145 Best Francis Chan Letters to the Church Quotes (2023)

1. “The call to follow Jesus was a call to die. The price tag was front and center. Jesus laid it out from the start and told people to count the cost before they got themselves into something they weren’t ready to commit to.” (p. 129)

2. This is how God longs for us to respond to His extravagant, unending love: not with a cursory “quiet time” plagued by guilt, but with true love expressed through our lives. – Crazy Love

3. “Haven’t there been times when you have felt suffocated by the busyness at a Christian event? Something in you longs for more space to breathe, more room for God to move.” (pp. 173-174)

4. “Too many pastors are aspiring to be great writers, speakers, and leaders. There are not enough who are known as great moms and dads. And those who serve well as moms and dads never become known because this isn’t highly valued.” (p. 118)

5. “Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin.”

6. “Many of us make decisions based on what brings us the most pleasure....We pursue what we want; then we make sure there are no biblical commands we are violating. In essence, we want to know what God will tolerate rather than what He desires. Maybe we are afraid to ask what will bring Him the most pleasure. Ignorance feels better than disobedience.”

7. “If we focus too much of our attention on what people want, we will only increase the amount of complaining.”

8. “Until we embrace the suffering that so many Christians embrace around the world, we’re not going to have an unstoppable Church.” (p. 136)

9. “Sadly, many of us aren’t gripped by the stunningly magnificent events and truths of the birth of Jesus anymore. Sadly, many of us are no longer gripped by wonder as we consider what this story tells us about the character and plan of God. Sadly, many of us are no longer humbled by what the incarnation of Jesus tells us about ourselves. We walk by the garden of the incarnation, but we don’t see the roses of grace anymore. Our eyes have gone lazy and our hearts have grown cold.”

10. “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

11. Though you may not have a degree in psychology, you are still called to stand with the Christians in your life as they pursue the healing and transformation that only come through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Multiply

12. “He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a ‘Christian’ without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd.”

13. A friend of mine once said that Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horribly. – Crazy Love

14. A disciple is a disciple maker. – Multiply

15. “The intimacy I’ve been experiencing with God has been directly tied to my connection with the Church.” (p. 192)

16. “Our job is to reveal God to people. He is present in His Word, fellowship, Communion, and prayer. Rather than creating our own pep rallies, our calling is to simply put Him on display and watch as He draws people to Himself” (p. 64)

17. “For the Christian, death is not the end of adventure but a doorway from a world where dreams and adventures shrink, to a world where dreams and adventures forever expand.”

18. “The early church didn’t need the energetic music, great videos, attractive leaders, or elaborate lighting to be excited about being a part of God’s body. The pure gospel was enough to put them in a place of awe.” (p. 44)

19. How to Give It

20. “We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.”

21. “But what Kierkegaard saw in the Church were constant attempts to make Christianity more palatable, more popular, and less offensive. He said if we strip away the offense from Christianity and try to make things fun and easy for everyone, “then lock the churches, the sooner the better, or turn them into places of amusement which stand open all day long!”2”

22. “Contrary to popular belief, we are all called to pastor (a word that simply means ‘shepherd’). Older women are to shepherd the younger (Titus 2:3-5). Parents are to shepherd their children (Eph. 6:4). Timothy was told to teach others what he had been taught (2 Tim. 2:2). We’re all called to be making disciples (Matt. 28:19-20). If you can’t find a single person who looks to you as a mentor, something is wrong with you” (106).

23. “Paul said, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim. 4:13). Maybe if we did more of this, we could raise a new generation that is addicted to God’s Word and less fanatical about preachers.”

24. “I believe He wants us to love others so much that we go to extremes to help them.”

25. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can’t contain Him. Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate? – Crazy Love

26. “If we are serious about winning the lost, we must be serious about pursuing unity.”

27. “The church doesn’t have to remain a group of needy people complaining that they haven’t been fed well enough. It really can become a group of servants who thrive in serving.”

