Big Is The New Small

The spiritual gift of leadership is an amazing gift to have; not only for the individual that has the gift but for the organization in which that person is leading.  Each and every one of us have had experiences with good leadership and well let’s just say not so good leadership.  Many times leaders are not always measured on their wins or successes but rather their mistakes and failures.  A leader is supposed to have wins, which often times are overlooked; however those mistakes stick out like a sore thumb.

I have had the opportunity to work in leadership for public traded corporations, politics, corrections, ministry… and I have witnessed made and witnessed many leadership mistakes.  As I look at mistakes in the the context of ministry leadership, there are four mistakes that seem to be prevalent among ministry leaders: 4 Mistakes Ministry Leaders Make

1. Blame It On Ministry- Ministry leaders will blame their unwillingness to make tough decisions on the fact that “It’s Ministry” or “I know they are not doing so and so, but we are a church.”  Yes it might be a church or a ministry role; however that’s no excuse for not holding people accountable, expecting excellence and demanding a high level of performance.  If secular leaders are expected to perofrm, shouldn’t ministry leaders be held to even a higher standard… Not only perform, but perform w/ intergrity! Don’t Blame It On Ministry!
2. Copy Cat- Often times ministry leaders try to replicate what they see popular churches, ministries or pastors doing.  Don’t get me wrong it’s important to learn from individuals to learn from what successful ministries are doing and apply those ideas, concepts, practices, systems and theories contextually to what their ministry does.  The problem with Copy Cat’s is they listen to a pastor at a conference or see something another ministry is doing and try to 100% replicate it, without understanding the history, context and DNA behind those decisions, practices or systems.  Don’t be a Copy Cat!
3. Only Learn From Within Christian/Ministry Circles-  Ministry leaders make the mistake of limiting their learning circles; they only learn from other christian leaders, christian books, other pastors, church leaders…  Ministry leaders should open up their arsenal to learn from what industry and major corporations are doing and have done.  As it relates to leveraging technology, leadership principles, HR practices, talent search, understanding the customer… industry is normally 10+ years ahead of the strategies/practices that ministries are implementing.  Industry, including the sports industry can teach ministry leaders a lot of valuable information; they must be willing to seek and learn.  Don’t Only Learn From Within Christian/Ministry Circles!
4. Hire The Wrong People- Just because Johnny was successful at so and so church and has so and so seminary degree; doesn’t mean he or she is the person that is going to take your ministry to the next level.  Don’t limit your hires to individuals that only have ministry experience, don’t hire someone simply because they have a good heart, don’t hire someone because they were a good volunteer…  Every hire is of extreme importance to the success of the ministry; treat it like that!  Don’t Hire The Wrong People!

Share your experiences or thoughts on any of these 4 mistakes!   Add more to the list!

According to the blog rating system BigIsTheNewSmall.com is Rated “PG” and this rating was determined based on the presence of the following words: sex (3x) and abortion (1x).  A little over a year ago this blog was Rated-R based upon the presence of: sex (16x) dangerous (6x)  and abortion (1x); apparently I don’t talk about sex as much.  I thought this blog had always been a family friendly blog… well not according to this unscientific rating system; which poses another question in itself, is there a scientific rating system.

This got me thinking about the whole “Rated-R” thing and whether or not it is appropriate for Christians and Pastors to watch “Rated-R” movies.  I understand that there are varying opinions on this subject and plenty of people won’t touch “Rated-R” movies with a ten foot pole and that is definitely a persoanl prerogative.  

I was previously a Warden and worked in the Corrections System for over 13 years.  According to the rating standards, my job would have definitely been considered ”Rated-R,” as I witnessed, experienced and heard things that would surpass any “R” rating.   I have friends who have been in the military and law enforcement who will attest to similar accounts in their jobs.  As a Pastor, I have to counsel couples and individuals on a regular basis that share some “Rated-R” stories and “Rated-R” experiences.  This Rated-R thing seems to creep up in quite a few places!

Although they’re definitely not my first choice, I personally will watch a “Rated-R” movie and I believe that as we grow in our relationship with Christ some things will be more personally convicting than others.  We are all affected in different ways by different things and I believe we have to use discernment and good personal judgement.   Is it the rating, the content, or the content rating? Ratings, Ratings, Ratings!  I had someone ask me before, what I thought the Bible was Rated?  Well, I know that the movie The Passion of The Christ was Rated-R, for sequences of graphic violence; you do the math!

