--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The church is the real thing when it is…" description: "\"“The church is the real thing when it is not consumed with the assertion of power in culture, but it is driven by service to others. The word ministry ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/stephen-j-nichols-29202_service-to-others_the-church-is-the-real-thing-when-it-is_776057.jpg" --- # The church is the real thing when it is not consumed with… ![“The church is the real thing when it is not consumed with the assertion of power in culture, but it is driven by service to others. The word ministry translates the Greek word diakonia, which means service. The church must be about serving others. When a church can lay claim to all three criteria…” quote by Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/stephen-j-nichols-29202_service-to-others_the-church-is-the-real-thing-when-it-is_776057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/stephen-j-nichols-29202_service-to-others_the-church-is-the-real-thing-when-it-is_776057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b65/stephen-j-nichols-29202_service-to-others_the-church-is-the-real-thing-when-it-is_776057.jpg) > ““The church is the real thing when it is not consumed with the assertion of power in culture, but it is driven by service to others. The word ministry translates the Greek word diakonia, which means service. The church must be about serving others. When a church can lay claim to all three criteria, namely, preaching of the Word, being true to its confession, and focusing on serving, then it’s a church worth going to. And then it’s a church full of sermons worth listening to.”” [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true church balances preaching, confession, and service; when all three align, it becomes a place worth attending. **In simple terms:** Church should preach, confess, and serve. Key Takeaway Seek communities that embody all three. Themes faith service authenticity Mood inspirational thoughtful Type religious motivational When to use this quote - volunteer work - small groups - church leadership training Key Concepts theology community building diakonia Questions to Reflect On - Does your community prioritize service? - How can preaching and confession be integrated? A Different Perspective Balancing all three is challenging in practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ministry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ministry/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Service to others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-to-others/) [Serving others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving-others/) ## Related quotes > [“In serving others, the church will save itself from becoming nothing more than a spiritualized 501c3 not-for-profit, self-centered corporation, organized for the benefit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-mcbrayer/in-serving-others-the-church-will-save-itself-from-becoming-nothing/) [Ronnie McBrayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-mcbrayer/) > [“Reading the Bible, tithing, going to church, and serving isn't how we delight in the Lord. When we delight in the Lord we read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-bixler/reading-the-bible-tithing-going-to-church-and-serving-isn-t-how-we/) [Heather Bixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-bixler/) > [No service in the Church or in the community transcends that given in the home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/no-service-in-the-church-or-in-the-community-transcends-that-given-in/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [Fewer and fewer people are attracted to the church service and more and more people are attracted to the service of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-mcneal/fewer-and-fewer-people-are-attracted-to-the-church-service-and-more/) [Reggie McNeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-mcneal/) > [“Different people do different things. And no one-way of plugging in or serving in the church is more beneficial or valuable than the other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-fenton-lee/different-people-do-different-things-and-no-one-way-of-plugging-in-or/) [Amy Fenton Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-fenton-lee/) > [“or serving in a church. Walking in the Spirit has to do with how we develop each area of our spiritual being. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-mendez-ferrell/or-serving-in-a-church-walking-in-the-spirit-has-to-do-with-how-we/) [Ana Mendez Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-mendez-ferrell/) > [In this life, such things as service in the Church, including missionary service, all of this is available to anyone who is true to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-b-wickman/in-this-life-such-things-as-service-in-the-church-including/) [Lance B. Wickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-b-wickman/) > [Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everyone-can-be-great-because-everyone-can-serve/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What are you doing for others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-are-you-doing-for-others/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We are all like one-winged angels. It is only when we help each other that we can fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-de-crescenzo/we-are-all-like-one-winged-angels-it-is-only-when-we-help-each-other/) [Luciano De Crescenzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-de-crescenzo/) > [Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everybody-can-be-great-because-anybody-can-serve-you-don-t-have-to/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/one-of-the-things-i-keep-learning-is-that-the-secret-of-being-happy/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [“You are ready and able to do beautiful things in this world. Somebody out there can use your help today. Are you going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farshad-asl/you-are-ready-and-able-to-do-beautiful-things-in-this-world-somebody/) [Farshad Asl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farshad-asl/) > [Everybody can be great because everybody can serve... You only need a heart full of grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everybody-can-be-great-because-everybody-can-serve-you-only-need-a/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Whenever you serve someone from your heart, the food tastes so much better”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunmi-shonubi/whenever-you-serve-someone-from-your-heart-the-food-tastes-so-much/) Bunmi Shonubi ## More by Stephen J. Nichols > [“We are also brought into the church-community as a result of Christ’s death on the cross—a community of the forgiven, who should be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-are-also-brought-into-the-church-community-as-a-result-of-christ-s/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Bonhoeffer and Luther draw on Christ’s paradox of gaining one’s life by losing it. So we come to the ultimate paradox: by service—and ultimately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/bonhoeffer-and-luther-draw-on-christ-s-paradox-of-gaining-one-s-life/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“It would be safe to say that by the nineteenth century, pietism had long since dislodged Puritanism as the dominant force in American religious life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/it-would-be-safe-to-say-that-by-the-nineteenth-century-pietism-had/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The God-man who is humiliated is the stumbling block to the pious human being and to the human being, period.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/the-god-man-who-is-humiliated-is-the-stumbling-block-to-the-pious/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The ethics of the Sermon on the Mount are nothing less than extraordinary. 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Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“A congregation that does not pray for the ministry of its pastor,” Bonhoeffer warns, “is no longer a congregation.”11 He then adds, “A pastor who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/a-congregation-that-does-not-pray-for-the-ministry-of-its-pastor/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“We could summarize all of this background to Bonhoeffer’s christology in one sentence, albeit a complex one: The cross was a stumbling block to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-could-summarize-all-of-this-background-to-bonhoeffer-s-christology/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Gratitude is equally underrated and under-practiced. It too requires humility to say “thank you.” Saying “thank you” means one is dependent on the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/gratitude-is-equally-underrated-and-under-practiced-it-too-requires/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“His ecclesiology, though, is never an independent topic. It always flows from and back to Christ and his christology. Neither is Bonhoeffer content with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/his-ecclesiology-though-is-never-an-independent-topic-it-always-flows/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“We seem especially susceptible to this pitting of spirituality against theology in American evangelical contexts. Perhaps we can chalk this up to the influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-seem-especially-susceptible-to-this-pitting-of-spirituality/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“If this earth was good enough for the man Jesus Christ, if such a man as Jesus lived, then, and only then, life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/if-this-earth-was-good-enough-for-the-man-jesus-christ-if-such-a-man/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Everything in the prior chapters has been leading us up to this point. Our look at his christology (chap. 2) and ecclesiology (chap. 3) laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/everything-in-the-prior-chapters-has-been-leading-us-up-to-this-point/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“I offer this succinct synopsis of Bonhoeffer on the Christian life: We live in love by grace as the church-community—in, through, and toward Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/i-offer-this-succinct-synopsis-of-bonhoeffer-on-the-christian-life-we/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) [Explore all 18 Stephen J. Nichols quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) ## More Ministry quotes > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/) Avis Bohlen > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. 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Whatever therefore may be you office regard it as a fragment in an immeasurable ministry of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-foss-westcott/great-thoughts-go-best-with-common-duties-whatever-therefore-may-be/) Brooke Foss Westcott > [The earth endured Christ's ministry only three years;--not three weeks after his real character and purposes were generally known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/the-earth-endured-christ-s-ministry-only-three-years-not-three-weeks/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [“Any ministry to black people which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-ministry-to-black-people-which-is-not-designed-to-effect-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a ministry of the church to concern itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-struggle-for-human-rights-for-freedom-for-dignity-when-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our covering ministry is Challenge for Christ ministries, and Travel the Road was solely our mission arm, designed to expose people to what missions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/our-covering-ministry-is-challenge-for-christ-ministries-and-travel/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [To cut off the sinner from all reliance upon himself, his merits and his powers; and throw him, naked and helpless, into the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichabod-spencer/to-cut-off-the-sinner-from-all-reliance-upon-himself-his-merits-and/) [Ichabod Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichabod-spencer/) > [Countless mistakes in marriage, parenting, ministry, and other relationships are failures to balance grace and truth. 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