--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But how then to explain the failures?…" description: "\"“But how then to explain the failures? What if Christians do make disciples of all nations, but subsequently lose them or their descendants? How can we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/philip-jenkins-10529_answered-prayers_but-how-then-to-explain-the-failures-wha_3223088.jpg" --- # But how then to explain the failures? What if Christians… ![“But how then to explain the failures? What if Christians do make disciples of all nations, but subsequently lose them or their descendants? How can we account for such devastating reversals as the annihilation of the church in North Africa, the crushing of Catholic missions in Asia, and, above…” quote by Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/philip-jenkins-10529_answered-prayers_but-how-then-to-explain-the-failures-wha_3223088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/philip-jenkins-10529_answered-prayers_but-how-then-to-explain-the-failures-wha_3223088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/philip-jenkins-10529_answered-prayers_but-how-then-to-explain-the-failures-wha_3223088.jpg) > ““But how then to explain the failures? What if Christians do make disciples of all nations, but subsequently lose them or their descendants? How can we account for such devastating reversals as the annihilation of the church in North Africa, the crushing of Catholic missions in Asia, and, above all, the strangulation of the faith in the Middle East? Presumably, each of these failures happened regardless of countless fervent but unanswered prayers. In terms of its global reach, only in very modern times has Christianity resumed the span that it had achieved a thousand years ago. Christianization, obviously, is not an inevitable process, nor a one-way road.”” [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christian expansion is not guaranteed; historical setbacks show faith can decline despite efforts. **In simple terms:** Faith can wane despite missionary work. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of influence. Themes faith history missionary work Mood reflective analytical Type theoretical historical When to use this quote - church growth strategies - historical research - faith education - mission planning Key Concepts religious decline historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - Why do some missions fail? - How can faith adapt to cultural change? 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He is offended by anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/bold-prayers-honor-god-and-god-honors-bold-prayers-god-isn-t-offended/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, buy unoffered prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-tragedy-of-life-is-not-unanswered-prayer-buy-unoffered/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So many prayers request catastrophe, But God opts not to listen mercifully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawid-mojaddedi/so-many-prayers-request-catastrophe-but-god-opts-not-to-listen/) [Jawid Mojaddedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawid-mojaddedi/) > [“I think we all know—somewhere deep inside, somewhere we don’t want to explore, somewhere maybe close to the subconscious—that the chances of us living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-han-mattson/i-think-we-all-know-somewhere-deep-inside-somewhere-we-don-t-want-to/) [James Han Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-han-mattson/) > [Unanswered prayers of lowly birth/On wings of folly round the earth/Illusion clouds the eyes that raise/To the emerald gods they praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-miller/unanswered-prayers-of-lowly-birth-on-wings-of-folly-round-the-earth/) [Kate Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-miller/) > [“At times, it can feel like the loneliest place on Earth, because it’s just us. Alone with our unanswered prayers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-elizabeth-anderson/at-times-it-can-feel-like-the-loneliest-place-on-earth-because-it-s/) [Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-elizabeth-anderson/) > [Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers. Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs; that just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/sometimes-i-thank-god-for-unanswered-prayers-remember-when-you-re/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [In life, we are tested by major changes. Delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, undeserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hwang-mi-young/in-life-we-are-tested-by-major-changes-delayed-promises-impossible/) [Hwang Mi Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hwang-mi-young/) > [Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers, there aren't any that go 'unanswered.' His silence speaks volumes if you're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-god-s-greatest-gifts-are-unanswered-prayers-there-aren-t-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our Lord never referred to unanswered prayer. He taught that prayers are always answered: “Everyone who asks receives”. And He implied that prayers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/our-lord-never-referred-to-unanswered-prayer-he-taught-that-prayers/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More by Philip Jenkins > [“Yet even when such languages did not face direct official sanction, speakers of older tongues knew that they had little chance of getting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/yet-even-when-such-languages-did-not-face-direct-official-sanction/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Christianity offers similar stories, and the global Christianity that perished in the late Middle Ages has revived in the past century. China offers an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/christianity-offers-similar-stories-and-the-global-christianity-that/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Where the African church failed was in not carrying Christianity beyond the Romanized inhabitants of the cities and the great estates, and not sinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/where-the-african-church-failed-was-in-not-carrying-christianity/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Christians believe that God speaks through history; and only by knowing that history can we hope to interpret momentous events like the Japanese persecutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/christians-believe-that-god-speaks-through-history-and-only-by/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Perhaps theological attempts to explain the destruction of churches or of “Christian nations” are asking the wrong question, if they judge success and failure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/perhaps-theological-attempts-to-explain-the-destruction-of-churches/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Another difficulty with the reservation scheme was that it reinforced the popular association of Christianity with foreign imperialism, and thus with enmity to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/another-difficulty-with-the-reservation-scheme-was-that-it-reinforced/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Far from anti-Christian purges ceasing with the official end of war in 1918, they actually intensified during the ensuing war between Greece and Turkey.