--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A theologically astute, immature…" description: "\"“A theologically astute, immature Christian is like a 5-year-old flying an Apache helicopter.”\" — Kevin DeYoung" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png" --- # A theologically astute, immature Christian is like a… ![“A theologically astute, immature Christian is like a 5-year-old flying an Apache helicopter.” quote by Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png) > ““A theologically astute, immature Christian is like a 5-year-old flying an Apache helicopter.”” [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An immature believer is likened to a child mishandling powerful technology, highlighting reckless faith. **In simple terms:** Immature faith is dangerous like a child with a helicopter. Key Takeaway Cultivate mature, responsible belief. Themes faith immaturity responsibility Mood encouraging thoughtful Type didactic inspirational When to use this quote - personal discipleship - church teaching - spiritual formation Key Concepts theology spiritual growth Questions to Reflect On - What does maturity look like in your spiritual life? - How can leaders guide novices safely? A Different Perspective May alienate those new to faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Immature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immature/) ## Related quotes > [The bland assumption that the Church's life will continue to be fruitful so long as we go on praying and cultivating our souls, irrespective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-blamires/the-bland-assumption-that-the-church-s-life-will-continue-to-be/) [Harry Blamires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-blamires/) > [“Mormonism is sui generis—that is to say, it offers its own unique set of questions and answers for the world that overlaps with but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-q-mason/mormonism-is-sui-generis-that-is-to-say-it-offers-its-own-unique-set/) [Patrick Q. Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-q-mason/) > [“... prayer does not have to be theologically correct. It is a conversation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goldingay/prayer-does-not-have-to-be-theologically-correct-it-is-a-conversation/) John Goldingay > [“Ironically, those with the least to say usually say the most and the most outwardly religious were often the most theologically unsophisticated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lister/ironically-those-with-the-least-to-say-usually-say-the-most-and-the/) [Michael Lister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lister/) > [I'm theologically in line with the Roman Catholic Church. I believe in the authority of the church, but I also have tremendous respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-m-theologically-in-line-with-the-roman-catholic-church-i-believe-in/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [You can be straight as a gun barrel theologically, and as empty as one spiritually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/you-can-be-straight-as-a-gun-barrel-theologically-and-as-empty-as-one/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“separation of church from mission is theologically indefensible. More”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/separation-of-church-from-mission-is-theologically-indefensible-more/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“When I say theologically mature, I mean just this: formed by the Bible, proudly Trinitarian, grounded in justification by grace through faith, dedicated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fleming-rutledge/when-i-say-theologically-mature-i-mean-just-this-formed-by-the-bible/) [Fleming Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fleming-rutledge/) > [The common moral praxis of Jews and Christians is most definitely theologically informed by the doctrine we share in common: The human person, male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-novak/the-common-moral-praxis-of-jews-and-christians-is-most-definitely/) [David Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-novak/) > [Its theologically irresponsible to put off the promises of God into a time when we have no responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/its-theologically-irresponsible-to-put-off-the-promises-of-god-into-a/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [We need leaders who can reflect theologically and help develop more robust thinking that understands how context affects our understanding of God, humankind, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mcbain/we-need-leaders-who-can-reflect-theologically-and-help-develop-more/) [Ed McBain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mcbain/) > [The great need is for us to be taught theologically, not just stirred emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/the-great-need-is-for-us-to-be-taught-theologically-not-just-stirred/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“Are you able—theologically, personally, and resource-wise—to be harmoniously, sweetly, and deeply in love with Jesus together in marriage?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/are-you-able-theologically-personally-and-resource-wise-to-be/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Busyness kills more Christians than bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/busyness-kills-more-christians-than-bullets/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [If someone leaves you because of a flaw or small problem they're immature, and they are definitely wrong for you. So, good riddance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-someone-leaves-you-because-of-a-flaw-or-small-problem-they-re/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## More by Kevin DeYoung > [“Worry about the future is not simply a character tic, it is the sin of unbelief, an indication that our hearts are not resting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/worry-about-the-future-is-not-simply-a-character-tic-it-is-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [There is nothing gray about whether a follower of Christ should see 50 Shades of Grey. This is a black and white issue. Don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/there-is-nothing-gray-about-whether-a-follower-of-christ-should-see/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [A catechism is simply a tool for teaching the fundamentals of the faith. Unlike a creed or confession, a catechism uses questions and answers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/a-catechism-is-simply-a-tool-for-teaching-the-fundamentals-of-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Live for God. Obey the Scriptures. Think of others before yourself. Be holy. Love Jesus. And as you do these things, do whatever else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/live-for-god-obey-the-scriptures-think-of-others-before-yourself-be/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Busyness kills more Christians than bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/busyness-kills-more-christians-than-bullets/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Grace is free, but it's not cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/grace-is-free-but-it-s-not-cheap/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [If there really is a perfect will of God we are meant to discover, in which we will find tremendous freedom and fulfillment, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/if-there-really-is-a-perfect-will-of-god-we-are-meant-to-discover-in/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Seek first the kingdom of God, and then trust that He will take care of our needs, even before we know what they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god-and-then-trust-that-he-will-take-care/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [There is no sin so prevalent, so insidious, and so deep as the sin of fearing people more than we fear God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/there-is-no-sin-so-prevalent-so-insidious-and-so-deep-as-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“The pursuit of holiness is not a quixotic effort to do just what Jesus did. It’s the fight to live out the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/the-pursuit-of-holiness-is-not-a-quixotic-effort-to-do-just-what/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Offendedness is just about the last shared moral currency in our country. And, I'm sorry, but it's really annoying. We don't discuss ideas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/offendedness-is-just-about-the-last-shared-moral-currency-in-our/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [The finality of Christs redemption for us is intimately tied to the finality of his revelation to us. . . . If we say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/the-finality-of-christs-redemption-for-us-is-intimately-tied-to-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Everything before Jesus is preface. Everything after Jesus is appendix. Jesus is the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/everything-before-jesus-is-preface-everything-after-jesus-is-appendix/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Sometimes feeling overwhelmed is part of what it means to be a Christian. You can't bear somebody else's burden unless you are taking something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/sometimes-feeling-overwhelmed-is-part-of-what-it-means-to-be-a/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“Faith and good works are both necessary. But one is the root and the other the fruit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/faith-and-good-works-are-both-necessary-but-one-is-the-root-and-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) [Explore all 295 Kevin DeYoung quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Poor David Hume is dying fast, but with more real cheerfulness and good humor and with more real resignation to the necessary course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/poor-david-hume-is-dying-fast-but-with-more-real-cheerfulness-and/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A theologically astute, immature Christian is like a 5-year-old flying an Apache helicopter.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kevin DeYoung" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/a-theologically-astute-immature-christian-is-like-a-5-year-old-flying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/a-theologically-astute-immature-christian-is-like-a-5-year-old-flying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/kevin-deyoung-1086_christian_a-theologically-astute-immature-christia_1622703.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A theologically astute, immature Christian is like a 5-year-old flying an Apache helicopter.” — Kevin DeYoung", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kevin DeYoung", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A theologically astute, immature Christian is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/a-theologically-astute-immature-christian-is-like-a-5-year-old-flying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/a-theologically-astute-immature-christian-is-like-a-5-year-old-flying/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```