Topic : Ministry

A group of ministers and a salesman's organization were holding conventions in the same hotel, and the catering department had to work at top speed serving dinners to both. The salesmen were having spiked watermelon for dessert. But the chef discovered that it was being served to the ministers by mistake. "Quick!" he commanded a waiter. "Bring it back!" The waiter returned, reporting that it was too late. The ministers were already eating the liquor-spiced treat. 'do they like it"? asked the chef. 'don't know,? replied the waiter, "but they're putting the seeds in their pockets.?

Quote Magazine

I hold very stern opinions with regard to Christian men who have fallen into gross sin. I rejoice that they may be truly converted, and may be mingled with hope and caution received into the church; but I question, gravely question whether a man who has grossly sinned should be very readily restored to the pulpit. As John Angell James remarks, "When a preacher of righteousness has stood in the way of sinners, he should never again open his lips in the great congregation until his repentance is as notorious as his sin.? My belief is that we should be very slow to help back to the pulpit men, who having once been tried, have proved themselves to have too little grace to stand the crucial test of ministerial life.

Charles Spurgeon, quoted in Point Man, Steve Farrar, pp. 77-8

In the 1950s, marketing whiz Stanley Arnold was working at Young & Rubicam, where he was asked to come up with a marketing campaign for Remington Rand. The company was among the most conservative in America. Its chairman at the time was retired General Douglas MacArthur. Intimidated at first by a company that was so much a part of America, Arnold also found in that phrase the first inspiration for a campaign.

After thinking about it, he went to the New York offices of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Beane, and placed the ultimate odd-lot order: "I want to purchase,? he told the broker, "one share of every single stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange.? After a vice president tried to talk him out of it, the order was finally placed. It came to more than $42,000 for one share in each of the 1098 companies listed on the Big Board at the time. Arnold now took his diversified portfolio into a meeting of Remington Rand's board of directors, where he argued passionately for a sweepstakes campaign with the top prize called A Share in America.

The conservative old gentlemen shifted around in their seats and discussed the idea for a while. "But Mr. Arnold,? said one, "we are not in the securities business.? Said another, "We are in the shaver business.?

"I agree that you are not in the securities business,? said Arnold, "but I think you also ought to realize that you are not in the shaver business either. You are in the people business.?

The company bought the idea.

Peter Hay, The Book of Business Anecdotes, in Bits and Pieces, Oct., 1990

A minister must be learned, on pain of being utterly incompetent for his work. But before and above being learned, a minister must be godly. Nothing could be more fatal, however, than to set these two things over against one another. recruiting officers do not dispute whether it is better for soldiers to have a right leg or a left leg: soldiers should have both legs.

B. B. Warfield, quoted in Credenda Agenda, Volume 4, No. 5, p. 16

An elderly widow, restricted in her activities, was eager to serve Christ. After praying about this, she realized that she could bring blessing to others by playing the piano. The next day she placed this small ad in the Oakland Tribune: "Pianist will play hymns by phone daily for those who are sick and despondent'the service is free.? The notice included the number to dial. When people called, she would ask, "What hymn would you like to hear"'

Within a few months her playing had brought cheer to several hundred people. Many of them freely poured out their hearts to her, and she was able to help and encourage them.

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