Episode 344 - Why Francis Chan Asked God NOT to Make Him Rich | Francis Chan

15 snips

Sep 23, 2025

In this engaging conversation, bestselling author and pastor Francis Chan shares his journey from mega-church leader to someone focused on a deeper relationship with God. He discusses the dangers of a busy lifestyle and the treadmill of endless achievement. Francis reveals why he asked God not to make him rich, emphasizing stewardship and living with an eternal perspective. He challenges entrepreneurs to prioritize love over metrics, embrace dependence on God, and use their success to impact the world positively.

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INSIGHT

Treadmill Of Busyness

Francis Chan compares cultural busyness to people running on a treadmill without knowing why they run.
He urges pausing to ask purpose and whether current efforts will matter at death or before God.

ANECDOTE

Granddaughter On A Treadmill

Francis describes a video of his granddaughter running on a treadmill as a metaphor for how children inherit relentless busyness.
He notes COVID stopped the treadmill and exposed people who didn't know why they were running.

ADVICE

Prioritize Scriptural Commands

Study Scripture's main commands and prioritize love for God and others over sheer growth metrics.
Invest time in relationships and discipleship rather than only chasing bigger numbers.

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Join host Justin Forman as he sits down with bestselling author and pastor Francis Chan for a profound conversation about the tension between building and being, success and faithfulness, and the danger of running on life's treadmill without stopping to ask why. Speaking from his experiences in Hong Kong's fast-paced culture, Francis shares vulnerable insights about his own journey from mega-church pastor to someone seeking deeper relationship with God.

This episode challenges entrepreneurs to examine their motivations, embrace dependence on God, and discover the freedom that comes from living with eternal perspective. Francis opens up about his decision to give away book royalties, the wisdom of Proverbs 30:7-9, and why he believes entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to live differently and impact others through their choices.

Key Topics:

Breaking free from the cultural treadmill of endless achievement and busyness

Why Francis wishes he could tell his younger self to focus on the main commands of Scripture

The danger of coveting in entrepreneurship and how to combat it through eternal perspective

Learning to be quick to listen, slow to speak in a world that rewards constant talking

How entrepreneurs can use their success as a platform to live counter-culturally

The relationship between taking risks of faith and experiencing deeper fellowship with God

Why Francis asked God not to make him rich and what that prayer teaches us

Notable Quotes:

"He tells me whether I eat, drink, whatever I do, do it all for the glory of God, and so even now, are the words coming out of my mouth giving glory to him." - Francis Chan

"Don't you want to be a person that is known for their love and to be so much like Christ, who didn't consider equality with God something to be held on to." - Francis Chan

"You don't want to be lazy with what God's given you, I would just challenge you to go, Hey, once you're on that road to success and it's actually happening, you have an incredible opportunity to live differently." - Francis Chan