--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only are individual churches very…" description: "\"Not only are individual churches very often divided, cantankerous, full of factions, animosity and anger but it seems to me that the entire evangelical..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/john-macarthur-1117_anger_not-only-are-individual-churches-very-of_1263437.jpg" --- # Not only are individual churches very often divided… ![“Not only are individual churches very often divided, cantankerous, full of factions, animosity and anger but it seems to me that the entire evangelical church is like that - fragmented, split up, hostile, even angry. This is a far cry from what our Lord desired when He said the world would know us…” quote by John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/john-macarthur-1117_anger_not-only-are-individual-churches-very-of_1263437.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/john-macarthur-1117_anger_not-only-are-individual-churches-very-of_1263437.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/john-macarthur-1117_anger_not-only-are-individual-churches-very-of_1263437.jpg) > “Not only are individual churches very often divided, cantankerous, full of factions, animosity and anger but it seems to me that the entire evangelical church is like that - fragmented, split up, hostile, even angry. This is a far cry from what our Lord desired when He said the world would know us by our love.” [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The evangelical church is portrayed as fragmented and hostile, contrary to Christ's call for love as its witness. **In simple terms:** Church is divided, not loving as taught. Key Takeaway Seek unity and love in faith communities. Themes faith division love unity Mood concerned hopeful Type theological social When to use this quote - church leadership - community building - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts ecclesiology social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can love overcome institutional anger? - What steps foster genuine unity? A Different Perspective Unity is difficult amid entrenched factions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Churches Divided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/churches-divided-3396037/) [Entire Evangelical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-evangelical-4025941/) [Evangelical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelical/) [Evangelical Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelical-church-670793/) [Individual Churches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-churches-4025942/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know of any authentically evangelical church where people would be excluded or even disrespected because of their ethnicity or skin color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/i-don-t-know-of-any-authentically-evangelical-church-where-people/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [I thought the evangelical church was living out true unity in Christ without regard for race. That has certainly been my experience in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/i-thought-the-evangelical-church-was-living-out-true-unity-in-christ/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [This common prayer project has taken years of energy, but we see it not as a way to leave our individual churches, but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/this-common-prayer-project-has-taken-years-of-energy-but-we-see-it/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Got no religion. Tried a bunch of different religions. The churches are divided. Can't make up their minds and neither can I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/got-no-religion-tried-a-bunch-of-different-religions-the-churches-are/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“The world is in a mad dash of personal peace and affluence. Sadly, too often the evangelical church is not much different. Of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-jr-2/the-world-is-in-a-mad-dash-of-personal-peace-and-affluence-sadly-too/) [R.C. Sproul Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-jr-2/) > [“The evangelical church in America has, to a large extent, been co-opted by an American, religious version of the kingdom of the world. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-evangelical-church-in-america-has-to-a-large-extent-been-co-opted/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [I just find the evangelical church too, well, restrictive. But the School of Practical Philosophy is nonconfrontational. We believe there are many forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/i-just-find-the-evangelical-church-too-well-restrictive-but-the-2/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [“The secular church is one dominated by the world, as much of the contemporary church is. It is characterized by the world’s wisdom, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/the-secular-church-is-one-dominated-by-the-world-as-much-of-the/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [What a wonderful thing it is to be sure of one's faith! How wonderful to be a member of the evangelical church, which preaches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-frideric-handel/what-a-wonderful-thing-it-is-to-be-sure-of-one-s-faith-how-wonderful/) [George Frideric Handel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-frideric-handel/) > [“There’s no stronger bulwark of sound conservatism than the evangelical church, and no better place to make friends who’ll help you to gain your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/there-s-no-stronger-bulwark-of-sound-conservatism-than-the/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [I would like to live to see the time when the men and woman of God - holy, separated and spiritually enlightened - walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-would-like-to-live-to-see-the-time-when-the-men-and-woman-of-god/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“I think the church is often a culprit in the busyness, especially in the evangelical church. Again, it's part of being Americans. Part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/i-think-the-church-is-often-a-culprit-in-the-busyness-especially-in/) [Kevin Deyoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“the true crisis in the modern evangelical church is not dissatisfaction; it’s the opposite. We’re all too satisfied.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/the-true-crisis-in-the-modern-evangelical-church-is-not/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [I just find the evangelical church too, well, restrictive. But the School of Practical Philosophy is non-confrontational. We believe there are many forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/i-just-find-the-evangelical-church-too-well-restrictive-but-the/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [“The evangelical church seeks to serve everybody and their many interests, so it’s not difficult to find Sunday-morning preaching that covers every topic imaginable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spencer/the-evangelical-church-seeks-to-serve-everybody-and-their-many/) [Michael Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spencer/) ## More by John MacArthur > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. 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/) > [The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-more-you-focus-on-yourself-the-more-distracted-you-will-be-from/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [There are things that God hates, right? One of them is the one who stirs up strife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/there-are-things-that-god-hates-right-one-of-them-is-the-one-who/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Over the years, I've fought a number of polemical battles against ideas that threaten the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/over-the-years-i-ve-fought-a-number-of-polemical-battles-against/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“You and I believed the gospel, not because we were wiser or more righteous than anyone else but because God graciously intervened, opening our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/you-and-i-believed-the-gospel-not-because-we-were-wiser-or-more/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“He call us to obey, not because He needs us but because He knows we need Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/he-call-us-to-obey-not-because-he-needs-us-but-because-he-knows-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“The Spirit works in the church so that men might see Jesus as Lord, recognizing His authority and submitting to His will (1 Cor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-spirit-works-in-the-church-so-that-men-might-see-jesus-as-lord/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/grace-does-not-grant-permission-to-live-in-the-flesh-it-supplies/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Sexual expression within a marriage is not an option or an extra. It is certainly not, as it has sometimes been considered, a necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/sexual-expression-within-a-marriage-is-not-an-option-or-an-extra-it/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“18O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/18o-my-god-incline-your-ear-and-hear-open-your-eyes-and-see-our/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“Sin is the monarch that rules the heart of every man. It is the first lord of the soul, and its virus has contaminated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/sin-is-the-monarch-that-rules-the-heart-of-every-man-it-is-the-first/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“Psalm 13 O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/psalm-13-o-lord-how-long-will-you-forget-me-forever-how-long-will-you/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Scripture repeatedly makes clear that heaven is a realm of unsurpassed joy, unfading glory, undiminished bliss, unlimited delights, and unending pleasures. Nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/scripture-repeatedly-makes-clear-that-heaven-is-a-realm-of/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [God's true church has always been a place where people hunger for the truth from the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/god-s-true-church-has-always-been-a-place-where-people-hunger-for-the/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [The lies of systemic racism and the race hustlers dominate the ideologies of universities and even churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-lies-of-systemic-racism-and-the-race-hustlers-dominate-the/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Explore all 279 John MacArthur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not only are individual churches very often divided, cantankerous, full of factions, animosity and anger but it seems to me that the entire evangelical church is like that - fragmented, split up, hostile, even angry. 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