---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being accepted by the world is the worst…"
description: "\"Being accepted by the world is the worst thing that can happen to the Church.\" — Michael L. Brown"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg"
---

#  Being accepted by the world is the worst thing that can…

![“Being accepted by the world is the worst thing that can happen to the Church.” quote by Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg)

> “Being accepted by the world is the worst thing that can happen to the Church.”

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When the world accepts the Church, it may lose its distinct, counter‑cultural identity.

**In simple terms:** World acceptance can dilute the Church’s uniqueness.

Key Takeaway

Balance relevance with distinctiveness.

Themes

religion culture identity

Mood

reflective concerned

Type

theological advice

When to use this quote

- church outreach
- cultural engagement
- faith communities

Key Concepts

sociology ecclesiology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can the Church stay true while engaging society?
- What defines the Church’s core identity?

A Different Perspective

Acceptance can lead to compromise.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-accepted/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worst things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-things/)

## Related quotes

> [Why in God's name do you expect to be accepted everywhere? How is it the world couldn't get on with the holiest man that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/why-in-god-s-name-do-you-expect-to-be-accepted-everywhere-how-is-it/)

[Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/)

> [Being around a church culture, even leading a gathering of believers, I've gotten pretty good at predicting what's going to happen in a church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/being-around-a-church-culture-even-leading-a-gathering-of-believers-i/)

[Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/)

> [Switch-hitting is one of the greatest things in the world and one of the worst things in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/switch-hitting-is-one-of-the-greatest-things-in-the-world-and-one-of/)

[Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/)

> [Failure is not the worst thing in the world, the very worst is not to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/failure-is-not-the-worst-thing-in-the-world-the-very-worst-is-not-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Bad things are not the worst things that an happen to us. NOTHING is the worst thing that can happen to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/bad-things-are-not-the-worst-things-that-an-happen-to-us-nothing-is/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [All too often the worst thing that can happen to the young is to depoliticize them. When that happens, not only are young people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/all-too-often-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-to-the-young-is-to/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [Losing a basketball game hurts but when you see what you've been through, you look on it and say well if this is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/losing-a-basketball-game-hurts-but-when-you-see-what-you-ve-been/)

[LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/)

> [I've come to understand and to believe that each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done. I believe that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-ve-come-to-understand-and-to-believe-that-each-of-us-is-more-than/)

[Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/)

> [Every interview is as much an impression of the journalist as it is the artist or subject. You look at interviews and you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-hegarty/every-interview-is-as-much-an-impression-of-the-journalist-as-it-is/)

[Antony Hegarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-hegarty/)

> [I always think about the simplest things in a relationship that have frustrated me. It always sort of comes down to communication. Even something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/i-always-think-about-the-simplest-things-in-a-relationship-that-have/)

[Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/)

> [When you get old the worst thing is you lose so many friends. Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne. People who I loved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/when-you-get-old-the-worst-thing-is-you-lose-so-many-friends-burt/)

[Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/)

> [The worst thing that happens to people when they dress up and go to a party is that they leave their real selves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/the-worst-thing-that-happens-to-people-when-they-dress-up-and-go-to-a/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [Make love to me like you know I am better than the worst thing I ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/make-love-to-me-like-you-know-i-am-better-than-the-worst-thing-i-ever/)

[Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/)

> [Worst thing in the world? John is completely out of it. Good luck, ladies. He's a freak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/worst-thing-in-the-world-john-is-completely-out-of-it-good-luck/)

[Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/)

> [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/)

[Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/)

## More by Michael L. Brown

> [“Expressed in theological terms, “In justification our own works have no place at all, and simple faith in Christ is the one thing needful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/expressed-in-theological-terms-in-justification-our-own-works-have-no/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“Simply stated, it is flat-out wrong to say God does not put His laws into our hearts as believers and that commandments and rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/simply-stated-it-is-flat-out-wrong-to-say-god-does-not-put-his-laws/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“The Greek is even more explicitly against the hyper-grace interpretation, since the word confess in the Greek speaks of continuous, present action as opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/the-greek-is-even-more-explicitly-against-the-hyper-grace/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“It’s clear that our present sins need present forgiveness, not for the purpose of salvation but as part of our relationship with the Father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/it-s-clear-that-our-present-sins-need-present-forgiveness-not-for-the/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“There are Christians and churches that boast of being mature when really they are spiritually frostbitten. We have developed a prejudice against feeling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/there-are-christians-and-churches-that-boast-of-being-mature-when/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/beloved-if-our-heart-does-not-condemn-us-we-have-confidence-before/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“But Jesus issued a warning too, stating that “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/but-jesus-issued-a-warning-too-stating-that-whoever-is-ashamed-of-me/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“There is no sin nature in there. There is nothing of the old creation that lives inside of your new creation spirit. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/there-is-no-sin-nature-in-there-there-is-nothing-of-the-old-creation/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“Doesn’t your heart just burst with a holy desire to bring Him joy and to walk worthy of your high calling as a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/doesn-t-your-heart-just-burst-with-a-holy-desire-to-bring-him-joy-and/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“Again; thousands are deceived into supposing that they have “accepted Christ” as their “personal Saviour,” who have not first received Him as their LORD.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/again-thousands-are-deceived-into-supposing-that-they-have-accepted/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“New Testament Christianity is not just a formal, polite, correct, and orthodox kind of faith and belief. No! What characterizes it is this element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/new-testament-christianity-is-not-just-a-formal-polite-correct-and/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“The more automated our experience becomes, the less involved we are in the art of living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/the-more-automated-our-experience-becomes-the-less-involved-we-are-in/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“The entire world cannot contain My glory, yet when I wish, I can concentrate My entire essence into one small spot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/the-entire-world-cannot-contain-my-glory-yet-when-i-wish-i-can/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/and-by-this-we-know-that-we-have-come-to-know-him-if-we-keep-his/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

> [“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/the-spirit-of-the-lord-is-upon-me-because-he-has-anointed-me-to/)

[Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

[Explore all 37 Michael L. Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/)

## More Accepted quotes

> [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/)

[Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/)

> [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/)

[Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/)

> [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/)

[Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/)

> [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/)

[Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/)

> [In Quebec City many Muslims have said that they hide their faith because they know that if they don't, if they show that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-pratte/in-quebec-city-many-muslims-have-said-that-they-hide-their-faith/)

Andre Pratte

> [The rules and principles of case law have never been treated as final truths but as working hypotheses, continually retested in those great laboratories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-rules-and-principles-of-case-law-have-never-been-treated-as-final/)

[Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/)

> [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/)

[Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/)

> [And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-if-all-others-accepted-the-lie-which-the-party-imposed-if-all/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [Divorce is so common and accepted in America that beating myself up over it may sound ridiculous. But I was raised to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-yearwood/divorce-is-so-common-and-accepted-in-america-that-beating-myself-up/)

[Trisha Yearwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-yearwood/)

> [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

Browse all 2,128 Accepted quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Being accepted by the world is the worst thing that can happen to the Church.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael L. Brown"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-to-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Accepted"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-to-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f0/michael-l-brown-17285_accepted_being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst_2511056.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Being accepted by the world is the worst thing that can happen to the Church.” — Michael L. Brown",
                "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": "Michael L. Brown",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Being accepted by the world is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-to-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/being-accepted-by-the-world-is-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-to-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