28. “Even if we wanted all people to use their gifts, is it even possible with the way we currently do things? There isn’t time. When we reduce “church” to a ninety-minute service where one person teaches for forty-five minutes and another leads music for thirty minutes, we are left with fifteen minutes for announcements and forced handshakes with the people sitting near you. Are we creating the space necessary for every person to feel like he or she can be used by God to encourage and build up others? Have we made our churches so professional and impressive that only the polished few can contribute?” (p. 92)

29. “Gangs have a much stronger sense of what it means to be a family than we do in the Church.” Yet this quote comes in the context of a former gang member who was under the threat of death for wanting to leave. Some family!

30. If we are going to call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, we should be making disciples. – Multiply

31. “We are too quick to get discouraged and quit because we have not learned to rejoice in suffering. Show me a pastor who rejoices in suffering, and I will show you a pastor who will be in ministry a long time. When pastors who rejoice in suffering make disciples, you end up with an unstoppable church.” (p. 125)

32. “In our impatient culture, we want to experience biblical awe without biblical devotion.”

33. “God is the only being who is good, and the standards are set by Him. Because God hates sin, He has to punish those guilty of sin. Maybe that’s not an appealing standard. But to put it bluntly, when you get your own universe, you can make your own standards.”

34. “Honoring traditions made the Pharisees feel like they were obeying God when they actually weren’t. If we are not careful, we can be guilty of the same sin resulting in the same divine displeasure.”

35. “If God is indescribable, where does that leave us? It leaves us walking more humbly than we’ve ever walked before—bowed at the thought of such a mighty and mysterious God. It leaves us safe in the knowledge of His ultimate control—that the One who spoke these awe-inspiring, inconceivable wonders into being will never lose the plot or drop the ball. And it leaves us pondering just how much He—this creative God of hidden wonders—has in store for those who’ve chosen to love and follow Him.”

36. “considering”

37. “Has your relationship with God changed the way you live your life?”

38. “Many pastors expect their members to sit under their teachings till they die rather than training them to leave and shepherd others. Paul was clear that church leaders are to equip the saints for work. Hugh Halter sees this as a trap we build for ourselves: “Many vocational ministers are stuck doing the work of ministry because they take a paycheck from consumer Christians who fail to see the full scope of their calling.”1”

39. “If you can't find a single person who looks to you as a mentor, something is wrong with you. And social media doesn't count. I'm talking about flesh-and-blood humans who mimic your actions. This requires living a life that's worth duplicating, which is quite a bit harder than posting pictures and quotes”

40. “It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that he didn’t call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace.”

41. “Some of our additions are birthed from a lack of faith. We don’t really expect God to move, so we fill our gatherings with exciting elements that will entertain people even if God does nothing.” (p. 175)

42. “Do our actions show that we expect supernatural contributions from every member of the body?” (p.90) and “If we give up on the goal of having all members exercise their spiritual gifts, we are destined for perpetual immaturity.” (p.92)

43. “If prayer isn’t vital for your church, then your church isn’t vital. This statement may be bold, but I believe it’s true. If you can accomplish your church’s mission without daily, passionate prayer, then your mission is insufficient and your church is irrelevant.” (p. 62)

44. “Prayer is not merely a task of ministry; it is a gauge that exposes our hearts’ condition. It unveils our pride, showing us whether or not we believe we are powerless apart from God.” (p.113)

45. “Don’t you see the weirdness in calling people CHRISTian when they aren’t servants? I know we can’t force people to serve, but there has to be something we can do. No team puts up with players who refuse to contribute. No army puts up with soldiers who don’t carry their own weight. Why do churches continue to put up with Christians who refuse to serve? Why don’t we treat selfishness as a sin that needs to be confronted? If Scripture commands us to serve one another, isn’t it a bit strange that we give people a free pass?” (97).

46. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

47. “As the crowd called, “Hosanna!” the pharisees tried to rebuke them, but Jesus told them in Luke 19:40, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be the reason that hard, lifeless stones have to cry out praise to God!” ” — Julia Bruce

48. “Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horribly.”

49. “Prayer is the mark of a lover. Those who deeply love Jesus can’t help but pray often. To love God with our entire being is the greatest command in Scripture. Pastors who are not drawn to prayer should not be pastors. It is in prayer that we seek the Lord and the welfare of our people.”

