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Common Ground
According to the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit was supposed to be a blessing from the Father to unify His children. Consider three of the apostle?s exhortations.

To the Corinthians ? In his characteristic way of starting with truths he shares with his readers, Paul reminds the Corinthians that the possession of the Holy Spirit is one of the main things all of the Christians have in common. The Spirit?s divine presence should pull them together, not tear them apart. Paul observes:

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by [or in] one Spirit into one body?whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free?and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ?1 Corinthians 12:12?13

Note the alls in these verses. Despite all of their differences, the Corinthian Christians had one thing in common, the Holy Spirit. All of them were soaked in the Spirit at their baptism and at that time, all of them received the Spirit as if drinking Him in like a desert wanderer gulps water at an oasis well. As far as God is concerned, there is no such thing as a distinction between a ‘Christian’ and a ‘Spirit-filled Christian.’ All true Christians are Spirit filled according to this passage. He is what they all have in common.

To the Ephesians ? Paul urges the Ephesians to maintain the unity God has achieved for them. He writes:

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit?just as you were called to one hope when you were called?one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ?Ephesians 4:3?6

The seven ones that the apostle lists, including the one Spirit, constitute once more what all Christians have in common. All of them, by the way, are gifts from God, not human achievements. Paul urges us to hold on to what God has already done for us. That’s what he means by ‘keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ His charge is not for us to achieve unity, but to hang on to what God has already achieved for us through Christ.

To the Philippians ? Following a similar line of argument, Paul insists that the Philippians recognize what they have in Christ and avoid disrupting or destroying their oneness because of a desire for personal recognition or advancement. Based on the common ground they share (expressed by the ifs), Paul offers some practical wisdom:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ?Philippians 2:1?5

We could turn each of those conditions in the opening sentence into a question: Is there any encouragement from being united with Christ? Do we find any comfort from His love? Do we share in the Spirit? Do we experience as a result tenderness and compassion? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding, joyful YES! Given all of those gifts we share from God, Paul calls on us to have the attitudes and make the effort to maintain the unity we ought to have as a logical consequence of our redemption.

Unity of Primitive Church
The Book of Acts indicates that the primitive church experienced this kind of unity. For example:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. ?Acts 2:42?48

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. ?Acts 4:32?35

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. ?Acts 9:31

The final passage in this series of quotations explicitly connects the unity of the early disciples with the Spirit, but the other two do so implicitly (see Acts 2:38-39; 4:31).

‘What God Hath Wrought’
We could summarize all of this quite simply:

1. Christ died to redeem sinners, all sinners!
2. He calls them to submit to Him as Savior and Lord.
3. To all who respond in obedient faith He gives the same gifts:
• Cleansing from sins
• His own righteousness to wear.
• His Holy Spirit as a divine presence in the heart.
• Membership in God?s family and kingdom.
• Purpose for living: to bring praise to God through Christ
• Assurance for eternity: resurrection and inheritance.
4. Because everyone whom Christ has redeemed possesses the same gifts, they should be united.

None of us is better than anyone else, since everything we have and are we have received from God (see 1 Corinthians 4:7). God?s Unity Agenda has divine power to accomplish His purpose ?to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ? (Ephesians 1:10).

Fractured, Splintered, Fragmented
Yet the religious world has never been more divided than it is today. A website that tracks statistics for the religions of the world, Adherents.com, divides the churches of Christendom into Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Jehovah?s Witnesses, and Latter-day Saints, and each one of these broad categories can be divided and subdivided again and again. Some estimate as many as 40,000 denominations and sects that all claim connection to Christ and Christianity.

Nor has the rise of the Pentecostal movement (starting around 1900) and the Charismatic movement (also called the Neo-Pentecostal movement and arising in the 1960s) brought about unity. Pentecostals themselves have divided into Assemblies of God, the Church of God (Cleveland), apostolic churches, and United Pentecostal Church, among many others (Wikipedia lists 37 groups under ?Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America’). In addition are hundreds more sects ranging in strength from one to a dozen or more churches. Charismatics remain within the major denominations, but often they form distinct sub-fellowships.

