Impact of the French Revolution on 18th Century Europe and Relevance to Contemporary Christianity

INTRODUCTION

Events of 1789 formed the catalyst that exploded the powder keg of accumulated grievances in France. Indeed "the French Revolution began when Louis XVI called the States-General to provide money for his bankrupt government" (The World Book Encyclopedia, Vol.7, 1991, p.450). The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 produced intense hostility to Christianity because "the Roman church was identified by the people with the earlier government of France and suffered greatly" (Harman and Renwick, 1999, p.170). Lefebvre (1947) observed that in a total population of probably twenty three million, there were certainly not more than one hundred thousand priests, monks and nuns, and four hundred thousand nobles. The rest constituted the Third Estate. This secular event shows the contemporary Church the peril that awaits a nation that rejects God. The point of the observation is that although the French Revolution negatively affected Christianity, the attempt at deChristianization was unable to blot the 'faith of our fathers living still'.

RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND TO THE CONFLICT

Impact of the French Revolution on 18th Century Europe and Relevance to Contemporary Christianity

According to Noll (2000), "a number of long-festering conditions had prepared the way for this attack on Christianity" (p.247). Paradoxically, some of these were of Christian origin. Centuries earlier, Augustine had declared that man should not have dominion over man, for he is a rational creature made in the image of God. Bellarmine, the Jesuit Cardinal opined that it depended on the consent of the people whether kings, consuls or other magistrates were to be established in authority over them. He further observed that the people should change a kingdom into an aristocracy if there was legitimate cause. Latourette (1953) therefore referred to the French Revolution as "a secularized version of the heavenly city as perceived by Christians" (p.1007).
Before the outbreak of the revolution in France, bad economic, political, social and legal conditions, the successful example of the English Revolution of 1689 and the American Revolution of 1776 were fused by the development of an ideology that rationalized the right of popular revolution against Louis XVI. This ideology was the result of the teachings of the philosophes. While Rousseau and Montesquieu provided the political atmosphere for revolution, Voltaire criticized the church. Cairns (1981) admitted that there were grounds for criticism of the Roman Catholic Church in France. It owned much land and was as responsible as the secular state in the dealings with the people. The public resented various tithes imposed by the church, rigorous repression of religious dissenters, and the non-productive monkish orders. Nichols (1932) suspected that "the greatest cause of the hostility of the church was its enormous wealth and the selfish use made of it" (p.96) since the masses were ruined by cruel taxation at the expense of higher clergy who were generally lazy, luxurious and immoral.

If the 17th century was the age of orthodoxy, the eighteenth was the age of nationalism, a result of cold orthodoxy and scientific developments. The deadly result was that "revelation tended to take the back seat to reason and knowledge gained by sense perception" (Vos, 1960, p.99). When scientists investigated the form of the universe, they formed the idea of a clockwise universe - God's world was seen as gigantic, well-ordained giant clock.

IMPLICATIONS FOR 18TH CENTURY EUROPE

The French Revolution is viewed as a turning point because it was seen as an important stage in a succession of movements that later spread across the globe to ultimately affect the life of mankind.

It is observed that the effects were especially serious for Christianity since they brought actions which struck at the privileges and status of the Roman Catholic Church. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen on August 26 1789 held that "the source of all sovereignty is located in the nation; no body, no individual can exercise authority which does not emanate from it expressly" (Noll, 2000, p.247). The peasants were relieved of a burden which had taken about a twentieth of their produce when tithes were abolished. Consequently, the church was deprived of one of its chief sources of revenue. Church land, which comprised about a fifth of the area of France was confiscated and became the property of the state. In July 1790, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy was enacted by the National Assembly. Among other things, bishops were to be elected by the voters who chose the civil officials and the pope was merely to be notified of their choice. Payment of the clergy by the state was no blessing in disguise since the former was to take an oath of allegiance to the latter. [It must be observed that Spener criticized caesaropapism (doctrine of state control over the church) in his significant publication way back in 1675]. The pope's power was reduced to that of stating the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church. Indeed "churchmen felt this new act meant secularization of the church and they were violently opposed to it" (Cairns, 1981, p.390).

Unlike the situation in the United States, separation of church and state by the French Revolution and later in the Soviet Union and its sphere of influence was an attempt to totally exterminate the church and to replace it with nationalism. The Roman Catholic Church and the French state were completely separated during the reign of terror of 1793 and 1794 when so many were executed for counter revolutionary activities.

The programme of deChristianization gained momentum when the convention decreed that a commune had the right to renounce the Catholic form of worship. The calendar adopted on October 3 1793 made every tenth day rather than Sunday a day of rest. On November 7, 1793, the Archbishop of Paris appeared before the Convention and "solemnly resigned his Episcopal functions" (Encyclopaedia Britiannica, vol.15, 1989, p.498). A certain Mademoiselle Maillard, an opera dancer, wearing the three colours of the new republic on November 10, 1793 was enthroned as the goddess of Reason upon the high altar of Notre Dame, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Paris, and there she received the homage of the revolutionists. Notre Dame was rechristened the Temple of Reason. Another step adopted by the Convention was the ordering of churches and parsonages to be used as school houses and poor houses thus effectively preventing public and official worship. The Feasts of Reason both at Paris and elsewhere soon "degenerated into mere orgies, disreputable women playing the part of goddesses and enacting bacchanals in the churches" (Martin, 1877, p.552). The precarious situation during the Reign of Terror forced many Christians to renounce their trust in God. Assessing the situation, Kuiper (1964) pointed out that "it is not possible to say how many Protestants as well as Catholics renounced their faith at this time, but the number was large" (p.310). Although the Convention passed a decree reaffirming the principle of the freedom of worship, the Directory and its regime were basically anti-Christian. The interests of Christianity and European civilization were no longer regarded as two expressions of the same reality. In other words, there was a signal of the demise of Christendom.

Kings initially viewed themselves as God's representatives on earth and considered all disobedience and rebellion to be sinful. A dangerous feeling of infallibility, considerable serenity and moderation therefore gained control of monarchs. The French Revolution completely repudiated this divine right of kings and "asserted the doctrine that the right to rule came from the people" (The World Book Encyclopedia, vol.5, 1971, p.199). Although Napoleon eventually recognized the Roman Catholic religion as the religion of the great majority of French citizens, he did not make it the established religion. The clergy were to be paid by the state but the property taken from the Roman Church in 1790 was not to be returned to it. In fact, Latourette (1953) observed with brutal truth that Napoleon "regarded the church as an institution which must be recognized and used for his purposes" (p.1011).

