“Yes, Christians have done terrible things, but it’s usually Christians who rebuke the Christians and call them back to the way of Jesus.”
“The challenge I put to the doubter is, which do you think is truer to the original form of Christianity? The murder of Hypatia or the embarrassment and criticism of those Christians by Christians?”
“I don’t think anyone can suggest that murder and violence and warfare and bigotry and hatred were Christian, unique Christian gifts to the world. Because the Romans were doing fine on the warfare and torture and bigotry and hatred front before the Christians came along. So with the Greeks, so with the Saxons, so with the Gauls, the Celts. But what they didn’t have was the care for the poor, the building of hospitals, education for all. Those things did not come from Greece and Rome or Saxony or the Celts. They came only from Christianity.”
“Christians have done terrible things. I’m never going to deny that. But what was the unique thing they brought? As soon as our doubting friends are willing to come on the journey around that question, it brings us very close to the gospel, actually.”
“There’s something good about losing the culture wars and about Christianity becoming a minority, like visibly, according to the data, a minority. Because it forces Christians to see the reality that God’s principle means of action in the world are not power, politics, et cetera, but prayer, persuasion, service, and suffering.”
“I am all for Christians being a majority. I mean, in the sense that I want to share the gospel with people. And I’d love a majority of Americans to actually believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection…But even when we’re a majority, we don’t rely principally on the tools of political power. We still rely…on prayer persuasion, service and suffering.”
“It’s great when Christians go into politics. It’s great when Christians become powerful in that worldly sense, so long as we don’t think the success of God’s work in the world depends on it.”
“The work of God in the world does not depend on who is president…I just think that for Christians, there must be a revival of believing that God works in the world not through political means first.”
“The most beautiful thing is when Christians in the majority with power act like Jesus. That is, they use power only for the good of others. They hold power without thinking they’re better than others. They don’t bully people. They’re gentle. They’re respectful. They act with grace. They speak with gentleness. That’s the most beautiful thing.”
“If you believe Acts is the Word of God, there is no way around the conclusion that God’s people don’t need to hold the reins of power in order to overturn the world.”
“As much as Americans find this annoying, I actually want to just turn up the volume: You’ve got to become better losers.”
“I reckon the best thing pastors could do post-election is do a long series on the book of Acts.”
Mentioned in the Show
Acts 1
Acts 16
Galatians 3
Matthew 5:11
“Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History” by Rev. Dr. John Dickson
“A Doubter’s Guide to World Religions: A Fair and Friendly Introduction to the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Big Five” by Rev. Dr. John Dickson
Check out John’s website
Follow John on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter
“American Evangelical” with Ed Stetzer, Vaughan Roberts, and Melissa Kruger on “Undeceptions With John Dickson”
“Being Offended by Offensive Things Is Good, Actually” by Dr. Ed Stetzer on ChurchLeaders
The Centre for Public Christianity
Hypatia
Olympics controversy
“Should We Take a ‘Winsome Approach’ to Culture? Christians Debate If Tim Keller’s ‘Moment Has Passed’” by Jessica Lea on ChurchLeaders