This demonstrates an obvious disconnect between what God intended to be the effect of His giving the Holy Spirit to all Christians and what has actually happened, especially in modern times. Why is the Spirit a cause of division rather than the basis of unity? Why do some believers tend to ignore or avoid any discussion of the Spirit, while others seem to focus on the Spirit so much that other topics are neglected? What can we do to change the situation and bring about a spiritual renewal that includes broad agreement about the Holy Spirit?

We need three things for this unity to occur. First, we need to recognize our common ground: all the spiritual blessings accomplished for all sinners in Jesus Christ and applied to each obedient believer by the Spirit. Second, we must accept our responsibility to maintain this unity with the attitudes of humility and mutual respect that the Spirit prompts in our hearts. Third, we need to gain a deeper understanding of the Spirit by careful Bible study.

Choices about the Holy Spirit
I believe that a great proportion of the biblical doctrine of the Spirit can be summarized into a series of either-or questions. Searching for and finding the answers to these questions will result in a significant gain in clarity regarding the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit, which in turn should lead to fundamental progress in how we all can harness the Spirit to accomplish His purpose to bring believers together and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some of these questions are:

1. What is the Spirit?s effect: uniting or dividing? (this essay)


2. What is the Spirit?s identity: person or force?


3. What is the Spirit?s contact with our world: active or passive?


4. Is the Spirit?s outpouring exceptional or usual?
5. The Spirit?s conduit: mind or feelings?


6. Does the Spirit?s leading involve developing wisdom or ‘fleecing’ God?


7. Does the Spirit come to each believer by grace or by works?


8. Is the Spirit?s main work His fruit or His gifts?


9. Was the Spirit?s proof the tongues of men or the tongues of angels?


10. Is the Spirit?s focus Christ or the Spirit Himself?


11. Is the Spirit?s lifestyle to be satisfied or to be thirsty?


12. Are the Spirit?s people spiritual or carnal?


13. Is the Spirit?s deposit a present blessing or a future hope?

Series on Holy Spirit Choices
In future essays, we will seek answers each of these questions. To give you a preview, in each one of these either-or choices, I believe that the first is the correct answer rather than the second, and I will strive to demonstrate that truth from Scripture. Our study will range through the entire Bible, for the Spirit is mentioned in the first paragraph of Genesis (1:2), in the last paragraph of Revelation (22:17), and hundreds of times in between.

God wants us to reach unity about the Spirit, and if we can, then perhaps a greater unity will no longer elude us.

Whose Fault Is It?
Conclusion: God intends for His Holy Spirit to unite all Christians. If we are divided, the fault is ours, not His. The starting point for that greater unity He wants us to have is to find unity regarding the Holy Spirit.

Want to go deeper?
I highly recommend the following books about the Holy Spirit and Pentecostalism:

Bruner, Frederick Dale, A Theology of the Holy Spirit: The Pentecostal Experience and the New Testament Witness. Originally published: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1970. Reprints: Unicoi, TN: Trinity Foundation, 2001; Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2006 (still in print from both sources).

Bruner is a non-Pentecostal who nevertheless documents the teaching of Pentecostalism from its own literature and then compares it with a careful exegesis of Scripture.

Synan, Vinson. The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the U.S. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1971.

Synan has written a number of other books on the Pentecostal movement since this, his doctoral dissertation, was published. One of the most recent is The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal, 1901-2001 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006). He is a lifelong student and historian of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement and is regarded as a prominent Pentecostal theologian. He is Dean Emeritus of Regent University.

I will share more resources on the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit as this series continues.

