… living by faith means living dangerously. To heed God’s call, to obey God’s command, to walk in God’s way requires a willingness to move beyond a cold, calculating prudence. (p.165)

… for many Christians, utilitarianism often becomes a sly, subtle way to set aside our calling to faithful obedience. “Effectiveness” or “realistic expectations” or “what is possible” or “what is safe” or “whatever is necessary” – all these catchphrases subtly rely upon a human calculation of intended results, trusting that human wisdom can determine the best course of action, even if it means setting aside faithful witness to the way of the kingdom. … In fact, precisely when it appears that obedience is irrational, when obedience could not possibly be “effective,” when obedience could not possibly lead to the “good guys” winning – precisely then is obedience lauded as worthy of honor. The “Faith Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 11 points to just such an expectation – precisely when we cannot see how our deeds of faithfulness can possibly effect good, then we are to obey. (pp.166-167)

What we need are not better consequentialist models of predicting social phenomena in order to maintain a coercive “peace,” but unceasing prayer that God will act to consumate the kingdom, and that we, in the meanwhile, might bear faithful witness to the kingdom already present in our midst. (p.171)

In our consumerist, individualistic age, prayer can become yet another outlet for exercising our discretion of “choices.” We lay before God what we want God to do for us, telling God how we want God to run the world and fix our problems and provide simple solutions for what ails us. … But this fails to account for the true heart of prayer: laying ourselves before God, submitting our will to God’s will. (p.173)

… we seek God, striving to offer the entirety of our lives as a prayer itself. (p.178)