--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can you imagine doing ministry the last…" description: "\"Can you imagine doing ministry the last five hundred years and getting away with ‘Sorry, I don’t do books’? Can you imagine doing ministry in the next ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/leonard-sweet-10435_book_can-you-imagine-doing-ministry-the-last_2225872.jpg" --- # Can you imagine doing ministry the last five hundred years… ![“Can you imagine doing ministry the last five hundred years and getting away with ‘Sorry, I don’t do books’? Can you imagine doing ministry in the next five years and getting away with ‘Sorry, I don’t do Facebook’?” quote by Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/leonard-sweet-10435_book_can-you-imagine-doing-ministry-the-last_2225872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/leonard-sweet-10435_book_can-you-imagine-doing-ministry-the-last_2225872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/leonard-sweet-10435_book_can-you-imagine-doing-ministry-the-last_2225872.jpg) > “Can you imagine doing ministry the last five hundred years and getting away with ‘Sorry, I don’t do books’? Can you imagine doing ministry in the next five years and getting away with ‘Sorry, I don’t do Facebook’?” [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how cultural expectations shift over centuries, making once‑acceptable behavior now unacceptable, and vice‑versa. **In simple terms:** Societal norms change over time. Key Takeaway Adapt to evolving expectations. Themes change technology culture adaptation Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - marketing - public speaking - social media strategy - church leadership - public relations Key Concepts social dynamics normative shift generational perspective Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay authentic amid changing norms? - What core values remain constant? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper ethical considerations beyond superficial trends. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Ministry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ministry/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [The earth endured Christ's ministry only three years;--not three weeks after his real character and purposes were generally known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/the-earth-endured-christ-s-ministry-only-three-years-not-three-weeks/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [One of the side effects of losing intimacy with God is that at some point we stop doing ministry out of imagination and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/one-of-the-side-effects-of-losing-intimacy-with-god-is-that-at-some/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“I would like to encourage you to stop thinking of what you're doing as ministry. Start realizing that your ministry is how much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-would-like-to-encourage-you-to-stop-thinking-of-what-you-re-doing/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation. They enjoy helping people, meeting needs, and doing ministry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/servants-think-of-ministry-as-an-opportunity-not-an-obligation-they/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“God reminds us that doing ministry without taking time to feed off His Holy Word will leave us frustrated and unfulfilled in ministry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-earley/god-reminds-us-that-doing-ministry-without-taking-time-to-feed-off/) [Dave Earley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-earley/) > [I cannot imagine life without books any more than I can imagine life without breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/i-cannot-imagine-life-without-books-any-more-than-i-can-imagine-life/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I read more books than you can imagine on all sorts of odd topics, which is something that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hutchins/i-read-more-books-than-you-can-imagine-on-all-sorts-of-odd-topics/) [Scott Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hutchins/) > [“Reluctantly Bastian's thoughts turned back to reality. He was glad the Neverending Story had nothing to do with that. He didn't like books in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/reluctantly-bastian-s-thoughts-turned-back-to-reality-he-was-glad-the/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [I felt the hand and the call of God in my life that I would be doing ministry and trying to serve Him the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/i-felt-the-hand-and-the-call-of-god-in-my-life-that-i-would-be-doing/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“In the process of helping children prepare to minister and in doing ministry together, important relationships can develop between child and adult. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-stonehouse/in-the-process-of-helping-children-prepare-to-minister-and-in-doing/) [Catherine Stonehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-stonehouse/) > [“From my Facebook Page: "You spend the first 50 years acquiring and the second 50 years getting rid of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-r-woldering/from-my-facebook-page-you-spend-the-first-50-years-acquiring-and-the/) Mary R. Woldering > [As an actor, you spend years getting ready for an opportunity to arise, and when it does, you're ready for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-sharp/as-an-actor-you-spend-years-getting-ready-for-an-opportunity-to-arise/) [Alex Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-sharp/) > [I would like to act in a film that I can watch even after five years without getting bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konkona-sen-sharma/i-would-like-to-act-in-a-film-that-i-can-watch-even-after-five-years/) [Konkona Sen Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konkona-sen-sharma/) > [We've had lots of breaks, especially over the last 10 years, so to still be getting together and to be able to get on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kanal/we-ve-had-lots-of-breaks-especially-over-the-last-10-years-so-to/) [Tony Kanal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kanal/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) ## More by Leonard Sweet > [The Chains of conformity click in tiresomely monotonous unison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-chains-of-conformity-click-in-tiresomely-monotonous-unison/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“We don’t need to travel to find Christ. Christ has already traveled to find us. God is not the one whose back is turned.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/we-don-t-need-to-travel-to-find-christ-christ-has-already-traveled-to/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“The end product of biblical Christianity is a person—not a book, not a building, not a set of principles or a system of ethics—but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-end-product-of-biblical-christianity-is-a-person-not-a-book-not-a/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [The strength of the church is not the strength of its institutions but the authenticity of its witness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-strength-of-the-church-is-not-the-strength-of-its-institutions/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [I only want to write one thing over the doorpost to my heart and life: “Jesus Christ lives here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/i-only-want-to-write-one-thing-over-the-doorpost-to-my-heart-and-life/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“More recently, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird faced each other on the basketball court as arch-competitors—first in high school, continuing through college, and culminating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/more-recently-magic-johnson-and-larry-bird-faced-each-other-on-the/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [Energy-fire experiences take us into ourselves only that we might reach outside of ourselves. Metanoia is a de-centering experience of connected-ness and community. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/energy-fire-experiences-take-us-into-ourselves-only-that-we-might/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“IF A PROBLEM PERSISTS for generations, it is no longer a crisis. It’s a condition. The identity crisis facing our faith, our families, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/if-a-problem-persists-for-generations-it-is-no-longer-a-crisis-it-s-a/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [Jesus invested everything he had in a team. The Bible knows nothing about solo ministry, only team ministry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/jesus-invested-everything-he-had-in-a-team-the-bible-knows-nothing/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [It would not do for the consumer to know that the hamburger she is eating came from a steer who spent much of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/it-would-not-do-for-the-consumer-to-know-that-the-hamburger-she-is/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“Got some conflicted relationships—people who have attacked you and hurt you, whose very presence causes gruff intestinal rumble? The table reduces fighting. It has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/got-some-conflicted-relationships-people-who-have-attacked-you-and/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [When I was learned, knowledge was everything. Now that I'm a learner, kindness is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/when-i-was-learned-knowledge-was-everything-now-that-i-m-a-learner/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“If work really were such a good thing, then the rich would surely have found a way to keep it for themselves. HAITIAN PROVERB”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/if-work-really-were-such-a-good-thing-then-the-rich-would-surely-have/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [One can be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ without denying the flickers of the sacred in followers of Yahweh, or Kali, or Krishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/one-can-be-a-faithful-disciple-of-jesus-christ-without-denying-the/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [The church must provide postmoderns with an alternity of rituals by which they can turn and tune to one another and feel connected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-church-must-provide-postmoderns-with-an-alternity-of-rituals-by/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) [Explore all 65 Leonard Sweet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) ## More Book 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/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can you imagine doing ministry the last five hundred years and getting away with ‘Sorry, I don’t do books’? 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