Business Terms Which Can Help . . .

Classical Speech Theorist developed the concept of “topoi.” The “topoi” were “mind-generators.”

The classical theorist understood that the mind needed some methods for stimulating the thinking processes of the speaker, for GENERATING THOUGHTS!

The classical theorists were right on when it comes to public speaking.  There are ways to get the mental juices flowing when it comes to speech preparation.  Any and all public speakers can use help in “generating” ideas.

Below . . . .

√  are several examples which take a business term and apply it to a biblical passage.  The examples are designed to also get the mind thinking about how such a list can help the homiletical task.

√  is a list of business terms gathered from all different areas in the business world.  This list of business terms, slogans, concepts, phrases which may prove to be beneficial as a mind jogger.

√  is a list of a broad variety of business terms which have the potential of getting your mind thinking, generating, creating . . .

• a BigIdea
• a way to illustrate
• a way of framing a sticky main point
• a full illustration (just research the term further)
• an introduction
• a conclusion
• a way of describing or phrasing what is happening in a biblical passage (i.e. — It was a  calculated risk! which Esther & Mordecai were taking)
• a metaphor which can drive home point
• an analogy
• a word picture
• a different way of expressing an idea / saying it (variety)
• etc.

Notice that many of these “business terms” are used in our general vernacular to describe situations, actions, choices, options, etc.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Examples: 

#1)

The Business Term: — “The Bottom Line”

Meaning: After everything is taken into account, what was the profit?

BigIdea: In God’s Kingdom, the bottom line is, what have we done with Jesus!

An Example:

There is coming a day when God will look at the bottom line.  Did you call on Jesus as your Savior?  Is your name found in the Book of Life?

When all is said and done — what is the bottom line of your life?

As God examines the ledger and sees whether the bottom line says, “Called on my son as his/her Savior — if that is the bottom line – forget this or that plus or minus – that sin or that good work — there is only one entry that will matter – did you know Jesus as your personal Savior. . . .

or

BigIdea: God’s Kingdom does not use “bottom line accounting.”

An Application:

Bottom line accounting — “Bottom” describes the relative location of the net income figure on a company’s income statement.  It is at the bottom.  After you look at all the entries — positive-negative —  credits-debits  — the good and bad financial facts throughout that period — what is the final, the end, the bottom of all those details?

In God’s Kingdom, it is not losses against gains. It will not be “bottom line accounting” which lays all the negatives against all the positives. And we do not want that method because when it comes to our lives in light of the holiness of God, the negatives will always overwhelm the positives. All of us will come up short with that method.

We need to have the account of another applied to our account.

****************************

#2)

The Business Term: “Bankroll him / it”

Meaning: To lay out the necessary money or resources so that another can begin an endeavor.

BigIdea: Risk-taking, walking by faith, is easier when we know that someone is bankrolling us.

An Application: Joshua, I will be with you like I was with Moses. When the Lord put Joshua in charge, He made sure that He would have all the backing and resources necessary for the task. That is typical of the Lord. In fact, He even granted a double bankrolled Elisha. It was true with Nehemiah. Everything Nehemiah needed to rebuild Jerusalem was provided.

===============================

Other Business Terms & Meanings:

across the board – to do for all what you do for one – a pay raise across the board

at a loss – to carry out an action which knowing causes a loss

balance the books – to make sure everything adds up

ball park figure – a rough estimate, when the actual is not know

bang for the buck – to get a lot for what was invested or paid

bank on (someone or something) – you can count on him/her/it

bring it to the bank – it is certain, the bank will accept the check

sign on the dotted line – complete the transaction

sell / buy short – invest with a view hope that the investors fail

now that’s the real deal – it really is all it says it is

a deal maker – one who knows how to make it work

gone bankrupt – to fail at the endeavor

in good faith – to go about it with sincerity

===============================

Other Business Terms:

make / accept the offer

blow a deal

bottom drops/falls out of (something)

bounced a check

break even

bring (something) to the table

budget crunch/squeeze

buy a stake in (something)

buy off (someone) or buy (someone) off

buy out (someone or something) or buy

(someone or something) out

buy (something) on credit

buyer’s market

by a long shot

a calculated risk

call a loan

call a meeting to order

carry over figures/numbers/costs

carve out a niche (for a product)

circulate the agenda

close out (something) or close (something) out

close the books

close up shop

come down in price

come in high

come in low

company man

corner the market

crunch numbers

cut a deal

cut back

cut corners

cut one’s losses

deliver the goods

face value (of something)

fill the bill

give (someone) the green light

go belly up

go for broke

go public

hang out one’s shingle

a hard sell

have a stake in (something)

have one’s finger in the pie

heads will roll

in black and white

in short supply

in the black

in the long run

in the loop

in the market for (something)

in the red

in the works

ink a deal

jack up the price of (something)

jumping off the shelves

keep the books / keep book

keep track of (something)

a kickback

lay (something) on the table

lead time

line of products

liquid assets

make a cold call

make money hand over fist

maximizing profits

mean business

move a product

on credit

out of the loop

pay off

a piece of the action

plug a product

preferred customer

put one’s nose to the grindstone

put (something) on hold

pyramid scheme

red ink

saddled with debt

sell like hotcakes

sell (something) at a loss

seller’s market

slash prices

strike while the iron is hot

supply & demand

sweetheart deal

take a nosedive

take it to the bank*

take (something) at face value

take stock

throw money at (something)

turn a profit

turnover (of products, workers)

word-of-mouth advertising

work overtime

write off (a debt/loan)

 

Examples:*

(Clip by Ravi Zacharias – Let My People Think – “Releasing the Next Generation” Part 1 – @ the 8-minute point of the original message)

Ravi Zacharias, in making a simple point, calls up a business term.

You know what is fascinating about the computer age is that it is built on logic — a combination of algorithms and logic – that you this and that follows and you do that and this follows

And yet reasoning on ethics and life itself – we don’t see cause and effect connections whatsoever.

Once upon a time, you could make a statement like this, to display certainty – “You can take that to the bank.”

You want to say something was certain – in America – you said somebody, “You can take that to the bank.”

Oh, you better not say that now because you’re not sure the bank is still going to be there, or that the bank is actually is been built by your tax dollars.

We have failed to see the connection between the economic crisis of our time and the spiritual confusion that preceded it.

We have become illogical and irrational.

And young people, you are living in this kind of world — high powered and irrational.”

 

or

i.e. “Under the Old Testament law of gleaning, you were not allowed to “maximize profits.”  You had to leave the corners of the field unharvested so that the poor would have something to glean.  Even today, God’s people can fail to show compassion on the poor and only think about “maximizing profits.”   That is part of a capitalistic culture and thinking —  How can I get the most out of it, rather than, how can I do the most with it!”

 

---

---

* “You Can Take it to the Bank” — By James Merritt — Genesis 17:1-8

* Jeremy Eastwood – New Vision Baptist Church – Sermon Audio– “You Can Take It To The Bank.”