Chet Joines
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
This Scripture, found in Romans 12:11, is a worthy admonition for any Christian in daily life. But it’s not a bad principle for a salesperson to live by either. Just ask Chet Joines, our keynote speaker for the upcoming Going on Faith Conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, September 4-6. Joines is scheduled to speak on Thursday, September 5, at 8:45 a.m.
“My topic is ‘Let’s Go Selling,’” said Joines, “and in many ways, that’s what I’ve been doing for the past 50 years in 28 different countries and cultures. When I thought about my audience at the Going On Faith Conference, I came up with that text in Romans because I think it sums it up very well.
“First, we must be diligent in business. That deals with our motivation, our ethics ands standards. We need to be time-conscious, be money-conscious and be people-conscious in our business dealings.
“Secondly, we must be fervent in spirit. To me that means excitement, a Platonian philosophy, if you will. The components for selling are emotions, will and intellect.
“Thirdly, this verse references serving the Lord. That deals with life and how all life is sacred. It did not originate with us. We did not start it.”
“Chet will be a wonderful speaker for our group,” said Going On Faith Conference CEO Joe Cappuzzello. “His life experience in mission work throughout the world is truly inspirational, and he’s a very entertaining person as well. The fact that Chet has spent 20-plus years in tourism, as well, makes him absolutely ideal for our group.”
Joines grew up on a dairy farm, learned woodworking as a trade and then went to work for the Caterpillar Tractor Company. But during all that time, Joines was intent on increasing his spiritual knowledge as well and attended the York Bible Institute and Seminary in York, Pennsylvania, before earning his doctorate in religious studies at Inalta University in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Joines served as senior pastor at Calvary Bible Church near York, Pennsylvania, from 1963 to 1992. A mission-oriented Christian, he founded three international outreach programs over his career: American Technical Outreach Ministries, now known as International Partnership Ministries, which has programs in 48 countries; Inside International Inc., which now operates as Haiti Outreach Ministries Inc.; and Macedonian Ministries, the mission arm of Gettysburg Baptist Church, which has programs in Haiti, India and Indonesia.
Joines has also spent 21 years in tourism as a consultant and salesperson, so his practical knowledge of travel will also be a plus for his presentation in Lancaster. He spent five years each as the sales director for Hershey Farms Restaurant and the Historic Strasburg Inn, and is currently a sales consultant for the Best Western Premier Eden Resort Inn and Suites in Lancaster.
If you lead a travel group for a church, you can still register to attend the 2013 Going On Faith Conference September 4-6 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. For more information about the event, visit www.gofconference.com, or call Teresa Burton toll-free at 800-628-0993.