The French Revolution and Napoleon brought grave embarrassment to missions. The direct result was a sharp decline of the faith in some geographic frontiers. Few missionaries were sent from Europe and it was difficult to render aid to those already in the field. The Society of Foreign Missions of Paris was compelled to seek headquarters outside of France. The Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith, the bureau through which the Papacy supervised missions abroad, was driven out of Rome. This led to a marked falling off in numbers and morale of the Roman Catholic community in India. Adverse domestic conditions coupled with the handicaps in Europe threatened the extinction of the church in China. The occupation of Spain by Napoleonic armies and the attack on Portugal greatly affected missions in Latin America. Conditions in Russia were also adverse. Parishes lost the right of electing their clergy, a privilege enjoyed since the era of Peter the Great. In a brilliant summary, Noll (2000) commented that "turmoil from the French Revolution and then the wave of national liberation movements fostered by Napoleon further diminished European concern for cross-cultural Christian expansion" (p.274). The revolution greatly affected Lutherans in the German states. War and suffering revealed that skepticism and infidelity were not sufficient to meet the needs of the human spirit and multitudes turned again to religious faith. The old Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806, stimulating the strengthening of independent states like Austria and Prussia. Later in the century, this contributed to the unification of the German people under the leadership of Prussia. Calvinism in Europe also felt the shock of the French Revolution. Skepticism had already weakened this group in France, Switzerland, the German states and the Low Countries. According to Baker (1959), the "political conditions that continued through the Congress of Vienna in 1815 brought disorganization and uncertainty to continental Calvinism" (p.321).

Beyond the dark clouds were shades of silver lining, which several scholars tend to overlook. Perhaps a positive view was that "society was being directed toward the good of the whole community instead of toward the benefit of a tiny elite of kings, nobles and bishops" (Noll, 2000, p.248). Grievous as were the losses suffered by Christianity, "there was ample evidence that the faith was by no means moribund" (Latourette, 1953, p.1012). Indications of vitality (old and new) were evident. These could be found among the Roman Catholics of the eastern churches and in Protestantism. If anything, "secularization of the west was not going to blot out the faith" (Noll, 2000, p.260). Liberal, sectarian and traditionalist responses to the marginalization of European Christendom all had notable vigor though at varying degrees. European thought was skillfully sifted in a new world in order to preserve an intellectually vigorous Christian faith. Groups like the Oxford Movement applied lessons of the early church of the perils of the present. In his stimulating Church History lectures at West Africa Theological Seminary, Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. William Faupel observed that secularization is not inherently evil and argued that there must be a positive interaction, that is, taking the gospel in the mindset of the people.

RELEVANCE TO CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY

Many biblical scholars agreed that the punctuation of papal power in France was a fulfillment of prophecies of Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, which they believed predicted the demise of Roman Catholicism. In this light, Faupel (1996) observed that "the French Revolution became the Rosetta Stone by which all scriptural prophecy could be correlated with the events of human history" (p.92). The lessons for contemporary Christianity are significant.

Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is indeed a reproach to any people. Even today, the Wesleys are credited with saving England from a bloody, political revolution such as befell France. While the common people were as oppressed and deprived as the French, the English people could cope with their oppression because of their faith in God and their adherence to Christian principles. The English revival caused the people to look to God for hope whereas the French had only politicians and atheistic philosophers. The lesson is that God can avert destruction in a nation that acknowledges Him as Saviour. The situation in Sierra Leone in May 2000 is a case in point. God miraculously saved the nation at a time when destruction loomed large. The nation responded to the call to shout 'Jesus' at 5:00 p.m. on Monday May 9 2000. God honoured this demonstration of faith and reliance on Him as the only hope. The peaceful elections in May 2002 and August/September 2007 could also be attributed to the redeeming work of God in a land where He is exalted. In like manner, Horton (1993) firmly believed that "God brought about a peaceful change in the protestant land of England, in contrast to the turmoil of the Roman Catholic France" (p.72).

Secondly, the church in any nation should not fraternize with the state to oppress masses since the latter could rebel with frenzied violence. In France, the revolutionists demonstrated that "they could break down barriers if they were driven to desperation" (Rowe, 1931, p.420). Furthermore, ideas that glorify man and sentence God to temporary or permanent exile could be dangerous to any nation. The French Revolution shocked Europe and awakened people to the power of ideas and forces that had become part of western culture. For many, "those ideas and forces connoted the disruptions and destruction that could be expected from unrestrained rationalism" (Manschreck, 1974, 298).

From the study, the researcher realizes that pagan religions and ideas could penetrate areas once dominated by Christianity as a result of the state of the church. During his lectures, Dr. Faupel lamented that an impending doom could await the church in North America because of inherent weakness including racist Christian policies. As Rodney observed (1972), "racism...[was] a set of generalizations and assumptions, which had no scientific bias, but...rationalized in every sphere from theology to biology" (p.99). Contemporary Christianity should realize that it should not be the cold impotent ash (like the church in France before the revolution) but a vibrant church fulfilling the Great Commission. Sumrall (1980) caustically dismissed refusal to spread the gospel as "reckless spiritual homicide" (p.8). The contemporary church must be willing to sacrifice like Christ and the saints of old if the earth should be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. Houghton (1980) hoped that the contemporary church would be mindful of the fact that "when the church goes astray, denying Him who had bought His people with His precious blood, the Lord [sends] trials and afflictions to correct His unfaithful children" (p.34).

CONCLUSION

The above notwithstanding, the blood of a martyr is seed for the church. After the French Revolution, Christianity, probably to the dismay of the revolutionaries, did not die. Truth (Jesus) was in the grave for three days but eventually resurrected. Persecution, in the history of Christianity, could be regarded as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. Fire did not beget cold and impotent ash. After the French Revolution, the church became much more involved in speaking on relevant issues of the day. Christianity was viewed from a different perspective. Evangelism was given a thoughtful consideration. In spite of all the negative effects of the French Revolution, the brand of Christianity that emerged transformed itself by positively interacting with the philosophical mindset of the day.

LIST OF REFERENCES

Baker, Robert A. 1959. A survey of Christian history. Nashville: Broadman Press.

Cairns, Earle E. 1981. Christianity through the centuries: a history of the Christian Church. 2nd ed.

Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1989 ed., s.v. "French Revolution".

Faupel, William. 1996. The everlasting gospel: the significance of eschatology in the development of Pentecostal thought. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

Harman, A.M. and A.M. Renwick. 1999. The story of the church. 3rd ed. Leicester: Varsity Press.

Horton, Beka. 1993. 1980. Sketches from church history. Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth.

Kuiper, B.K. 1964. The church in history. Michigan: The National Union of Christian Schools.

Latourette, Kenneth S. 1953. A history of Christianity. New York: Harper and Row Publishers.

Lefebvre, George. 1947. The coming of the French Revolution. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Lewis, C.S. 1970. God in the dock: essays on theology and ethics. Michigan: William E. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Manschreck, Clyde L. 1974. A history of Christianity in the world: from persecution to uncertainty.
New York: Prentice Hall.

Martin, Henri. 1877. A popular history of France from the first revolution to the present time, Vol.1.

Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

Noll, Mark A. 2000. Turning points: decisive moments in the history of Christianity. 2nd ed.

Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic.

Rodney, Walter. 1972. How Europe underdeveloped Africa. London: Bogle L'Ouverture Publications.

Rowe, Henri K. 1931. History of the Christian people. New York: The Macmillan Company.

Sumrall, Lester. 1980. Where was God when pagan religions began? Indiana: LeSEA Publishing Co.

