“It doesn't pay to ignore warnings. Even when they don't make sense.”

“If Mr. Castillo had been in charge of building the Ark, Noah would have wound up with a boat the size of the New Jersey.""It still wouldn't have been big enough for all those animals," said Freddie. "Honestly, Freddie," I said. "Don't you know a joke when you hear one?""Sure," he said. "Just the same, Val, with the few people the Ark had aboard, there wouldn't be enough of them to shovel all the-"I threw a pine cone at him and chased him back to camp.”

“Are you sure that's Val?""No," said Freddie. "It's Lassie in a wolf suit.”

“God gives us enemies to make sure there’ll always be someone around who’s interested in how we’re doing.”

“ Valerie Sherwood, I said to myself, you're going to die. ”

“Most of what is wrong in horizontal church flows from attempts to get green apples interested in Jesus. Green apples are very articulate about that they do and don't want in church. They don't want to hear about money, because that is one of their idols; they don't want to be told about sin, because that assaults pride; no interest in pressure to decide for Jesus, because that threatens their autonomy. Sadly when church becomes what green apples must have or they won't come. It ceases to be what it must be for God to attend. Church needs to be offensive to green apples or it can be helpful to those who are ripe.”

“The biggest obstacle to making Christ magnificent is the refusal to make yourself small.”