--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A terrible crisis unquestionably has…" description: "\"“A terrible crisis unquestionably has arisen in the Church. In the ministry of evangelical churches are to be found hosts of those who reject the gospe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/j-gresham-machen-22117_bible_a-terrible-crisis-unquestionably-has-ari_1937185.jpg" --- # A terrible crisis unquestionably has arisen in the Church… ![“A terrible crisis unquestionably has arisen in the Church. In the ministry of evangelical churches are to be found hosts of those who reject the gospel of Christ. By the equivocal use of traditional phrases, by the representation of differences of opinion as though they were only differences about…” quote by J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/j-gresham-machen-22117_bible_a-terrible-crisis-unquestionably-has-ari_1937185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/j-gresham-machen-22117_bible_a-terrible-crisis-unquestionably-has-ari_1937185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/j-gresham-machen-22117_bible_a-terrible-crisis-unquestionably-has-ari_1937185.jpg) > ““A terrible crisis unquestionably has arisen in the Church. In the ministry of evangelical churches are to be found hosts of those who reject the gospel of Christ. By the equivocal use of traditional phrases, by the representation of differences of opinion as though they were only differences about the interpretation of the Bible, entrance into the Church was secured for those who are hostile to the very foundations of the faith.”” [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Some evangelical churches hide anti‑gospel views behind ambiguous language, allowing hostile members. **In simple terms:** Ambiguity hides false beliefs. Key Takeaway Demand clear doctrine. Themes church doctrine truth Mood critical concerned Type theological expository When to use this quote - sermon preparation - membership interviews - faith education Key Concepts theology hermeneutics Questions to Reflect On - How can you discern genuine doctrine? - What signs reveal hidden hostility? A Different Perspective Not all churches are aware of this infiltration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Churches Hosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/churches-hosts-3065563/) [Evangelical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelical/) [Evangelical Churches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelical-churches-1052461/) [Ministry Evangelical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ministry-evangelical-3065562/) [Reject Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reject-gospel-825541/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [I see apostasy in many ways occurring in Evangelical churches that really aren't teaching the truth of God's word. 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Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“Whoever reject the gospel of salvation, reject God's grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-reject-the-gospel-of-salvation-reject-god-s-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The only way all people can have the opportunity to choose or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ is for us, without judgment, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/the-only-way-all-people-can-have-the-opportunity-to-choose-or-reject/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“People do not reject the gospel primarily because they’re too thickheaded to get it. Unbelief grows out of other soils besides intellectual confusion. 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Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Evangelical Christians and I can sit down and talk one on one about how much we love Jesus, and yet I'm not carried in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/evangelical-christians-and-i-can-sit-down-and-talk-one-on-one-about/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by J. Gresham Machen > [“We may preach with all the fervor of a reformer and yet succeed only in winning a straggler here and there, if we permit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/we-may-preach-with-all-the-fervor-of-a-reformer-and-yet-succeed-only/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“That view of the Cross, it cannot be denied, runs counter to the mind of the natural man. It is not, indeed, complicated or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/that-view-of-the-cross-it-cannot-be-denied-runs-counter-to-the-mind/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“It will hardly be wise to adopt the suggestion… that we must stop treating the little sins as though they were big sins. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/it-will-hardly-be-wise-to-adopt-the-suggestion-that-we-must-stop/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“But underlying that sweet and blessed communion of the Christian with his God there is a true knowledge of God. A communion with God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/but-underlying-that-sweet-and-blessed-communion-of-the-christian-with/) [J. 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Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“In trying to remove from Christianity everything that could possibly be objected to in the name of science, in trying to bribe off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/in-trying-to-remove-from-christianity-everything-that-could-possibly/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“The world is lying in misery, we ourselves are sinners, men are perishing in sin every day. The gospel is the sole means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/the-world-is-lying-in-misery-we-ourselves-are-sinners-men-are/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“For Christians to influence the world with the truth of God's Word requires the recovery of the great Reformation doctrine of vocation. Christians are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/for-christians-to-influence-the-world-with-the-truth-of-god-s-word/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“For us Jesus does not merely place His fingers in the ears and say, “Be opened”; for us He does not merely say “Arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/for-us-jesus-does-not-merely-place-his-fingers-in-the-ears-and-say-be/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“It is true that historic Christianity is in conflict at many points with the collectivism of the present day; it does emphasize, against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/it-is-true-that-historic-christianity-is-in-conflict-at-many-points/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) > [“Christianity cannot subsist unless men know what Christianity is; and the fair and logical thing is to learn what Christianity is, not from its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-gresham-machen/christianity-cannot-subsist-unless-men-know-what-christianity-is-and/) [J. Gresham Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) [Explore all 28 J. Gresham Machen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-gresham-machen/) ## 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. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . 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. 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