Vos, Howard F. 1960. Highlights of church history. Nebraska: Back to the Bible Publishers.

The World Book Encyclopaedia, 1971 ed., s.v. "Divine rights of kings".

The World Bank Encyclopaedia, 1971 e.d., s.v. "French Revolution".

Impact of the French Revolution on 18th Century Europe and Relevance to Contemporary Christianity
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AUTHOR SIGNATURE

Oliver L.T. Harding, who obtained his GCE O & A Levels from the Sierra Leone Grammar School and the Albert Academy respectively, is currently Senior & Acting Librarian of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He is a part time lecturer at the Institute of Library, Information & Communication Studies (INSLICS), Fourah Bay College and the Extension Programme at the Evangelical College of Theology (T.E.C.T) at Hall Street, Brookfields; Vice President of the Sierra Leone Association of Archivists, Librarians & Information Scientists (SLAALIS); a member of the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals (CILIP). His certificates, secular and sacred, include: a certificate and diploma from the Freetown Bible Training Centre; an upper second class B.A. Hons. Degree in Modern History (F.B.C.); a post-graduate diploma from the Institute of Library Studies (INSLIBS, F.B.C) a masters degree from the Institute of Library, Information & Communication Studies (INSLICS, F.B.C.) and a masters degree in Biblical Studies from West Africa Theological Seminary, affiliate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he won the prize for academic excellence as the Best Graduating Student in 2005. Oliver, a writer, musician and theologian, is married (to Francess) with two children (Olivia & Francis).

Email: oltharding@yahoo.com

Mobile: 232-2233-460-330

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The BEST Foundations For Christian Ministries and Churches

The grantmaking climate has been volatile since a 22% decline in foundation assets in late 2008 caused a steep drop in foundation giving. The decline lasted throughout 2009. But in 2010 foundations are recovering their lost assets. The S&P Index has improved by 68% this past year, the largest one-year upturn that since the Great Depression. As a result, 70% of foundations expect to give more this year than last year. Smaller foundations, those most likely to support Christian ministries and churches, are twice as likely to give more in 2010 than they did in 2009.

Now is the time to ensure your ministry or church is aware of the best foundations so as not to waste time and energy looking for funding from the wrong sources. Opportunities for funding abound. Here are a few reasons...

the upswing in the market means more funds are available for your organization the number of foundations in the United States is soaring - about 2,000 new foundations are expected to spring up in 2010 the sooner you develop relationships with them the better wealth is shifting from individuals to foundations

The BEST Foundations For Christian Ministries and Churches

There are no less than 10,000 foundations with assets totaling around 0 billion that support Christian ministries and churches.

The following Christian-friendly foundations are good places to begin your search. They are ten of the best funders of Christian ministries and churches based on a number of factors. They give the majority of their funding to Christian ministries and churches, they specifically support evangelism, and they give on a national basis.

MJ Murdock Charitable Trust

The foundation was granted charitable status in December 1975 in Vancouver, Washington. The Trust's purpose is to support and enrich the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest by providing grants to organizations that seek to strengthen the region's educational, spiritual, and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways.

Grants are available for Building Funds, Matching Gifts, Equipment, Matching/challenge Funding, Program Funding, Research Funding, Seed Funding, and Project Funding. The Trust's funding interests include Education, Health & Human Services, Arts & Culture, Science, Medicine & Engineering, and Scientific Research. Between 2005 and 2009, 43 percent of the Trust's funds went to health and human services, 30 percent to education, 19 percent to scientific research, and eight percent to arts and culture.

The Trust is especially interested in funding scientific and research efforts that further the pursuit of knowledge. Its educational funding interests are projects and programs in both formal and informal settings...program enhancement and expansion...and new approaches consistent with an organization's mission and resources.

Its arts and culture funding priorities are educational outreach efforts and performance and visual Projects that enrich the culture of the region. The Trust funds health and human services efforts that address physical, spiritual, social, and psychological needs. It is especially interested in programs for youth.

Its average grant size is ,000. Its largest grant is million.

ARTHUR S DEMOSS FOUNDATION

The foundation was granted charitable status in March 1959 in Washington, DC. Its

primary purpose is to support Christian Evangelical purposes. Its funding interests include Christian Organizations & Churches, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Children, and Youth & Families. Grants are available for Matching/challenge Funding, Program Funding, and Seed Funding. Grants are awarded to spread the Christian gospel through any means. This includes technical assistance to missionaries and missionary groups, and support for pastors, evangelists, preachers, and others who spread the Christian Gospel. Grants also support the printing and distribution of Christian literature, Bible and tracts, and audio and audio-visual communication.

The foundation's programs include Power For Living, which seeks to make as many people as possible throughout the world aware of the Biblical account and how people can get right with Christ; Executive Ministries, which focuses on turning business executives into disciples of Christ; Literature for Little Ones, which provides Christian literature and books, including the Bible to children.

The average size of its grants is 0,000. Its largest grant is -million.

C.I.O.S.

Christ Is Our Savior, Inc. (C.I.O.S.) was granted charitable status in February 1987 in Waco, Texas. C.I.O.S. provides grants for Program-related Investments/loans. An example of this is the three-year .1 million grant it awarded to Baylor University's Center For Family and Community Ministries in 2006. It funded a Center proposal that had four objectives... educating future community ministry leaders for churches... preparing these leaders through congregational field internships in the School of Social Work...producing community ministry resources and training for churches, much of which will be come from recent research within the school...and publishing a quarterly journal to be used as a resource for congregational leaders.

The average size of its grants is 5,000. Its largest grant is Million.

CHATLOS FOUNDATION INC

The foundation was granted charitable status in February 1955 in Longwood, Florida.

Its purpose is to proclaim the glory of God by funding nonprofit organizations in the US and around the globe.

Grants are available for Building Funds, Equipment, Operating Funds, Land Acquisition, Matching/challenge Funding, Program Funding, Publication Funding, and Technical Support. The foundation's funding interests include Bible Colleges & Seminaries, Religious Causes, Liberal Arts Colleges, Medical Issues, and Social Issues.

The foundation's average grant size falls between ,000 and ,000. Its largest grant is 0,000.

THE CROWELL TRUST

The Crowell Trust was granted charitable status in August 1941 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Grants are available for Building Funds, Equipment, Operating Funds, Matching/challenge Funding, Program Funding, Scholarships. The foundation's funding interests include Christian Organizations & Churches, Missions, Religion, Theological Education, and Youth Ministries.

The foundation's mission is to provide grants that teach and actively help spread Evangelical Christianity. Its grants promote Evangelism and Discipleship, International Cross-cultural Missions, International Church Planting, US-focused Missions, Christian Higher Education, and Christian Leadership Development.

The average size of the foundation's grants is ,000. Its largest grant is 0,000.

TYNDALE HOUSE FOUNDATION

The foundation was granted charitable status in December 1966 in Carol Stream, Illinois.

