A Poor Shoe Salesman Becomes an Evangelistic Success
May 15th, 2007 | Michael Pink
There was so much feedback from yesterday’s blog; I wanted to insert some additional thoughts today. It was pointed out that I should have focused on diligence or celebrity as keys to why people get heard instead of for their wealth. I was going to head down the diligence track soon, because that is what, for the most part, produces wealth, when combined with excellence and applied wisdom.
The Pilgrims were praised as good examples of poor people whose voice was heard despite my claim that poor wise men have no voice. Of course, there will always be exceptions - Mother Theresa being one of them. The pilgrims who came over to America 400 years ago had no need of currency once they got here, but it took a great sum of money to charter an ocean-going vessel from one continent to another. Further, the Pilgrim work ethic, later named the Protestant work ethic, is largely responsible for America becoming the greatest economic super power in the world.
Another example set forth was Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist led to the Lord by a poor shoe salesman. Actually, D.L. Moody was the shoe salesman led to Christ by a Sunday school teacher, named Edward Kimble. D.L. Moody went on to become close friends with Henry Parsons Crowell, the great cereal tycoon and founder of Quaker Oats. We honor and draw attention to the great evangelistic work of D.L. Moody and what a passionate preacher he was, but we forget the fact that without the tremendous financial support of Henry Parsons Crowell, and other influential Chicago businessmen, we may never have heard of D.L. Moody.
Another example of what you often don’t see… A number of businessmen were so impacted by the ministry of Billy Sunday that they decided to invest some of their wealth to set up a crusade and invite Mordecai Hamm to speak to their group. Even though it never became a huge evangelistic success… one night a man named Billy Graham attended his meeting and decided to become a follower of Christ himself.
The point here is that we often hear about men like Billy Sunday, Billy Graham or D.L. Moody but rarely hear about the financially successful businessmen who funded the ministries in the first place, making the outreach possible. We don’t hear about them, largely because they don’t want the glory and they are used to being misunderstood and often maligned.
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May 15th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Michael,
Another good example is Mary and Martha who helped support Jesus. Paul had a group that helped support his ministry. Many people are needed to support others who are out on the firing line.
I will have more on the subject later. Got to go to work. May God bless.
Kern
May 15th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Good stuff. I can’t help thinking about John Alexander Dowie. Same time frame, same location. He was the most powerfull healing evangelist ever to be seen in Chicago. He got off track by getting into the business world. His calling was derailed when he set up his own city forcing him to spend time building roads, sewers, importing industries and all the things required to build a great city. Stay in your calling.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:10 am
I’ve greatly enjoyed reading these recent posts. I hear many people talking about the greedy “rich” and how they take advantage of the poor and uneducated. However, in my experience they are precisely the people who offer the most hope. Our church regulary sends youth missionaries to other countries. While many, if not most, members give something to support this ministry it is the regular and very large donations of just a few successful business people that allows these youth the opportunity. Withouth these dedicated, humble people who also happen to be very successful and well-off financially these missionaries would never see the mission field.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:12 am
God determines and appoints who will lead and have a voice, not money or position. We can prepare ourselves to be chosen vessels, but the most important aspect of having a voice worth listening to is that God makes it so- not our wealth or celebrity status. If we are blessed to have riches/wealth or celebrity status it is a result of the Lord casuing it to happen. God is more concerned with character as criteria for having a voice than money or position.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:17 am
If the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous…well that can’t be “heavenly riches” because the wicked don’t have that! Do they?
Prov 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Bill makes an interesting point about staying in your calling.
The truth is that we all must learn to be clear about what God has called us to do and be busy about doing exactly that. As we do, may God give us the voice that He has called us to have.
One of the pitiful truths associated with this one, however, is that the Church has marginalized the value of anyone whose “calling” is something other than being in a pulpit or on a mission field.
Had these businessmen that Michael mentioned decided that their calling was in the pulpit, and had they then abandoned their call to the business world, they would’ve been impoverished preachers with no voice and no influence.
Shame on us for devaluing the work of those whose calling is in places we haven’t expected. Their influence in those places might be difficult to measure by many of our standards, but I’m guessing that at least some of those businessmen had an incredible impact through their work, and not just by funding the work of traditional ecclesiastical ministers.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:53 am
AMEN, David! People need to understand that God’s calling isn’t always inside a church building. His vision is so much larger than we can imagine! Let God out of the box!
