--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: (Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in…" description: "\"“(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms that if the church had to turn away young people because of bare feet and clothes that they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg" --- # (Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms… ![“(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms that if the church had to turn away young people because of bare feet and clothes that they would be better off ripping up the carpet and replacing the pews with steel folding chairs.” quote by Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg) > ““(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms that if the church had to turn away young people because of bare feet and clothes that they would be better off ripping up the carpet and replacing the pews with steel folding chairs.”” [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a church rejects youth for their appearance, it should overhaul its environment to be more inclusive. **In simple terms:** Rejecting youth for looks is shortsighted; change the setting instead. Key Takeaway Make spaces welcoming, not exclusionary. Themes inclusion church culture generational gaps Mood reflective concerned Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - church leadership - youth outreach - policy decisions Key Concepts community building youth engagement environmental design Questions to Reflect On - How can churches balance tradition with modern inclusivity? - What deeper attitudes need to shift beyond physical changes? A Different Perspective Changing furniture alone won't fix deeper cultural biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bare feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bare-feet/) [Discipleship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipleship/) [Legalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legalism/) [Openness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/openness/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [“exaggerated boogeymen in scary stories told by their elders, who, in the fashion of all old people since the dawn of time, believed theirs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/exaggerated-boogeymen-in-scary-stories-told-by-their-elders-who-in/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [But how odd that in this heathen nation of empty pews, where churches' bare, ruined choirs are converted into luxury loft living, a Labour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/but-how-odd-that-in-this-heathen-nation-of-empty-pews-where-churches/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Oh, Well imagine, As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor and I can't help but to hear, No, I can't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panic-at-the-disco/oh-well-imagine-as-i-m-pacing-the-pews-in-a-church-corridor-and-i-can-2/) [Panic At The Disco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panic-at-the-disco/) > [“As North American pastors face pews filled with citizens of a postmodern, post-Christendom culture,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-north-american-pastors-face-pews-filled-with-citizens-of-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited, until you try to sit in their pews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-are-kind-polite-and-sweet-spirited-until-you-try-to-sit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The problem is not that the churches are filled with empty pews, but that the pews are filled with empty people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-w-shedd/the-problem-is-not-that-the-churches-are-filled-with-empty-pews-but/) [Charlie W Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-w-shedd/) > [So many kids are still sitting in pews being told they are not worthy of God's love. 'Sissies' will show them they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shores/so-many-kids-are-still-sitting-in-pews-being-told-they-are-not-worthy/) [Del Shores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shores/) > [When I was growing up, I grew up in church--my father was a pastor--so when I was growing up in Trinidad, I'd close all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/when-i-was-growing-up-i-grew-up-in-church-my-father-was-a-pastor-so/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [“The Catholic Church made a serious mistake when they started caring about how many people are in the pews.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/the-catholic-church-made-a-serious-mistake-when-they-started-caring/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [Y'know, if those pews reclined, and the priests gave the Raiders scores I'd go to church every Sunday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/y-know-if-those-pews-reclined-and-the-priests-gave-the-raiders-scores/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [When will we realize that one of the greatest mission fields in the West is the pews of our churches every Sunday morning?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-greatest-mission-fields-in-the/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [We have the means of evangelizing our country, but they are slumbering in the pews of our churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/we-have-the-means-of-evangelizing-our-country-but-they-are-slumbering/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Jesus reserved his hardest words for the hidden sins of hypocrisy, pride, greed and legalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-reserved-his-hardest-words-for-the-hidden-sins-of-hypocrisy/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Struggling against the legalism of simple obedience, we end by setting up the most dangerous law of all, the law of the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/struggling-against-the-legalism-of-simple-obedience-we-end-by-setting/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [So long as we stand "under the Law", we cannot perceive this hidden unity of all the commandments. It is part of legalism that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-brunner/so-long-as-we-stand-under-the-law-we-cannot-perceive-this-hidden/) [Emil Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-brunner/) ## More by Larry Eskridge > [“Conversions were easy, but making full-time disciples was hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/conversions-were-easy-but-making-full-time-disciples-was-hard/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [“On fire for the Lord,” the Yoes began to talk to their friends about Jesus and even went so far as to name their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/on-fire-for-the-lord-the-yoes-began-to-talk-to-their-friends-about/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [“He (Chuck Smith) was leery of music that moved the body more than the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/he-chuck-smith-was-leery-of-music-that-moved-the-body-more-than-the/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [“The Jesus Movement had survived the fad phase and was settling down for the long haul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/the-jesus-movement-had-survived-the-fad-phase-and-was-settling-down/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [“Grace Apostolic Church in Elyria, Ohio, underwrote The Carpenter’s Shop;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/grace-apostolic-church-in-elyria-ohio-underwrote-the-carpenter-s-shop/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [“The Jesus People experience proved to be a staging area for tens of thousands of young Americans who were making up their mind about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/the-jesus-people-experience-proved-to-be-a-staging-area-for-tens-of/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) [Explore all 7 Larry Eskridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) ## More Bare feet quotes > [“Her. Her. Her. Future breezes implore me to stay. But I'm no future. I'm no past. Only ever contemporary of this path. I'll sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/her-her-her-future-breezes-implore-me-to-stay-but-i-m-no-future-i-m/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [Because I'm on my own on stage and wear bare feet and look like a pixie, people always think I'm little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/because-i-m-on-my-own-on-stage-and-wear-bare-feet-and-look-like-a/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [The first four months of writing the book, my mental image is scratching with my hands through granite. My other image is pushing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-higgins-clark/the-first-four-months-of-writing-the-book-my-mental-image-is/) [Mary Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-higgins-clark/) > [“I don't understand, Jenna, why you couldn't give him a ride home?" Mom struck the archetypal Mom pose-hands on hips, perplexed look on face,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-don-t-understand-jenna-why-you-couldn-t-give-him-a-ride-home-mom/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [For me the bare feet are grounding. I'm connected to the Earth in a way that I cannot be any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/for-me-the-bare-feet-are-grounding-i-m-connected-to-the-earth-in-a/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [“Oscar pushed a strand of her loose raven hair behind her ear, and Camille knew she hadn’t completely failed. The man she loved, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-frazier/oscar-pushed-a-strand-of-her-loose-raven-hair-behind-her-ear-and/) [Angie Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-frazier/) > [“If I could live again - I will travel light, If I could live again - I'll try to work bare feet at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/if-i-could-live-again-i-will-travel-light-if-i-could-live-again-i-ll/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“Marcus woke again to find Sanga lying asleep on his bed, and he quietly climbed off his own mattress, standing still for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/marcus-woke-again-to-find-sanga-lying-asleep-on-his-bed-and-he/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [“Lego, however, is always opened and then left lying around so adults have something to tread on when they are prowling around around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/lego-however-is-always-opened-and-then-left-lying-around-so-adults/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [“His vulnerability allowed me to let my guard down, and gently and methodically, he tore apart my well-constructed dam. Waves of tender feelings were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/his-vulnerability-allowed-me-to-let-my-guard-down-and-gently-and/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“Instead, I woke early the next morning, before sunrise, and went out into the world. I walked past my car. I stepped onto the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/instead-i-woke-early-the-next-morning-before-sunrise-and-went-out/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [What I wear is everything - from how I carry my hair to what I'm wearing on my feet. I have to feel comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/what-i-wear-is-everything-from-how-i-carry-my-hair-to-what-i-m/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [A cowboy, a lawyer, and a mechanic watched Queen of the Damned,” I murmured. Warren—who had once, a long time ago, been a cowboy—snickered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/a-cowboy-a-lawyer-and-a-mechanic-watched-queen-of-the-damned-i/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Later they went outside, where a light rain was blowing in, mixed with salt spray feathering off the surf. Shasta wandered slowly down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/later-they-went-outside-where-a-light-rain-was-blowing-in-mixed-with/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [“I know part of the problem, of course. The disorientation, the distraction, the difficulty focusing-all classic Phase one signs of deliria. But I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-know-part-of-the-problem-of-course-the-disorientation-the/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) [Browse all 216 Bare feet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bare-feet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms that if the church had to turn away young people because of bare feet and clothes that they would be better off ripping up the carpet and replacing the pews with steel folding chairs.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Eskridge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no-uncertain-terms-that-if-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bare feet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no-uncertain-terms-that-if-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/larry-eskridge-50798_bare-feet_pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no_1939521.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms that if the church had to turn away young people…” — Larry Eskridge", "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": "Larry Eskridge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no-uncertain-terms-that-if-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no-uncertain-terms-that-if-the/#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 } } ] } ```