Its purpose is to minister to the needs of the people through grants to Christian charities. Its charitable fund supports Christian work around the world. Although the foundation is most noted for its support for Christian literature projects, including new translations of the Bible in languages throughout the world, it also supports Christian Higher Education, Evangelism, Disaster Relief, and Social Services in the United States and abroad.

Grants are available for Conferences & Seminars, Operating Funds, Matching/challenge Funding, Program Funding, and Publication Funding. The foundation's funding interests include Christian Organizations & Churches, Human Services, Language & Linguistics, Literature, Protestant Organizations & Churches, and Religion.

The foundation's average grant size is ,000. Its largest ever grant is 0,000.

HUSTON FOUNDATION

The foundation was granted charitable status in August 1959 in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

The foundation's grants support health, social, and human services, arts and culture, Christian organizations, education, and public policy. Grants are available for Annual Campaigns, Building Funds, Emergency Funds, Equipment, Operating Funds, Matching/challenge Funding, Program Funding, Research Funding, Seed Funding, and Technical Support.

The primary purpose of the foundation is to fund ministries that have a strong Protestant, Christ-centered, Biblical-based foundation. This includes ministries that have an effective prayer and a unique calling by the Holy Spirit to promote evangelism and discipleship around the world. Nationally it focuses on secular issues, including humanitarian needs. It also seeks to encourage problem solving and innovative, practical approaches to meeting the changing needs of our regional, national, and international communities.

The average size of the foundation's grants is ,000. Its largest grant is 0,000.

A previous article also discussed the National Christian Foundation, the Maclellan Trust, and the Harry J. Lloyd Foundation. Combined these are the best foundations as of 2010 for Christian Ministries and churches.

The BEST Foundations For Christian Ministries and Churches
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Jeffrey J. Rodman is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a Certified Grants Specialist (CGS). He is an experienced grantwriter, fundraiser, and nonprofit executive, who operates Here-4-You Christian Grant Consulting and Church Grant Writing providing consultation for grant writing to Christian ministries and Churches worldwide. Jeffrey received his BS and his M.Ed. from George Mason University.

Jeffrey supervises a team of writers, researchers, editors, and administrative staff in providing consultation for grant proposal writing, nonprofit development, and fundraising in almost every state and a dozen foreign countries and has worked on proposals to Federal, State, and Local government as well as to Foundations, Civic groups, and many others. He has written 100's proposals, secured millions of dollars in funding, and maintains a funding rate of nearly 80%.

Here-4-You Christian Grant Consulting
Jeffrey J. Rodman, CFRE, CGS, M.Ed.
President & CEO
Website: http://www.npfunds.com
Blog: http://npfunds.com/blog
Phone: 1-866-HERE-4-U-1

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The Characteristics of Good Leadership

Introduction

Some leaderships have been characterized as good and have been used as challenges for others to emulate. This description however raises an obvious question: upon what criteria were these leadership characterized as good? It is certain that some leaders, whose leadership does not fall within this category, have good qualities that others can emulate. For this reason it is important not only to know that a leadership has been characterized as good but also to know the characteristics that qualifies it as good. According to Anthony D'souza, leadership involves an inter-relationship between three elements:

(a) The quality skills and needs of the followers
(b) The need and expectations of the group
(c) The demands or requirements of the situation.1

The Characteristics of Good Leadership

It can be observed from what D'souza has said that the first element deals with the personality of the leader; the second, his followers and the third, the task to be accomplished.

On the basis of what has been said the characteristics of good leadership will be identified under the following headings:-

(a) The personal characteristics of the leader
(b) The characteristics of the followers
(c) The leader's task or mission. Selected leaders in the Bible, whose leaderships

have been classified as good will form the basis of this presentation.

(a) The Personal Characteristics of the Leader

It can be observed from scriptures that God was very selective in choosing leaders for specific tasks. God specifically chose Nehemiah to spearhead the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall; Moses to bring the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt; Paul, to pioneer missionary work to the Gentiles and David, whose kinship would have a lasting dynasty, to replace Saul. These men certainly had qualities that were essential for good leadership. God recognized these qualities in them as potentials when He chose them.

In this section some of the qualities of leaders mentioned above will be discussed in a more general way. The goal is to show that it has been recognized that the good personal qualities of leaders, when applied to leadership are characteristics of good leadership.

Nehemiah

In reflecting on the book of Nehemiah, John White said that "the book of Nehemiah serves primarily to unfold for us part of God's on-going plan for his people. But always it is the man, his character and his leadership that holds my interest".2 Two important things stand out from John White's evaluative statement about Nehemiah's leadership that are characteristic of good leadership. The first is the character and conduct of Nehemiah himself as a leader and the second, is his leadership ability. White further commended that probably one of the reasons why Nehemiah was chosen as a cupbearer was because of a well-trained personal quality like that of a stable character. Such well-trained stable character was not just the effort of Nehemiah alone. This can be seen in the following statement - "God used Nehemiah's active prayer life to mold him into a godly leader".3 As a godly leader, Nehemiah was dependent upon God from whom he received his personal support and encouragement, which motivated him enough to succeed. Nehemiah achieved his ministry goal and his leadership has been characterized as good. His good character and conduct and his demonstration of leadership abilities were personal characteristics of his leadership, which made him succeed.

Moses

Moses' childhood training as an adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter was tailored towards leadership. The incidence, which led to his escape from Egypt, revealed that he recognized his leadership qualities before God called him to leadership. However, it took 40 years from the time of his escape from Egypt, before God called him to leadership. Joyce Peel observed that Moses learns how to be a shepherd. Long years of looking after sheep taught him the patience he was to need as leader of the cantankerous children of Israel.4 This observation by Joyce Peel shows that the personal quality of patience in Moses' life was a characteristic of his good leadership. This quality was made evident in the life of Moses through the great challenges he faced as a leader over Israel. One example was when he came down from Mount Sinai and found the people worshiping the golden calf. He smashed the tablet inscribed with God's commandment, and, with a rousing cry, 'who is on the Lord's side?', summons the faithful Levites to a massacre.5 The next day he reproaches the people and then brokenhearted, goes back up the mountain to plead for their forgiveness.6

Patience was not the only personal quality that Moses had. But it has been used to show that good personal qualities, when applied to leadership, bring about positive results. Therefore, good personal qualities are characteristics of good leadership.

Paul

Paul made great achievements in the ministry God called him to. Achievements should however be seen as pointers to personal abilities or qualities that a leader has that made him to succeed. What then were those qualities in Paul that made him to succeed? First it would be important to look at some of the achievements that Paul made. He made remarkable impact in his missionary work and also in his writing. John Stott observed that thirteen letters ascribed to Paul in our New Testament form almost exactly one quarter of the whole New Testament. It was the rediscovery of the theology of Paul which led to the reformation of the sixteenth century, that theological revolution which prompted an upheaval within the Roman Catholic Church and led to the birth of all the present day Protestant Churches.7 Paul's educational background gave him this advantage. It should not go unnoticed that this great apostle used all that he had personally achieved in his formative years in his leadership role. Making use of his personal qualities in bringing about positive results in his leadership was a characteristic of Paul's good leadership.

