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

True Church Stories - #24

Years ago here at our church in Tampa there was a woman who thought she could sing well.

I'm sure you have one of those in your church too.  (Smile)

She insisted on singing "O Holy Night" for Christmas time and kept hounding our music pastor about an opportunity to sing.  The music pastor  knew better than to put her up there on a Sunday morning but at the time we had Sunday night services and so he scheduled her for a Sunday night and hoped since this was the faithful cream of the crop in attendance, they would be more understanding.  She didn't just repeatedly stalk the music pastor about the fact that she thought she could sing -- she pretty much did it with anybody in earshot.  She would have made an amazing American Idol contestant -- you know, the funniest ones who think they can sing and are woefully offended when someone tells them they can't.  In the church it's an especially sticky situation when someone is convinced that singing solos is their gift, and it's very evident to everyone else that it's not.

Not only did she sing O Holy Night, but she insisted on having a friend with her to sing who was equally as painful on the ears.  They did a duet and both of them were totally decked out in Christmas regalia as they sang.  My husband and I were sitting on the platform facing the congregation during this debacle and it was hard to not burst out laughing.  I closed my eyes and thought of anything I could think of to stay serious.  I thought of all the Christmas shopping I had left to do.  I thought of my housecleaning that I was woefully behind on.  I thought of anything to block out the screeching sounds of "O niiiiiiighhhhht divine...O night when Christ was born!"

After the service they made a beeline to me to say, "What did you think of our song?"  Even in these circumstances I don't think it's right to lie and I always think of something positive to say.  So I exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, you guys LOOK GREAT!!!"  Amazingly they smiled and thanked me and never asked anything else about the actual song.  Then they went to my husband and said, "Pastor...how did you like our song?"  He just smiled and said one word:  "WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  (Wow can mean anything...wow can be good, wow can be bad, wow can be indifferent.  But at least it wasn't a lie.)  Then they went to our music minister and said, "what did you think of our song?"  and he said, "You know...those are some of the highest notes I've ever heard."  (He didn't say they were on pitch, in tune, or pleasant sounding...he just said they were high.)

Here's to all the interesting songs we may hear this holiday season...some good, some, not so much.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh my word,,, my sister in law is in charge of Praise & Worship of our old church in Sarasota, FL...and I so understand this post! I LOVED IT!!!

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

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

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not