One summer morning in 1895, an ambitious traveling salesman found that the edge of his straight razor had dulled. King Gillette later said that the idea for an entirely new kind of razor, with a disposable blade, flashed into his mind as he looked in irritation at his dull blade. King Gillette had been searching for the right product, one that had to be used--and replaced--regularly, around which to build a business. His innovation in shaving technology was just such a product. Another safety razor, the Star, was already on the market at the time but, like the straight razor it was meant to replace, its blade needed stropping before each use and eventually had to be professionally honed. Gillette envisioned an inexpensive, double-edged blade that could be clamped over a handle, used until it was dull, and then discarded.
Gillette spent the next six years trying to perfect his safety razor. Scientists and toolmakers he consulted were pessimistic, and thought the idea impractical. Gillette, 40 years old at the time and a successful salesman, inventor, and writer, did not give up. In 1901 he joined forces with William Nickerson, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-educated machinist. Nickerson developed production processes to make Gillette's idea a reality, while Gillette formed the American Safety Razor Company to raise the estimated $5,000 they needed to begin manufacturing the razor. Gillette became president of the company and head of a three-man directorate. Production of the razor began early in 1903.
The renamed Gillette Safety Razor Company began advertising its product in October 1903, with the first ad appearing in Systems Magazine. The company sold 51 razor sets at $5 each and an additional 168 blades--originally at 20 for $1--that first year.
In 1904 Gillette received a patent on the safety razor; sales rose to 90,884 razors and 123,648 blades that year.
Old man billeted had a great ideal that changed the way shaving had been done for a very long time. It worked great for shaving, however it does not work very well when applied to the church.
Churches need a straight razor for a pastor not a disposable razor.
It is my opinion that the most healthy churches in the world have staff members with the longest tenures. When I left college/bible school I was ready to go and minister as a staff pastor wherever God chose for me. I had full intentions of staying at every church I ministered at for a very long time. I had a philosophy that if I could not go somewhere and stay for 10 years or longer that I would not go at all. Yet, somehow the longest tenure I had at any church was just shy of 2 1/2 years. Why did my family and those churches have to go through the pain of separation when we had worked so hard getting to know each other so that we could minister to our community? I can't believe that is the model that is set for us as a healthy church.
I do not think I need to draw the picture of sheep knowing the voice of their Shepard or how a church body is a family. People want to hear a word from God from someone they trust. Someone that has struggled, laughed, and cried with them. They trust someone who has married them and buried their loved ones, someone who has built a life with them.
As I set in church this morning I listen to a pastor that has pastored these people for 34 years.
Churches do not need deposable pastors, they need pastors that for all intents and purposes are permanent. It is a rare thing to find a pastor that has been at the same church for 10 to 15 years. Support pastors make it even less! How does a pastor become part of a church family in just 2 or even 5 years? How does an "outsider" lead a group of people effectively?
I pray that this changes in the churches in America.
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