While he is reticent at first, he eventually becomes enamored with the locale and the liturgy. Cron’s tale is, I think, a very interesting way to teach the life of St. Francis. His brand of religion was truly one of radical Christianity and simple deeds of charity. Falson’s realizations along the way are further highlighted by dips into Italian scenery and church history. Cron does a very good job of keeping the tale balanced but still informative. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a different brand of Christianity or trying to get cursory information on St. Francis himself.