* * * Copyright ?2006 Steve Singleton Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an preacher, Bible teacher, editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean. Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore ‘The Shallows,’ plumb ‘The Depths,’ or use the well-organized ‘Study Links’ for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free ‘DeeperStudy Newsletter’ or ‘DeeperStudy Blog.’ Comments (0) Franfurt Germany Tour Filed under: Travel-and-Leisure — Manfred Richter @ 6:35 pm Frankfurt is one of Germany’s important cities, being the biggest international financial and trade center of Europe. It’s famous for it’s skyline - a line of towering skyscrapers which is mostly consisting of banks and other financial institutions. Frankfurt is better known in the country as Frankfurt am Main, since there are 2 cities which are named the same. Main is the river which flows through the city thus the source for the city skyline’s nickname Mainhattan. The metropolis of Frankfurt is not that big. You can easily tour the main attractions in 1 day. But as most cities in Germany, it’s normally divided into 2 attractions, the old and the new city. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Frankfurt was heavily bombed during WW2, there’s not much left of the old city, but still something worth seeing. OLD CITY The Roemer - Frankfurt’s city hall One of the most important historical old buildings, housing the election of the former German kings and emperors during the early times. Since 1405, it has been used as the city hall. The area where the Roemer is, the Roemerberg, offers a surrounding of beautiful old houses, used nowadays as stores and restaurants. The Kaiserdom - Emperor’s Cathedral As the name says, the Emperor’s Cathedral. This church was used as the venue of the coronation of the new emperor or king. In front of this church is an archaeological finding of an ancient sauna used by the Romans when they were colonizing the area. Paulskirche - Paul’s Church This church was built during the end of the 18th century. From damages during the war, it was rebuilt in the mid 20th century and considered one important attraction of the old city. Goethe’s House Frankfurt is the home of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the world’s most famous poets. The house of Goethe is located in the inner city and is open for public viewing. The Goethe Museum is just right next to it, housing a very rich Goethe collection. A Walk Crossing the River Main From the old city, you can walk down to the river then cross a pedestrian bridge called Eiserner Steg (iron bridge). From the other side of the bridge, you can properly see the skyline. The road parallel to the river is called Museumufer - Museums on the river bank - lining up a variety of museums. You can walk more until you arrive at another pedestrian bridge called Holbeinsteg. After crossing that bridge, look for the Nizza Garden. This garden is unique because it contains tropical plants and palms in an open German climate. The NEW CITY This won’t be that difficult to find, just follow the new buildings. Towering banks and offices is a sight you won’t miss in Frankfurt. Some bank buildings are combining both new and old architecture. You would see for example Dresdner Bank having an old building and two skyscrapers next to it. Around the new city, you can see modern arts like the hammering man and the inverted necktie, representing the city’s trademarks, banking and trading. Shopping in Frankfurt There are several good shopping opportunities in Frankfurt but probably the most famous area to shop is the Zeil. If you’re going for posh shopping then Goethestrasse is the right one for you. This street is lined up with boutiques from Chanel to Tifanny & Co. Enjoy your stay in Frankfurt! View Frankfurt Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com. Comments (0) What do Hurricanes and Wild Fires Have in Common? Filed under: News-and-Society, Weather — Lance Winslow @ 5:15 pm Hurricanes and Wild Fires; what do they have in common? Sure they are both natural disasters although about half of the wildfires are started deliberately by arsonists or accidentally by carelessness. Just drive down any freeway in a hot region and see the dried brush that has been burnt from obviously flicking of cigarette butts out the window? But most wild fires are started from lightning strikes in many regions and that is definitely weather related indeed. What else do wild fires and hurricanes have in common? Well consider if you will that when storm surges come and wipe out all the trees, lots of dead wood remains and can catch fire. Consider also the heat in the summer months. All that burned wood could become fuel for the fires? How do experts know? Well those in Oregon know all to well that if the underbrush is not kept under 20 tons an acre the fires tend to burn really hot and are extremely hard to put out. In