Should Pastors, Christians… watch “Rated-R” Movies?  Do You?  Share your thoughts!

Your Days Are Numbered… My thoughts on my Sunday Drive home from church!

Share your thoughts!

At LifeChurch.tv we do a series called At The Movies each year where we re-create our lobbies into a movie feel (We did Jurassic Park this year).  Our messages are delivered from blockbuster movies with Biblical truths extracted from the movies.  Here is a brief walk-through of the NW Oklahoma City Campus of Lifechurch.tv, I mean Jurassic Park. I will upload another one tomorrow with people checking everything out! 
Share your thoughts!

The Twitter vs. Facebook debate has finally been settled…  well not really but it makes for a good blog title.  I shared a simple tweet last week and asked the following question: Twitter vs. Facebook “Which do you prefer Twitter or Facebook & Why?” Answ. in 140 or less @replies  will be a blog post. thx

The majority of the reponses overwhelmingly favored Twitter; as a matter of fact only 8% of those who responded had a specific preference for Facebook.   Several of those who responded liked them equally and feel as though they both serve a different purpose.  Twitter fans prefer the here and now quick response and streamlined interaction.  Facebook fans feel that Facebook is more personal; therefore allowing them to share family photos and more personal information.  

I personally feel that @GodsMac hit the nail on the head by stating “Twitter for sure. Facebook is like a shopping mall, and Twitter is the Apple store. Chaos vs. productivity and progress.” Productivity and progress are definitely appropriate adjectives; @ChrisClayton  chose to use a more descriptive analogy with his tweet stating “Twitter is like sex. I can tell you how great it is but until you do it together you’re just not going to get it.”  I don’t know if I would go quite that far; however hands down Twitter is the new Social Media King and you can either choose to recognize that reality now or you will be forced to recognize it later.  (Disclaimer) I orginally posted this about 6 months ago before Twitter was Oprahtized. I’m curious if the responses would still be the same if I asked the the question today?  Sounds like a blogpost for next week stay-tuned!

 Check out the responses below and share any observations or additional thoughts:

