Someone from the NTCC (no doubt a minister) had come on this blog and attempted to put me down because I previously sold new Toyota's for a living. The individual made it clear that (auto sales) is commonly understood by the NTCC to be a dishonorable profession. LD Jones told me right before service one evening that a Christian had no business selling cars because that is what I was doing at the time. Bro. Bentley told me on one occasion that NTCC ministers were not authorized to serve in any sales positions and he made it clear that RWD thought such professions to be dishonorable. RWD took a crack at car salesmen right here in Columbus during a church service and his pastors were up front laughing because they knew that I was a salesman, and I was sitting in the back. Well I'm getting ready to have the last laugh but unfortunately what I'm getting ready to write is actually not funny at all.
Lo and behold, just today, I saw an individual right here in Columbus, Georgia who I'd previously known from the NTCC. We went to church together. He was driving an older model Toyota Camry. Guess who sold it to him? The local NTCC pastor. Of course that is actually no big deal, but it is either wrong to sell cars or it's not. Not only that, the guy told me about how much he is spending on the car and he is paying his pastor approximately two times what the car is actually worth. That's right, the brother got anything but a good deal and I know because I previously sold cars for a living. Apparently the brother had to take out some kind of loan which didn't help matters. The pastor had purchased the car and he decided not to keep it according to the brother.
Let's assume the pastor paid two or three times what the car is actually worth when he bought it. If that was the case should the brother pay at least twice what the car is worth just so the pastor could get his money back? The brother that I'm talking about has virtually NO experience buying cars anyway and I know that for a fact. The dude just got his license. Let's assume the pastor paid half or one third what the brother is paying for the car. That would mean the brother is being knocked in the head. That's what it is called when a dealer makes a whole bunch of gross profit on a vehicle sale. Which ever the case the brother is not getting a good deal at all but to the contrary. Used cars have a lot of mark up above and beyond what the car is actually worth and this is especially the case on less expensive cars between $1000 and $5000. For example it is a bad deal if you pay $7000 for a car that books for $3500. For the record these figures are not what the brother paid but I just used them as examples. I stayed away from used cars for that very reason. We regularly showed folks what the book value was on vehicles that they were trading. The brother should have been able to get the car for not one dime more than half of what he said he is paying for it and actually less than half if you really look at the book value which is what I just looked at this evening. If there is any doubt in anyones mind that I know what I'm talking about, I looked in the brothers window and quite clearly saw the odometer which allowed me to pull up the book value this evening. In my book the brother got took. How did you like that rhyme?
I bought a car for less than $1000 and I sold it to a brother for "EXACTLY WHAT I PAID FOR IT". I got a great deal on it and I passed the savings to the brother. He is still driving it and has been for about 2 years. It was also an older Toyota Camry so it should last for about 10 more years at least if he takes care of it. However in this case the pastor either got a sorry deal and passed his loss on to the brother or he is simply knocking the brother in the head!!!! "ONE OR THE OTHER".
So LDJ and RWD, I don't want to hear your garbage about car salesmen because the buys that I gave my customers were a whole lot better than the one that "YOUR" pastor gave one of his church members. You guys are sorry. You NTCC ministers need to stay out of the car selling business and leave it to trained, conscientious professionals like me who happen to know and care enough to truly take care of people and especially those who are of the household of faith.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Did you forget to teach that one in your so called Bible college?
Jeff
P.S. I could give numerical specifics concerning what the brother told me he is paying, and my findings about the book value, but that is the guys private business so you'll just have to take my word for it. This whole practice of pastors selling their church members cars has stink written all over it anyway. It's just another example of the Shepard fleecing the sheep. Buy an old car and sell it to one of your church members. This isn't the first time I've heard of NTCC pastors selling their church members old used cars. LDJ and RWD just needed to keep their mouth shut about this auto sales issue and it wouldn't be an issue. Just another example of an NTCC flip flop.