--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I contend that whatever does not raise…" description: "\"I contend that whatever does not raise the moral standard of the church or community has been a revival from God.\" — Aiden Wilson Tozer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png" --- # I contend that whatever does not raise the moral standard… ![“I contend that whatever does not raise the moral standard of the church or community has been a revival from God.” quote by Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png) > “I contend that whatever does not raise the moral standard of the church or community has been a revival from God.” [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True revival must elevate moral standards; otherwise it is not divine renewal. **In simple terms:** Revival should improve ethical behavior. Key Takeaway Seek moral growth in spiritual movements. Themes religion ethics revival Mood thoughtful critical Type theoretical ethical When to use this quote - church reforms - community service initiatives - educational programs - personal discipleship Key Concepts theology moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What standards define a moral revival? - How can communities measure ethical improvement? A Different Perspective Some view revival as purely emotional, not ethical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-community/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Revival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revival/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [In revival, God is not concerned about filling empty churches, He is concerned about filling empty hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/in-revival-god-is-not-concerned-about-filling-empty-churches-he-is/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [I see no hope for a revival among God's people today. They are so enamored and so cluttered up with Hollywood and newspapers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-roloff/i-see-no-hope-for-a-revival-among-god-s-people-today-they-are-so/) [Lester Roloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-roloff/) > [Perhaps the greatest barrier to revival on a large scale is the fact that we are to interested in a great display. We want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/perhaps-the-greatest-barrier-to-revival-on-a-large-scale-is-the-fact/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [Revival is when God gets so sick and tired of being misrepresented that He shows Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/revival-is-when-god-gets-so-sick-and-tired-of-being-misrepresented/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Revival is God revealing Himself to men in awesome holiness and irresistible power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-wallis/revival-is-god-revealing-himself-to-men-in-awesome-holiness-and/) [Arthur Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-wallis/) > [Revival is when God's people return to God and God returns to them, and everyone sees the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/revival-is-when-god-s-people-return-to-god-and-god-returns-to-them/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [Revival is not just a feeling of excitement of the Lord. We get excited about many things, but excitement is not a revival if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/revival-is-not-just-a-feeling-of-excitement-of-the-lord-we-get/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [Spirituality is revival of our God consciousness, not creating something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/spirituality-is-revival-of-our-god-consciousness-not-creating/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [If God's people hunger deeply enough, God will hear and send revival. God requires more than casual prayers for revival. He wants His people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-l-duewel/if-god-s-people-hunger-deeply-enough-god-will-hear-and-send-revival/) [Wesley L Duewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-l-duewel/) > [Prayer is never an acceptable substitute for obedience. The sovereign Lord accepts no offering from His creatures that is not accompanied by obedience. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/prayer-is-never-an-acceptable-substitute-for-obedience-the-sovereign/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Our error today is that we do not expect a converted man to be a transformed man, and as a result of this error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/our-error-today-is-that-we-do-not-expect-a-converted-man-to-be-a/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [To desire revival...and at the same time to neglect(personal) prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/to-desire-revival-and-at-the-same-time-to-neglect-personal-prayer-and/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Our most pressing obligation is to do all in our power to obtain a revival that will result in a reformed, revitalized, purified church.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/our-most-pressing-obligation-is-to-do-all-in-our-power-to-obtain-a/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Prayer for revival will prevail when it is accompanied by radical amendment of life; not before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/prayer-for-revival-will-prevail-when-it-is-accompanied-by-radical/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by Aiden Wilson Tozer > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [One thing the young Christian should be taught as quickly as possible after his conversion is that Jesus Christ is all he needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/one-thing-the-young-christian-should-be-taught-as-quickly-as-possible/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. Go back to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/pay-no-heed-to-the-passing-religious-vogue-go-back-to-the-grass-roots/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [To pray without expectation is to misunderstand the whole concept of prayer and relationship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/to-pray-without-expectation-is-to-misunderstand-the-whole-concept-of/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [It's time for us to rise up, get out of the rut and routine, and begin to take our Christian faith seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/it-s-time-for-us-to-rise-up-get-out-of-the-rut-and-routine-and-begin/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The true Christian ideal is not to be happy but to be holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-true-christian-ideal-is-not-to-be-happy-but-to-be-holy/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-goodness-of-god-is-infinitely-more-wonderful-than-we-will-ever-be/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [A holy man isn't aware that he's holy..As soon as we begin to talk about how holy we are, we aren't holy any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/a-holy-man-isn-t-aware-that-he-s-holy-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-talk/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [There is a strain of loneliness infecting many Christians, which only the presence of God can cure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/there-is-a-strain-of-loneliness-infecting-many-christians-which-only/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Where God is not glorified, that place is sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/where-god-is-not-glorified-that-place-is-sick/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Hope is the music of the whole Bible, the heartbeat, the pulse and the atmosphere of the whole Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/hope-is-the-music-of-the-whole-bible-the-heartbeat-the-pulse-and-the/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Christian liberty is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/christian-liberty-is-freedom-from-sin-not-freedom-to-sin/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Outside of the will of god, there is nothing I want. And in the will of god there is nothing I fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/outside-of-the-will-of-god-there-is-nothing-i-want-and-in-the-will-of/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) [Explore all 720 Aiden Wilson Tozer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. 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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": "I contend that whatever does not raise the moral standard of the church or community has been a revival from God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aiden Wilson Tozer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-the-moral-standard-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Church" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-the-moral-standard-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/aiden-wilson-tozer-296_church_i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-t_2999622.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I contend that whatever does not raise the moral standard of the church or community has been a revival from…” — Aiden Wilson Tozer", "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": "Aiden Wilson Tozer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I contend that whatever does not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-the-moral-standard-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-contend-that-whatever-does-not-raise-the-moral-standard-of-the/#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 } } ] } ```