--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The church does not draw people in; it…" description: "\"The church does not draw people in; it sends them out.\" — Charles Colson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg" --- # The church does not draw people in; it sends them out. ![“The church does not draw people in; it sends them out.” quote by Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg) > “The church does not draw people in; it sends them out.” [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that the church’s purpose is to send believers out into the world rather than merely attract them to its doors. **In simple terms:** The church sends people out, not just draws them in. Key Takeaway Focus on outreach over attraction. Themes mission outreach faith Mood inspirational thoughtful Type theological motivational When to use this quote - church growth - personal faith - social impact - volunteer work Key Concepts evangelism service community engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can churches balance outreach and hospitality? - What does “sending out” look like today? A Different Perspective Some argue churches also need to welcome and retain members internally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [To have an elected official attack the quality and dignity of L.G.B.T. people sends a message to young people who are thinking of taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/to-have-an-elected-official-attack-the-quality-and-dignity-of-l-g-b-t/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Stop looking for the perfect church. It does not exist. Even if it did exist, the moment we joined it, it would no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-gumbel/stop-looking-for-the-perfect-church-it-does-not-exist-even-if-it-did/) [Nicky Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-gumbel/) > [Just because you meet them in church does not mean that they are the one. demons do to church too as well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/just-because-you-meet-them-in-church-does-not-mean-that-they-are-the/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [Spending time in a church does not make you religious, any more than spending time in a garage makes you a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/spending-time-in-a-church-does-not-make-you-religious-any-more-than/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The world does not believe the Bible and the church does not obey it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-world-does-not-believe-the-bible-and-the-church-does-not-obey-it/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Its very difficult to determine whether this is the fault of the world that has abandoned the Church, or the Church that does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelo-scola/its-very-difficult-to-determine-whether-this-is-the-fault-of-the/) [Angelo Scola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelo-scola/) > [Whenever a church does anything for its own group, it has that right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/whenever-a-church-does-anything-for-its-own-group-it-has-that-right/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The Church does not invent sins but recognizes the will of God and has to declare it. Of course, the great thing.. is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-church-does-not-invent-sins-but-recognizes-the-will-of-god-and/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The Church does not dictate the policies of the nation. The Church proclaims the truth of God to which all these policies must conform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pavone/the-church-does-not-dictate-the-policies-of-the-nation-the-church/) [Frank Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pavone/) > [Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-laurence-j-peter/going-to-church-does-not-make-you-a-christian-anymore-than-going-to/) Dr Laurence J Peter > [“The Church does not depend on power, social prestige, rhetorical manipulation, or human-designed programs. All it has are the Word and Sacraments, which, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-edward-veith-jr/the-church-does-not-depend-on-power-social-prestige-rhetorical/) [Gene Edward Veith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-edward-veith-jr/) > [The Christian Church does not exist in Heaven, but on earth and in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-christian-church-does-not-exist-in-heaven-but-on-earth-and-in-time/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“In the old law, God was praised both with musical instruments, and human voices. But the church does not use musical instruments to praise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-thomas-aquinas/in-the-old-law-god-was-praised-both-with-musical-instruments-and/) [St. Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-thomas-aquinas/) > [When I'm on stage, I'm trying to do one thing: bring people joy. Just like church does. People don't go to church to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/when-i-m-on-stage-i-m-trying-to-do-one-thing-bring-people-joy-just/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [I remember when Martin Luther King was assassinated and riots broke out in the city. We celebrated Palm Sunday on 14th Street. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-remember-when-martin-luther-king-was-assassinated-and-riots-broke/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) ## More by Charles Colson > [People who reject transcendent authority can no longer persuade one another through rational arguments; everything is reduced to personal opinion. Debates about ideas thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/people-who-reject-transcendent-authority-can-no-longer-persuade-one/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Life is a mess. And theology must be lived out in the midst of that mess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/life-is-a-mess-and-theology-must-be-lived-out-in-the-midst-of-that/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [If the polls are right, our Judeo-Christian heritage is no longer the foundation of our values. We have become a post-Christian society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/if-the-polls-are-right-our-judeo-christian-heritage-is-no-longer-the/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Moral crusaders with zeal but no ethical understanding are likely to give us solutions that are worse than the problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/moral-crusaders-with-zeal-but-no-ethical-understanding-are-likely-to/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Lenin, Stalin, and Rakosi recognized that a renewed and purified Christianity was the only force that could move the masses as powerfully as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/lenin-stalin-and-rakosi-recognized-that-a-renewed-and-purified/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Frontline love. It is our one hope for breaking down barriers and for restoring the sense of community, of caring for one another, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/frontline-love-it-is-our-one-hope-for-breaking-down-barriers-and-for/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [The church has been brought into the same value system as the world: fame, success, materialism and celebrity. We watch the leading churches and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-has-been-brought-into-the-same-value-system-as-the-world/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [In our day, you can mock religion in public and even get funds for doing it. But you can't show respect for religion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/in-our-day-you-can-mock-religion-in-public-and-even-get-funds-for/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [ The average college graduate's proficient literacy in English \[the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences\] has declined from 40 percent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-average-college-graduate-s-proficient-literacy-in-english-the/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [The church is the only institution supernaturally endowed by God. It is the one institution of which Jesus promised that the gates of hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-is-the-only-institution-supernaturally-endowed-by-god-it/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Why, I wondered, is there such hostility to one faith in this Hindu culture that believes all roads lead to heaven? They should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/why-i-wondered-is-there-such-hostility-to-one-faith-in-this-hindu/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [I was deepening my understanding of what we call the cultural commission, the command to take dominion and bring righteousness to our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/i-was-deepening-my-understanding-of-what-we-call-the-cultural/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Christians should never have a political party. It is a huge mistake to become married to an ideology, because the greatest enemy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/christians-should-never-have-a-political-party-it-is-a-huge-mistake/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [But all at once I realized that it was not my success God had used to enable me to help those in this prison,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/but-all-at-once-i-realized-that-it-was-not-my-success-god-had-used-to/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Christians need to take the lead in educating people that children are gifts, as my autistic grandson most surely is. By going down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/christians-need-to-take-the-lead-in-educating-people-that-children/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) [Explore all 94 Charles Colson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) ## 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 does not draw people in; it sends them out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Colson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-sends-them-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Church" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-sends-them-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/charles-colson-7127_church_the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-se_801095.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The church does not draw people in; it sends them out.” — Charles Colson", "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": "Charles Colson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The church does not draw people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-sends-them-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-sends-them-out/#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 } } ] } ```