--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mission is not just something that the…" description: "\"“Mission is not just something that the church does; it is something that is done by the Spirit, who”\" — Lesslie Newbigin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg" --- # Mission is not just something that the church does; it is… ![“Mission is not just something that the church does; it is something that is done by the Spirit, who” quote by Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg) > ““Mission is not just something that the church does; it is something that is done by the Spirit, who”” [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mission is driven by the Holy Spirit, not merely human effort, emphasizing divine initiative in outreach. **In simple terms:** Spirit leads mission work. Key Takeaway Rely on spiritual guidance. Themes faith mission spirituality Mood reflective theological Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - church planting - community service - global evangelism - personal discipleship Key Concepts divine agency church outreach Questions to Reflect On - What role does the Spirit play in your outreach? - How can you balance human effort with spiritual dependence? A Different Perspective Human planning alone cannot guarantee effective mission. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [The Church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-brunner/the-church-exists-by-mission-just-as-a-fire-exists-by-burning/) [Emil Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-brunner/) > [Possession and exorcism is something that's in every religion and every culture. It's a real primal fear: Is the body a vessel for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/possession-and-exorcism-is-something-that-s-in-every-religion-and/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [How much truth does a spirit endure, how much truth does it dare?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/how-much-truth-does-a-spirit-endure-how-much-truth-does-it-dare/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“What does the Spirit do? His works are ineffable in majesty, and innumerable in quantity. How can we even ponder what extends beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-basil-the-great/what-does-the-spirit-do-his-works-are-ineffable-in-majesty-and/) St. Basil the Great > [If the spirit does not move me, I move the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/if-the-spirit-does-not-move-me-i-move-the-spirit/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [But I would like to think for a moment about a man who in the morning teaches his students that a false attribution of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/but-i-would-like-to-think-for-a-moment-about-a-man-who-in-the-morning/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [Stop looking for the perfect church. It does not exist. Even if it did exist, the moment we joined it, it would no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-gumbel/stop-looking-for-the-perfect-church-it-does-not-exist-even-if-it-did/) [Nicky Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-gumbel/) > [“The Church does not depend on power, social prestige, rhetorical manipulation, or human-designed programs. All it has are the Word and Sacraments, which, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-edward-veith-jr/the-church-does-not-depend-on-power-social-prestige-rhetorical/) [Gene Edward Veith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-edward-veith-jr/) > [The Christian Church does not exist in Heaven, but on earth and in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-christian-church-does-not-exist-in-heaven-but-on-earth-and-in-time/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [I remember when Martin Luther King was assassinated and riots broke out in the city. We celebrated Palm Sunday on 14th Street. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-remember-when-martin-luther-king-was-assassinated-and-riots-broke/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The church does not draw people in; it sends them out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-does-not-draw-people-in-it-sends-them-out/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [“In the old law, God was praised both with musical instruments, and human voices. But the church does not use musical instruments to praise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-thomas-aquinas/in-the-old-law-god-was-praised-both-with-musical-instruments-and/) [St. Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-thomas-aquinas/) > [When I'm on stage, I'm trying to do one thing: bring people joy. Just like church does. People don't go to church to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/when-i-m-on-stage-i-m-trying-to-do-one-thing-bring-people-joy-just/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [Just because you meet them in church does not mean that they are the one. demons do to church too as well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/just-because-you-meet-them-in-church-does-not-mean-that-they-are-the/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-laurence-j-peter/going-to-church-does-not-make-you-a-christian-anymore-than-going-to/) Dr Laurence J Peter ## More by Lesslie Newbigin > [The living God is a God of justice and mercy and He will be satisfied with nothing less than a people in whom his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-living-god-is-a-god-of-justice-and-mercy-and-he-will-be-satisfied/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [A society which believes in a worthwhile future saves in the present so as to invest in the future. Contemporary Western society spends in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/a-society-which-believes-in-a-worthwhile-future-saves-in-the-present/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“The witness of which the New Testament passages speak is God's gift, not our accomplishment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-witness-of-which-the-new-testament-passages-speak-is-god-s-gift/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“The church is witness insofar as it follows obediently where the Spirit leads. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-church-is-witness-insofar-as-it-follows-obediently-where-the/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“The minister’s leadership of the congregation in its mission to the world will be first and foremost in the area of his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-minister-s-leadership-of-the-congregation-in-its-mission-to-the/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [It is less important to ask a Christian what he or she believes about the Bible than it is to inquire what he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/it-is-less-important-to-ask-a-christian-what-he-or-she-believes-about/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“the authority of Jesus is ultimate, the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-authority-of-jesus-is-ultimate-the/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [The church is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave but to call them out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-church-is-not-meant-to-call-men-and-women-out-of-the-world-into-a/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“Universality and particularity do not contradict one another but require one another. How”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/universality-and-particularity-do-not-contradict-one-another-but/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [To make the improving of our own character our central aim is hardly the highest kind of goodness. True goodness forgets itself and goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/to-make-the-improving-of-our-own-character-our-central-aim-is-hardly/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“the Spirit himself is sovereign over the mission, the church can only be the attentive servant. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-spirit-himself-is-sovereign-over-the-mission-the-church-can-only/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“When the Church tries to embody the rule of God in the forms of earthly power it may achieve that power, but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/when-the-church-tries-to-embody-the-rule-of-god-in-the-forms-of/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“A person who wields power cannot see truth; that is the privilege of the powerless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/a-person-who-wields-power-cannot-see-truth-that-is-the-privilege-of/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [“But if the biblical story is true, the kind of certainty proper to a human being will be one which rests on the fidelity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/but-if-the-biblical-story-is-true-the-kind-of-certainty-proper-to-a/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [Live in the kingdom of God in such a way that it provokes questions for which the gospel is the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/live-in-the-kingdom-of-god-in-such-a-way-that-it-provokes-questions/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) [Explore all 60 Lesslie Newbigin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Turn over the pages of history and read the damning record of the church's opposition to every advance in every field of science. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/turn-over-the-pages-of-history-and-read-the-damning-record-of-the/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [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/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/) [Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/) > [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [The minute you walk outside of your church on Sunday you're in mission territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/the-minute-you-walk-outside-of-your-church-on-sunday-you-re-in/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) [Browse all 9,430 Church quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Mission is not just something that the church does; it is something that is done by the Spirit, who”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lesslie Newbigin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-church-does-it-is-something/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Church" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-church-does-it-is-something/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/lesslie-newbigin-11290_goals_mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-c_1805233.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Mission is not just something that the church does; it is something that is done by the Spirit, who” — Lesslie Newbigin", "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": "Lesslie Newbigin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Mission is not just something that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-church-does-it-is-something/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/mission-is-not-just-something-that-the-church-does-it-is-something/#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 } } ] } ```