Church Quote by James MacDonald
““Most of the church landscape in my lifetime has been heavily invested in trying to do something for Jerry or Sherri or some other icon of unchurchness. The problem is that they have been only about themselves from the moment they could wail for their mothers, and the decision to give them at church what they can find in any self-help book appears now as a choice to abandon the One in whose honor the church gathers. What they need is to be set free from themselves with finality and to be lost in the awesome wonder of the manifest presence of God. It was never God’s desire that He would sit on the sideline and watch us frantically devise impressive ways to reach people or simply hold the line on orthodoxy as though faithfulness can exist in a vacuum apart from fruitfulness. God is the Matter of first importance! Can you say that about your current weekly encounter with church?””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: Church Leadership, 2018
Churches focus too much on self‑interest and programs, neglecting true worship and God's presence.
In simple terms: Churches prioritize self over divine purpose, losing spiritual depth.
Key Takeaway
Shift focus from self‑service to worship of God.
Themes
self‑interest
worship
spiritual depth
community
Mood
reflective
challenging
Type
sermon
theological
When to use this quote
- Sunday services
- small groups
- personal devotion
Key Concepts
theology
church health
authentic faith
Questions to Reflect On
- What practices can restore focus on God's presence?
- How does self‑service hinder church growth?
A Different Perspective
Programs alone cannot replace genuine spiritual experience.
![“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)
