If you've followed Matt Chandler's ministry, you know he doesn't shy away from complex issues. When given the chance to write a new book, "The Overcomers," Chandler found himself faced with answering tough questions he had in his own life. Chandler is clear that if it weren't for his relationship with God and reading the Bible, he would never have made it through those tough years between 2015 and 2021. In an exclusive interview with Crosswalk, Chandler offers practical advice and insights from the New Testament Book of Revelation on how every follower of Christ can overcome any situation life throws at them, just like he did.
Crosswalk Headlines: When did you know that God was calling you to write The Overcomers?
Matt Chandler: This book is very different from past books. One of the differences is that I'm usually writing with someone else. If you look at any of the other eight books, it's Matt Chandler with someone else. A good friend suggested I try to write like I talk when I sit down and hang out with somebody as opposed to how I preach. I wrote this book with a three-by-five index card on my screen that said to write like you're having a cup of coffee with someone. I wanted this book to feel personable to the people who would be reading it.
CWH: It's been a tough season for many people. How can people be overcomers when they've been through so much?
MC: A big part of my motivation was that it looked like we were stuck in the body of Christ. Even people I knew who loved Jesus deeply. Considering the trauma of 2020, you could probably start in 2016, especially in the 2020-2021 window, where people were rocked. The data shows that anxiety, depression, and outrage all rose during that time. It looked to me like people were willing to concede the work of the kingdom to blue-check celebrity extroverted personality types rather than leaning into the gospel. I was first motivated to convince the village church's men and women and then spread these ideas I've been teaching and writing about to as many people as possible. However, I just had some razor-sharp focus here where we have been uniquely designed by God.
CWH: How did writing this book impact you personally?
MC: I was in a funk from 2015 to probably right up to 2021. I'd made some significant leadership mistakes in 2015 that hurt people. I tried publicly owning that back then and then sat down to meet with people I had unintentionally hurt. I know how I come off, but I really am a harmonizer. I'm not like that. Things do hurt me. Hurting other people is my least favorite thing that happens in pastoral ministry because it's almost always, well, I can say this: it has always been unintentional. But it still happens, and that shook me. It robbed me of some confidence around my kind of natural prophetic edge. I also had about four or five friends who disqualified themselves. Not to mention, we were struggling with some things in my house that were not easy. It seemed like from 2015 to 2021, it was like wave after wave after wave of things were hitting me personally. I just felt like I was drowning. I was still showing up, and I was still trying to preach and lead well.
CWH: Can you describe a little more what that felt like for our audience?
MC: The way I've described it was like I was stuck in second gear, but I didn't know I was in second gear. I was cognitively aware that I was stuck or wasn't what I used to be. I had an encounter with the Lord in 2020. I was out by myself fasting and praying, and I had an encounter with the Lord. One of the things that came out of that encounter was that I started a deep dive into studying the Book of Revelation. The Lord met me in that study and, in a very kind way, helped me shift back to fifth gear. I felt, in a real way, reborn in the work that God called me to do.
CWH: When people think of the word Overcomer, they usually don't think of the book of Revelation as being a book of the Bible that deals with that topic, correct?
MC: The title from the book of Revelation came from the letters to the churches, to each of the seven churches. For example, when the apostle John says to the one who overcomes, the idea of overcoming is baked into the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book of discipleship. The Book of Revelation, written 2000 years ago, put steel into the spines of believers. It encouraged their hearts. It pulled back the veil and let them see the victory of Jesus made available to them when John was writing; the Spirit was writing through John. It's Jesus talking to John who is showing John his power and sovereignty to overcome things.
CWH: Pastors and leaders are experiencing burnout and exhaustion all the time. What advice do you give them?
MC: If I'm talking from the book. I would say that chapters four and five are significant because what we see in chapters four and five is Christ enthroned in ultimate victory. You have 24 elders representing the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles, all human history, in front of the throne. These weird individuals representing different aspects of creation, while moving toward his throne is a reminder of his forgiving, saving grace. There must be a vision of Jesus's reigning ruling authority that's ever before us, that we should be humbling ourselves. I think pastors have to stop living to appease people and cynics because they'll never be able to win them. Pastors need to stop giving their time to it. I want to preach and lead the men and women who are hungry to seriously follow King Jesus.
Photo Credit: ©Matt Chandler / JDAworldwide
MAINA MWAURA is a freelance writer and journalist who has interviewed over 800 influential leaders, including two US Presidents, three Vice-Presidents, and a variety of others. Maina, is also the author of the Influential Mentor, How the life and legacy of Howard Hendricks Equipped and Inspired a Generation of Leaders. Maina and his family reside in the Kennesaw, Georgia area.