Quiet Hints, Chapter 3–"The Man from Macedonia”

Topics: Pastors·Preaching

Notes taken from Quiet Hints to Growing Preachers by Charles E. Jefferson, Chapter 3, “The Man of Macedonia.”

“A student on emerging from the Seminary sometimes experiences a chilling surprise. The world does not seem glad that another laborer is now ready to enter the vineyard.”

“What shall the young man do? He cannot dig and to beg he is ashamed. There does not seem to be anything to do but to begin and live the gospel.”

“If a man expects to move men by his preaching he must first do a deal of living, and the sooner he begins to live the better.”

“Christ thrusts a cross into a man’s face and holds it there.”

“Men who prepare for the ministry ought to have no advantages given them which are denied to their fellows. They should work for their education as hard as do the men who prepare for journalism or medicine or law.”

“If this reduces recruits for the ministry so much the better for the churches.”

“What can organized Christianity accomplish unless its leaders are stalwart and tough?”

“The world today needs young men equipped to preach the Gospel, but it does not want them.”

“If all the doors are shut let him open one. If he cannot do this he is not needed."

Visitor Comments:

January 24, 2010, 9:32 AM Ray Pritchard says:
	This chapter bespeaks a sort of “manly” Christianity that perhaps has gone out of style. Yet I think the Apostle Paul would approve of Jefferson’s approach to the ministry. Jefferson points out that Paul heard the cry of the Man from Macedonia who appeared to him in a dream. But when Paul showed up in Macedonia, the man was nowhere to be found. How true. Things never work out exactly as we expect. What will we do then?
January 24, 2010, 5:54 PM Patrick Sullivan says:
British / Australian . Retired Pastor. Hospital Chaplain. Creator and Webmaster of www.jesuschristonly.com	Ray . Dont you think to many good things have ‘ gone out of style’ lately?.Or am I just getting old? If things never work out exactly as we expect. What will we do then? you ask Ray? As for me I will follow the advise of the song written in the Great Depression in the 1930s So take a deep breath, Pick yourself up, Dust yourself off, Start all over again. Pat