I don't even need to know precisely what I am doing, except that I am acting for the love of God.

Our destiny is to live out what we think, because unless we live what we know, we do not even know it. It is only by making our knowledge part of ourselves, through action, that we enter into the reality that is signified by our concepts.

For it seems to me that the first responsibility of a man of faith is to make his faith really part of his own life, not by rationalizing it but by living it.

But it is daily tasks, daily acts of love and worship that serve to remind us that the religion is not strictly an intellectual pursuit, and these days it is easy to lose sight of that as, like our society itself, churches are becoming more politicized and polarized. Christian faith is a way of life, not an impregnable fortress made up of ideas; not a philosophy; not a grocery list of beliefs.

Don't fool yourself by thinking you can talk ugly about somebody and then act lovingly toward them. You can't. Your actions are going to fall right in line with your words. That's a biblical principle.

Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.

We've by far had the most success inviting people into our community life by inviting them to serve alongside us. As a matter of fact, that's about the only thing that's worked consistently as far as "official" church activities go. The other thing that has worked is parties—birthday parties, Super Bowl parties—where we invite churched friends and unchurched friends just to connect.

Until the men of action clear out the talkers we who have social consciences are at the mercy of those who have none.

There is only one failure in life possible, and that is not to be true to the best one knows.

I am not built for academic writings. Action is my domain.

The only measure of what you believe is what you do. If you want to know what people believe, don't read what they write, don't ask them what they believe, just observe what they do.

He who waits to do a great deal of good at once, will never do anything.