Skip to main content

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve
Post a Comment

True church stories - #4

Back when we were pastoring our church in Maryland my husband and I were teaching a Sunday night series on sharing our faith.  As part of the series, we taught the people how to condense their stories of coming to faith to about five minutes, so they could be confident in concisely sharing their testimony with those they came into contact with on a daily basis.

Giving people an opportunity to try this out, we had everyone  who had faithfully attended the series write out their testimony and prepare to share it with the congregation.  For the remaining weeks, in addition to our teaching time, we would give opportunity for three or four people to come to the pulpit and share for five minutes a piece. 

All was going along just fine until one night when an older woman in the church got up to give her "testimony", and said the following:

"It all started back in 1975 when I began profusely bleeding from my vagina..."

Oh my gosh.  Did she REALLY say that?!  Yes.  Not once, but AT LEAST FIVE TIMES.  No kidding, this lady said vagina at least that many times in the first MINUTE of her "testimony.

"Something was wrong with my vagina..."
"And I was so upset about this problem with my vagina..."
"And I was praying for God to do something to heal my vagina..."
"And my doctor couldn't solve this problem with my vagina..."
"And my vagina was getting worse by the day..."

Meanwhile we could see the shock on the faces of those in the congregation and my husband was elbowing me whispering, "Deanna, get up there and do something!"

I said, "what do you want me to do?"

He said, "I don't know, play a song!!!"

And I said, "Larry, I really don't know any songs that go with this..."

Finally he didn't just elbow me -- he pushed me and I got out of my seat and went up and stood alongside this lady at the pulpit and just tried to bring some closure that was half way making sense.  I still to this day don't remember how I closed out the service.  It was kind of surreal.  I was just mumbling a bunch of stuff like, "well praise the Lord, isn't God good to solve this problem of a modern day woman with the issue of blood who pressed through the crowd???" and prayed a closing prayer.

Anytime we talk about doing a series on evangelism or teaching people how to share their faith my husband says, "and let's not give anybody the microphone this time to give their testimonies, ok?"  He is scared to pieces that the "V" word will take over the service again.

Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
ROTFL!!! It always comes from those you least expect. At my father's church, growing up, I remember a man who had an intestinal disease, similar to colitis. On Wed. night, during prayer request time, he would give details of his weekly experience. My father had to speak with him privately. To this day, when my brothers and I remember those days, we think of Jim's prayer requests. Nope...can't make this stuff up! :)
7:34 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Some people will never understand this...

And that's okay. Just let us be as we lavish love upon the fur-kids of the world. It doesn't mean we don't care about people. We do care. In fact most of the people I know who are great pet lovers are also the greatest philanthropists. If you're not a dog lover, you might not understand the overwhelming intensity that many of us felt about Tank's reunion this past week. You might think we've lost our marbles. That's okay, we think you've lost your heart. ;)  Before I go on with this post, let me say that we were delighted that CBS 10 posted the video and article about Tank and his Celebration Church reunion yesterday. Click here to watch it. (But then come back!) If you haven't realized it, there is a revolution in America about dogs. Dogs have always been loved and known as the most loyal companions ~ "man's best friend". But things have gone way beyond this. Dogs aren't just dogs or friends anymore. They are family me
3 comments
Read more

Fifty Shades of No Way

This weekend, the Fifty Shades of Grey movie will be released and millions of women are expected to flock to the theat er s.  I will not be one of those women.   As a leader of women , some have asked me about this movie. The following is my thoughtful response. Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world. The book series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and been translated into 52 languages. It set the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.   Is Fifty Shades of Grey just a harmless book or movie? Although n o one seems to be debating this fact, let’s first establish that it’s pornography.  And not just porn, but a genre that is even more dangerous for women. The book glorifies a female character that is controlled and abused by her partner.   Who is excited about this book and mov ie? Hmmmm….you might be surprised. Many women and girls in our churches have read it. Sadly, I am even aware of
Post a Comment
Read more

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve
Post a Comment
Read more