David

According to Ted W. Engstrom, David the second king of Israel was a striking contrast to Saul, the first king.8 This was because of his noble, generous and admirable qualities he demonstrated in his leadership. This comparison indicates that David's leadership was not only better than Saul's but his leadership can be characterized as good. John C. Maxwell also compared the two leaders. In answer to a question, which he posed - 'Why did Saul fail as Israel's king while David, who appeared to be weaker succeed?' he said that it was because of David's attitude. Unlike Saul, David tried to become a better leader.9 It is clear from these two authors that David's personal qualities, especially that of his attitude to always be a better leader were characteristics of his good leadership. Having the qualification or qualities is one thing, but applying them in one's leadership role is quite another. David applied his leadership qualities in leading and made an impact as a leader.

The Characteristics of the Followers

Some of the characteristics of good leadership can be identified with the followers. Before identifying these characteristics, it would be helpful to examine some definitions of leadership, to be reminded of the relationship between leaders and followers. According to Oswald Sanders, leadership is influence. It is the ability of one person to influence others to follow his or her lead. Ted W. Enngstrom defines leadership with just two words - 'leaders lead'. Myron Rush also gave a definition of leadership and his definition of leadership as 'leader reproducing himself on the followers'. These definitions point to the relationship between leaders and followers but most significantly, what they considered to be the goal of the relationship. Oswald Sanders and Engstrom focus on the aspect of following. This focus identifies one of the characteristics of a good leadership - willing followers. If one gives consideration to D'souza's point cited in the introduction, that one of the elements of leadership is 'the needs and expectations of the group', it follows that one reason why people will willingly follow their leader is because their needs and expectations are met. Another characteristic can be identified from Myron Rush's definition - making leader out of followers, there is a guarantee of the continuity of that ministry. The four leaders, Nehemiah, Moses, Paul and David, whose leaderships have been classified as good, will now be used as test case to identify the two characteristics.

Nehemiah

When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem from Susa, he first personally assessed the situation of Jerusalem's destruction. Afterwards he called the people and shared his vision. The Bible stated that the people responded to Nehemiah (see Neh. 2:8). This shows clearly that from the start of his mission Nehemiah had willing followers. They were willing to follow because they realize that the vision was good and that some of their needs as a community will be met. Maxwell noted that the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt because of Nehemiah's ability to work with people and lead them where they need to go.10 This shows that Nehemiah had willing followers.

In addition Nehemiah gave recognition to subordinate leaders as he delegated responsibilities to them. This, as he said, opens the leadership potentials for others.11 Therefore one can rightly say that Nehemiah not only had willing followers but also leaders were reproduced under his ministry.

Moses

When Moses returned to Egypt to set the Israelites free, they were at first excited. But when Moses made their situation worse they were no longer excited about freedom. However, by the end of the ninth plague they had realized that Moses was God's servant sent to deliver them. They followed Moses' instructions in observing the Passover and then willingly followed him as he led them out of Egypt.

There is also scriptural evidence that leaders were produced under Moses' leadership. One example is that of Joshua, who replaced him. Joshua who had been the personal assistant of Moses was mentored by Moses to become a leader. Moses' leadership therefore had the characteristics of willing followers and that of reproducing leaders.

Paul

Even when he was "Paul the aged", he remained the model and leader of a group of dynamic young men. The affection he kindled in his followers' heart was mirrored in the tears that flowed when he told them they would see him no more (Acts 20: 36-38).12 Sanders revealed in the passage cited above that the apostle Paul's leadership had the characteristics of willing followers. His ministry had great impact in the lives of many, who were also not willing to exchange his leadership for another.

Like the Lord Jesus, Paul invested his life on a few people because he expected much from them. These were the people he took on his missionary journeys. Two of the people, Timothy and Titus became leaders of local Churches. Therefore, like Moses, Paul's leadership had the characteristics of willing followers and that of producing leaders.

David

David rose to fame when he killed Goliath, the Philistine giant. Eugene H. Merrill, commenting on David's victory reserved that with his rising popularity among the people came a deterioration of his relationship with Saul, for the king became insanely jealous of Israel's new hero.13 It is obvious that David had a large following. People followed him because of the potential they saw in him. They recognized him as a great leader, even before official recognition was given to him.

David ruled Israel for approximately 40 years and by the time he was stepping down as king, Solomon, his son had already been groomed for that position. So, like Nehemiah, Moses and Paul, David's leadership was characterized by willing followers and the producing of leaders.

(c) The leader's task or commission

It can be observed from scripture that God always give a specific task or mission to every person he calls to leadership. Some of the characteristics of good leadership can be identified in the way the leaders set out to accomplish their task or mission. There are two things that are of primary importance to how a leader accomplishes his task. These are his vision and his style of leadership. A leader's vision and style of leadership can be characteristics of both good and bad leadership. However, in this section the purpose is to shoe how these two characteristics can be characteristics of good leadership.

According to John Haggai, a vision is important because it is a key factor in successful leadership.14 A leader can have a good vision and yet his vision does not contribute in any way to make his leadership good. Haggai points out what a leader needs to do to make his vision a contributing characteristic to good leadership. First, he says that both leaders and followers must grasp the vision. It is the leader's responsibility to help the followers understand the vision and accept it. Second, both leader and followers must commit themselves to act on the vision. This action involves designing a goal program to fulfill the vision. In this way both the leader and followers are prepared to face difficulties and eliminate obstacles. It is in this way that a vision can be a characteristic of good leadership.15

The other aspects mentioned that can be a characteristic of a good leadership is the style of leadership. Leadership styles have been given different classification by authors. Anthony D'souza classified leadership styles in a continuum in which one end is described as task-oriented and the other as relationship-oriented.16 Myron Rush also agreed with D'souza that leadership styles can be seen in a continuum, but he used different descriptive terms for the different styles within the continuum.17 The four styles used within Rush's continuum are: dictatorial, authoritative, consultative and participative. These authors argument about styles was not to point out the best but rather to show the importance of all of them. The point that they were making was that a good leadership had the characteristics of the different leadership styles. The leader must be flexible to the changing situations. When he is able to adjust his leadership styles to changing situations, then his leadership styles... become characteristics of good leadership. Myron Rush gave examples of situations where particular leadership styles are appropriate. He said, dictatorial leadership style is appropriate in an emergency or when people's lives, are at stake; consultative style in conducting on-going planning for the department or organization; authoritative style when employees constantly misuse authority and participative style as people become competent in performing their routine responsibilities.18

The four leaders mentioned in this paper, whose leaderships have been classified as good, will now be used as test cases to determine whether the points mentioned here are characteristics of their leaderships.

