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A number of years ago, I worked for the Mobil Oil Corporation. My position put me in charge of sales and management of 32 service stations. One day, the district manager spent a day with me. During the “ride along,” he made a comment: “I have noticed that we don’t see you in the office very often.”

Somewhat puzzled, I asked him if there was a problem with my sales and management, to which he responded: “No, you are one of our top performers.” He just wondered why I didn’t spend much time in the office, like the other sales managers.

Mobil had put me through months of intensive training, I explained, and we were taught you can’t make any money in the office; you have to be out with your customers. He laughed and said I had a good point.

I have always been on the alert for tips on how to be successful. The tip that stood out the most to me was this: “See the customer, see the customer, see the customer.”

At the time, I was starting a church. When I see or read something, I try to ask myself how it might apply to building the kingdom of God. This sales tip made a huge impression on me. To me it translated: “See the people, see the people, see the people.”

It is easy for us as pastors to get so caught up in the business, administration and details of running a church that we can forget to see the people. We can easily spend most of our time in our church buildings or behind our desks instead of being out with the people.

Jesus made it clear that we are in the people business: ” ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations’ ” (Matt. 28:19, NKJV); ” ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’ ” (Mark 16:15). To me this says, “See the people, see the people, see the people.”

D.L. Moody, the great evangelist of the 1800s, determined that he would not go to bed without having shared the gospel personally with someone that day. He talked to a lot of people about Jesus. And he led a lot of people to Jesus.

As shepherds of our flocks and builders of God’s kingdom, commissioned to reach the lost, I pray that we will all “see the people, see the people, see the people.”

By: Bill Smith, senior pastor of Living Hope Family Church (Franklin Foursquare Church) in Franklin, Pa.

senior pastor of Living Hope Family Church (Franklin Foursquare Church) in Franklin, Pa.
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