--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many believe it is possible to be a \"good…" description: "\"Many believe it is possible to be a \"good Christian\" without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree.\" — Rick Warren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png" --- # Many believe it is possible to be a "good Christian"… ![“Many believe it is possible to be a "good Christian" without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree.” quote by Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png) > “Many believe it is possible to be a "good Christian" without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree.” [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that true Christianity requires participation in a local church, contrary to the belief that one can be good without it. **In simple terms:** Christian faith needs community, not just personal belief. Key Takeaway Join a community to live faith fully. Themes faith community church spirituality belief Mood thoughtful hopeful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - church attendance - small groups - faith outreach - personal study Key Concepts theology social belonging spiritual growth Questions to Reflect On - How does community shape personal faith? - Can spirituality thrive outside organized religion? A Different Perspective Some may find church environments unwelcoming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian Joining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-joining-3218466/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-god/) [Disagree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagree/) [God Strongly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-strongly-1748945/) [Good christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-christian/) [Joining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joining/) [Local church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/local-church/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Many believe one can be a "good Christian" without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/many-believe-one-can-be-a-good-christian-without-joining-or-even/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [We cannot talk to God strongly when we have not lived for God strongly. The closet cannot be made holy to God when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/we-cannot-talk-to-god-strongly-when-we-have-not-lived-for-god/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [If...we do not think that a local church is worthy of joining, why should we be considered worthy of serving in it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-mack/if-we-do-not-think-that-a-local-church-is-worthy-of-joining-why/) [Wayne Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-mack/) > [You are not so good a Christian when you are neglecting a plain duty as when you are performing it. And joining the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/you-are-not-so-good-a-christian-when-you-are-neglecting-a-plain-duty/) [Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/) > [I'm a pastor of a local church. I'm not a televangelist. I've never had a televised program. I'm a pastor. 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Your church was born an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mancini/think-about-it-god-s-doesn-t-stand-in-heaven-with-a-photocopy-machine/) [Will Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mancini/) > [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [Jesus is the hope of the world and the local church is the vehicle of expressing that hope to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/jesus-is-the-hope-of-the-world-and-the-local-church-is-the-vehicle-of/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“Yet the Bible teaches that the local church is the natural environment for discipling. In fact, it teaches that the local church is itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/yet-the-bible-teaches-that-the-local-church-is-the-natural/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [We're not church planters. We are community planters and, as we work in our communities, we join local churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-re-not-church-planters-we-are-community-planters-and-as-we-work-in/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) ## More by Rick Warren > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Change always starts in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/change-always-starts-in-your-mind-the-way-you-think-determines-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [If Jesus is king in heaven then the Kingdom of God is in heaven. If Jesus is king, reign on earth then the Kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-jesus-is-king-in-heaven-then-the-kingdom-of-god-is-in-heaven-if/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [If it grows on a plant, it's healthy. 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Sometimes you just have to go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/when-you-jump-across-a-canyon-cautious-small-steps-and-vacillation/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [We often miss hearing God's voice simply because we aren't paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/we-often-miss-hearing-god-s-voice-simply-because-we-aren-t-paying/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Law is downstream from culture. By the time you make a law about something, you're reacting, not acting. I'd rather shape the culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/law-is-downstream-from-culture-by-the-time-you-make-a-law-about/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-you-look-at-the-world-you-ll-be-distressed-if-you-look-within-you/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [It is mind-boggling to me that the Almighty power created everything I see; the Bible says that God created the entire universe just so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/it-is-mind-boggling-to-me-that-the-almighty-power-created-everything/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The role of the church and the government are fundamentally different. The church must always show compassion - always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-role-of-the-church-and-the-government-are-fundamentally-different/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [We become whatever we are committed to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/we-become-whatever-we-are-committed-to/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“but it does mean God is able to redeem any and all situations and use them for his own good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/but-it-does-mean-god-is-able-to-redeem-any-and-all-situations-and-use/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Well actually I don't think it's a bunch of bad things that send us to hell. I think it is rejection of God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/well-actually-i-don-t-think-it-s-a-bunch-of-bad-things-that-send-us/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) [Explore all 847 Rick Warren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many believe it is possible to be a \"good Christian\" without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rick Warren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good-christian-without-joining-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good-christian-without-joining-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/rick-warren-230_believe_many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good_565837.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many believe it is possible to be a \"good Christian\" without joining (or even attending) a local church, but…” — Rick Warren", "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": "Rick Warren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many believe it is possible to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good-christian-without-joining-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/many-believe-it-is-possible-to-be-a-good-christian-without-joining-or/#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 } } ] } ```