fact did you know that FEMA and the USDA Forest Service is looking into this problem right now and developing computer modeling to guestimate where these might occur and then concentrate on those areas to clear brush? Makes sense right? Indeed, so consider all this in 2006. ‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington Comments (0) Getting Your Preschooler Ready To Learn To Read And Write Filed under: Babies-Toddler, Home-and-Family — Stephanie Foster @ 4:45 pm I recently took a class with my daughter I found very educational, and I thought I would share some of what I learned with you. The class was aimed at 3-5 year olds and was on helping preschoolers get ready to learn to read and write. Obviously, and as any parent these days knows, one important thing to do is read regularly to your kids. However, only about half of the activities each day had to do with reading to the kids. The rest focused on helping the kids build the skills they will need as they learn how to read and write. Muscle development is very important, but you can?t just expect a preschooler to develop their hand and finger strength out of the blue. First they need to develop their larger muscles. The first class they had us doing wheelbarrows (holding the kids by their legs or ankles and having them walk on their hands) or throwing a balloon for the kids to hit with a stick they held with both hands, one hand on each end. Tactile play was also very important. Play dough, sand, salt, even shaving cream were all used as example of things to use to encourage kids to do things with their hands. The different sensations really engaged the children?s curiosity. Some of the activities encouraged the kids to create their own stories. They warned all the parents to not change their children?s words as they wrote them down. Sometimes they would have stamps or magazines to cut up to make pictures for the stories the kids would tell and have their parents write down, but there would also be crayons or markers so the kids could draw their own pictures. Making a book for your child is pretty easy. Take a couple pieces of paper, fold them in half, then staple the folded ends together, keeping the staples near the edge. Most of the children loved creating their own books. One very important thing I noticed during these classes is how differently each child learned. Some of it was very distinctly related to age; the younger children simply had no interest in some of the activities, but there were always plenty of options. These classes really emphasized that you are teaching your child skills that will help them learn to read and write even when you are not actually teaching them anything at all about their letters. There are many skills that must be learned first. Everything I learned in the class was something that could easily be done at home. One of my daughter?s favorites, for example, was the day they had us fill a balloon with flour, then tie it off and let the kids squeeze it. Of course, my daughter wondered why I couldn?t make the balloon big, and I don?t know if she really believed my explanation. But she did have a blast squeezing it, which builds those hand and finger muscles so necessary for learning to write. Helping your preschooler get ready to read and write is really not terribly difficult. Just take a little time and encourage them to play with things that build the muscles they will need and, of course, read to them every day. Stephanie Foster has enjoyed being a stay at home mom since before her children were born. You can learn more about being a stay at home parent at http://www.homewiththekids.com/family/ Comments (0) How to Cope with Tinnitus Filed under: Health-and-Fitness — Mark Goeder-Tarant @ 3:45 pm For any tinnitus sufferer, it can be overwhelming to try and stop the ringing. When doctors tell you that there is only so much you can do, and stress becomes a major setback, life just doesn?t seem fair. Often patients fear the worst and begin to feel like there is no way out for this problem. It also is extremely frustrating when you know that you can hear the overpowering sound, yet no one else around you can. For any person who suffers from Tinnitus, it is important that you recognize how you acquired it. Many people do not learn as much as they can about the disease, because they feel like it is no use. However, it is extremely imperative that you learn as much as you can about the disease and what causes it. This may help you start coping with what you have, regardless of how frustrated you feel. If you have heard of Tinnitus, chances are you cringe at the thought of developing such a problem. With constant high pitch sounds resonating throughout your ears, it is a wonder that anyone can focus on other areas of life. Surprisingly, at least half of the 35 million Americans suffering from this disease can deal with it. While it is one of the most difficult things anyone will