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/far-from-anti-christian-purges-ceasing-with-the-official-end-of-war/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Middle Eastern Christians, in short, tried every possible tactic to survive and flourish, and their efforts have largely failed. Partly, this is a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/middle-eastern-christians-in-short-tried-every-possible-tactic-to/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Besides the missionary theology cultivated by many churches, we also need a theology of extinction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/besides-the-missionary-theology-cultivated-by-many-churches-we-also/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Our accepted chronology of the ancient church is wrong: ancient Semitic Christianity dies out not in the fourth century, but in the fourteenth.8”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/our-accepted-chronology-of-the-ancient-church-is-wrong-ancient/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Christianity in this region remained as much a colonists’ religion as it would be once again during the French Empire of the twentieth century,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/christianity-in-this-region-remained-as-much-a-colonists-religion-as/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Any acquaintance with recent history made nonsense of any claim that God was on the side of Christian states. As one scholar suggests, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/any-acquaintance-with-recent-history-made-nonsense-of-any-claim-that/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“For much of the history of Islam, moreover, the Christian world was not noticeably ahead in political or economic power, or in culture. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/for-much-of-the-history-of-islam-moreover-the-christian-world-was-not/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“While nobody can pretend that Christian religious practice is thriving in most of Europe, the situation is nothing as grim as some recent accounts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/while-nobody-can-pretend-that-christian-religious-practice-is/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [Religion appears in so many contexts in WW1. Religion shaped the national identities and ambitions of several of the key players, especially Germany and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/religion-appears-in-so-many-contexts-in-ww1-religion-shaped-the/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) [Explore all 65 Philip Jenkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) ## More Answered prayers quotes > [“Dear Lord, thank You for answered prayers and humans who do Your work here on earth. Please send Your comfort to all the animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/dear-lord-thank-you-for-answered-prayers-and-humans-who-do-your-work/) [Guideposts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guideposts/) > [The third petition of the Lord's Prayer is repeated daily by millions who have not the slightest intention of letting anyone's will be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-third-petition-of-the-lord-s-prayer-is-repeated-daily-by-millions/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Our Lord never referred to unanswered prayer. He taught that prayers are always answered: “Everyone who asks receives”. And He implied that prayers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/our-lord-never-referred-to-unanswered-prayer-he-taught-that-prayers/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Today, Jesus stands ready to hear your cry and to answer prayer for you. He is interested in every detail of your life. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kuhlman/today-jesus-stands-ready-to-hear-your-cry-and-to-answer-prayer-for/) [Kathryn Kuhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kuhlman/) > [Never have false hope for granted wishes, but always have true faith in answered prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-have-false-hope-for-granted-wishes-but-always-have-true-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision. It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-a-general-kind-of-praying-which-fails-for-lack-of-precision/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Delays are as much a part of God plan as answered prayers. God wants you to trust him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/delays-are-as-much-a-part-of-god-plan-as-answered-prayers-god-wants/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The history of missions is the history of answered prayer. It is the key to the whole mission problem. All human means are secondary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-marinus-zwemer/the-history-of-missions-is-the-history-of-answered-prayer-it-is-the/) [Samuel Marinus Zwemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-marinus-zwemer/) > [On the ground of our own goodness we cannot expect to have our prayers answered. But Jesus is worthy, and for His sake we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/on-the-ground-of-our-own-goodness-we-cannot-expect-to-have-our/) [George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/) > [“May God overflow your life with bountiful blessings of grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/may-god-overflow-your-life-with-bountiful-blessings-of-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers, there aren't any that go 'unanswered.' His silence speaks volumes if you're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-god-s-greatest-gifts-are-unanswered-prayers-there-aren-t-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude - an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/prayer-is-not-so-much-an-act-as-it-is-an-attitude-an-attitude-of/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-story-of-every-great-christian-achievement-is-the-history-of/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [God has not always answered my prayers. If He had, I would have married the wrong man -- several times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-graham/god-has-not-always-answered-my-prayers-if-he-had-i-would-have-married/) [Ruth Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-graham/) > [Often a healing takes place in ourselves as we pray for the healing of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-debakey/often-a-healing-takes-place-in-ourselves-as-we-pray-for-the-healing/) [Michael E. DeBakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-debakey/) [Browse all 132 Answered prayers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-prayers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But how then to explain the failures? What if Christians do make disciples of all nations, but subsequently lose them or their descendants? 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