--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people get what they need from…" description: "\"Many people get what they need from church attendance because the Word is preached, and the rituals are carried on, and God works, but it's drift more ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/dallas-willard-819_attendance_many-people-get-what-they-need-from-chur_2296275.png" --- # Many people get what they need from church attendance… ![“Many people get what they need from church attendance because the Word is preached, and the rituals are carried on, and God works, but it's drift more than anything else. And that's why the churches keep reaching for some programmatic formula that will make people come and give money. It's just…” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/dallas-willard-819_attendance_many-people-get-what-they-need-from-chur_2296275.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/dallas-willard-819_attendance_many-people-get-what-they-need-from-chur_2296275.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/dallas-willard-819_attendance_many-people-get-what-they-need-from-chur_2296275.png) > “Many people get what they need from church attendance because the Word is preached, and the rituals are carried on, and God works, but it's drift more than anything else. And that's why the churches keep reaching for some programmatic formula that will make people come and give money. It's just really very sad.” [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Church attendance often fulfills ritual and preaching needs, yet many seek programs to boost attendance and donations, reflecting a deeper spiritual emptiness. **In simple terms:** People attend for rituals, but churches chase money. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic community over formulas. Themes spirituality church materialism Mood sad reflective Type critical observational When to use this quote - worship services - fundraising events - community outreach - financial appeals Key Concepts ritual attendance donations Questions to Reflect On - How can churches nurture genuine faith without commercializing? - What deeper needs are unmet by rituals? A Different Perspective Programs may not address underlying spiritual needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church attendance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-attendance/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Ritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ritual/) ## Related quotes > [Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/church-attendance-is-as-vital-to-a-disciple-as-a-transfusion-of-rich/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [In general, religious people seem to be happier than non-religious people - under various definitions of "religiosity," such as church attendance or professed spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/in-general-religious-people-seem-to-be-happier-than-non-religious/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [You might tell me that you have been engaging in some deep questioning and theological rethinking.1 You can no longer live with the faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/you-might-tell-me-that-you-have-been-engaging-in-some-deep/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Church attendance may be dipping, but God can survive the Internet age. After all, He knows a thing or two about resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/church-attendance-may-be-dipping-but-god-can-survive-the-internet-age/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-black/no-person-can-be-punished-for-entertaining-or-professing-religious/) [Hugo Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-black/) > [ \[On women as priests:\] It has always seemed very odd to me that this particular sphere of activity should remain a male closed shop,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stocks-baroness-stocks/on-women-as-priests-it-has-always-seemed-very-odd-to-me-that-this/) Mary Stocks, Baroness Stocks > [America has begun a spiritual reawakening. Faith and hope are being restored. Americans are turning back to God. Church attendance is up. Audiences for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/america-has-begun-a-spiritual-reawakening-faith-and-hope-are-being/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/i-quickly-found-that-the-american-church-is-a-difficult-place-to-fit/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/tend-to-choose-what-is-popular-over-what-is-right-when-they-are-in/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Do you realize the weight of the one who has invited us to follow him? He is worthy of more than church attendance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/do-you-realize-the-weight-of-the-one-who-has-invited-us-to-follow-him/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [Genuine Christianity is more than a relationship with Jesus, as expressed in personal piety, church attendance, Bible study, and works of charity. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/genuine-christianity-is-more-than-a-relationship-with-jesus-as/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Your deepest, darkest sins and your shameful secrets are simply irrelevant when it comes to the counterintuitive, ecstatic announcement of the gospel. So are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/your-deepest-darkest-sins-and-your-shameful-secrets-are-simply/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [There was only one decline in church attendance, and that was in the late 1960s when the Vatican said it was not a sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/there-was-only-one-decline-in-church-attendance-and-that-was-in-the/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [Many churches are measuring the wrong things. We measure things like attendance and giving, but we should be looking at more fundamental things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/many-churches-are-measuring-the-wrong-things-we-measure-things-like/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Laws requiring a certain frequency of church attendance, the taking of Communion, and baptism of infants soon appeared all across the Lutheran areas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/laws-requiring-a-certain-frequency-of-church-attendance-the-taking-of/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) ## More by Dallas Willard > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) [Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More Attendance quotes > [To a large extent, the American church has become merged with the world. It has adopted so many of the world's ideals and standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/to-a-large-extent-the-american-church-has-become-merged-with-the/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Our large trading cities bear to me very nearly the aspect of monastic establishments in which the roar of the mill-wheel and the crane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-large-trading-cities-bear-to-me-very-nearly-the-aspect-of/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [While attendance at traditional churches has been declining for decades... the evangelical movement is growing, and it is changing the way America worships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/while-attendance-at-traditional-churches-has-been-declining-for/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [My mother attended the local church, Saint Nicolas, and consequently, I attended that church and its Sunday School. My only prizes from the Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-smith/my-mother-attended-the-local-church-saint-nicolas-and-consequently-i/) [Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-smith/) > [Upon arriving, meeting their teachers and signing up for classes, these students began to realize that their attendance at Delaware State University was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-n-castle/upon-arriving-meeting-their-teachers-and-signing-up-for-classes-these/) [Michael N. Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-n-castle/) > [What is the biggest benefit of having a Girlfriend or Boyfriend in the same school where you study? - '100 PERCENT ATTENDANCE'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/what-is-the-biggest-benefit-of-having-a-girlfriend-or-boyfriend-in/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [A lovely nook of forest scenery, or a grand rock, like a beautiful woman, depends for much of its attractiveness upon the attendance sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/a-lovely-nook-of-forest-scenery-or-a-grand-rock-like-a-beautiful/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [If Facebook was school I swear I'd have perfect attendance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-facebook-was-school-i-swear-i-d-have-perfect-attendance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [After a child has arrived at the legal age for attending school,-whether he be the child of noble or of peasant,-the only two absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/after-a-child-has-arrived-at-the-legal-age-for-attending-school/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [It's great to see the World Rowing Championships returning to U.S. soil for the first time in 25 years. I am even more excited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-young/it-s-great-to-see-the-world-rowing-championships-returning-to-u-s/) [Stephen Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-young/) > [Broadway shows in New York draw two times the attendance of all New York sports teams put together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lahr/broadway-shows-in-new-york-draw-two-times-the-attendance-of-all-new/) [John Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lahr/) > [The number of opera houses around the world and the high attendance rates show that opera an art form that is more popular than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/the-number-of-opera-houses-around-the-world-and-the-high-attendance/) [Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/) > [But there were some things I believed in. Some things I had faith in. And faith isn't about perfect attendance to services, or how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-there-were-some-things-i-believed-in-some-things-i-had-faith-in/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [My attendance in school was 30 per cent. I was always travelling with my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janhvi-kapoor/my-attendance-in-school-was-30-per-cent-i-was-always-travelling-with/) [Janhvi Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janhvi-kapoor/) > [The great proliferation of museums in the nineteenth century was a product of the marriage of the exhibition as a way of awakening intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fortey/the-great-proliferation-of-museums-in-the-nineteenth-century-was-a/) [Richard Fortey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fortey/) Browse all 116 Attendance quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many people get what they need from church attendance because the Word is preached, and the rituals are carried on, and God works, but it's drift more than anything else. And that's why the churches keep reaching for some programmatic formula that will make people come and give money. 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