Nehemiah

Joyce Peel, commenting on Nehemiah's task of building the walls of Jerusalem said that a dispirited nation needs an inspired leader who can unite and galvanize his people into action. Such a man was Nehemiah.19 These words not only revealed that Nehemiah had a clear vision of his task but also was able to make his followers understand the vision and commit themselves to act on it. This was just one reason why they were able to rebuild the walls in fifty-two days. Many Jews lamented over the ruins of Jerusalem city wall, but it took the vision of one man, who united the people and gave them hope to change the situation. Engstrom also pointed to the fact that the people caught Nehemiah's vision and acted upon it, when he noted: "One has only to read the Book of Nehemiah to discover the importance of people at work. The leaders in building the temple and city walls never lost sight of the total goal and overall picture. They were able to keep this focus by using all the people as well as experts who were trained to do specific work".20 Nehemiah's leadership had the characteristic of a clear vision which was actively pursued by himself and his followers.

It can be observed from the book of Nehemiah, that Nehemiah used the consultative style of leadership when he got to Jerusalem to begin the work. However in the last few chapters of the book, when things were going wrong, his style of leadership changed to an authoritative one. Therefore it can be said that Nehemiah's leadership had the characteristics of a vision and a changing style of leadership.

Moses

Moses has a clear vision when he returned to Egypt to lead the children of Israel out of bondage. The Israelites wanted to be free, but they doubted the possibility of Moses setting them free. However, when they became certain that Moses was God's servant who will set them free from bondage, they obeyed his instructions and later walked out of Egypt following him.

The biblical records also show that Moses varied his leadership styles. Before Jethro came to visit him, he carried a heavy load of work all by himself. Myron Rush pointed out that it was an authoritative style of leadership because Moses had to make every decision.21 After his encounter with Jethro his style of leadership changed to more of a consultative one.

Paul

Paul's vision was not only clear to him but also to his followers. Since his Damascus road experience, he knew he has been called by God to be a missionary.

Sanders observed that Paul was a missionary trail-blazer, leaving behind him a string of new Churches. It is a significant face that the greatest missionary advances of the last fifty years have followed the rediscovery or re-emphasis of Paul's missionary principles.22 It is because Paul's vision and principle of accomplishing that vision was so clear that long after he has gone people still followed his steps.

It can also be seen from the Acts narrative that Paul varied his leadership styles. For example, in the contention between himself and Barnabas over John Mark, Paul displayed an authoritative style of leadership. Most times he is also authoritative when dealing with issues in the Church. At other times he demonstrated a consultative style of leadership - in the issue that lead to the Jerusalem council. It can be seen that Paul's leadership was characteristic of a clear vision and changing leadership styles.

David

Two things are very clear in scripture about David. The first is his vision for Israel and the second his vision for God. David was a king of war and he led his army in battle against Israel's enemies and took the land God gave to them. He also lived his life in devotion to God. He had a vision to build a dwelling place for the Lord. Although God denied him this privilege, he made great preparations for this temple, which was later built by his son Solomon.

It is evident in scripture that David changed his leadership styles in accordance with changing situations. He displayed an authoritative leadership style when he led his men in battle. For example in the situation when Nabal refused to reward him and his men with food supply for protecting his servants and sheep in the fields. At other times he demonstrated a consultative style of leadership. When the biblical records are examined, one could clearly see that David's leadership show characteristics of a clear vision and a changing style of leadership.

Conclusion

In this article some of the characteristics of good leadership have been identified. This was done under the following headings: (a) the personal characteristics of the leader, the characteristics of the followers and the leader's task or commission. These divisions were based on the findings of Anthony D'souza, which revealed that leadership involves an inter-relationship between three elements - the leader, the followers and the task to be accomplished. Six characteristics of good leadership were identified and they are as follows:

a) The personal qualities of the leader, which give him his leadership ability.
b) The leaders conduct or character which is formed by the godly life he is living.
c) The willingness of the people to follow without coercing.
d) The reproducing of leaders from the followers.
e) The clear vision of the leader, which eventually becomes the people's vision and

focus in the ministry.
f) The variations in the style of leadership to meet different leadership situations.

Six leaders, whose leaderships have been characterized as good, were used as test cases to see whether the qualities mentioned can be found in their leadership. It was proved that these characteristics were evident in each of their leadership. There are many more qualification of good leadership, but it is primary importance to have a balance in the three major areas identified. An individual can have all the good qualities of leadership and yet his leadership may not be good because of his style of leadership. Also, the people may not follow the leader because his vision is not clear to them. Good leadership does not only depend on the leader or on the follower or the style of leadership but on all three of these qualities. When there is a balance in these three areas, leadership becomes exceptional and that was the kind of leadership Nehemiah, Moses, Paul and David portrayed.

END NOTES

1. Anthony D'souze, Being A Leader (Achimota: African Christian Press, 1990),

p 25.

2. John White, Excellence In Leadership: the Pattern of Nehemiah (Leicester:

Intervarsity Press, 1986), p 10-11.

3. Ibid, p 14.

4. Joyce Peel, A Journey Through The Old Testament: The Story of God's

Relationship With Man Woman and the World (Oxford: The Bible Reading

Fellowship, 1993), p 35.

5. Ibid, p 41.

6. Ibid. p 41.

7. John Stott, Men With A Message: An Introduction To New Testament And Its

Writers (Suffolk: Evangelical Literature Trust, 1996), P 86.

8. Ted W. Engstrom, The Making of A Christian Leader (Michigan: Zondervan

Publishing House, 1976), p 30.

9. John C Maxwell, The 21 Most Powerful Minutes In A Leader's Day; Revitalize Your

Spirit an Empower Your Leadership (Nashville: Thomas Nelson's Publisher, 2000), p 4.

10. John C Maxwell, The 21 Most Powerful Minutes In A Leader's Day: Revitalize Your

Spirit and Empower Your Leadership (Nashville: Thomas Nelsons Publishers, 2000),

P 68.

11. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), p 166.

12. Oswald Sanders, Paul the Leader: A Vision For Christian Leadership Today (Glasgow:

Kingsway Publication Ltd., 1983), p 42.

13. Eugene H Merrill, I Samuel: The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Colorado: Chariot

Victor Publishing, 1985), p 449.

14. John Haggai, Lead On! Leadership That Endures In A Changing World (London: Word

Publishing, 1986), p 16.

15. Ibid. p 17.

16. Anthony D'souza, Being A Leader (Achimota: African Christian Press, 1990), p 36

17. Myron Rush; Management: A Biblical Perspective (Illinois: Victor Books, 1996), p 219.

18. Myron Rush, Management: A Biblical Approach (Illinios: Victor Books, 1983), p 226.

19. Joyce Peel, Journey Through the Old Testament: The Story of God's Relationship with

Man. Woman and the World (oxford: The Bible Reading Fellowship, 1993), p 141.

20. Ted W Engstrom, The Making of A Christian Leader: How To Develop Management

And Human Relations Skills (Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), p

21. Myron Rush, Management: A Biblical Perspective (Illinois: Victor Books, 1976), p 220.

22. Oswald Sanders, Paul: A Vision For Christian Leadership Today (Glasgow: Kingsway

Publication Ltd, 1983), p 967.