50. “You can’t fully mature without being attacked.”

51. “God’s definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love.”

52. “Pastors who are not drawn to prayer should not be pastors.” (p. 114)

53. “We would never admit it, but we often search for leaders the way the world does. We look at outward appearances. We want a great speaker and gifted leader. God has always championed the humble person who passionately seeks Him.” (p. 115)

54. “But God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”

55. “Another pastor from India gave me some simple and powerful advice I hope never leaves me. His ministry has led over three million people to Jesus. All these people are being discipled. When I asked how he organized this massive army, he replied, “Americans always want to know about strategy. This is what I will tell you: my leaders are the most humble men I know, and they know Jesus deeply.” He proceeded to tell me that his biggest mistakes were the times when he allowed people into leadership who were not humble. He got so excited about releasing their gifts, but it always led to their destruction. To this day, he says those are his biggest regrets. Now his main criterion for identifying leaders is humility, and his leadership problems have significantly decreased. We would never admit it, but we often search for leaders the way the world does. We look at outward appearances.”

56. …you have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin.

57. “Can you name a single church in our country that is known for the way its members love one another?” Yes!

58. “The Church is in dire need of a fresh wave of godly leadership. I pray all existing leaders would be renewed or replaced.” Is there really not a pastor in America who is doing well enough that he doesn’t need to be either renewed or replaced?

59. “We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God. You’ve probably heard the expression ‘I believe in God, just not organized religion’. I don’t think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live.”

60. Most Christians can give a number of reasons why they cannot or should not disciple other people… – Multiply

61. “And in their prayers, they were screaming out to God to take them to the most dangerous places. “I want to suffer for You. I don’t want to go to a safe place. I don’t. Please! I want to be counted worthy to die in Your name.” That’s the way they prayed. If you have a group like that, how are you going to stop them? That’s the way the Church is supposed to be—an unstoppable force—ready to take a hit and go right back into battle.”

62. A sure sign of a loveless heart is seeing people as a means to your own ends… – Multiply

63. “We’re not doing people any favors by pretending they are the center of the universe. Either people will be awed by the sacred or they will not. If the sacred is not enough, then it is clear that the Spirit has not done a work in their lives. If the sheep don’t hear His voice, let them walk away. Don’t call out with your own voice.” (p.53)

64. “He decided to test the waters and build a church above ground, just to see how well it would go. His church grew to a couple thousand people. Then the government went in and, sure enough, shut it down and hauled him and the other pastors away. In hindsight, he told me he was actually really grateful because it brought them back to their DNA again. He told me they had started to lose it with the change of structure. By having a large service, people began coming just to listen to a sermon. Once they grew accustomed to merely sitting and listening, he had a hard time stirring the people to action. It was almost as if the Lord used them being torn down again to rebuild even stronger. So they went back.”

65. “My goal is to get you dreaming, to keep you from settling, to affirm that nagging sense you can’t shake that God wants something more for His Church than what you’re experiencing.”

66. “Contrary to popular belief, we are all called to pastor (a word that simply means “shepherd”). Older women are to shepherd the younger (Titus 2:3–5). Parents are to shepherd their children (Eph. 6:4). Timothy was told to teach others what he himself had been taught (2 Tim. 2:2). We’re all called to be making disciples (Matt. 28:19–20). If you can’t find a single person who looks to you as a mentor, something is wrong with you.”

67. “By catering our worship to the worshippers and not to the Object of our worship, I fear we have created human-centered churches.”

68. “Recently a pilot was practicing high-speed maneuvers in a jet fighter. She turned the controls for what she thought was a steep ascent-and flew straight into the ground. She was unaware that she had been flying upside down. This is a parable of human existence in our times-not exactly that everyone is crashing, though there is enough of that-but most of us as individuals, and world society as a whole, live at high-speed, and often with no clue to whether we are flying upside down or right-side up. Indeed, we are haunted by a strong suspicion that there may be no difference-or at least that it is unknown or irrelevant.”

