Individualism is the growth-stunting, maturity-inhibiting habit of understanding growth as an isolated self-project. Individualism is self-ism with a swagger. The individualist is the person who is convinced that he or she can serve God without dealing with God.

As we grow into maturity in Christ our distinctiveness is accentuated, not blunted. General directions, useful as they are, don't take into account the details that face us as holiness takes root in the particular social and personal place we are planted.

Scripture knows nothing of the solitary Christian. People of faith are always members of a community. Creation itself was not complete until there was community, Adam needing Eve before humanity was whole. God never works with individuals in isolation, but always with people in community.

Religions prosper in large part because of the communities that they create.

People do want to see themselves reflected. They'll never believe that Gwen Graham, Philip Levine, Chris King, or Jeff Greene will be a better representative of their interests than I will be.

The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.

We all do better when we work together. Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more.

My selection process is based on "three Cs": first character, then competence, and finally chemistry with me and with the rest of the team. Character. Competence. Chemistry.

Cuba is in some ways a perfect trading partner for Minnesota because there's so little overlap between what they are good at and they produce and what Minnesota is good at and what we produce. So it's a natural trading relationship, especially because they're so close.

Hold the thought of all elements of the body working together in perfect rhythm.

I am the entire human race compacted together. I have found that there is no ingredient of the race which I do not possess in either a small way or a large way.

I do not exaggerate; key votes have been lost because members whose votes were being counted on were in the gym).