Communion, Protestantism, & the Love of God (Pt. 1) | Francis Chan & Gavin Ortlund

Crazy Love Podcast

Crazy Love Ministries

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality:christianity

4.8 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 1 December 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Francis Chan sits down with theologian and apologist Gavin Ortlund (truthunites.org) for a vulnerable, wide-ranging conversation about communion, church unity, and what it means to love other Christians in a fractured age. Francis shares his own journey wrestling with the Eucharist, reading the church fathers, engaging Roman Catholic and Orthodox perspectives, and discovering the “real presence” within a Protestant framework. Gavin explains why he remains gratefully Protestant and how he understands the richness of the Lord’s Supper and church history. Together, they talk honestly about the harsh tone of much online “discernment” content, the temptation to chase clicks by attacking other believers, and the deep grief they both feel over division in the body of Christ. Francis opens up about this new season of life and ministry, sensing a renewed childlike faith, a burden to guard and walk with younger leaders, and a longing to see gospel-centered unity rooted in truth and shaped by the love of God. If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about the Lord’s Supper, Protestant vs. Catholic/Orthodox claims, or how to contend for truth without losing love, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you to fix your eyes on Jesus and pursue a unity that flows from the gospel itself.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Crazy Love podcast.
0:07.0	What does it really mean to pursue unity?
0:11.0	The church and society at large are becoming increasingly polarized and divisive.
0:17.0	As Christians, we have a responsibility to pursue both truth and unity.
0:23.5	In this episode, Francis sits down with Gavin Ortland to discuss their views on the Eucharist
0:28.8	and other theological issues while also speaking to the broader question of how to engage
0:34.8	in these dialogues with humility, grace, and love.
0:42.3	Well, Francis, I feel so honored to talk with you.
0:44.3	I have such a love in my heart for you and an affection for you as my brother in Christ.
0:48.3	I think maybe I just, we were talking beforehand and I said,
0:52.3	get these questions out of here, let's just talk. And I thought, you know, it'd be fun to share how we got to know each other. Yes. And I was so embarrassed. I put out a video, you know, interacting with your views on communion or the Lord's Supper. Yes, yes. And then a couple years later, I checked my email inbox.
1:13.0	And I had an email from you.
1:14.1	Yes, yes, yes.
1:15.1	Oh, this is so great that we got together.
1:16.9	We were able to pray together and talk.
1:19.1	I was so humbled by your kindness and just how gracious you were
1:23.2	and talking all that through.
1:24.8	And I would love for us to just talk through kind of, you know,
1:28.9	your views on communion. Yeah. We were talking a moment ago. There's such a hunger in hearts right now
1:34.5	for substance and for truth. And people are searching and, you know, truth unites exist to try to
1:42.1	meet those needs. Yeah. So I think just us talking this through will be edifying for people.
1:46.0	But maybe to start with, tell us a little bit, what are you up to these days?
	...

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