69. “The reality of these insights into prayer

70. “Lukewarm living and claiming Christ’s name simultaneously is utterly disgusting to God.”

71. “True faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God’s fidelity to His Promises.”

72. Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give. – Crazy Love

73. I am tired of living in a way that looks exactly like people who do not have the Holy Spirit of God living in them. – Forgotten God

74. “If you listened only to the voice of Jesus, read only the words that came out of His mouth, you would have a very clear understanding of what He requires of His followers. If you listened only to modern preachers and writers, you would have a completely different understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.”

75. “Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.”

76. “Just a few weeks ago, at our church gathering we read the entire book of Revelation out loud…I started by reading Revelation 1:3: ‘Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophesy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.’ Isn’t it ridiculous that God promises a blessing to anyone who reads Revelation out loud and yet no one actually does this?” p. 59

77. I cannot make someone understand and accept the gift of grace. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. So by every measure that actually counts, I need the Holy Spirit. Desperately. – Forgotten God

78. “The goal of a good pastor is to raise up good pastors.”

79. “Rather than creating our own pep rallies, our calling is to simply put Him on display and watch as He draws people to Himself. If they are not interested in Him, what do we think we're accomplishing by trying to lure them by other means?”

80. “If it’s 11:00 p.m. and your ten-year-old asks for a latte because he’s tired, you need to tell him to go to sleep. Sleep is the right solution for his fatigue. Too often we have given people what they ask for rather than what they need. There are times when the most loving thing we can do is teach people that joy will come only when they stop screaming for attention and save their voices for the throne.”

81. “We have come up with countless strategies to reach the lost when God promises that unity is the method that will work.” (p.80)

82. “Many of us make decisions based on what brings us the most pleasure….We pursue what we want; then we make sure there are no biblical commands we are violating. In essence, we want to know what God will tolerate rather than what He desires. Maybe we are afraid to ask what will bring Him the most pleasure. Ignorance feels better than disobedience.”

83. “Like a flask of lightening, prayer exposes for a nanosecond what I would prefer to ignore: my own true state of fragile dependence…. Prayer helps correct myopia, calling to mind a perspective I daily forget. I keep reversing roles, thinking of ways in which God should serve me, rather than vice versa…. I need the corrective vision of prayer because all day long I will lose sight of God’s perspective.”

84. “We have settled for the natural and our choices give little evidence that we believe in the Holy Spirit. For that reason, we end up with gatherings that are very explainable and at times feel mechanical and even obligatory.”

85. “While we can’t force people to be devoted, it may be that we have made it too easy for them not to be. By trying to keep everyone interested and excited, we’ve created a cheap substitute for devotion. Rather than busying themselves with countless endeavors, the early followers devoted themselves to a few. And it changed the world. It seems like the Church of America is constantly looking for the next new thing.”

86. “I would much rather hire someone who prayed and did nothing else than someone who worked tirelessly without praying.”

87. “Your church model often communicates your true theology.” (p. 172)

88. “Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and loving the people he has made?”

89. “We pursue what we want; then we make sure there are no biblical commands we are violating. In essence, we want to know what God will tolerate rather than what He desires. Maybe we are afraid to ask what will bring Him the most pleasure. Ignorance feels better than disobedience. The good news is that by the grace of God, some of us are seeing our failures now and are training ourselves to prioritize His desires. Scripture is our starting point, not desire or tradition. Rather than thinking of what we would enjoy or asking others what they would like, we ask the simple question, What would please God most?”

90. “I am trying to write with a spirit of unity. While some of the things I write may sound critical, I really am trying to speak in a spirit of grace and unity. One of the worst things that could happen for is for angry people to take these words and proudly confront their church leadership. There is enough division and arrogance in the Church already. I believe there is a way to show kindness and grace toward one another without abandoning our convictions” (25).

91. Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion. – Crazy Love

92. “The Church has real issues, but Jesus still refers to the Church as His body, His Bride! We must love His Bride, not gripe about her or leave her.”