have to face, it is possible to take control. Tinnitus may make the person feel like they have been defeated, but there are ways to control the sound, and perhaps decrease it. Otolaryngologists will teach you how to take the sound and alleviate it to an extent. For instance, there are concentration exercises that focus on relaxation. By calming your ear muscles down, it can actually decrease the stress, and thus control the constant ringing that you hear. Some patients actually claim that it stops the sound all together, while others say it only helps a little. Nevertheless, it is an exercise that should be tried. If the ringing sound is driving you crazy, doctors will suggest covering it up with another sound. White noise from a radio or a clock that ticks loudly can make you focus on other things, especially if you are in a very quiet environment. When you go to bed, there are peaceful sounds that you can try. The majority of Tinnitus sufferers buy pillow speakers and suggest using relaxation music that is similar to yoga or relaxation techniques. Still not helping? It is imperative that you find other areas in life to focus on. Go for a walk, hang out with friends, or simply ride a bike. By doing all of these other hobbies, you will most likely be able to block out some of the noise. It has been shown that stress actually increases the ringing in people?s ears. Therefore, it is essential to always stay stress free, or at least keep it to a minimum. Exercising daily to alleviate anxiety, listening to soothing music, or writing may help you cope with this. It is also recommended that you avoid salty foods. By eating healthy and avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, you could be doing your ears a huge favor. Although Tinnitus can drive people to serious places, it is possible to enjoy life and ignore the ringing. Most people feel that support groups are actually the most helpful. For this reason, you should try and locate an organization or group that deals with this kind of issue. You will be able to hear other people?s stories, and learn a lot from the techniques that they use. Nevertheless, having Tinnitus doesn?t mean that your life has to end. It may bring extra hurdles that you have to overcome, but it is possible to walk a smooth path. By living stress free and surrounding yourself with amazing people, the disease does not have to win. You can still accomplish whatever you?d like, even if there is a ringing in your ears. Mark Goeder-Tarant lived under the spell of Tinnitus for almost 6 years before realizing that only HE held the key to success. He is now dedicated to supporting and helping other Tinnitus victims. The e-book ‘My Best Friend Tinnitus ‘ can be found at his own site especially designed for Tinnitus victims. Comments (0) Hannover Germany Tour Filed under: Travel-and-Leisure — Manfred Richter @ 3:25 pm With its historical monuments and rich cultural heritage, Hannover is one of the beautiful and charming cities in the north. The city was a former royal capital even having its prince until these days. It’s also widely famous for hosting international exhibitions, having here the Expo in 2000. Many facilities and attractions were added, restored and renovated before that year as preparations for the big event. The attractions… Inner city One can start in the Kroepcke, where you can find the famous Kroepcke clock. From there, there are a lot of ways to go - shopping, shopping and more shopping. The area is obviously the center for shopping. You can go into the direction of the Main Train Station by going under a very nice shopping promenade, Niki-de-Saint-Phalle. Most shops here are open till late in the evening. If you see a church or something which belongs to the old city, go there and you should find a red line on the ground. This red line is used as a guide for tours. It should bring you to the famous attractions of the inner city. Like for example the beautiful old timbered houses in the old town, the Leibniz house, the old and new city hall or the opera. Activities Hannover Zoo For families, the Hannover zoo is an ideal destination. The zoo was very well designed and landscaped, giving you the feeling (and probably the animals too) that you’re in the wild. Maschsee It’s a beautiful and relaxing place to stroll, but not just that, you can also rent sailing or paddling boats to enjoy more of the lake’s calm water. If you’re lazy to paddle, then you can take boat tours. This lake hosts to numerous big parties of the city. Herrenhausergaerten - Royal Gardens This is a huge collection of gardens. You probably need one day to walk around the area. Aside from being huge, it’s also very impressive so something to see and experience definitely. The garden design is a copy of the Versailles. When this was made, that was the time when the Versailles garden got really famous and everyone wanted to have a copy of it. Have fun and enjoy your stay