--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When will we realize that one of the…" description: "\"When will we realize that one of the greatest mission fields in the West is the pews of our churches every Sunday morning?\" — Paul Washer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png" --- # When will we realize that one of the greatest mission… ![“When will we realize that one of the greatest mission fields in the West is the pews of our churches every Sunday morning?” quote by Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png) > “When will we realize that one of the greatest mission fields in the West is the pews of our churches every Sunday morning?” [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The church should focus on reaching people in everyday life, not just within its walls. **In simple terms:** Churches must engage the world daily. Key Takeaway Prioritize outreach beyond Sunday services. Themes mission church outreach Mood reflective challenging Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - Sunday service - local neighborhoods - online platforms - friendship circles Key Concepts evangelism community engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can churches mobilize volunteers for daily outreach? - What barriers prevent congregants from engaging outside? A Different Perspective Limited resources may hinder sustained outreach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunday/) [Sunday morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunday-morning/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“(Pastor Chuck) Smith told his elders in no uncertain terms that if the church had to turn away young people because of bare feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/pastor-chuck-smith-told-his-elders-in-no-uncertain-terms-that-if-the/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Sunday morning in America is the greatest hour of idolatry in the whole week. Why? Because most people who are even worshiping God, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/sunday-morning-in-america-is-the-greatest-hour-of-idolatry-in-the/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached...let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/sunday-morning-before-we-go-to-hear-the-word-of-god-preached-let-us/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [“The sun of Sunday morning up out of the sleepless sea from black Liverpool. Sitting on the rocks over the water with a jug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy/the-sun-of-sunday-morning-up-out-of-the-sleepless-sea-from-black/) [J.P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy/) > [I grew up in Harlem. My grandmother was one of the best cooks around, but the first thing she did on Sunday mornings when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/i-grew-up-in-harlem-my-grandmother-was-one-of-the-best-cooks-around/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) ## More by Paul Washer > [The question is not whether you would like to pray this prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart - after all, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/the-question-is-not-whether-you-would-like-to-pray-this-prayer-and/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > ["But I got saved that way!" No, you got saved in spite of that way not because of that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/but-i-got-saved-that-way-no-you-got-saved-in-spite-of-that-way-not/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [I would not trade the difficult years for all the prosperity in the world. God knows what each one of us must suffer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/i-would-not-trade-the-difficult-years-for-all-the-prosperity-in-the/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [We must not adopt the world's view and then tweak it to make it Christian. We must draw a line in the sand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/we-must-not-adopt-the-world-s-view-and-then-tweak-it-to-make-it/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [“There are few things more blasphemous than a preacher who compliments the unbeliever on the wonderful life he has made for himself, extolling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/there-are-few-things-more-blasphemous-than-a-preacher-who-compliments/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [The person that I most admire is Jesus Christ. He is the only perfect Person. There is simply no comparison. The difference between Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/the-person-that-i-most-admire-is-jesus-christ-he-is-the-only-perfect/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [The terrible sticky thing about truth is if it exists, it's coming for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/the-terrible-sticky-thing-about-truth-is-if-it-exists-it-s-coming-for/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [The evidence that a person has truly opened their life to Christ is continued fellowship with Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/the-evidence-that-a-person-has-truly-opened-their-life-to-christ-is/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [Over the epitaph of this generation it will say ENTERTAINED TO DEATH.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/over-the-epitaph-of-this-generation-it-will-say-entertained-to-death/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [“the proof or validation of genuine conversion is that the one who professes faith in Christ perseveres in that faith and grows in sanctification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/the-proof-or-validation-of-genuine-conversion-is-that-the-one-who/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [In that moment of salvation, of belief, they are opening their lives to the person of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/in-that-moment-of-salvation-of-belief-they-are-opening-their-lives-to/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [A lot of people think that Christianity is you doing all the righteous things you hate and avoiding all the wicked things you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/a-lot-of-people-think-that-christianity-is-you-doing-all-the/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [ In modern day evangelism, this precious doctrine \[of regeneration\] has been reduced to nothing more than a human decision to raise one's hand, walk… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/in-modern-day-evangelism-this-precious-doctrine-of-regeneration-has/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [The mark of a man of God is God upon the man,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/the-mark-of-a-man-of-god-is-god-upon-the-man/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [What can not be overcome in prayer? Answer me! What cannot be done by the hand of the Almighty? Answer me! What can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/what-can-not-be-overcome-in-prayer-answer-me-what-cannot-be-done-by/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) [Explore all 234 Paul Washer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) ## 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": "When will we realize that one of the greatest mission fields in the West is the pews of our churches every Sunday morning?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Washer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-greatest-mission-fields-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Church" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-greatest-mission-fields-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/paul-washer-1468_church_when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-gre_516969.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When will we realize that one of the greatest mission fields in the West is the pews of our churches every…” — Paul Washer", "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": "Paul Washer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When will we realize that one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-greatest-mission-fields-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/when-will-we-realize-that-one-of-the-greatest-mission-fields-in-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 } } ] } ```