--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What gets me back to church, I think, is…" description: "\"What gets me back to church, I think, is thinking maybe this time that question \"Is it true?\" will be answered, not just in terms of somebody saying, \"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/frederick-buechner-883_bible_what-gets-me-back-to-church-i-think-is-t_2333722.jpg" --- # What gets me back to church, I think, is thinking maybe… ![“What gets me back to church, I think, is thinking maybe this time that question "Is it true?" will be answered, not just in terms of somebody saying, "Yes, it's true," but something will happen in a sermon or maybe shuffling up to the Eucharist, or in the old lady who's sitting beside me with a…” quote by Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/frederick-buechner-883_bible_what-gets-me-back-to-church-i-think-is-t_2333722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/frederick-buechner-883_bible_what-gets-me-back-to-church-i-think-is-t_2333722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/frederick-buechner-883_bible_what-gets-me-back-to-church-i-think-is-t_2333722.jpg) > “What gets me back to church, I think, is thinking maybe this time that question "Is it true?" will be answered, not just in terms of somebody saying, "Yes, it's true," but something will happen in a sermon or maybe shuffling up to the Eucharist, or in the old lady who's sitting beside me with a Bible - maybe something will happen which will show me that it's true. So I go back thinking, maybe this time I'll be lucky.” [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author describes returning to church hoping for a tangible sign of truth, seeking personal validation beyond doctrinal affirmation. **In simple terms:** Seeking proof of faith through experience. Key Takeaway Look for personal experiences that affirm belief. Themes faith search experience truth hope Mood hopeful contemplative Type theological personal When to use this quote - church attendance - personal crisis - spiritual seeking Key Concepts spirituality existential doubt ritual Questions to Reflect On - What experiences have affirmed your beliefs? - How do you handle doubt? A Different Perspective Faith may not be proven by single events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-think-416173/) [Eucharist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eucharist/) [Happen Sermon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen-sermon-5623756/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Old lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-lady/) [Question True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-true-771804/) [Saying yes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-yes/) [Sermon Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sermon-maybe-5623755/) [Sermons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sermons/) [Show me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show-me/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Shuffling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuffling/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-maybe-389557/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [At least to look back over their own lives, as I have looked back over mine, for certain themes and patterns and signals that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/at-least-to-look-back-over-their-own-lives-as-i-have-looked-back-over/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The bigger question, rather than what's true and what's false, is what do we want?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-tickell/the-bigger-question-rather-than-what-s-true-and-what-s-false-is-what/) [Josh Tickell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-tickell/) > [ Far more often \[than asking the question 'Is it true?'\] they \[children\] have asked me: 'Was he good? Was he wicked?' That is, they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/far-more-often-than-asking-the-question-is-it-true-they-children-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...You know something, don't you?" "I know lots of things--your inquiry needs to be more specific." "Just answer the question." "True/false or multiple choice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-know-something-don-t-you-i-know-lots-of-things-your-inquiry-needs/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [They say they brought you into this world, and they can take you out!...hmm..but they're not what's keeping you here. So what is? Answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiana-evans/they-say-they-brought-you-into-this-world-and-they-can-take-you-out/) [Kristiana Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiana-evans/) > [ “\[Christians\] must become, must be known as, the people who don't hold grudges, who don't sulk. We must be the people who know how… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/christians-must-become-must-be-known-as-the-people-who-don-t-hold/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [If my life is any example, the work that youth workers are doing is very, very important. It tends to get marginalized in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/if-my-life-is-any-example-the-work-that-youth-workers-are-doing-is/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [There are so many things in my life that would be completely not on within the conservative church. And yet I think of myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/there-are-so-many-things-in-my-life-that-would-be-completely-not-on/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [“The church is not a social club, which votes certain people in and excludes others, based on the way they look, dress, or sound.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-allen-dunn/the-church-is-not-a-social-club-which-votes-certain-people-in-and/) [Randall Allen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-allen-dunn/) > [There's a moment for everybody when you look at that picture of Jesus in the church and think, 'This doesn't totally make sense.' If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/there-s-a-moment-for-everybody-when-you-look-at-that-picture-of-jesus/) [Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/) > [If we are so holy and so perfect and never interact with people that may not go to church or may not be where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-franklin/if-we-are-so-holy-and-so-perfect-and-never-interact-with-people-that/) [Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/) > [Sit peacefully in a church and think of church history: witchburning perhaps, or child abuse, genocide, the amassing of disgusting wealth, the repression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaz-cooke/sit-peacefully-in-a-church-and-think-of-church-history-witchburning/) [Kaz Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaz-cooke/) > [Let no preacher in a little church think that he has no audience for his message. An unseen audience of multitudes compass him about!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-rice/let-no-preacher-in-a-little-church-think-that-he-has-no-audience-for/) [John R. Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-rice/) > [The Church is always in trouble because the Church walks into the trouble in which mankind is trying to resolve itself. There are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-hart/the-church-is-always-in-trouble-because-the-church-walks-into-the/) [Dolores Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-hart/) > [We have taken a giant step forward in correcting some of the misconceptions people have about the church. I think that we've made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/we-have-taken-a-giant-step-forward-in-correcting-some-of-the/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) ## More by Frederick Buechner > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. 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Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/even-the-saddest-things-can-become-once-we-have-made-peace-with-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [A Christian isn't necessarily any nicer than anybody else, just better informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/a-christian-isn-t-necessarily-any-nicer-than-anybody-else-just-better/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“The things that the world fills time with are enough to turn the heart to stone, but the goodness of time itself is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-things-that-the-world-fills-time-with-are-enough-to-turn-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The pride that keeps us from forgiving is the same pride which keeps us from accepting forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-pride-that-keeps-us-from-forgiving-is-the-same-pride-which-keeps/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but a the same time you carry them with you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/you-can-kiss-your-family-and-friends-good-bye-and-put-miles-between/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-the-truth-is-worth-telling-it-is-worth-making-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I suspect that Jesus spoke many of his parables as a kind of sad and holy joke and that that may be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-suspect-that-jesus-spoke-many-of-his-parables-as-a-kind-of-sad-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“How Adewen stuffed her braid in her mouth at that! Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/how-adewen-stuffed-her-braid-in-her-mouth-at-that-or-she-d-cover-her/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/resurrection-means-that-the-worst-thing-is-never-the-last-thing/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Explore all 339 Frederick Buechner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. 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It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What gets me back to church, I think, is thinking maybe this time that question \"Is it true?\" will be answered, not just in terms of somebody saying, \"Yes, it's true,\" but something will happen in a sermon or maybe shuffling up to the Eucharist, or in the old lady who's sitting beside me with a Bible - maybe something will happen which will show me that it's true. 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