1. @scottwilliams  I digg TW it’s quick, easy, potential & feeds FB.  FB is fine but I don’t understand half the requests, causes, confirmation words…
2. @GodsMac Twitter for sure. Facebook is like a shopping mall, and Twitter is the Apple store. Chaos vs. productivity and progress.
3. @tmoran777 I dig ‘em both. It seems like twitter is better for networking and business, facebook is good for friend type stuff.
4. @ardentvox – Facebook = social media to the masses, linking friends. Twitter = real-time social microblogging, connecting strangers.
5. @SWMorris I use twitter more than facebook, but I also have it set up so when I post to twitter it updates my facebook status.
6. @vinceparker  twitter vs. Facebook and the winner is twitter. Don’t get it twisted up 725%
7. @SloweThinking both, facebook is the gateway to general info on everyone I know. Twitter is the peeps I want to follow closely day to day
8. @djbyron Twitter: daily communication current friends and networking. FB: Communication with friends who have not yet found Twitter.  
9. @ChrisClayton Twitter is like sex. I can tell you how great it is but until you do it together you’re just not going to get it. 
10. @peacemeals Facebook + Twitter are used for such different things! Hard to prefer one without first answering “for what?” 
11. @Johnwsnyder I think both are great. It depends on how you are using. They can both be used totally differently, especially for ministry.  
12. @focusvision I prefer Twitter. It is more like having a conversation. FaceBook is good, but Twitter is great.  
13. @jasoncurlee Twitter…cause it’s simple…just plain communication.  
14. @dwightwatson Twitter. Have ACTUALLY connected w/ far more people than on FB & no constant requests for causes or games I don’t have time 4  
15. @Murphy24p Twitter for short, broad communication and networking and Facebook for more detailed interactions and catching up w/ friends.  
16. @VanceWalker Ur comparing apples and ..er.. Cherrios. My Twitterverse & FB World don’t intersect. They fill different functions for me.
17. @Stillrockin Twitter is more portable, more interactive, easier, funner! I find FB awkward in it’s navigation. Still better than MySpace
18. @shoestringing I must admit that I prefer Facebook (although Twitter is wonderful). I am a big Facebook Fan   
19. @kevinbussey equal I follow twitter updates more but when I need to see or give more info I use FB 
20. @chuckazooloo when i was linking up last week, and did my little “experiment” some FB people got really mad at me. 
21. @seanmurphy07 I tweet to my Facebook. I kind of like FB better because there seems to be real interaction. Lots of tweets don’t respond.  
22. @AD_hoc twitter, less commitment  
23. @allboutworship hi twitter and who is tom Is that the guy from myspace who didn’t have any friends so came up w/ idea 2 b everyones friend
24. @lynseleanne Twitter. It takes all of the catching up away and it is brief and to the point. You know what is going on with people lives. 
25. @AdamLehman facebook is way more practical. but twitter is more of an obsession. if i had to give up one, it’d be facebook. 
26. @MichaelMcMinn I do however like that thru twittersync my tweets pregenerate interaction w/ my FB friends for when I’m on FB
27. @DavidTCopeland Like FB best for connecting w/people I know now by sharing pics and updates. It is more personal an no one there to sell me 
28. @RichHopkins – I prefer Twitter – much more streamlined, easier to deal with day to day, particularly with Tweetdeck. 
29. @andylie twitter – quicker connectivity using mobile device (like Blackberry) – near instant communication among a larger group 
30. @jeremydbaldwin facebook, upload photo albums, videos, write over 200 charectors, more people are on it. 
31. @VoteMikeJones twitter can’t have apps 
32. @PastorScott Both/And – Twitter for immediacy & networking, Facebook for reconnecting w/old friends & longer form notes, messages.
33. @benkomanapalli both 4 diff reasons. Twitter 2 connect with new people, get fastnews. FB 2 have a more detailed relationship/conversations.
34. @mstrategiesinc Twitter. Wild horses can’t drag me to Facebook. It’s just a social hour. Twitter is for early adopting, SM-biz-minded folk
35. @chuckazooloo I prefer Twitter because the culture is less “uptight”! There is an expectation for you to update! People on FB get miffed!
36. @iChilly I see them so totally different – Twitter is NOW but Facebook is cool for connecting with people (past & present).
37. @AmandaSims I like both. Twitter for the variety of people & resources, Facebook for the interesting apps.
38. @bennysalas Facebook! More networking opportunity, connect with way more people. Twitter off the chain too but less personal.
39. @BrianAyers FB = better for old friends & people I already know. Twitter = better for networking & meeting new people.
40. @robgt2 Twitter because it’s immediate & lets you get to know other people. Facebook lets you talk to people you already know. 
41. @StephyBarlow i like both!! Twitter for every day connections and Facebook for pictures and groups!
42. @gideony They do different things. Facebook for people I know, Twitter for people I don’t. 3
43. @Yochanan I like Twitter the best because it’s straight and to the point. No “fluff” and distraction on Twitter.
44. @jasonstover Overall, Facebook because it has way more features. BUT, I LOVE the twitter feature that lets me update both at the same time
45. @rnsheets I like Facebook better. You can do more activities like YoVille on there, lol
46. @gregatkinson  hah – you know it’s Twitter hands down
47. @Bpirt Twitter- it’s the only way that I can keep up with people without being all up in their business. Tweet faster than a text!
48. @steveharrison Twitter! simple.short.saweet!..n Tulsa cuz of Twitter we saw Fee Band & just yesterday blessed 2 see @mathewbarnett share
49. @corechurchtroy twitter: easier to manage
50. @Twitter Twitter is better, why else would Facebook offer us $500 million (Disclaimer: not really but If I was @Twitter  that would be my response) 

Again, share your thoughts and comments…

I am in the process of re-branding my blog and it has me thinking about branding in general.  Let’s start by defining brand:

Brand- kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like…  a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.

