Michael from Oak Leaf had a post today about broken windows that triggered something in my noggin.
This actually has nothing to do with that post, but there’s a really great story from one of the biographies I have on Charles Spurgeon (I forget which one). I may slightly butcher it since the book’s in my office and I’m at home, but here goes.
Spurgeon was an incredibly gifted communicator, and it wasn’t long after he came to London (even being under 20) that the old sanctuary of the New Park Street Baptist Church was filled to capacity. Since this was long before air conditioning, and the windows of the building didn’t open, things could get pretty stuffy during their services.
Spurgeon repeatedly asked the deacons to replace the windows with some that would allow ventilation into the building, but to no avail. Then one day Spurgeon returned from his walk, smiling and carrying his long-handled walking stick, with the interesting announcement that some vandal had broken the entire top row of panes out of the windows in the sanctuary. The new windows were installed shortly after.
Problem solved.
I love that story.
