--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts…" description: "\"“A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the gospel message.”\" — Alexander Strauch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg" --- # A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the gospel message. ![“A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the gospel message.” quote by Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg) > ““A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the gospel message.”” [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique that a church lacking warmth contradicts the core message of love and acceptance. **In simple terms:** A cold church goes against the gospel. Key Takeaway Cultivate welcoming communities. Themes faith hospitality authenticity Mood hopeful inspirational Type observational reflective When to use this quote - church services - outreach programs - personal faith Key Concepts theology community building Questions to Reflect On - What makes a religious space feel inviting? - How can institutions align practice with belief? A Different Perspective Not all churches are unwelcoming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) ## Related quotes > [“Here is a Christian so committed to the well-being of other Christians, especially new Christians, that he is simply burning up inside to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/here-is-a-christian-so-committed-to-the-well-being-of-other/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Even in my hometown of Linkoping where I grew up... the church we had was very lavish - very boasty. So it ticked most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/even-in-my-hometown-of-linkoping-where-i-grew-up-the-church-we-had/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [“Repentance seemed like too loose of a word. I knew I’d been wrong, but that didn’t soften the blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-aquino/repentance-seemed-like-too-loose-of-a-word-i-knew-i-d-been-wrong-but/) [Anna Aquino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-aquino/) > [I have come to think that the challenge confronting Christians is not that we do not believe what we say, though that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/i-have-come-to-think-that-the-challenge-confronting-christians-is-not/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [The holiness of the church means that life, as well as truth, marks Christ’s church; the behavior of Christians in the world must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clowney/the-holiness-of-the-church-means-that-life-as-well-as-truth-marks/) [Edmund Clowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clowney/) > [My dad... was in the military, a drill sergeant, when he was a preacher. You know how some Christians really get into church and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-james/my-dad-was-in-the-military-a-drill-sergeant-when-he-was-a-preacher/) [Ro James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-james/) > [Look, don't judge Christianity by the imperfect examples that we have seen in history. Judge it by Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-smith/look-don-t-judge-christianity-by-the-imperfect-examples-that-we-have/) [Chuck Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-smith/) > [“Is the Lord’s Supper only for Christians? Whenever I ask this question I immediately remember the character of those that partook of the Last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/is-the-lord-s-supper-only-for-christians-whenever-i-ask-this-question/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“True worship leaders worship the Lord at all times and use songs only when necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gangai-victor/true-worship-leaders-worship-the-lord-at-all-times-and-use-songs-only/) [Gangai Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gangai-victor/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Alexander Strauch > [“Here is a Christian so committed to the well-being of other Christians, especially new Christians, that he is simply burning up inside to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/here-is-a-christian-so-committed-to-the-well-being-of-other/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“the New Testament offers more instruction regarding elders than on other important church subjects such as the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Day, baptism, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/the-new-testament-offers-more-instruction-regarding-elders-than-on/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“First, the Bible says that an elder must be of irreproachable moral character and capable in the use of Scripture because he is “God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/first-the-bible-says-that-an-elder-must-be-of-irreproachable-moral/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“This is in no way to imply that love ignores or condones sin. Love covers a multitude of sins, not all sins. At times,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/this-is-in-no-way-to-imply-that-love-ignores-or-condones-sin-love/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“As we grow in disciplined, self-sacrificing love, so we will grow in intercessory prayer. Superficially fervent prayers devoid of such love are finally phony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/as-we-grow-in-disciplined-self-sacrificing-love-so-we-will-grow-in/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“Paul’s prayer is the product of his passion for people. His unaffected fervency in prayer is not whipped-up emotionalism but the overflow of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/paul-s-prayer-is-the-product-of-his-passion-for-people-his-unaffected/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“Helga Henry, the wife of the renowned theologian Carl F. H. Henry, reminds us that “Christian hospitality is not a matter of choice; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/helga-henry-the-wife-of-the-renowned-theologian-carl-f-h-henry/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“What is both surprising and depressing is the sheer prayerlessness that characterizes so much of the Western church. It is surprising, because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/what-is-both-surprising-and-depressing-is-the-sheer-prayerlessness/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“If you are going to bore people, don’t bore them with the Gospel. Bore them with calculus, bore them with earth science, bore them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/if-you-are-going-to-bore-people-don-t-bore-them-with-the-gospel-bore/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“You don’t have to be a preacher or have years of training to use your home to love and serve people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-preacher-or-have-years-of-training-to-use-your/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“If Paul did not love the Corinthians, he would walk away from them and let them flounder in their own cesspool of sin. Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/if-paul-did-not-love-the-corinthians-he-would-walk-away-from-them-and/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“Good shepherds love their sheep and spare no effort when leading them to green pastures and clear water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/good-shepherds-love-their-sheep-and-spare-no-effort-when-leading-them/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“Leaders who think that growth in grace comes by knowing the Word of God without doing it will produce congregations of passive Christians which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/leaders-who-think-that-growth-in-grace-comes-by-knowing-the-word-of/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“The work of feeding and tending sheep is hard work, arduous work, and love for the sheep alone will not do it; you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/the-work-of-feeding-and-tending-sheep-is-hard-work-arduous-work-and/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [“The nature of Christian love is to do the will of God. Obeying the Father was a delight for Jesus because he loved his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/the-nature-of-christian-love-is-to-do-the-will-of-god-obeying-the/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) [Explore all 34 Alexander Strauch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) [Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the gospel message.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Strauch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-the-gospel-message/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-the-gospel-message/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50b/alexander-strauch-18713_christianity_a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-th_1684893.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the gospel message.” — Alexander Strauch", "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": "Alexander Strauch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A cold, unwelcoming church contradicts the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-the-gospel-message/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/a-cold-unwelcoming-church-contradicts-the-gospel-message/#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 } } ] } ```