May 15th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Michael, I totally understand what you have been “trying” to teach us. In the many venues that the Gospel message is declared most of them require $$$, money, wealth.
Lord, Thankyou for the prosperity that you have given me an my family. Use me as a channel to finance an event that will convert and call an evangilist such as Billy Graham. Who will diligently influence people and proclaim The Gospel of Jesus Christ to our nation and the world.
May 15th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Michael-yesterday I blogged you about my situation and there may have been some misunderstanding.(by the way the Greg that responded after your comments was not me).I was asking for how you thought my being abased robbed me of my witness to people who knew my situation(like my children)Also I want you to know that I am aware thta dilligent hands makes one rich and God adds no sorrow to it ;and All hard work leads to profit.
May 15th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Not everyone should be a missionary or a pastor. There is to be a partnership between the goers and senders. Some folks must be earning grain to put under the ox’s nose 1 Timothy 5:18.
Paul assumed that some would be gainfully employed so they could give to help him on his missionary journeys.
The burning question for most Christians should be: How can my life count for the Glory of God in my secular vocation? Our aim should be to joyfully magnify Christ - to make Him look great in all we do.
Why don’t people ask us about our hope? The answer is probably that we look as if we hope in the same things they do. Our lives don’t look they are on the Calvary road, stripped down to sacrificial love, serving others with sweet assurance that we don’t need to rewarded in this life. Our reward is great in heaven Matthew 5:12
When God blesses us with an abundance, we need to get on our knees and ask God why did He bless us and what does He wants us to do with the surplus. We are to quick to think to highly of ourselves and keep or spend it on ourselves. We need to use our possessions in a way that makes the most needy glad in God. It would confirm that Christ is our Treasure and thus keep us on the path to heaven. It would transform our society which is driven by suicidal craving to satisfy itself with no joy in Christ and lo love for the needy.
My heart’s plea is that the young and old would turn off the television, quit spending so much time at the office or work, take a long walk, and dream about feats of courage fo a cause ten thousand times more important than American democracy - as precious as that is. If we would dream and if we would pray, would not God answer? Would he withhold from us a life of joyful love and mercy and sacrifice that magnifies Christ and makes people glad in God? “Let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured, For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” Hebrews 13:13-14. Whey others see our sacrificial love- radiant with joy - will they not say, Christ is great?
May 16th, 2007 at 7:50 am
To Michael Q Pink,
Right on!
Keep strong during the storm. There is too much misinformation and fear about Christ’s Work, especially in the Christian Community.
May 16th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Kern - Great words! Amen…
May 16th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Kern, In your last post I hope you are not making an assumption about all christians who want to prosper and be wealthy. My main goal in becoming prosperous in all things is so I CAN be a blessing to others. It breaks my heart to see the hungry, the poor, the homeless, etc. To help them takes money. Granted, there are some who are just plain greedy, but please don’t lump us all in one category.
May 16th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Lynette - You have a righteous goal Unfortunately e mail doesn’t let you see the speaking person’s body language, hear the tone & inflection of the words to grasp & understand the meaning & intent. Not to speak for Kern, but I didn’t get the sense he was making an assumption & lumping all into one category.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:25 am
I like the insight of King Solomon and it reflects Michael’s.
read it for yourself in
Eccl ch 10 vs 19(b)
BUT money (wealth) answers EVERYTHING !
May 17th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I respectfully and humbly disagree with Dr. Matt. Money (wealth) does not answer everything. Solomon’s life did not end up very well. He compromised his walk with God and suffered the consequences. God’s Word answers everything and it does not contradict itself.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Lynette,
I did not mean to lump everyone together. A person’s main goal should be to glorify God in all that they do.
If you want to become prosperous than seek God and ask Him to give you the desires of your heart. But remember, that may not be God’s plan for your life and if it isn’t, no amount of claiming it will make it happen. God is sovereign and He knows whether we can handle great wealth. Solomon couldn’t and he was the smartest person who ever lived. Keep asking God to direct your steps and be content where ever God takes you. Wealth or money does not make a person great or happy. Real joy comes from God.
God Bless
May 17th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I must agree with Kern(which I don’t always do). Also,we must remember everything in the word must be divided correctly(old or new testament and in context). But I must admit it sure seems that money would help solve a lot of lifes problems.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
sorry about that sentence-money would help solve a lot of the problems in life