END NOTE

1. Anthony D'souza, Being A Leader (Achimota: African Christian Press, 1990),

p 25.
2. John White, Excellence In Leadership: the Pattern of Nehemiah (Leicester:

Intervarsity Press, 1986), p 10-11.
3. Ibid. p 14.
4. Joyce Peel, A Journey Through The Old Testament: The Story of God's

Relationship With Man Woman and the World (Oxford: The Bible Reading

Fellowship, 1993), p 35.

The Characteristics of Good Leadership
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Dr. Leopold A. Foullah is currently Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Mount Aureol, Freetown. He is also the General Superintendent of the Missionary Church of Africa, Sierra Leone Conference. He holds the following academic qualifications: Dip.Th., B.Th., M.Div., M.Th. and Ph.D (Leeds University, England). He is interested in Biblical Theology and Social Issues. He is External Examiner for both The Evangelical College of Theology (TECT), Jui and the Sierra Leone Theological College & Church Training Centre in Freetown. He is married with three children.

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How Much Should I Charge For My Commercial Cleaning Services?

You've bought all your cleaning supplies and equipment, told everyone you know that you have started a cleaning business and now you are ready to start bidding on jobs and getting down to work. So your next step is to meet with potential clients and put together a bid for their cleaning services. But how do you know what to charge for cleaning your potential client's building?

Start off by remembering that you are in business to make a profit and earn a living. Sometimes the tendency is to price our services low in order to get our foot in the door. Pricing your services too low may mean you will end up working for very little per hour. And more importantly, will have little left over to reinvest in the growth of your company. There are cleaning companies that charge more than others and have all the work they can handle and there are companies that have lower fees yet are struggling to find work! Don't sell yourself short or you will not be able to earn a living off your cleaning business.

The rates for commercial cleaning vary widely depending upon the area you live. Hourly rates are anywhere from to per hour depending on the type of services that you provide, whether or not you're doing the work yourself, and your company's overhead and expenses. Monthly square footage rates could run anywhere from $.05 to $.20 per square foot depending on the type of building you are cleaning and the frequency of cleaning. You'll be able to bid a higher square footage price for medical facilities versus office buildings due to more specialized cleaning needs. You'll likely bid a lower square footage price for large buildings versus small buildings. For example, you may bid $.08 per square foot for a 50,000 square foot building versus $.12 per square foot for an 8,000 square foot building.

How Much Should I Charge For My Commercial Cleaning Services?

You will most likely be charging your customers a monthly price and you will need to figure that price by estimating how long it will take to perform the services that your client has requested. The more productive you or your employees are, the higher the hourly production rate. If you're able to clean 3,500 square feet per hour, your profit will be higher than if you're only able to clean 2,500 square feet per hour, so adjust your price accordingly.

It's also a good idea to find out what the "going rates" are in your area. A few phone calls to competitors may be necessary to get an idea of the basic charges in your area. Use a script when you call so you can compare apples to apples. So what do you say when you call? Try something like, "Hi, I have a small business office that I would like cleaned once a week. It is 3000 square feet and has two small restrooms. Can you give me a rough estimate of what you what you charge per month?" The person may or may not give you an estimate. Most contractors will insist on walking through the building, but it is worth a few phone calls so you have a ballpark figure on what cleaning companies in the area are charging.

To estimate what you should charge for cleaning a building, start by doing a walk-through with the building owner or manager. Keep track of the following:

* Frequency of cleaning (once a week, three times a week, five times a week). If frequency is one or two times per week, it's best to estimate your time and multiply by your hourly rate. If cleaning 3 or more times per week you can estimate your time by the square foot.

* Overall square feet

* Types of floor surfaces and square footage of each (carpet, vinyl flooring, ceramic tile)

* Types of rooms - general office, break room, restrooms. Also note the number of toilets/stalls and fixtures in each restroom, as well as the types of restroom supplies used.

* Any special considerations - heavy traffic areas, elevators, unusual requests, etc.

* Make note of the specific services the client is seeking such as emptying trash, dusting, restroom cleaning, mopping and vacuuming.

The following services are specialized services and you should bid them separately, and list a per-service charge on your bid:

* Stripping and Waxing (.25¢ - .50¢ per square foot)

* Buffing/Burnishing (.03¢ - .07¢ per square foot)

* Machine Cleaning of Ceramic Tile floors (.12¢ - .21¢ per square foot)

* Carpet Cleaning (.12¢ - .25¢ per square foot)

* Carpet Spotting ( - per hour)

* Cleaning appliances (microwave, refrigerator) - - per appliance

* Window Washing (.00 - .00 per pane)

Make sure you take enough notes so you can put together a realistic price that is fair to the client and one in which you will make a profit. After your first meeting with the client, go back to your office look through your notes and decide what it will cost you to clean the building. You may have to consult a production cleaning rate chart to determine how long it will take you and your staff to clean the building. Once you have an idea of how long it will take to clean the building you can put your cost estimate together:

* Estimate the time it will take by using a production cleaning rate chart or calculator.

* Determine your labor cost for cleaning the building one time.

* Determine your monthly labor cost to clean the building.

* Estimate a monthly cost for supplies. This will be a fairly low figure, perhaps 1 or 2% of monthly sales.

* Be sure to add in a profit margin!

Add up the figures and you will come up with your monthly cost. If you have access to a bidding calculator you will be able to put in a series of numbers and come up with a price. A bidding calculator will also show what profit you can expect to make. It is also advisable to add a first time cleaning charge. This is usually an hourly rate of perhaps - an hour. The first time you go through a building it will take longer and you may find the previous cleaning service may have left dirt in cracks and crevices that you will have to clean the first time through.

Once you have your price established, put your bid packet together. Your bid packet should specify what you are responsible for and what the client is responsible for (buying their own trash can liners, restrooms supplies, etc.). It should also include the monthly charge for cleaning services, how long the agreement is for, and the procedure to cancel the contract if either party is unhappy.

It is important to learn how to price your cleaning services so your customers know you are providing a professional service at a realistic price and so that you make a profit. After all, if you do not make a profit you won't stay in business very long!

Copyright (c) 2006 The Janitorial Store

How Much Should I Charge For My Commercial Cleaning Services?
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Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community that offers weekly tips, articles, downloads, discussion forums, and more for anyone who would like to learn how to start a cleaning business. Visit The Janitorial Store's blog and get inspired by reading cleaning success stories from owners of cleaning companies.

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Cost Of Publishing a Book - Evaluating the Costs Associated With Book Publishing

Many aspiring authors don't understand the real cost of publishing a book. Most people think you can just write your novel, get someone to edit it for a few dollars, and get it published through a self-publishing company. The truth is that there are many other costs associated with book publishing that you need to calculate if you want to have a successful launch.

In today's digital age, there are many new ways to promote your products. The first cost associated with printing your own book is the time associated with writing the book. How much time do you want to spend writing everything? What is your opportunity cost? If you write a book and have a business, will your business lose money while you are away writing it? Do you have time to write your book? It is very difficult to write this when you are working 60 hours a week and have young children at home. Don't neglect your family time while you are writing your book. When you are determining the cost of publishing a book, you will need to calculate the costs of designing a front cover for your new book. Most authors are not graphic designers, so this is a cost that you should calculate in your publishing expenses. They say that you should never judge a book by its cover, but the truth is that people will judge it by the cover. The front cover is the first impression people get when they see your book. A great front cover could increase sales of your book. A bad cover implies your book is cheap or not worth reading.

