--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many stop short of a divine encounter…" description: "\"Many stop short of a divine encounter because they are satisfied with good theology. The word of God is to lead us to the God of the word.\" — Bill Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/bill-johnson-1147_divine_many-stop-short-of-a-divine-encounter-be_1401493.png" --- # Many stop short of a divine encounter because they are… ![“Many stop short of a divine encounter because they are satisfied with good theology. The word of God is to lead us to the God of the word.” quote by Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/bill-johnson-1147_divine_many-stop-short-of-a-divine-encounter-be_1401493.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/bill-johnson-1147_divine_many-stop-short-of-a-divine-encounter-be_1401493.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/bill-johnson-1147_divine_many-stop-short-of-a-divine-encounter-be_1401493.png) > “Many stop short of a divine encounter because they are satisfied with good theology. The word of God is to lead us to the God of the word.” [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good theology satisfies intellect, but divine encounters demand deeper, experiential faith. **In simple terms:** Faith requires personal experience beyond doctrine. Key Takeaway Seek lived encounters with the divine. Themes faith theology experience Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - church small - mission trips - prayer groups Key Concepts Christian spirituality personal revelation Questions to Reflect On - How have you experienced God beyond ideas? - What steps can deepen your spiritual life? A Different Perspective Intellectual faith may be comforting but shallow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Encounters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounters/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [Word of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-of-god/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [We have to determine our theology from the Word of God, not from what we feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-have-to-determine-our-theology-from-the-word-of-god-not-from-what/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Many Christians miss out on God encounters because they are satisfied with good theology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/many-christians-miss-out-on-god-encounters-because-they-are-satisfied/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [The submissive will make it through to that final scene, for the word of God will lead the man and woman of Christ "in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-submissive-will-make-it-through-to-that-final-scene-for-the-word/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [“So there are no nontheologians; there is just good theology and bad theology.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-willimon/so-there-are-no-nontheologians-there-is-just-good-theology-and-bad/) [William H. Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-willimon/) > [“it is the goal of good theology to humble us before the triune God of majesty and grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/it-is-the-goal-of-good-theology-to-humble-us-before-the-triune-god-of/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“If I love a dose of (good) theology or philosophy, I probably also love discipline, improvement, wisdom, and challenges. If I hate it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/if-i-love-a-dose-of-good-theology-or-philosophy-i-probably-also-love/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [We read, we hear, we believe a good theology of grace. But that’s not the way we live. The good news of the Gospel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-seamands/we-read-we-hear-we-believe-a-good-theology-of-grace-but-that-s-not/) [David Seamands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-seamands/) > [The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/the-church-has-gotten-it-wrong-a-few-times-on-science-and-i-think/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [A dog is grateful for what is, which I am finding to be the soundest kind of wisdom and very good theology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-newcomer/a-dog-is-grateful-for-what-is-which-i-am-finding-to-be-the-soundest/) [Carrie Newcomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-newcomer/) > [James 2:19- 'You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder.' God doesn't just want us to have good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/james-2-19-you-believe-there-is-one-god-good-even-the-demons-believe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [If your understanding of the divine made you kinder, more empathetic, and impelled you to express sympathy in concrete acts of loving-kindness, this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-your-understanding-of-the-divine-made-you-kinder-more-empathetic/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The will of God is found in the Word of God. The more a person grows, the more he begins to think instinctively and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/the-will-of-god-is-found-in-the-word-of-god-the-more-a-person-grows/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [The tragedy in our colleges and seminaries right now is that we turn men out who know the word of God. That is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-tragedy-in-our-colleges-and-seminaries-right-now-is-that-we-turn/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [You will not pit one word of God against another word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/you-will-not-pit-one-word-of-god-against-another-word-of-god/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The Bible in itself is not the Word of God. The Word of God is a person. Neither does the Bible have life, power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-brinsmead/the-bible-in-itself-is-not-the-word-of-god-the-word-of-god-is-a/) Robert D. Brinsmead ## More by Bill Johnson > [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 could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [The biggest enemy to prayer is praying for something you already have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/the-biggest-enemy-to-prayer-is-praying-for-something-you-already-have/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“Working from His presence is better than working for His presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/working-from-his-presence-is-better-than-working-for-his-presence/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Faith must rise beyond the recognised norm into a lifestyle that accurately represents the victorious Son of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/faith-must-rise-beyond-the-recognised-norm-into-a-lifestyle-that/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [It is unnatural for a Christian not to have an appetite for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/it-is-unnatural-for-a-christian-not-to-have-an-appetite-for-the/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [A heart of faith is anchored in the unseen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/a-heart-of-faith-is-anchored-in-the-unseen/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“I can’t afford to live in reaction to darkness. If I do, darkness has had a role in setting the agenda for my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-can-t-afford-to-live-in-reaction-to-darkness-if-i-do-darkness-has/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [So Jesus came and modelled a lifestyle of power and purity because the power of the Spirit of God was on him. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/so-jesus-came-and-modelled-a-lifestyle-of-power-and-purity-because/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“All of God’s judgments are aimed at whatever interferes with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/all-of-god-s-judgments-are-aimed-at-whatever-interferes-with-love/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [We are not relevant when we mirror secular culture. We are relevant when we are what they long to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/we-are-not-relevant-when-we-mirror-secular-culture-we-are-relevant/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [God is better than you think. So lets change the way we think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/god-is-better-than-you-think-so-lets-change-the-way-we-think/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“Remaining poor in spirit, combined with a first love passion for Jesus are the keys God created to anchor us to the center of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/remaining-poor-in-spirit-combined-with-a-first-love-passion-for-jesus/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Anything you think you know about about God, that you can't find in the person of Jesus, you have reason to question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/anything-you-think-you-know-about-about-god-that-you-can-t-find-in/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Perfectionism is the counterfeit of excellence. Excellence is Kingdom, while perfectionism is religion. What ever you do, do it with all you might, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/perfectionism-is-the-counterfeit-of-excellence-excellence-is-kingdom/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) [Explore all 282 Bill Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) ## More Divine quotes > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [I take the seashell from my jeans pocket and rub my fingers across its silken, indented surface, shallow as my own open hand. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. I'd come to think of God in terms like Divine Reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/in-recent-years-my-understanding-of-god-had-evolved-into-increasingly/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Monsters are divine portents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/monsters-are-divine-portents/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Evil may mar the divine image and cloud its brilliance, but it cannot destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/evil-may-mar-the-divine-image-and-cloud-its-brilliance-but-it-cannot/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Silence tells the seeker in us to love, to love himself. It tells us it is wrong to hate ourselves because of our imperfections.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/silence-tells-the-seeker-in-us-to-love-to-love-himself-it-tells-us-it/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [Friend, you are a divine mingle-mangle of guts and stardust. So hang in there! If doors opened for me, they can open for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/friend-you-are-a-divine-mingle-mangle-of-guts-and-stardust-so-hang-in/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [A woman is more influenced by what she divines than by what she is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-woman-is-more-influenced-by-what-she-divines-than-by-what-she-is/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) [Browse all 4,543 Divine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many stop short of a divine encounter because they are satisfied with good theology. 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