--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I quickly found that the American church…" description: "\"I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Chris..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/francis-chan-548_attendance_i-quickly-found-that-the-american-church_1352804.jpg" --- # I quickly found that the American church is a difficult… ![“I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally, and seriously, is…” quote by Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/francis-chan-548_attendance_i-quickly-found-that-the-american-church_1352804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/francis-chan-548_attendance_i-quickly-found-that-the-american-church_1352804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/francis-chan-548_attendance_i-quickly-found-that-the-american-church_1352804.jpg) > “I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally, and seriously, is rarely considered. That's for the 'radicals' who are 'unbalanced' and who go 'overboard.' Most of us want a balanced life we can control, that is safe, and that does not involve suffering.” [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques American Christianity for prioritizing comfort and conformity over radical, literal discipleship. **In simple terms:** American churches often avoid challenging, authentic faith. Key Takeaway Embrace a faith that challenges comfort zones. Themes faith culture authenticity conformity Mood thoughtful critical Type religious social When to use this quote - church leadership - personal discipleship - faith communities Key Concepts Christianity American culture religious practice Questions to Reflect On - What does “balanced life” mean in faith? - How can believers pursue authenticity without alienation? A Different Perspective His assessment may generalize diverse churches. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-christianity-237368/) [American Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-church-928134/) [Attendance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attendance/) [Balanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced/) [Balanced life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced-life/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-goals-4606374/) [Christianity Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-nice-4606375/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church attendance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-attendance/) [Church Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-difficult-1215693/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Overboard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overboard/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Swear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swear/) [Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testament/) [Unbalanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbalanced/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [This book is written for those who want more Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American Christianity offers. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/this-book-is-written-for-those-who-want-more-jesus-it-is-for-those/) [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/) > [“The Church has done many difficult things, and from these achievements one would not wish to detract. But all the easy things the Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-church-has-done-many-difficult-things-and-from-these-achievements/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Church is the textured context in which we grow up in Christ to maturity. But church is difficult. Sooner or later, though, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/church-is-the-textured-context-in-which-we-grow-up-in-christ-to/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [The Catholic Church - it's so difficult because I don't want say anything offensive but it makes me very angry that religious leaders from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/the-catholic-church-it-s-so-difficult-because-i-don-t-want-say/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [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/) > [Put bluntly, the American church today accepts grace in theory but denies it in practice. We say we believe that the fundamental structure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/put-bluntly-the-american-church-today-accepts-grace-in-theory-but/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“Nosey gossiping church members were sucking out my passion for life leaving me an irritable shell of what I felt called to do on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-aquino/nosey-gossiping-church-members-were-sucking-out-my-passion-for-life/) [Anna Aquino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-aquino/) > [Barna is correct when he writes, "After fifteen years of diligent digging into the world around me, I have reached several conclusions about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-stetzer/barna-is-correct-when-he-writes-after-fifteen-years-of-diligent/) [Ed Stetzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-stetzer/) > [It's very hard to grow up in the African American church and for music to not be in your veins. It's just part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-franklin/it-s-very-hard-to-grow-up-in-the-african-american-church-and-for/) [Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/) > [“Bonhoeffer's experiences with African American community underscored an idea that was developing in his mind: the only real piety and power that he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/bonhoeffer-s-experiences-with-african-american-community-underscored/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [I believe that the real difference in the American church is not between conservatives and liberals, fundamentalists and charismatics, nor between Republicans and Democrats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/i-believe-that-the-real-difference-in-the-american-church-is-not/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [I actually spoke in an African-American church yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-actually-spoke-in-an-african-american-church-yesterday/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [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/) > [“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 Francis Chan > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us. Each of us has lukewarm elements and practices in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-midst-of-our-failed-attempts-at-loving-jesus-his-grace-covers/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/jesus-call-to-commitment-is-clear-he-wants-all-or-nothing/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Yes, it is God who works in you. And, yes, there is work for you to do. Yes, the Spirit empowers you to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/yes-it-is-god-who-works-in-you-and-yes-there-is-work-for-you-to-do/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-point-of-your-life-is-to-point-to-him-whatever-you-are-doing-god/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/lukewarm-people-love-others-but-do-not-seek-to-love-others-as-much-as/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Life is comfortable when you separate yourself from people who are different from you. That epitomizes what my life was like: characterized by comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/life-is-comfortable-when-you-separate-yourself-from-people-who-are/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Christ can come back at any time so the one thing you want to have in your life is a focused prayer time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/christ-can-come-back-at-any-time-so-the-one-thing-you-want-to-have-in/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a taste of the awe factor of our God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/awe-factor-video-at-www-crazylovebook-com-to-get-a-taste-of-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“What I want you to do right now is to go online and look at the “Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/what-i-want-you-to-do-right-now-is-to-go-online-and-look-at-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Multi-tasking is keeping me from whole-hearted worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/multi-tasking-is-keeping-me-from-whole-hearted-worship/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The stress that some of us feel - it's a lack of faith, it really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-stress-that-some-of-us-feel-it-s-a-lack-of-faith-it-really-is/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [We have become dangerously comfortable- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-have-become-dangerously-comfortable-believers-ooze-with-wealth-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Not being able to understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/not-being-able-to-understand-god-is-frustrating-but-it-is-ridiculous/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) [Explore all 479 Francis Chan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attendance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I quickly found that the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. 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