Beloved

by Francis Chan

Bestselling author and pastor Francis Chan explains how abiding in the love of God frees us from insecurity and leads us into a lifetime of joyful, worshipful obedience.Despite pastoring for decades and reaching thousands of people through his books and preaching, Francis wrestled with deep-seated insecurity.  He understood God’s love conceptually, but struggled to actually experience it. This resulted in a life that was far from the thrilling and peaceful life God saved us for. Francis prayed fervently for God to intervene, and asked his friends and family to do the same. The result was a fresh revelation of the depth of God’s love and affection. This brought about newfound freedom and enjoyment of God that only continues to grow. As Francis shared this journey with others, he realized that many in the Church are burdened by the same insecurity, and God is zealous to change this. In Beloved, Francis Chan gives biblical insight our restlessness and striving is a symptom of our disbelief of God’s loveSatan’s schemes to keep us trapped in doubt and insecurity Discovering and abiding in our identity as God’s beloved childrenHow God’s love overflows to a life of radical obedience and joyGod longs for His children to rest securely in His holy love. It’s what we were made for, and it is this inward confidence that causes us to be light unto the world.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity, Faith, Theology

156 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Francis Chan is an American pastor and teacher, who lives in California with his wife, Lisa, and their four children. He is the former pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, CA, which he and his wife started in 1994.

Reviews

[Allen Walker]

Love Francis Chan.

[Joseph DelGrosso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to think through about a familiar concept of God’s love in a meditative, refreshing way

[Ellen Melson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beloved is a play on words here: “Be Loved.” The entire point of Chan’s book is that as Christians many of us have missed the boat on really and truly focusing on being Christ’s beloved. We get wrapped up in the rules of organized religion or trying to save ourselves from eternal damnation and miss the whole point that God created us because He loves us and wants to fellowship with us.

Having grown up in a Southern Baptist church, I could certainly relate to feeling like I spent much more time focused on rule following and just not really thinking about how loved I am. Chan’s personal struggles with this are covered in the book and while I did not grow up like he did, I recognize some similarities in how being loved by God is just not something I dwelled on. This book challenged me to look at my relationship with God in a different light and reminds me to stop striving for my own salvation because I truly cannot earn it and God doesn’t expect me to do so. Instead, focusing on how much God loves me changes my perspective and heart.

Many thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy. I look forward to seeing the final version.

[Werner Braun · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Beloved entfaltet Francis Chan in sechs kurzen Kapiteln eine zentrale, oft vergessene Wahrheit des christlichen Glaubens: Wir sind als Christen Geliebte. Das Buch ist wohltuend, herzerwärmend und tröstlich. Es legt den Fokus nicht auf Leistung, Aktivismus oder fromme Pflichterfüllung, sondern auf die tiefe, unverlierbare Liebe Gottes zu uns Menschen.

Chan gelingt es, den Blick neu auf Gott selbst zu lenken. Beim Lesen wird der Erlöser größer, ehrfürchtiger und zugleich näher. Das Buch lädt dazu ein, diese Liebe nicht nur verstandesmäßig zu erfassen, sondern sie zu erwidern – Gott zu suchen, ihm zu vertrauen und darum zu kämpfen, dass diese Liebesbeziehung nicht von Gleichgültigkeit, Angst oder religiöser Routine überlagert wird.

Theologisch oder akademisch ist das Buch nicht angelegt, und das will es auch nicht sein. Es ist vielmehr geistlich belebend, pastoral und persönlich geschrieben. Gerade diese Schlichtheit macht seine Stärke aus. Die Gedanken sind klar, direkt und treffen das Herz mehr als den Intellekt.

Hinzu kommt, dass Beloved bewusst kurz gehalten ist. Es überfordert nicht, sondern lädt dazu ein, innezuhalten, nachzudenken und sich neu an der Liebe Gottes auszurichten.

Fazit:
Ein sehr empfehlenswertes Buch für alle, die sich neu daran erinnern lassen wollen, wer sie in Christus sind: Geliebte. Einfach, ehrlich und geistlich stärkend.

[Fabian Umbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tut der Seele einfach gut 🙏

[Hannah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, so beautiful. I highly recommend this.

[Michelle Korting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book from Francis Chan!

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pastor, speaker, author, Francis Chan, is back with a book that, as he states, he wishes would have been his first book. Why? Because many may have taken his first book, “Crazy Love” and misunderstood that our relationship was about works. As Chan argues in “Beloved”, the biggest fight many of us fight in our relationship is just learning to be loved by God.

Ever since I was first introduced to Francis Chan through the book, “Crazy Love”, I have enjoyed reading his books and hearing him speak. I love his bluntness. I love his willingness to address his own issues. He has never tried to paint himself as if he has it all figured out and we have to have him to help us figure it out in our own lives.

