Croft Pentz Will Be Missed

This space has been reserved so often for "Zingers" by Croft
Pentz.

Croft Pentz passed on to his eternal reward on July 2, 2008.

Here is a portion of his obituary. He will be missed.

Rev. Croft M. Pentz, 77, of 13394 Meadow View Ave., Waynesboro,
PA, died at 10:55 P.M., Wednesday, July 2, 2008, in the Hershey
Medical Center, Hershey, PA. His death was unexpected and
attributed to natural causes.

Rev. Pentz began his ministry in Little Rock, AR, in August 1952.
He served as a minister to the deaf for 44 years (1952-1996). He
established The Calvary Chapel of the Deaf in Elizabeth, NJ, in
1954 and served as Pastor for 42 years. From 1996-2007 he served
as Pastor of the Senior Adults/Outreach of the Calvary Assemblies
of God, Waynesboro, involving services to four nursing homes,
teaching an adult Sunday School class, editing Senior Adult Paper,
which was published six times annually. While in Waynesboro, he
also assisted various local organizations in providing sign
language services for the hearing impaired.

He was also an accomplished author, having authored 30 sermon
outlines, several of which are still in print. He compiled two
books of quotes, The Complete Book of Zingers and 1001 Things Your
Mother Told You. He also compiled two book of Christian Poetry and
authored four Christian Handbooks with over 1 million books sold
and several translated into other languages. Rev. Pentz also wrote
numerous articles for national magazines and devotionals for
devotional magazines. He prepared gospel tracts which were
published in 7 languages with over 8 million in print. He wrote a
weekly column for The Record Herald from September 1997 -
September 2000 and was presently writing a weekly column called
Healing for the Hurting for the Record Herald.

Rev. Pentz was an avid New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys fan. He
also enjoyed playing softball in various church leagues.

Zingers - 25 Easy Ways to Curb Church Growth

25 Easy Ways to Curb Church Growth

Begin your message with the phrase, "You know what's wrong with
you people..."

Begin that year-long sermon series on the 40 weeks of Daniel.

Place tire puncture strips in the parking lot for cars going the
wrong way before Sunday school.

Keep the Christmas pageant livestock in the church choir room year
'round.

If your auditorium slopes downward to the platform, give every kid
under 12 a handful of marbles before the service.

Give deacons the ability to "gong" the special music.

Place the outdoor welcome center tent a few feet from the septic
tank.

Replace the pictures of former pastors with pictures of Larry,
Moe, and Curly.

Put a blank for "weight" on the membership information forms.

In order to feel relevant, say "Dude" 15 times from the pulpit
each Sunday.

Have the organist play hockey cheers at pivotal moments of the
sermon.

Before the offertory hymn, have the worship leader scream, "Show
me the money!"

Illustrate all sermons or Sunday school lessons with scenes from
"Walker, Texas Ranger."

Charge tolls for the use of restrooms.

Today's Zingers

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. —Jim Ryun

People are always motivated for at least two reasons: the one they tell you about, and a secret one. —O. A. Battista

He that does good for God’s sake seeks neither praise nor reward; He is sure of both in the end. —William Penn

See: Proverbs 21:2; Proverbs 8:10-11; Psalms 27:4

Zingers by Croft Pentz - June 4, 2008

Forgiveness should be like burning the mortgage--it's gone and forgotten.

It is better to forgive too much than to condemn too much.

No one is ever stronger and stands higher than when he forgives.

It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.

Some forgive their enemies, but not until they are dead.

- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,1990).

Zingers by Croft Pentz - May 10, 2008

Mother's Day is when everybody waits on mother and she pretends she doesn't mind the extra
work.

It's easy to spot an overprotective mother; she's the one who controls her kids better than you
control yours.

History shows almost all the greatest workers for God had godly mothers.

There is no modern pain medicine as effective as a mother's kiss.

-- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
1990).

Zingers by Croft Pentz - April 17, 2008

Many a person who prides himself on having an open mind merely has a vacant one.

It's strange, but a big head is the sign of a small man.

The real test of a big man is his willingness to occupy a small place in a great way.

The less some people know, the more eager they are to tell you about it.

People are seldom too busy to stop and tell you how busy they are.

-- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers(Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
1990).

Zingers by Croft Pentz - April 8, 2008

Flattery is all right as long as you don't believe the one giving the flattery.

The greatest of all passions--seeking self-approval.

Status is a poor substitute for stature--a man should be able to get ahead without getting a swelled head.

