Too much preaching nowadays pats the back and tickles the ear, but does not get under the skin. There is no conviction and therefore no conversion. I am thinking not only of the ministry of reproof and rebuke but also of the message of inspiration, of encouragement, of comfort. People go out of church at noon with the depths unstirred, the heart untouched, the conscience unpricked.

We've learned how to lengthen life, but we don't know how to deepen it.

More Bibles are bought and fewer read than any other book.

Most church members live so far below the standard, you would have to backslide to be in fellowship with them.

Some missionaries bound for Africa were laughed at by the boat captain. 'You'll only die over there,' he said. But a missionary replied, 'Captain, we died before we started.'

If you would try out a preacher, send him to preach to farmers: if he cannot make the grade there, let him reconsider his call - or maybe he needs to be converted.

We justify ourselves when we should judge ourselves. If we learned humility, it might spare us the humiliation.