Funerals are scary occasions for many individuals, including for Francis Chan. Although the evangelical preacher and author is "deeply disturbed" at such memorials, he feels they are as necessary for the living as the dead — but not in the way that one may presume.

In an article posted this month for DesiringGod.org, a website focused on glorifying God, Chan urged Christians to " … keep the brevity of life on the forefront of our minds" in order to live prepared for Judgment Day.

"Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom," Chan wrote, quoting Psalms 90:12. The preacher said that pondering death is for the wise and that only fools ignore its inevitability.


Read more: Why You Should Think About Death, Judgment Day