Quotes from Vance Havner

~The devil will let a preacher prepare a sermon if it will keep him from preparing himself.

~We are the salt of the earth, mind you, not the sugar. Our ministry is to truly cleanse and not just to change the taste.

~Too many churches start at eleven o'clock sharp, and end at twelve o'clock dull.

~Plenty of church members are shaky about what they believe, while not many are shaken by what they believe.

~Some preachers ought to put more fire into their sermons, or more sermons into the fire.

~The church is a hospital for sinners, and not a museum for saints.

~Preaching the truth makes the people either sad, mad, or glad. Too many people today leave church on Sunday neither sad, mad, nor glad; they go out as they came in. Better go out mad than just go out!

~There is a trend today that would put a new robe on the prodigal son while he is still feeding hogs. Some would put the ring on his finger while he still in the pigsty. Others would paint the pigsty and advocate bigger and better hog pens.

~VH Spurgeon wrote something to the effect that it is better to be a lean bird in the woods than a fat bird in a cage. Today's young minister is tempted to feather his nest in a comfortable parish with plenty of security. A caged eagle is a sad sight but sadder still is a caged preacher.