The upfront cost of publishing a book is also influenced by many smaller factors. You should definitely pay a professional editor to review your book. No one is going to take your book seriously if there are lots of spelling and grammar errors in your work. Good editors are going to cost you money, but a great editor is worth every penny.

Cost Of Publishing a Book - Evaluating the Costs Associated With Book Publishing

The cost of publishing a book is often underestimated when it comes to marketing. You should spend a lot of time and money in marketing your book. Do not assume people are just going to buy it. If you are not someone who is already well known, you need to consider spending money on advertising costs.

There are many ways to advertise your book. If you are writing a Christian book, you could publish it through a Christian self-publishing company. Self-publishing companies have the expertise to advertise your book in places where you can get the most exposure. They can advertise it on various online websites, and they have the clout to get your book in traditional bookstores too. You could advertise your work on various online niche forums that are related to your book. If you have written a novel, there are various websites where you can share your novel with other readers. Most people never sell many copies of their book because they don't understand the power of advertising. The largest cost of publishing a book should be your advertising and marketing expenses.

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Funeral Poem to Remember Deceased Loved Ones

How can an inspiring funeral poem help bring peace of mind and heart after a sudden death or loss of a loved one? Many people are very concerned with the fate and destiny of the deceased loved one. Often, fears arise about what happens after death and what may happen to our loved one. Is she safe? Is he happy? Will we ever meet or see or be with each other again?

Christians believe in eternal life with God. That belief is based upon an earthly life united with Jesus Christ which does not end when the body dies. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead destroyed death and opened the door to heaven for His followers. Even though a physical body dies, those who believe in Jesus have a strong conviction of hope that God will bring a dead person into a new existence of love and peace. Using a funeral poem to recall that a person is at home with God brings comfort when a loved one dies.

Funeral services offer a family and friends the chance to gather together in mutual support after the death of a loved one. Often, in the funeral parlor of a funeral home, the remains of a physical body of a loved one is present. Many families choose to use a casket to carry the body of their deceased loved one. Others choose a direct cremation option. Some Christians desire burial of the ashes, or placement in a mausoleum which honors the physical body and respects that one day it will be made new. Depending on the condition of the departed body, face-to-face mourning during a visitation is a positive step.

Funeral Poem to Remember Deceased Loved Ones

Memorial poems written by friends or families can help work through the grieving process. Funeral homes and churches may have stock poems that you can use to remember a deceased loved one. Religious good stores and websites offer comforting funeral memorial poems about life and death, and life after death. A family funeral can distribute and use these cards as part of the funeral service, as a reminder of the deceased loved one, or a small remembrance area at home.

Making funeral arrangements is often a difficult task. You are missing the presence of a loved one and the shock, grief and loss can be overwhelming. There are many decisions to make at the time of the funeral, including the religious services, the burial, the wake, contacting family and friends, writing and publishing an obituary, and many other details.

Long after the funeral flowers have faded and the services are over, the grieving process will continue. It is during those times that the help of community through a support group, church, friends and neighbors will be important. Family and friends can make a big difference sharing stories of a departed loved one's life. Tell different episodes that were funny, touching moments and special times when you felt very close and connected. Keeping a treasury of inspirational memorial poems is soothing.

Death does not end the connection with deceased loved ones; it merely changes how you connect through love, faith and hope. An inspirational funeral poem can help ease the pain of loss and eventually bring joy by remembering there is a connection with your deceased loved ones.

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Top 20 Neil Diamond Hits

Brooklyn born Neil Leslie Diamond began his singing career with the folk group, The Roadrunners, between 1954 and 1956. While a senior at NYU, studying medicine, Diamond was offered a songwriting position, by a publishing company, for fifty dollars a week.

In 1962, Neil Diamond signed a recording contract with Columbia Records, but failed to produce any hits. So, it was back to songwriting for Diamond, whose first success came when Jay and the Americans recorded his song "Sunday And Me." They went Top 20 on the Billboard charts with it.

Other artists who recorded Neil Diamond compositions include: Elvis Presley, Mark Lindsay (of Paul Revere and the Raiders fame), Lulu, and Deep Purple. He also wrote for The Monkees TV show. Even though "I'm A Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" were recorded by The Monkees, these songs were written by Diamond to record himself.

Top 20 Neil Diamond Hits

Diamond signed with Bang Records in 1966 and his first single, "Solitary Man" didn't break into the Top 40. However, it was released again in 1970 and went to #21 on the weekly charts. His next single, "Cherry Cherry" gave Diamond his first hit and he managed to have a Top 40 hit every year between 1966-1983.

Ironically, Diamond's biggest hit of all time is a duet with another Brooklyn native, Barbra Streisand. Both had recorded Diamond's composition of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" on separate albums. Two Detroit deejays, Jack Hood and Gene Krusewski, noticed the similarities in the recordings and mixed the two versions. The song's popularity sparked Diamond and Streisand to go into the studio and record it together.

Here's a look at Neil Diamond's twenty biggest hits, according to Billboard's weekly Top 40 charts.

1. You Don't Bring Me Flowers - 1978 - labeled as Barbra and Neil. In their early years, Diamond and Streisand sang in a school choir together.
2. Cracklin' Rosie - 1970 - written about a Canadian whiskey and it was Neil's first number one single.
3. Song Sung Blue - 1972 - one of three number one singles for him.
4. Love On The Rocks - 1981 - one of three singles from the film "The Jazz Singer" starring Diamond.
5. Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) - 1969 - Diamond says it took him an hour to write this song, inspired when he saw a picture of Caroline Kennedy on the cover of Life magazine.
6. I Am...I Said - 1971
7. Heartlight - 1982 - inspired by the 1982 film "ET - The Extraterrestrial."
8. Longfellow Serenade - 1974 - from the "Serenade" album.
9. Holly Holy - 1969
10. Hello Again - 1981 - also from "The Jazz Singer."
11. Cherry, Cherry - 1966 - his first Top 10 single. A live version of this song from the "Hot August Night" album was released as a single and managed to reach #31 on the weekly charts.
12. America - 1981 - the third Top 10 single from "The Jazz Singer."
13. Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon - 1967
14. Yesterday's Songs - 1982
15. If You Know What I Mean - 1976
16. Play Me - 1972
17. I Thank The Lord For The Night Time - 1967 - legendary songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich can be heard singing backups on this tune.
18. Stones - 1971
19. Desiree - 1978
20. I Got The Feelin' (Oh No No) - 1966 - a song also covered by Cliff Richard.

Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand had plans for a movie version of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", but Diamond made the remake of the Al Jolson classic "The Jazz Singer" in 1980, for which Diamond composed the music. Neil Diamond continues to tour and record, including his third album of holiday music, "A Cherry Cherry Christmas", which was released in 2009. In September 2010, Diamond was nominated for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Top 20 Neil Diamond Hits
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