Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.
Billy SundayRead
Whenever a day comes when I can stand and preach God's Word without an agony of anxiety lest the people will not accept Christ; whenever a day comes when I can see men and women coming down the aisles without joy in my heart, I'll quit preaching.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of genuine passion and joy in preaching and sharing faith.
Billy Sunday expresses that true preaching comes from a heartfelt desire for people to accept Christ. He conveys that if he ever loses the joy and excitement in witnessing conversions and the accompanying anxiety about acceptance, he would feel it is time to stop preaching. This reflects the importance of passion and authenticity in one's purpose and work.
Themes
PreachingAnxietyJoyFaithPassion
In practice
Example use cases
During a church service to inspire congregants about the importance of authentic faith.
More from Billy Sunday
All quotes →The saloon is a liar. It promises good cheer and sends sorrow.
Billy SundayRead
I don't believe there are devils enough in hell to pull a boy out of the arms of a godly mother.
Billy SundayRead
The trouble with many men is that they have got just enough religion to make them miserable. If there is not joy in religion, you have got a leak in your religion.
Billy SundayRead
The church is not a dormitory for sleepers, it is an institution for workers; it is not a rest camp, it is a front line trench.
Billy SundayRead
The backslider likes the preaching that wouldn't hit the side of a house, while the real disciple is delighted when the truth brings him to his knees.
Billy SundayRead
Similar quotes
The real crisis of worship today is not that the preaching is paltry or that it's too drafty in church. It is that people have no sense of the presence of God, and if they have no sense of His presence, how can they be moved to express the deepest feelings of their souls to honor, revere, worship, and glorify God?
R. C. SproulRead
May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives.
Pope Benedict XviRead
Let your cares drive you to God. I shall not mind if you have many of them if each one leads you to prayer. If every fret makes you lean more on the Beloved, it will be a benefit.
Charles SpurgeonRead
The greatest news that I could ever say is that Jesus is Lord and Savior of my life. He is my friend. He is with me wherever I go. I'm so delighted to continue to grow in my relationship to Jesus.
Nick VujicicRead
We do not sin when we adore Christ in the Eucharist; we do sin when we do not adore Christ in the Eucharist.
Saint AugustineRead
Sometimes tears are the glasses that we need to see Jesus.
Pope FrancisRead