93. Making disciples isn’t about gathering pupils to listen to your teaching. The real focus is not on teaching people at all–the focus is on loving them. – Multiply

94. On a scale of one to ten, how much do you love the church? As you look around at your brothers and sisters in Christ, do you think to yourself, “I love these people so much. I pray God empowers me in some way to encourage these people toward a deeper walk with Him?” – Forgotten God

95. “For decades church leadership like myself have lost sight of the powerful mystery inherent in the Church and have instead run to other methods to keep people interested. In all honesty, we have trained you to become addicted to lesser things. We have cheapened something sacred, and we we must repent.”

96. “The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time.”

97. “In our impatient culture, we want to experience biblical awe without biblical devotion. At the core of our dysfunction is not necessarily style or structure but lack of devotion.” p.56

98. “Just because something is said with the wrong attitude doesn’t mean it’s wrong information”

99. The Spirit desires to use us when our hearts are aligned with (His) vision, when we are filled with genuine love for the church, and when we desire to see the church grow in love for God and others. – Forgotten God

100. “My church is no longer the center of my spiritual growth.” What if it isn’t? Does it matter?

101. “Enough” (Lyric Video) Featuring Koryn Hawthorne

102. “The King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favorite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time in His holy presence.”

103. “I imagined God looking down on the earth and seeing people on one side of the planet gathering expectantly whenever prayer was happening. Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, people show up only for the most talented people and the “atmosphere.” It’s embarrassing.”

104. “Overcomer” (Lip Sync Music Video) Featuring Mandisa and More!

105. “When I am consumed by my problems-stressed out about my life, my family, and my job-I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice.”

106. “In our impatient culture, we want to experience biblical awe without biblical devotion. At the core of our dysfunction is not necessarily style or structure but lack of devotion.”

107. “The older I get, the more aware I am that the end is near. There is no time to care about what I want in the Church. There’s no time to worry about what others are looking for in a church. I will be facing Him soon, so I have to stay focused on His desires.” (p.28)

108. “Costly grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”

109. “No team puts up with players who refuse to contribute. No army puts up with soldiers who don’t carry their own weight. Why do churches continue to put up with Christians who refuse to serve? Why don’t we treat selfishness as a sin that needs to be confronted?” (p.97)

110. People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God’s Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages. – Crazy Love

111. “This is why self-deprecation is as wicked as slandering God’s Church.”

112. Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves…Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached. – Crazy Love

113. “Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that you are part of an eternal plan? Seriously think about this. Your existence didn’t begin at conception. You began in the mind of God before the foundation of this earth. Meditate on this. Few things will make you feel smaller … or bigger. “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Ephesians 1:4–5”

114. “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” Isaiah 57:15”

115. The concept of downsizing so that others might upgrade is biblical, beautiful…and nearly unheard of. – Crazy Love

116. “The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.”

117. “Prayer is not merely a task of ministry; it is a gauge that exposes our hearts’ condition.”

118. “To us, many situations in Scripture involve a punishment that was too severe for the crime. But Why do we feel this way? We don't understand what it means for something to be "sacred.”

119. God wants you to view other Christians in your life as partners in ministry. God has not called you to make disciples in isolation. – Multiply

120. “Many want to change the Church, but it is often motivated by personal preference rather than biblical conviction.”

121. “Voices are plentiful; followers are not. Strong opinions are applauded; humility is not.”

122. “One of the questions I often ask myself before I preach is, Will this sermon draw attention to Christ or to me? For many of us, our default is self-preservation and self-exaltation. In our insecurity, we worry about what people will think of us rather than hoping they will not.” (p. 116)

123. “For decades church leaders like myself have lost sight of the powerful mystery inherent in the Church and have instead run to other methods to keep people interested. In all honesty, we have trained you to become addicted to lesser things. We have cheapened something sacred, and we must repent.” (p.44)

124. “I wonder whether you’ve felt like the zebra. You’ve been a faithful member of your church, but you keep feeling like you were made for something more. Maybe you’ve even experienced what it’s like to live in the wild. It may have been on an overseas mission trip or while boldly reaching out in your own neighborhood. You’ve known the joy of seeing your instincts kick in and allow you to thrive. But now you’re stuck in the zoo, where everything is comfortable, everything is controlled. And you just want to get back to living in the wild.” (p. 152)

125. We never “finish” the discipleship process. – Multiply

126. “Can you worship a God who isn’t obligated to explain His actions to you? Could it be your arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation?”

