THE BIBLE

'If someone asks us, "What is the Bible?" we probably would not begin our answer by saying, "The Bible is a realistic book." Yet in the twentieth century this might be the best place to start - to stress the realism of the Bible in contrast to the romanticism which characterizes the twentieth-century concept of religion. To most modern people, truth is to be sought through some sort of leap from which we exract our own personal religious experience.

Many feel that that the Bible should portray a romantic view of life, but the Bible is actually the most realistic book in the world. It does not glibly say, "God's in heaven - all's right with the world!" It faces the world's dilemmas squarely. Yet unlike realism which ends in despair, it has answers for the dillemmas. And, unlike modern romanticism, its answers are not optimism without a sufficient base, not hope hung in a vacuum.'

Francis Schaeffer, 'The Weakness of God's Servants' in No little people, p.47.

LEADERSHIP

'...if we deliberately and egotistically lay hold on leadership, wanting the drums to beat and the trumpets to blow, then we are not qualified for Christian leadership. Why? Because we have forgotten that we are brothers and sisters in Christ with other Christians. I have said on occasion that there is only one good kind of fighter for Jesus Christ - the man who does not like to fight. The belligerent man is never the one to be belligerent for Jesus. And it is exactly the same with leadership. The Christian leader should bea quiet man of God who is extruded by God's grace into some place of leadership.'

Francis Schaeffer, 'No Little People, No Little Places' in No little people, p.31.

BELIEF & BEHAVIOUR

'Throughout Jesus' teaching...two words know and do occur constantly and always in that order. We cannot do until we know. but we can know without doing.'

Francis Schaeffer, 'No little people, no little places' in, No little people, p.28.

HOME

'...the beauty of Home...'
EB Sledge, China Marine: An infrantryman's life after World War II, p.126.

FRIENDSHIP

'Almost all of my close friends are walking personality disorders...'

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p.205.

HOSPITALITY

'It is one of the greatest feelings known to humans, the feeling of being the host, of hosting people, of being the person to whom they come for food and drink and company.'

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p.204.

PASTORAL CARE

'...I have come to think of almost everyone with whom I come into contact with as a patient in the emergency room. I see a lot of gaping wounds and dazed expressions.'

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p.204.

TRUTH

'...you don't always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it too.'

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p.156.

WRITING

'Writing is about hynotising yourself into believing in yourself, getting some work done, then unhypnotizing yourself and going over the material coldly.'

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p.114.

TRUTH

'...truth doesn't come out in bumper stickers. There may be a flickering moment of insight in a one-liner, in a sound bite, but everyday meat-and-potato truth is beyond our ability to capture in a few words.'

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p.103.