Quotes About Community

we in the body of Christ are called to show love when God seems not to.

If God's kingdom had a "No Oddballs Allowed" sign posted, none of us could get in.

Unfortunately, most of my secular friends would agree with Bill Gates, who considers religion a waste of time: "There's a lot more I could be doing on Sunday morning," he told an interviewer. They view the church not as a change agent that can affect all of society but as a place where like-minded people go to feel better about themselves.

A church that lives by power dies by power.

What greater gift could Christians give to the world than the forming of a culture that upholds grace and forgiveness?

It has taken me years to distill the Gospel out of the subculture in which I first encountered it. Sadly, many of my friends gave up on the effort, never getting to Jesus because the pettiness of the church blocked the way.

The message of this book has the power to reform the church, one relationship at a time.

According to Gallup polls, more Americans will pray this week than will exercise, drive a car, have sex, or go to work. Nine in ten of us pray regularly, and three out of four claim to pray every day. To

An institution cannot love; only people can love. As the proverb says, apart from love, giving becomes an insult.

Breaking the cycle of ungrace means taking the initiative. Instead of waiting for his neighbor to make the first move

about the key to something many Christ-followers often talk and pray about: genuine revival.

involvement with others was the most effective in quelling her pain.

Church is a place where I can say, unashamedly, I don't need to sin. I need another sinner.

The medical community now freely admits that in a larger sense a person's attitude is one of the chief factors in determining the effect of all suffering.

Over time Christians learned that the faith grows best from the bottom up rather than being imposed from the top down.

the same answer from suffering people: it matters little what we say — our concern and availability matter far more.

the best way to prepare for suffering is to work on a strong, supportive life when you're healthy.

As Christ's body on earth we are compelled to move, as he did, toward those who hurt. That has been God's consistent movement in all history.

Where is God when it hurts? I have often asked. The answer is another question, Where is the church when it hurts?

the down-and-out, who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome among his followers. What has happened?

The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world…. The reason is obvious. In a large community we can choose our companions. In a small community our companions are chosen for us.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep," advised the apostle Paul (Romans 12:15), wise words that apply especially in times of crisis.

He added a chilling remark, "As a gay man, I've found it's easier for me to get sex on the streets than to get a hug in church.

For a society that seems adrift, without moorings, I know of no better place to drop an anchor of faith.