Dear Brother Francis,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I write to you as a fellow servant who has been profoundly moved by your fear of the Lord and your unwavering commitment to preach nothing but what you discern as His will. When you recognized that your megachurch structure did not reflect the New Testament pattern, you courageously left it and began planting smaller, home-based churches. That decision revealed something rare: you fear God more than influence, and you act upon that fear. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Your book Letters to the Church and your journey have stirred me greatly. I have followed with admiration how you sought to restore relational, participatory, and Spirit-driven churches. You are rightly concerned that believers be equipped to serve one another rather than remain passive spectators. Your courage and fidelity are inspiring.

At the same time, I have noticed something that may explain why even your courageous efforts in small home churches can sometimes feel more challenging than your experience leading the megachurch. It appears that while the form of the church has been restored, the foundation of the gospel itself may still need examination.

The apostles proclaimed a gospel that centered on Jesus as Lord, enthroned and exalted, summoning allegiance. Acts 2:36 declares:

“God has made Him both Lord and Christ.”

Paul is accused of declaring “another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:7), and Romans 10:9 links confession with resurrection. In all these passages, the cross and resurrection are embedded in a royal narrative: suffering → vindication → enthronement.

Many modern expressions of the gospel, including widely taught messages today, emphasize instead: “Jesus died for me.” This emphasis is not wrong in itself, but structurally it shifts the center: personal assurance becomes primary, while allegiance and obedience become secondary. The result is a church that may produce spectators even in small, committed gatherings. Perhaps this explains the additional difficulty you experienced in establishing home churches compared to the megachurch.

Over the past years, I have been working to recover what I believe to be the apostolic gospel in its full structure, integrating:

• The lordship of Christ as central

• The pathway of obedience and suffering, modeled by Christ;

• The participatory nature of righteousness, in which the Father’s virtue and glory are manifested in Christ and shared with believers.

I summarize this framework as the “Virtue‑Glory‑Person” paradigm:

God’s righteousness reveals supreme virtue worthy of supreme glory.

Christ embodies that virtue and receives its perfect glorification.

Believers participate in the same path — same virtue, same glory.

I am writing not to instruct, but to invite conversation. I would be honored to share this framework with you, and explore together how the gospel itself — not just church structure — shapes faithful discipleship.

Thesis 7 highlights that righteousness is not about the justice of law or the faithfulness of covenant — the usual ways it is often explained. Instead, righteousness is about God calling us to share His glory through virtue, following Christ’s obedient path, and actively participating in that life. This participation forms the pathway into the glory of heaven. This summary is offered as a discussion starter, not a finished argument.

Your courage in leaving structures that are comfortable but unbiblical, and your pursuit of relational, Spirit-filled church life, has inspired me. Perhaps together we can investigate whether the gospel itself — in its apostolic form — can provide the foundation for the kind of churches we long to see.

With respect, admiration, and hope in Christ,
John from China

Apostolic Gospel Theses

Thesis 1: The gospel is the announcement of God’s decisive action in Jesus Christ, not primarily an abstract explanation of salvation mechanics.

Thesis 2: God’s plan is to glorify humanity and unite us with Himself. Salvation is about participating in His glory, not only escaping punishment.

Thesis 3: The covenant is the tool God uses to accomplish this plan. It serves His purpose, but the controlling factor is God’s goal: to reveal His glory and call humans into participation.

Thesis 4: The apostolic gospel centers on the lordship of Christ. Jesus’ resurrection and enthronement declare Him King over all creation.

Thesis 5: The cross is the pathway to glory. Suffering, obedience, and resurrection reveal virtue perfected and crowned in glory.

Thesis 6: Faith is allegiance to the reigning Lord, not mere mental assent. True faith follows, submits, and participates in His reign.

Thesis 7: Righteousness is not about the justice of law or the faithfulness of covenant — the usual ways it is often explained. Instead, righteousness is about God calling us to share His glory through virtue, following Christ’s obedient path, and actively participating in that life. This participation forms the pathway into the glory of heaven. This summary is offered as a discussion starter, not a finished argument.

Thesis 8: God’s righteousness is supreme virtue that rightly culminates in glory. It is revealed fully in Christ and shared with those united to Him.

Thesis 9: Christ’s righteousness is obedience perfected unto glory. His life, death, and resurrection display virtue crowned with glory.

Thesis 10: Believers participate in Christ’s path. If we suffer with Him, we share His glory. Our righteousness is relational and participatory, not merely declarative.

Thesis 11: The shape and vitality of the church flow from the gospel’s structure. A gospel centered on personal assurance produces spectators; a gospel centered on Christ’s lordship produces a living, active body of disciples.

Thesis 12: Restoration of church life requires recovering the gospel’s controlling center. Reforming structure without restoring the gospel risks building on a shifted foundation. The apostles’ message — Jesus is Lord, the path is His way, and obedience is required — must be central.