Instead, I have always felt like I am on a journey, growing in our faith together, with Francis.

This book resonated with me. I find myself being driven to “do more” for God. This book came at a time when I have been trying to put into practice just sitting and basking in the love of a Father who loves me.

If you find yourself struggling to live in the love of God, please, check out this book. You won’t be sorry that you did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.

[Rebecca Reed White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to David C Cook for access to an eARC via NetGalley!

It has been over a decade since I last picked up a book by Francis Chan, but Beloved reminds me why his writing has connected with so many people. Beloved is an honest attempt to speak to those who have doubt, are struggling, or simply need to be reminded of a simple truth that’s hard to grasp: you are loved by God.

Chan writes with a sincerity that is refreshing in a time when it seems like everyone is trying to sell you something, to out debate you, or to point out your weaknesses. If you are looking for a quiet meditation that seeks to ground you in God’s love while living in a complicated world, Beloved is for you. Repeatedly, Chan asks his readers to take time and meditate on God’s word and spend a moment in his presence.

This book is not trying to be overly theologically dense, but it is centered around the most fundamental truth. You are loved by God, and you had nothing to do with that. It is a reminder that His love will change your life if you’re willing to recognize and accept it as your identity.

Personally, Beloved is the kind of book that I need more often. A book that I can pull off the shelf to help me slow down and reflect on my relationship with God.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to help you surrender your insecurity about God's love and rest in it.
I've always loved Francis Chan's perspective, and this new book of his is a great capstone of his teachings.
He's saying that resting in God's love and delighting in it needs to be the foundation of our faith, from which our joy can spring. It also needs to be the source of our strength in serving the Lord out of gratitude for what he has done for us, which can replace our endless striving.
I enjoyed the meditative exercises in this book that helped me focus on God's love for me.
Francis also offers several tips that will help me in my spiritual growth.
If you're a fan of him like I am, you will enjoy this new book.
Also, if you've never read one of his books before, this would be a great place to start.

[Hillary Baden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book I would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat! Having been a Christian for most of my life, there’s much of the Christian walk that has become head knowledge instead of heart knowledge, and this book is filled with reminders of powerful truths about God and His love that I have allowed the enemy to deceive me about or give lesser value to than I should have. Sometimes the foundations of the Gospel become too familiar, and my heart needed the reminders of God’s love that this book is filled with.

Francis is so passionate about helping believers to dwell on God’s love for His people and writes in a very relatable way.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review

[Jake Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book and feels necessary for believers to read. I love seeing how Chan has grown since his Crazy Love days..he admits that he would have written this before Crazy Love if possible (which does make sense…read this first if you haven’t read Crazy Love!) but it’s also clear that years and time in the secret place wrote this book.

[Althea Graber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple and profound book. “Be loved, beloved.” I always appreciate Francis’ simple, scripture saturated approach in his books. I was challenged to pray specifically that the Holy Spirit would pour the love of God directly into my heart and those around me.

“Abiding in the love of God frees us from all insecurity and leads us into a lifetime of joyful, worshipful obedience.”

“That’s your identity: the beloved of God. Not because of anything you’ve done, but because of who He is and what He’s done for you. This is who you are. And when we truly believe it, it changes everything.”

[Kaethe Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely essential!

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chan beautifully writes about God's steadfast and unrelenting love for us. If you have every questioned His love for you, this book will encourage and reassure you of the unconditional love of God.

[Jake Steiskal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. My first piece of Francis Chan content ever if you can believe it. Never listened to a sermon or read his other stuff. I loved this though. So good and really opened up my eyes to the beauty and belonging of being deeply loved by God. So so good.

[Alyssa Mizzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read to end the year :)

[Michael Medlen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beloved by author Francis Chan is a beginner's call for faith in Christ. Reviewing such a book is often challenging because it feels sanctimonious to review a religious text that I know I will agree with on a personal level.

But review I will, and stars I will leave. The book is a call to action with recollections from the author's personal background in theology. The main issue I have with the book is how light it is on substance. There are biblical passages, that while necessary for beginning believers, are a little more redundant for followers of Christ.

However, I think the biggest issue is that the book reads more like a pamphlet than it does an actual in depth exploration of Christian theology and fundamentalism.

It's not a bad book, but for followers in the footsteps of a faith that demands more than passages and explanations, sometimes a story is more powerful than actual beliefs. I believe author Francis Chan has such a story, but did not pick up on this during my initial read...

❤️

[Karolyn B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian would benefit from this book. But every Christian who struggles to understand God's love for His sinful people and how it should change us NEEDS to read this book. God's love is not something to earn, and our obedience to Him because He loves us should not feel like an obligation or duty. Francis Chan paints this picture so well! Abiding in God's love is a free gift that we do not treasure enough. This is a resource I will revisit until I have the scriptures Francis references in my heart.