127. Don’t fall into the trap of studying the Bible without doing what it says. – Multiply

128. “My preaching habits over the years have shown that I believe His words are dead and require my creativity to bring them to life.” p.58

129. “Should we consider that placing people in comfortable classrooms and auditoriums for years may not be the best way to train fearless leaders?” (p.165)

130. Out of 114 times that the “church” is mentioned in the New Testament, at least ninety of them refer to specific local gatherings of believers who have banded together for fellowship and mission. – Multiply

131. “There are times when the most loving thing we can do is teach people that joy will come only when they stop screaming for attention and save their voices for the throne.”

132. I believe He wants us to love others so much that we go to extremes to help them. – Crazy Love

133. People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people. – Crazy Love

134. “When it’s hard and you are doubtful, give more.”

135. “He explained further that they had started out with five pillars to the house church movement. He began naming the pillars, and at first I was tracking with him. The first one is based on a deep, deep commitment to prayer. The second is commitment to the Word of God. It wasn’t about the speaker but about everyone learning the Word of God, reading the Word of God. The third was being committed to the sharing of the gospel, so every member was sharing the gospel. These first three I felt lined up pretty well with what we were trying to do in San Francisco. The fourth was a regular expectation of miracles. Because of their prayer life, because of what they believed of the Holy Spirit, they expected the supernatural. That’s something we were growing in desiring and understanding. But then, with the fifth pillar, he completely blindsided me. He said, “The fifth pillar was we embraced suffering for the glory of Christ.” Whoa! He told me this is what they built their church on: embracing suffering.”

136. “If the sacred is not enough, then it is clear that the Spirit has not done a work in their lives. If the sheep don’t hear His voice, let them walk away. Don’t call out with your own voice.” (p. 53)

137. “Thus says the Lord: the meaning of Christmas is that what is good and precious in your life need never be lost, and what is evil and undesirable in your life can be changed. The fears that the few good things that make you happy are slipping through your fingers, and the frustrations that the bad things you hate about yourself or your situation can’t be changed-these fears and these frustrations are what Christmas came to destroy. It is God’s message of hope this Advent that what is good need never be lost and what is bad can be changed.”

138. “There is a simple exercise that I walk through with church leaders. First, I have them list all the things that people expect from their church. They usually list obvious things, like a really good service, strong age-specific ministries, a certain style/volume/length of singing, a well-communicated sermon, conveniences such as parking, a clean church building, coffee, child care, etc.

139. “The theology that matters is not the theology we profess but the theology we practice.”

140. “Speakers can fool some, but everyone admires the life that’s worthy of following. It seems we have lost some of this reality in the Church. We expect people to be captivated by our speech when our lifestyles are not that compelling.” (p. 95)

141. Jesus evidently hates it when we tear into our brothers or sisters with demeaning words, words that fail to honor the people around us as the beautiful image-bearing creatures that they are. – Erasing Hell

142. “I am trying to point out only the most obvious biblical truths about God’s desire for His Bride—truths that none of us can afford to ignore.” (p. 24)

143. “If we focus too much of our attention on what people want, we will only increase the amount of complaining. The more we try to fulfill their desires, the more they complain when their desires are not met. Now we have many people who genuinely believe their unhappiness is the church’s fault! Much of the fault lies with leaders like me for addressing these problems the wrong way.” (pp. 51-52)

144. “We need to return to a God-centered theology rather than a human-centered theology, and we need to be willing to flip some tables and suffer for it along the way.” (p.140)

145. “It should not feel out of the ordinary, harsh, or inappropriate to call the Church to change. Nor should we imagine that our unique expression of Church is the only one God sanctions. Instead, we should be constantly seeking renewal, being ready at any moment to discard the elements of Church that lead us away from God’s heart rather than toward it.” (p.190)