Church Quote by Geronimo
“We had no churches, no religious organizations, no sabbath day, no holidays, and yet we worshiped. Sometimes the whole tribe would assemble to sing and pray; sometimes a smaller number, perhaps only two or three. The songs had a few words, but were not formal. The singer would occasionally put in such words as he wished instead of the usual tone sound. Sometimes we prayed in silence; sometimes each one prayed aloud; sometimes an aged person prayed for all of us. At other times one would rise and speak to us of our duties to each other and to Usen. Our services were short.”
About This Quote
Source Oral tradition: Apache narrative, 19th century
The tribe worshiped without formal institutions, using spontaneous songs and prayers to express spirituality.
In simple terms: Spiritual practice was informal and communal.
Key Takeaway
Embrace flexible, personal expressions of faith.
Themes
spirituality
community
tradition
Mood
reflective
respectful
historical
Type
cultural
anthropological
When to use this quote
- tribal gatherings
- personal prayer
- spontaneous singing
Key Concepts
oral tradition
informal worship
Questions to Reflect On
- How does informal worship affect community cohesion?
- What role does spontaneity play in spiritual experience?
A Different Perspective
Lack of formal structure may limit doctrinal continuity.
![“On coming to the house, they (the Magi), saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. (Matthew 2:11) [This] adoration, too, was not the same as the worship of God. In my opinion they did not yet recognize him as God, but they acted in keeping with the custom mentioned…” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/58b/martin-luther-106_adoration_on-coming-to-the-house-they-the-magi-saw_1061270.jpg)
![“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 - the new covenant, blood-bought people of God. That's why Paul said, 'Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' (Eph. 5:25). He didn't give himself up for a…” quote by Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7a4/mark-dever-3175_blood_t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-bu_3297.jpg)