People who place too much importance on their standing are generally too big for their shoes.
You don't have to be much of a musician to toot your own horn.

-- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers(Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990).

Zingers by Croft Pentz - April 4, 2008

The humble Carpenter of Nazareth was also the mighty Architect of the Universe.

No day is dark when the Son is present.

Christ was born here below that we might be born from above.

The Son of God became the Son of Man that he might change the sons of men into sons of God.

If the world doesn't hate you, you are not like Jesus.

Zingers by Croft Pentz - April 1, 2008

Some people refuse to come forward in church unless escorted by pallbearers.

If you make your church important, it is quite likely to return the favor.

Many people go to church praying that they will hear preaching that will hit someone else.

A church without a purpose is like a house without a door--it has no reason to exist.

The church is not made up of people who are better than the rest, but of people who are trying to become better than they are.

Zingers by Croft Pentz - March 28, 2008

The church is God's workhouse where his jewels are being polished for a palace.

People do not miss church services because they live too far from the church building--it is
because they live too far from God.

A caring pastor will build his church; a caring church will build its pastor.

Marks of a strong church: wet eyes, bent knees, broken hearts.

Some church members are like blotters; they soak it all up but get it backwards.

-- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers(Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
1990).

Buy the Book here

Zingers by Croft - March 13, 2008

Hope is most powerful when backed up by actions.

Faith is to believe what we do not see--the reward of faith is to see what we believe.

Faith is remembering I am God's priceless treasure when I feel utterly worthless.

When I try I fail; when I trust I succeed.

-- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers
(Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990).

Buy the Book here

Zingers by Croft - February 26, 2008

The truth of a matter is not determined by how many people believe it.

Never be diverted from the truth by what you would like to believe.

If any man seeks greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth and he will find both.

Truth is like a torch--the more it is shaken the more it shines.

If you won't admit you've been wrong, you love yourself more than truth.

-- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990).

Zingers by Croft - February 22, 2008

Happy is the one who walks so close to God that he leaves no room for the devil.

I will place no value on anything I have or may possess, save in its relation to the kingdom of God.

Some Christians who should be on the front lines are still in basic training.

Thinking well is wise, planning well is wiser, but doing well is wisest.

Christianity is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions.

Zingers by Croft Pentz - January 29, 2008

Complete honesty in little things is not a little thing at all.

If honesty isn't kind, it's the wrong kind.

There are no degrees of honesty; either you are honest or you are not.

Some people are honest only because they never had a good chance to steal anything.

An honest heart prepares one for a clear vision.

Zingers by Croft - November 27, 2007

The birth of Christ brought God to man, but it took the cross of Christ to bring man to God.

Jesus can change the foulest sinner into the finest saint.

Jesus: not a law-giver, a life-giver.

To face Christ as judge is to know him as a friend.

We may love Jesus too little, but we can never love him too much.

Zingers by Croft Pentz - November 15, 2007

Few speed records are broken when people run from temptation.

When you meet temptation, turn to the right.

Nothing makes temptation so easy as being broke.

God always tests us to bring out the best; Satan tempts us to bring out the worst.

When you feel you are free from temptation, be on your guard.

Buy the Book of Zingers by Croft Pentz Here

Zingers by Croft - November 2, 2007

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

Keeping your eye too closely on the future may obscure present opportunities.

Opportunities, like parking places, are plentiful for those who get there first.

There is no security on earth, only opportunity.

Those who look for opportunities to hate miss many opportunities to love.

Buy the Book of Zingers by Croft Pentz Here

Zingers by Croft Pentz - October 23 2007

By the time most people have made up their mind, opportunity passed them by.

A wise man makes more opportunities than he finds.

When opportunities knock, you have to get up and answer the door.

No one knows what he can do until he tries.

All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seed of today.

Buy the Book of Zingers by Croft Pentz Here

Zingers by Croft Pentz - October 18 2007

Repentance means not only a heart broken for sin but from sin.

Many people in mending their ways use very thin threads.

Repentance is not only saying, “I’m sorry.” It is also saying, “I’m through.”

Some so-called penitential crying is only hypocritical lying.

Buy the Book of Zingers by Croft Pentz Here

Zingers by Croft Pentz - October 15 2007

If God bolts the door, do not climb through the window.

No one can be caught in places he does not visit.

You are not tempted because you are evil; you are tempted because you are human.

When you meet temptation, turn to the right.

Buy the Book of Zingers by Croft Pentz Here