Kevin G. Harney > Quotes

“Sometimes we do very little outreach in our community and don’t let our light shine because there is an area of”
― Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Families: Turning Your Home into a Lighthouse

“Take a moment to reflect on your life. Has God ever said 'no' to something you wanted? Are you able to see wisdom in that 'no' today? If God says 'no', you can be confident that there are times when you need to say 'no' too.”
― Kevin G. Harney

“Father in heaven, we confess to you that we don’t pray as we ought. Ignite our hearts with the fiery darts of your Spirit to enable us to pray. Create in us a life of unceasing prayer. Stoke the fire of prayer in our church to a new intensity so that we are changed, as well as the people around us. Jesus, we lift up your name; we plead with you to draw people to yourself. Turn our church around for your glory, now and forevermore! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
― Kevin G. Harney, The U-Turn Church: New Direction for Health and Growth

“YOU ARE GOD’S PLAN In the early 1980s I read a powerful book called Lifestyle Evangelism by Joe Aldrich. It is still one of the best books written on relational evangelism, and I recommend it highly.16 Aldrich writes a fictional account of Jesus and his return to glory after his life on this earth: Even in heaven Jesus bore the marks of His earthly pilgrimage with its cruel cross and shameful death. The angel Gabriel approached Him and said, “Master, you must have suffered terribly while down there.” “I did,” He said. “And,” continued Gabriel, “do they know all about how you loved them and what you did for them?” “Oh, no,” said Jesus, “not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know.” Gabriel was perplexed. “Then, what have you done,” he asked, “to let everyone know about your love for them?” Jesus said, “I’ve asked Peter, James, John, and a few more friends to tell other people about Me. Those who are told will in turn tell still other people about Me, and My story will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all people will have heard about My life and what I have done.” Gabriel frowned and looked rather skeptical. . . . “Yes, but what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down in the twenty-first century, people just don’t tell others about you? Haven’t you made any other plans?” And Jesus answered, “I haven’t made any other plans. I’m counting on them.”17”
― Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Ordinary People: Sharing Good News Naturally

“The first step in bringing Jesus’ presence into our world is learning to jump into our community with enthusiasm. We are not to fear and hate the world but to love it the way God does (John 3:16). This does not mean we are blind to the dangers of sin or temptation. Rather, it means that we explore and engage in our culture in loving and redemptive ways. This was the way of Jesus. He attended parties, ate dinner with sinners, hung out with prostitutes, touched lepers, embraced outcasts, got along with the wealthy, conversed with the religious elite, and enjoyed spending time with a diverse cross-section of humanity. There was no part of the cultural landscape Jesus did not travel.”
― Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Ordinary People: Sharing Good News Naturally

“The truth is that we are the vandals; we are the ones who have defaced the holy heart of God. You and I are sinners saved by grace. We deserved hell but have been given something we did not deserve: the love and friendship of God and an eternal home with him in heaven.”
― Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Ordinary People: Sharing Good News Naturally

“disobedience in our heart. When sin controls an area of our life or becomes an accepted part of our life together as a family, it hides the light of Jesus. The Bible is clear that 5 Every home and every family member battles with sin. We all do the very things we know we should not do.6 But there is a difference between struggling to resist sin through the power of the gospel and allowing or permitting sinful patterns to rule in our homes and lives. When we allow these patterns of disobedience to control our home, it no longer shines as a beacon of God’s love and light to others.”
― Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Families: Turning Your Home into a Lighthouse