in Hannover! View Hannover Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com. Comments (0) Word Of Mouth Marketing - Why Testimonials Should Have Everyone Talking About You Filed under: Business, Marketing — Mark Riffey @ 2:55 pm One of the most powerful tools in marketing is the testimonial. Yet they are used by so few? Put yourself in the shoes (phew!) of the prospect. She can listen to you, try and believe you, hope that you are paying attention and addressing her concerns (I sure hope you are) OR she can read what another client says about you. Which is more believable? Sure, the prospect is going to have to listen to you and hope you address their needs regardless of whether you have testimonials, but which would you rather have working for you: 1) Your best salesperson talking to a prospect, or? 2) Your best salesperson talking to a prospect just after the prospect conveniently had a minute to flip through a 3 ring binder full of letters from your clients saying that you hung the moon (or whatever is important for your niche). DUH. It’s obviously number 2, right? So can anyone explain to me why so many businesses fail to collect testimonials at all, much less collect them with systematic regularity from every single client? Can anyone add to that why they might collect them and then NEVER USE THEM???? Double DUH with whipped cream on top. I hear you, I hear you. ‘OK Mark, so how do we get them from every client?’ Ok, first, you have to think about your business and STRATEGIZE. I know, its a stretch some days. And it seems simple, but often it’s the simple yet important things like this that we forget about when we are neck deep in our businesses and trying to get that next sale, find that new customer, deal with the crisis of the moment (I’ll get to that in another post.) Thats why you have to have systems in place. When I say systems, I dont necessarily mean ‘computers that you love to hate’, I mean a systematic way of doing things so that no matter who performs a task, the task is always performed the same way, at the same level of quality. Your systems need to include that you ask EVERY client for a testimonial. If you can’t get one from every client when you do business with them, you’re likely to lose them because you clearly aren’t taking care of them very well. After all, if they cant or wont say something nice about you, arent you being kind of a screwup? Ideally, your clients should be so thrilled to speak for you (on paper, typically) that they will gladly write one for you. Remember, if you continue to be successful, they will continue to be able to enjoy your products and services that are oh so much better than that other guy’s. If they arent glad to do this, guess what the problem is? Walk into the restroom. Look into the mirror. Its you. Its not that the customer is a jerk, its that your business did something (or didnt do something) to position them so that they wouldnt care much for you after they gave you their money. Look in the mirror again, just to be safe, ok? By the way, don’t take it too personally when I say ‘you’. I mean ‘your business’ when I say that most of the time. On the other hand, go ahead and take it personal, but FIX IT! Back to the testimonials?You have to have a form for this. Yeah, its another form, but a form is part of a system. Just humor me, ok? Some people see a blank piece of paper and freeze up. They just cant think of what to say. That’s when you have to step in with yet another step to train your clients so that they behave as you wish. The 2 most common approaches to this challenge are: 1) Write the testimonial as if your customer said it and GET THEIR APPROVAL and have them sign it. Its best if they can do this on a piece of their letterhead (surely you have a piece of blank letterhead from them?). Most clients will gladly let you write a reasonable, honest testimonial if they are allowed to approve it and sign it. 2) Give them a form that asks their name, what problem you solved for them, how much money you saved them, but DON’T ask them questions that result in answers like ‘we’d love for you to marry their first born daughter cuz you’re such a great guy’, and so on. Think about why it’s important to ask specific questions like this, rather than just have them write ‘Dave is a great guy, I’d do business with him again.’ That’s a pile of dog stuff when it comes to testimonials. Testimonials serve a purpose. Ask specific questions because you have specific reasons. I guarantee that you do. 3) Be sure that you ask at a time when they are just oh so happy to comply because they are at that moment where they are really happy with the transaction. In a clothing store, it might be while you are ringing them up, packing their clothing etc and the ‘buzz of the new clothes’ is still going on. In a car dealer, it might be months later, when you are following up to make sure they are absolutely happy (don’t tell me you aren’t doing this?) This time will be different for some businesses, but it will STILL be applicable for every business. Don’t even think about starting that ‘but Mark, my business is different’ horse hockey. The Super Big Gotcha To Avoid Never, ever use a testimonial without getting approval from the client. If its not obvious why, think about it. There will be a quiz. Again, thats NEVER (just in case I wasnt clear). Copyright 2006 - Mark Riffey. