Quotes by clergymen

Congregations shaped by the Scriptures generally have preachers who are shaped by the Scriptures. John Ortberg

Shaped Generally Preachers Scriptures Who

God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are not transformed outside of community. John Ortberg

God Good People Own Community Outside His Decided Transformed Reasons

My wife is one of the most extroverted people I know. She could out-talk Oprah and Joyce Meyer simultaneously. John Ortberg

People Wife Extroverted Could Simultaneously Joyce Know Most She Oprah

One of the reasons I'm an interesting person to be married to is my intensely late-blooming self-awareness. John Ortberg

Married Self-Awareness Person Intensely Interesting Interesting Person Reasons

This much I have learned: human beings come with very different sets of wiring, different interests, different temperaments, different learning styles, different gifts, different temptations. These differences are tremendously important in the spiritual formation of human beings. John Ortberg

Authority can be faked. That's why impersonating a police officer is a crime. Sometimes the outward appearances of authority can be deceiving. John Ortberg

Sometimes Police Crime Outward Police Officer Officer Authority Deceiving Appearances Why

Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch with reality. John Ortberg

Spiritual You Reality Touch Puts Authentic Authority

As a preacher who is fully human, and clearly not divine, I can't speak as Jesus did. But I do seek to speak truth that carries weight and authority. All of us who preach the gospel aspire to speak under the authority of Jesus. John Ortberg

Truth Speak Preach Carries Seek Divine Weight Clearly Gospel Preacher Authority Did Human Us Aspire Who Fully Jesus

Universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard all began as Jesus-inspired efforts to love God with all ones' mind. John Ortberg

Love God Mind Harvard Cambridge Began Efforts Oxford To Love Universities

We do not need answers or formulas to minister in crisis. John Ortberg

Crisis Minister Answers Formulas Need

I have given up the idea that there is an opposition-free church out there. But I have gained something else - an appreciation for the gift of opposition. When it comes, I learn something about my motives. When it comes, I get to test my courage. John Ortberg

Appreciation Courage Gift Church Else Out About Something Something Else Given Idea Learn Test Opposition Motives Up Get Gained

Whether sexual orientation can change or not, hearts can change and turn any sexual orientation into an occasion for the glory of Christ. Those with same-sex attraction glorify Christ through sexual abstinence and through the enrichment of significant Christ-exalting relationships in other ways. John Piper

I owe my life and hope to the gospel. Without it I would still be strutting with racist pride, or I would be suffering the moral paralysis of 'white guilt.' But the gospel has an answer to both pride and guilt. John Piper

Life Hope Suffering Pride Guilt My Life White Moral Would Would-Be Paralysis Both Gospel Without Answer Still Owe

We are all responsible to Jesus first, and then, under him, to various other persons and offices. Discerning the path of love and obedience when two or more of these submissive relationships collide is a call to humble, Bible-saturated, spiritual wisdom. John Piper

God was alive when this universe exploded into existence. He was alive when Socrates drank his poison. He was the living God when William Bradford governed Plymouth Colony. He was the living God in 1966 when Thomas Altizer proclaimed him dead and Time magazine absolutely absurdly put it on the front cover. John Piper

God Time Poison Living Universe Thomas Drank Alive William Magazine Plymouth Colony Absolutely He Put Absurdly Dead Him Governed Cover His Existence Front Proclaimed Exploded Socrates

God revealed himself through the Law, which pointed to Christ as its end and goal, commanded the obedience that comes from faith, increased transgressions, and shut the mouths of all humans because no one has performed the righteousness of the Law so as not to need a substitute. John Piper

God Faith Obedience Righteousness Law Christ Increased Through Pointed No-One Performed Himself Because Revealed Goal End Mouths Substitute Which Transgression Shut Humans Need