INSECURITY: God wants us secure!

"We try to sin less, give more, pray more, serve more. We try to prove to God and to ourselves that we are one of the real disciples. Yet the harder we try, the more elusive that security becomes."


I cannot be cynical and "abounding in hope." Security in His love and Lordship is the "plug to the toaster." It is how we find freedom from condemnation and joy in obedience.


REVELATION: Know the enemy and pray for security

Satan wants to keep us insecure to prevent us from experiencing the entirety of God's love. Dont let him win. "Satan wants to blur the line between salvation and sanctification so that any time you mess up, it sends you spiraling into doubt instead of running to the throne of grace."


IDENTITY: Heirs and the bride of Christ

Release the false beliefs of Jesus and brace that we are loved as children, heirs, and bride.


"That's your identity: the beloved of God. Not because of anything you've done, but because of who He is and what He's done for you. This is who you are. And when we truly believe it, it changes everything."


LIFE: Choosing to Abide

"If I pursue Him, the accomplishments will come. If I frantically strive for accomplishments, I will have neither."


Pray that you have the "strength to comprehend" His love (Eph 3:18) and abide in it (John 15:9)!


OVERFLOW: Love perfected in us by loving others

"God's love enables us to do far more sacrificial and extravagant works than through our own willpower."


If we love others, God's love is perfected in us. 


"The love of Christ doesn't just make us feel good-it controls us, compels us, leaves us with no choice but to live for the One who died for us."


ENDURANCE: Staying in His love

Do not allow discouragement to linger. We are "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord."

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Satan will try to get you to think about anything other than the grace of God. He will keep you fixated on your circumstances or suffering. He will entice you with distractions and temptations. He will tell you that you don’t have time to gaze at God’s beauty. You have too many things to do and problems to fix."

Pastor Chan makes the case that the greatest thing effecting the Church might very well be the topic of this book. Have a great number of the people of God truly embraced the idea that when they are born again, that new birth comes with an inheritance into the family of God. We are adopted as sons and daughters of the triune God. Our heavenly father loves us perfectly, for our own good, that doesn't always mean it will be easy, but through the struggle and the victory he is there and he loves us, we unite as one body, with one God and one faith as the dwelling place of Jesus who we abide in through the power of the Spirit. Perfect love casts out fear, we can only truly navigate this life on earth if we have a mindset that we are in a spiritual war and like we would protect ourselves physically in war, we need to protect ourselves spiritually in this war. Arm yourselves with the armor of God, know him, know his word, love his people and pray for them.

To me there were no wasted words in this book, it is a heavy, short book filled with years of wisdom and meditation on scripture. I learned a great deal about myself and like the Ephesians I hope to be like them in the book of Ephesians and NOT the book of Revelation. Fits in must read category.

[Kerr Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francis Chan’s Beloved was honestly one of the most refreshing reads I’ve picked up in a long time. It cuts through the noise, the hustle, and all the spiritual clutter we tend to pile up, and brings you back to the simple, staggering truth that you are loved—deeply, personally, relentlessly—by God. Chan doesn’t just remind you; he pleads with you to believe it, to sit in it, and to let it become the truest thing about you.

What struck me most is how he keeps saying, in a hundred different angles, that our identity must be rooted in Christ alone. Not in our ministry, not in our gifts, not in our successes or our failures. We are the beloved of God because Christ has made it so. And if that truth doesn’t move us, nothing else will. The love of God isn’t just comforting—it’s compelling. It’s what pushes us into obedience, mission, sacrifice, and joy.

A few truths from the book that hit hard:
• You can only love God well when you actually believe He loves you first. Chan keeps circling this like a shepherd who knows his sheep forget it every morning.
• We are far too easily impressed with ourselves, and far too rarely impressed with Jesus. That one stung… in the best way.
• Holiness flows from belovedness, not the other way around. You don’t earn God’s affection—you live from it.

All in all, Beloved is a breath of fresh air and a needed reminder in a world full of spiritual exhaustion. Chan invites you to return to the heart of the Father, where identity is given, love is steady, and the Christian life actually becomes a joy again.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chan understands we may be very productive in our Christian life but miss the enjoyment of being loved by God. At the end of life, it is not the accomplishments that are important but rather being in love with Jesus, being secure in our deepest identity of being beloved.

Chan wants us to experience that mysterious spiritual aspect of God's love inside, not just know it intellectually. But this takes sacrifice, working for it. He tells of one person who prayed for five years, for example, before the love of God became an internal reality. He helps us cultivate a hunger for God's presence, reminding us of the importance of meditating on Scripture and the role of prayer. We see how loving others is an overflow of God's love for us.

One insight Chan relates that really struck me was that “our minds belong to Jesus. He wants our minds dwelling on Him...” (103) We aren't free to dwell on lies or junk. We are rather to believe, receive and meditate on the love of God.

