Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from January 08, 1996

WHEN GOOD BUSINESS IS BAD BUSINESS

The church appears to be adopting the principles and practices of big business and finding these practices very effective.

Now there is nothing wrong with good business. Bad business is certainly not desirable for the church. Wise pastors and church officers will do everything they can, with care, to apply those principles and practices which maximize the effectiveness of their churches, however small or large they may be. Bigness is not evil, and smallness is not a virtue. But the question is, When do these principles and practices cease being tools for the church, when do they dominate its life to the extent that they become its master?

Richard C. Halverson, 1916-1995; from“The Living Body” (1994)

A NEW YEAR’S CHALLENGE

It is a mistake to be always turning back to recover the past. The law for Christian living is not backward, but forward; not for experiences that lie behind, but for doing the will of God, which is always ahead and beckoning us to follow. Leave the things that are behind, and reach forward to those that are before, for on each new height to which we attain, there are the appropriate joys that befit the new experience. Don’t fret because life’s joys are fled. There are more in front. Look up, press forward, the best is yet to be!

F. B. Meyer in“Our Daily Walk”

BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE…

If love is the soul of Christian existence, it must be at the heart of every other Christian virtue. Thus, for example, justice without love is legalism; faith without love is ideology; hope without love is self-centeredness; forgiveness without love is self-abasement; fortitude without love is recklessness; generosity without love is extravagance; care without love is mere duty; fidelity without love is servitude. Every virtue is an expression of love. No virtue is really a virtue unless it is permeated, or informed, by love

(1 Corinthians 13).

Richard P. McBrien in “Catholicism”

IDOLATORS

I believe a very large majority of churchgoers are merely unthinking, slumbering worshipers of an unknown God.

Charles H. Spurgeon in “Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit,” Vol. 11

DRAWN TO GOD

There is within us all a magnetic draw to seek God’s presence in a more exclusive way, focusing on divine attention rather than our own egocentric list of dos. If we do not follow that prompting, we end up fragmenting ourselves from our potential as disciples. And we fragment God, expecting the Spirit’s love only in spite of ourselves.

Mary C. Miller in the “Covenant Companion” (April 1994)

NOT STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

Many “sophisticated” political and social commentators complain that issues like school prayer are “distractions” having nothing to do with today’s most pressing issues. What they fail to recognize is that a people’s faith is intertwined with the issues of the day.

William J. Bennett in the “Tampa Tribune” (Nov. 8, 1992)

A RESPECTFUL WITNESS

Civility, which I take to be a strong virtue and not simply wimpishness, requires that we not try to cram our beliefs down anybody’s throats, whether we be Christian or non-Christian or even anti-Christian. But that we all try to articulate as persuasively as we can, what it is that we believe, of course in the hope that others will be persuaded.

Richard John Neuhaus in Rutherford” magazine (Feb. 1993)

NEVER ALONE

Happy and strong and brave shall we be–able to endure all things, and to do all things–if we believe that every day, every hour, every moment of our life is in God’s hands.

Henry van Dyke in “The Upward Path”

GOD IS HERE

An atheist and a Christian were engaged in an intense public debate. On the blackboard behind the podium the atheist printed in large capital letters, “God is nowhere.” When the Christian rose to offer his rebuttal, he rubbed out the “w” at the beginning of “where” and added that letter to the preceding word no. Then the statement read, “God is now here.” That is a true statement. God is. Now. Here.

Vernon Grounds in “Commitment”

Copyright © 1996 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Our Latest

Public Theology Project

The Star of Bethlehem Is a Zodiac Killer

How Christmas upends everything that draws our culture to astrology.

News

As Malibu Burns, Pepperdine Withstands the Fire

University president praises the community’s “calm resilience” as students and staff shelter in place in fireproof buildings.

The Russell Moore Show

My Favorite Books of 2024

Ashley Hales, CT’s editorial director for print, and Russell discuss this year’s reads.

News

The Door Is Now Open to Churches in Nepal

Seventeen years after the former Hindu kingdom became a secular state, Christians have a pathway to legal recognition.

The Holy Family and Mine

Nativity scenes show us the loving parents we all need—and remind me that my own parents estranged me over my faith.

Why Christians Oppose Euthanasia

The immorality of killing the old and ill has never been in question for Christians. Nor is our duty to care for those the world devalues.

China’s Churches Go Deep Rather than Wide at Christmas

In place of large evangelism outreaches, churches try to be more intentional in the face of religious restrictions and theological changes.

Wire Story

Study: Evangelical Churches Aren’t Particularly Political

Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube