Selected quotes

"Only the church can minister to the whole person. Only the gospel understands that sin has ruined us both individually and socially. Only Christians, armed with the Word and Spirit, planning and working to spread the kingdom and righteousness of Christ, can transform a broken heart as well as a neighborhood". (Tim Keller in Ministry of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road)

"To worship God is to serve him in imitation of our Savior Jesus who did not come to be served, but to serve (Matt.20:28). I believe that the temporal care of the poor is no less sacred than ecclesiastical activity. While the gathering for worship always takes precedence, the love of our neighbor must be an inevitable corollary. The duties of worship (pietas) and love (caritas) are inseparable." --John Calvin

"Verbal encouragement includes the idea of one person's joining someone else on a journey and speaking words that encourage the traveler to keep pressing on despite obstacles and fatigue" (Crabb and Allender in Encouragement).

"Mercy is not an option or even an addition to being a Christian. Instead, a life poured out in deeds of mercy is the inevitable sign of a life which has experienced the grace of God" (Tim Keller in Training for Deacons).

"The fruit of real prayer is right living. Praying sets him who prays to the great work of working out his salvation with fear and trembling; puts him to watching his temper, conversation and conduct; causes him to walk circumspectly, redeeming his time; enables him to walk worthy of his vocation wherewith he is called, with all lowliness and meekness; gives him a high incentive to pursue his pilgrimage consistently by shunning every evil way, and walking in the good" (E.M. Bounds in Prayer).

"When we are weak, let us resort to His strength. When we lack grace, let us desire Him to give us what He thinks necessary. When our enemies behave like beasts, and when it seems that we would be completely engulfed in a whirlpool, let us beseech our Lord to keep us under His protection and to keep Satan chained with all his supporters so that He does not allow us to be overwhelmed by them" (John Calvin in Sermons on Ephesians).