--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Church is not a showboat; it's a…" description: "\"The Church is not a showboat; it's a battleship.\" — Adrian Rogers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png" --- # The Church is not a showboat; it's a battleship. ![“The Church is not a showboat; it's a battleship.” quote by Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png) > “The Church is not a showboat; it's a battleship.” [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The church should be sturdy and purposeful, not merely decorative or superficial. **In simple terms:** Church must be strong, not just showy. Key Takeaway Focus on substance over appearance. Themes faith leadership purpose Mood determined hopeful Type religious motivational When to use this quote - community building - organizational design - public outreach Key Concepts institutional strength mission public perception Questions to Reflect On - What does a “battleship” church look like in practice? - How can churches avoid becoming mere spectacles? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on image can dilute core mission. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battleship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battleship-403683/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church Showboat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-showboat-2732809/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Showboat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showboat-2732811/) [Showboat Battleship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showboat-battleship-2732810/) ## Related quotes > ['Showboat' is the quintessential family show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/showboat-is-the-quintessential-family-show/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [The big fun in 'Battleship' is that there are no current battleships in the Navy today. The battleships are about 1,000 feet long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/the-big-fun-in-battleship-is-that-there-are-no-current-battleships-in/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > ['Battleship' is not a film that Francois Truffaut would have made. Nor would any of those other namby-pamby European directors. Nope, this picture eschews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/battleship-is-not-a-film-that-francois-truffaut-would-have-made-nor/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I wanted to do a naval film and I flirted with different ideas, most of which ended up being too intense. So when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-wanted-to-do-a-naval-film-and-i-flirted-with-different-ideas-most/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [“a Marine company or two had less tactical value than a cruiser, let alone a battleship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-carella/a-marine-company-or-two-had-less-tactical-value-than-a-cruiser-let/) [C.J. Carella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-carella/) > [The first movie I literally ever made in my life was about two guys playing Stratego with each other. I had all my friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/the-first-movie-i-literally-ever-made-in-my-life-was-about-two-guys/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [“Thus, a battleship cost around £10m in 1940. Building that battleship today might cost £500m, but to build a battleship representing the same proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edgerton/thus-a-battleship-cost-around-10m-in-1940-building-that-battleship/) [David Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edgerton/) > [I drank enough whiskey to float a battleship around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynyrd-skynyrd/i-drank-enough-whiskey-to-float-a-battleship-around/) [Lynyrd Skynyrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynyrd-skynyrd/) > [I did not want 'Battleship' to be perceived as an American war film. I wanted to do everything I could to make the film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-did-not-want-battleship-to-be-perceived-as-an-american-war-film-i/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [The visual impact of a United States battleship springs from its ability to put Soviet ships on the bottom of the sea and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-visual-impact-of-a-united-states-battleship-springs-from-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I spent 34 months on the battleship Alabama, South Dakota-class. I was a gun captain. First we went to Russia for about 11 months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/i-spent-34-months-on-the-battleship-alabama-south-dakota-class-i-was/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [“Apparently, the British Royal Navy had just recruited an elephant hunter to bring down a battleship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gaudi/apparently-the-british-royal-navy-had-just-recruited-an-elephant/) [Robert Gaudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gaudi/) > [“That night, Julie and I play Battleship with our laptops-- that's what we call it when we sit across the table from one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jac-jemc/that-night-julie-and-i-play-battleship-with-our-laptops-that-s-what/) [Jac Jemc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jac-jemc/) > [That a modern battleship of 48,000 tons would have to defend itself against wood and fabric biplanes with its main armament was a salutary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hough/that-a-modern-battleship-of-48-000-tons-would-have-to-defend-itself/) [Richard Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hough/) > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) ## More by Adrian Rogers > [Scientific accuracy confirms the Bible is the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/scientific-accuracy-confirms-the-bible-is-the-word-of-god/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [And the Bible is not primarily a book of history. It is "His story," the story of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/and-the-bible-is-not-primarily-a-book-of-history-it-is-his-story-the/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [I have studied this Book, and I would never even dream of saying I've come to the bottom of the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/i-have-studied-this-book-and-i-would-never-even-dream-of-saying-i-ve/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [I have not suffered a lot for Christ, but I want to tell you that those times that I have suffered and I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/i-have-not-suffered-a-lot-for-christ-but-i-want-to-tell-you-that/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [God doesn't need us to give Him our money. He owns everything. Tithing is God's way to grow Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/god-doesn-t-need-us-to-give-him-our-money-he-owns-everything-tithing/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/it-is-better-to-be-divided-by-truth-than-to-be-united-in-error-it-is/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [There must be a law if there is to be liberty. Try to play a piano and you will run into laws as fixed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/there-must-be-a-law-if-there-is-to-be-liberty-try-to-play-a-piano-and/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [Study the history of revival. God has always sent revival in the darkest days. Oh, for a mighty, sweeping revival today!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/study-the-history-of-revival-god-has-always-sent-revival-in-the/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [Prayer can do anything God can do and God can do anything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/prayer-can-do-anything-god-can-do-and-god-can-do-anything/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-same-jesus-who-turned-water-into-wine-can-transform-your-home/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [You can be too big for God to use, but you can never be too small for God to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/you-can-be-too-big-for-god-to-use-but-you-can-never-be-too-small-for/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [Study the Bible to know about God. Obey the Bible to really know God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/study-the-bible-to-know-about-god-obey-the-bible-to-really-know-god/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [God grades on the Cross not on the curve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/god-grades-on-the-cross-not-on-the-curve/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [There is no book that has had as much opposition as the Bible. Men have laughed at it, they have scorned it, they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/there-is-no-book-that-has-had-as-much-opposition-as-the-bible-men/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [Paul spoke about the root of faith (Eph 2:8). James spoke about the fruit of faith (Jm 2:17-18).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/paul-spoke-about-the-root-of-faith-eph-2-8-james-spoke-about-the/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) [Explore all 186 Adrian Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Turn over the pages of history and read the damning record of the church's opposition to every advance in every field of science. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/turn-over-the-pages-of-history-and-read-the-damning-record-of-the/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/) [Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [The minute you walk outside of your church on Sunday you're in mission territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/the-minute-you-walk-outside-of-your-church-on-sunday-you-re-in/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) [Browse all 9,430 Church quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Church is not a showboat; it's a battleship.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adrian Rogers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-battleship/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Church" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-battleship/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48b/adrian-rogers-2096_church_the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-batt_2700950.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Church is not a showboat; it's a battleship.” — Adrian Rogers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adrian Rogers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Church is not a showboat;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-battleship/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-church-is-not-a-showboat-it-s-a-battleship/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```