--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trying to run a church without revivals…" description: "\"Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when you can run a gasoline engine on buttermilk.\" — Billy Sunday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png" --- # Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when… ![“Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when you can run a gasoline engine on buttermilk.” quote by Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png) > “Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when you can run a gasoline engine on buttermilk.” [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He uses a vivid analogy to argue that a church lacking spiritual revival is as impossible as running a gasoline engine on buttermilk. **In simple terms:** A church needs revival to function, like a engine needs proper fuel. Key Takeaway Cultivate genuine spiritual renewal. Themes faith revival paradox energy Mood serious hopeful Type motivational theological When to use this quote - church leadership - faith renewal - community building Key Concepts spiritual vitality community health mission focus Questions to Reflect On - What modern practices can sustain spiritual vitality? - How to balance tradition with renewal? A Different Perspective Revival alone may not address structural issues in a congregation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buttermilk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buttermilk-271414/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Engine Buttermilk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engine-buttermilk-5770223/) [Engines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engines/) [Gasoline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gasoline/) [Godly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godly/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Revival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revival/) [Revival prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revival-prayer/) [Revivals Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revivals-run-5770225/) [Run Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-church-2102152/) [Run Gasoline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-gasoline-5770224/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [“If you have a sin problem you don't run from the church, you run into it. p.73”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-adams/if-you-have-a-sin-problem-you-don-t-run-from-the-church-you-run-into/) [Ty Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-adams/) > [There's an ethic that says: 'You don't run off to the church for the sacraments of salvation, you establish a personal relationship with God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelton-reed/there-s-an-ethic-that-says-you-don-t-run-off-to-the-church-for-the/) [John Shelton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelton-reed/) > [My heart bleeds buttermilk. -Daine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/my-heart-bleeds-buttermilk-daine/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [If you want one thing too much it’s likely to be a disappointment. The healthy way is to learn to like the everyday things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/if-you-want-one-thing-too-much-it-s-likely-to-be-a-disappointment-the/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“Chicken’s been soaking in the buttermilk,” I say. “Now mix up the dry.” I pour flour, salt, more salt, pepper, paprika, and a pinch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/chicken-s-been-soaking-in-the-buttermilk-i-say-now-mix-up-the-dry-i/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [Buttermilk's palate-cleansing tartness is one reason it's used a lot in southern India, where meals often end with a small bowl of the stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/buttermilk-s-palate-cleansing-tartness-is-one-reason-it-s-used-a-lot/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [After a solid day of fishing, I'm craving something hearty. That's where a jug of buttermilk comes in. Poaching fish in buttermilk yields the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miles/after-a-solid-day-of-fishing-i-m-craving-something-hearty-that-s/) [Jonathan Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miles/) > [Little praying is a kind of make believe, a salve for the conscience, a farce and a delusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/little-praying-is-a-kind-of-make-believe-a-salve-for-the-conscience-a/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [If revival is being withheld from us it is because some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing our reliance in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-goforth/if-revival-is-being-withheld-from-us-it-is-because-some-idol-remains/) [Jonathan Goforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-goforth/) > [The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church, grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-true-man-of-god-is-heartsick-grieved-at-the-worldliness-of-the/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Prayer is not a painful effort to gain from God help in the varying needs of life. Prayer is the desire to possess God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/prayer-is-not-a-painful-effort-to-gain-from-god-help-in-the-varying/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [Our prayers lay the track down which God's power can come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/our-prayers-lay-the-track-down-which-god-s-power-can-come/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [Ministers who do not spend two hours a day in prayer are not worth a dime a dozen - degrees or no degrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/ministers-who-do-not-spend-two-hours-a-day-in-prayer-are-not-worth-a/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Satan laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/satan-laughs-at-our-toil-mocks-at-our-wisdom-but-trembles-when-we-pray/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) ## More by Billy Sunday > [The Bible says forgive your debtors; the world says "sue them for their dough."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/the-bible-says-forgive-your-debtors-the-world-says-sue-them-for-their/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [It is not necessary to be in a big place to do big things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/it-is-not-necessary-to-be-in-a-big-place-to-do-big-things/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [The Democratic party of Florida has put a temperance plank in its platform and the Republican party of every state would nail that plank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/the-democratic-party-of-florida-has-put-a-temperance-plank-in-its/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [There is no law, divine or human, that the saloon respects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/there-is-no-law-divine-or-human-that-the-saloon-respects/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [Give your face to God, and He will put his shine on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/give-your-face-to-god-and-he-will-put-his-shine-on-it/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [The fellow that has no money is poor. The fellow that has nothing but money is poorer still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/the-fellow-that-has-no-money-is-poor-the-fellow-that-has-nothing-but/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [God Almighty never intended that the devil should triumph over the Church. He never intended that the saloons should walk rough-shod over Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/god-almighty-never-intended-that-the-devil-should-triumph-over-the/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [If you lack joy, your Christianity must be leaking somewhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/if-you-lack-joy-your-christianity-must-be-leaking-somewhere/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [Jesus gave his life on the cross for any who will believe. We're not redeemed by silver or gold. Jesus paid for it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/jesus-gave-his-life-on-the-cross-for-any-who-will-believe-we-re-not/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [Nine! The Navy Diver is not a fighting man, he is a salvage expert. Ten! If it is lost underwater, he finds it. 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Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/temptation-is-the-devil-looking-through-the-keyhole-yielding-is/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [I am a temperance Republican down to my toes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/i-am-a-temperance-republican-down-to-my-toes/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) [Explore all 114 Billy Sunday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) ## 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. 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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": "Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when you can run a gasoline engine on buttermilk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Sunday" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals-can-be-done-when-you-can-run/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals-can-be-done-when-you-can-run/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/billy-sunday-4239_christianity_trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals_2359192.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when you can run a gasoline engine on buttermilk.” — Billy Sunday", "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": "Billy Sunday", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Trying to run a church without...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals-can-be-done-when-you-can-run/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/trying-to-run-a-church-without-revivals-can-be-done-when-you-can-run/#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 } } ] } ```