I highly recommend this insightful and encouraging book.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Unbridled Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The focus of this book is to encourage all of us to understand how important it is to know we are God's beloved in order for us to love others. There is no way we can minister, serve or evangelize unless we do it with love. It really struck me when Francis Chan said that when he preaches, he looks over the congregation and asks himself do I love these people? Because if he doesn't, as the scripture says, he is nothing but a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. Without love, we are just making noise.

Each chapter is broken up into a lesson, with practical stories to drive the point home and at the end he gives us ways in which we can put the words into action. Chan especially drives home the point that before we can understand how to love others, we must really grasp this idea of being loved by God. It's a good lesson and one that he backs up scripturally. He also acknowledges that some of what he writes about conflicts with his book Crazy Love - and for that I admire his humility. It's not many authors - even those that call themselves Christians - that will readily admit when they have grown and matured.

This is a book I will hold onto and reread.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Beloved" is about focusing on God's great love for us and how it can free us from the burden of trying to earn God's approval. The book "was written primarily to those who tend to focus on their own failures rather than His mercy, grace, and love." The author pointed out verses describing how much God loves us. He explained why we may not accept this and ways that Satan can keep us distracted from God's love and looking at ourselves. He described things you can do that will help you focus on God's love and counteract Satan's deceptions. He also looked at if we serve God out of our overflow of God's love or to try to earn God's love.

There were many good points, but my favorite quote was about how John called himself the beloved disciple and how "John was expressing faith in Christ's love, not in his own lovability." The book was written in a causal, conversational tone, and it was easy to follow his points. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

God’s love is far greater and deeper than we can truly comprehend, and this book brings that truth to life in a powerful way. Through scripture, Chan provides clear and compelling insight into how we can walk confidently with Christ and experience His love in every circumstance.

Two chapters, in particular, left a lasting impact on me. The first—on fearing God and not fearing God—unpacks what scripture really teaches about both, cutting through confusion and offering clarity that is both convicting and freeing. The second—on distractions—hit especially close to home. I saw how easily I allow outside influences to steal my focus from God, and this chapter challenged me to realign my priorities.

This isn’t just a book I’ll read once; it’s one I’ll return to again and again. It doesn’t just inspire—it challenges, convicts, and renews my desire to live fully in the love of Christ.

[Aud · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first grabbed this book, I read the title as "beloved", but to my clever surprise I realized the "Be" was highlighted apart from the "loved". News flash: the theme was going to be more about being loved by God. I really enjoyed this read. It was an easy read with some great truth. I love the emphasis of mediating on scripture section. It definitely challenged me as a Christian. I feel like when I pick a "self help/ Christian" book it should challenge me in some way- I like them that way at least lol. I also love how it talks about because we are loved we should overflow that love to others. Too many times I wash over that truth because I hear it a lot, but Chan did a great way of diving into it! The book ended sweetly too. I overall give it 4 stars because I would recommend people to read it, but it could've had more depth which is why I leave it at just a 4!

[Emilee Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

This book was a breath of fresh air in this season of my life and a great reminder of God's love for us. I found myself highlighting so many passages throughout this book and will definitely re-read it in the future. A realization I have had in my walk with Christ is how he wants to have a relationship with us and that is so much more than going to church or doing Bible time. It is a continual effort, one that doesn't have to be tiring or feel like checking a box. This book was fantastic and the Bible verses to prove Francis' viewpoints of God's deep love for us were very well done. Overall, a beautiful book and one I can't wait to recommend to friends and family!

[Michelle Scarboro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the confirmation I needed. As Christians we sometimes believe we are alone or secretly question how God could love us.
Francis Chan addresses this and other topics that challenge our faith and yet provide comfort knowing we are so loved by our Creator.
Highly recommended for those who have been in the Christian walk for many years. For those of us who have spent time in ministry and find ourselves asking what is motivating me to do this? And is my relationship with God really supposed to look like this?
God is moving in people all over the western world to remove the things we have allowed mainstream Christianity to become, and to seek first the kingdom.

[Meggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Francis Chan since Crazy Love. I love his books and his speaking. Beloved is no exception.

What I appreciate about Francis Chan the most is his ability to take a very simple topic and make it so impactful. In this book, the concept of "Be Loved" is explored in such a beautiful way through personal stories, experiences in his ministry, and biblical truths. His writing is easy to follow and asks that you go deeper than just reading his words.

I would recommend everyone read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Beloved,” Francis Chan shares scripture and his own experience with coming to grasp the love of God. Even though most would agree this seems like an important concept, it somehow ends up neglected when put against Holiness of God, Fear of God, and Judgement. Demonstrated through scripture, not one of God’s attributes should be suppressed. And Love is the foundation to understand the rest of who God is and how he views us. This book and the scripture shared within it was encouraging to me.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.