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit where credit is due and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers. Mark Riffey is the CEO of Rescue Marketing Inc ( www.rescuemarketing.com ), a Columbia Falls, Montana based firm that specializes in helping small business owners get the most out of their marketing and technology dollar and implementing techniques, strategies and solutions to put your business on autopilot. After purchasing several small, struggling companies and surviving their turnarounds, Mark now uses the experience and lessons learned during those times when helping a business owner ‘makeover’ a struggling business. He is Montana’s only Dan Kennedy-certified Independent Business Advisor. The father of 2 teenage boys, Mark is heavily involved in Scouting, having run summer camps, and served as VP of Marketing for Montana Boy Scouting. He is currently the Scoutmaster of a northwest Montana troop, and in his spare time, helps the high school jazz band raise funds for its activities, and serves on the local Rotary chapter’s board of directors. Comments (0) There is Nothing like Mace in Your Face Filed under: Home-and-Family — Victoria Lee @ 1:15 pm Mace is one of the original self-defense weapons. And it?s been the best friend of many women, college students, senior citizens, and others who need a portable device to help them fend off would-be attackers. At first thought it is amazing that with all of the new self-defense technologies out there, mace is still around, and as popular as ever. However, it is easy to see why Mace is still such a popular choice for personal safety. Let?s go back a few steps, and look into the very beginnings of Mace as an essential self-defense weapon. Mace is actually a consumer version of tear gas, the old pal of police officers who would use the noxious agent to stop riots and put would-be bad guys (and sometimes rowdy college students) on the ground and out of commission. Considering its industrial-strength chemical agents were designed for use with the police, Mace is a very able self-defense tool in most situations. But Mace isn?t perfect. It works, by irritating the mucous membranes of a person?s eyes, nose and throat, causing them to tear, run and otherwise flare up with pain. They may get a headache, feel dizzy and have tightness in their chest. What isn?t this perfect you ask? Well, as many cops have found out, if someone is high on drugs, drunk off his rocker or even completely out of his mind, he won?t tend to feel pain. No pain means no gain if you are using Mace. That could put you, an average American citizen, in a very tight bind if you are attacked by someone and the Mace doesn?t work. For a cop, this problem isn?t such a big deal, because they?re also armed with things like a billy club and gun. But for us, we generally have one self-defense weapon, and if that doesn?t work, we could be in for it. Enter the next generation of Mace products, including products like Mace Pepper Spray and Mace Pepper Foam. These products come with the original Mace tear gas chemicals in them, but they also have hot pepper mixed in, called oleoresin capsicum. It is the same chemical, in effect, that causes hot peppers and fiery salsa to burn your tongue and get your sweating. But in the case of Mace, this capsicum, or OC for short, is super concentrated. Instead of just causing someone pain and tearing eyes, OC causes a person to stop and drop. It is an inflammatory, instead of just an irritant. OC causes eyes, nose, and throat to burn. An attacker?s throat swells to the point where he can only cough and can barely breathe. Their eyes swell so shut that they cannot see out of them. In fact, the blood vessels in their actual eye balls swell so much that the person goes temporarily blind. Problems with their eyes may make them loose their balance and the lack of oxygen will hopefully stop them from being able to run after you. In other words, no one is able to fight through the effects of OC. An attacker has no choice but to feel the heat, and leave you alone. It is this combination of old-fashioned tear gas and OC, in an easy to use and easy to carry form that makes today?s Mace the new friend of everyday citizens everywhere. Victoria Lee is the Director of Marketing for Safety Chest. Safety Chest carries a complete line of mace for your personal protection. For more information about Safety Chest please visit http://www.safetychest.com. Comments (0) Newer Posts » Categories