Many times our perception of brand is relative to name-brand and that’s primarily because some of the top brands are the brands that always stick out.  To create some perspective, I’m going to share the Top 15 Global brands as of 2009:

1. Google  2. Microsoft  3. Coca-Cola  4. IBM  5. McDonald’s  6. Apple  7. China Mobile  8. GE  9. Vodafone 10. Marlboro  11. Wal-Mart  12. ICBC-Asia  13. Nokia  14. Toyota  15. UPS 

We all have heard of each of these brands (with exception of the two Asian brands), most of us have had experience with these brands and if we have’nt had any experience with these brands, we at-least have a perception of the brand.  I remember looking at a list from just a few years back and Google was #24 and apple was #32; it’s amazing what the Internet and consistently good product can do for your brand. 

Let’s think about our personal brand for just a minute.  What are the contributing factors that go into creating your personal brand?  Many of you are reading this and thinking, “I’m not trying to create a personal brand!”  Whether you try to create a personal brand or not, the bottom line is that your persoanl brand exists.  

One could argue that companies set out to create a brand and that’s what their brand becomes; or one could argue that companies simply produce a product and the market (the people, the consumers) creates the brand for them…  I tend to believe that it’s both.  The same is true for your personal brand; there are things that we do in our lives that create our brand and on the flip-side you have other people’s perception of who we are that contributes to our brand.  Just like the Internet coupled with a few years of putting out a consistently good product increased Google and Apple’s brand; that same premise is true for your personal brand.

Like it or not you have a personal brand and remember you are not the only one who defines it.  I know, understand and embrace my personal brand; in addition to having a pretty good idea of what my brand is according to others.  Good, Bad & Ugly… I’m Good With Both! 

Have you defined your personal brand? Who are you? Who do others think you are?  Share your thoughts on personal branding, top brands and the perception v. reality of how your brand is viewed.

Share your thoughts!

I have been blogging for over two years and have never written a post like this, but God has placed it on my heart to share this story with all of the BigIsTheNewSmall.com readers.  Do You Know Faith?  There is a good chance that you don’t know Faith; however I am going to introduce you to her.  Faith is a precious 3 year old girl whose family attends my campus…  they don’t just attend my campus they are awesome volunteers and they roll deep.  In other-words their family is large and it seems to be growing by the week as they have practically turned the experience they attend into the “Asian Experience”, not really but I so much appreciate their heart and their desire to serve God.

Again “Faith” is a precious 3 year old who has been diagnosed with leukemia and I wanted to share her story with you, encourage you to share her story with others, ask you to pray for her and her family, encourage you to visit her CaringBridge Website and support her in any way that you feel led.  Here is a short intro of who little Ms. Faith is:

Hi, my name is Rylie Faith Tran.  I am 3 years old & have been diagnosed with leukemia (ALL-PreB).  But like my middle name, I have FAITH that I will beat this disease and make a full recovery like all the other children before me.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.  God bless everyone.

Look At How “Faith” has inspired Dad (Her Dad’s Own Words): We have been blessed with a great support group, b/c God is good ALL the time, All the time God is good! They’ve been fund raising and helping in all different ways.  “We’ve” decided to start up a Non-Profit Organization to help families in similar situations like us.  The NPO is called “F.A.I.T.H. Kids” (which is in honor of Rylie and our FAITH), and stands for “Fighting Against Illnesses To Heal Kids”.  I truly believe that God has a bigger plan for me and is using Rylie’s situation as a tool for me to come back to Him and do great things thru Him.  I can honestly say I did not have that relationship with Him and could have easily been drawn away more because of the situation.  BUT I chose HIM.  He is a part of my life more than ever before.  “I once was lost and now I am found, was blind but now I see!!  Glory to GOD!!“

You can read Rylie Faith’s entire story, sign her guestbook, contact the family and support her or the non-profit organization at her CaringBridge site, by clicking here. 

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for Sharing Rylie “Faith” Tran’s Story ~Scott

Let Me Lead

I know that I was created for this; So let me lead!

I may not look like, act like, talk like, or think like you; You still have to let me lead!

I know that you’re the boss; One day that will be me; I promise you will see; If you just let me lead.  

I know that you don’t like the word submit; Sometimes you even throw a fit; You don’t understand what I’m dealin’ wit; This is what I’m called to do; It’s True, It’s True, So just let me lead!

There is a leader inside of me;  If you look deep into my eyes, You will See; Let me lead!

I’m a leader, Not a poet; I can make a difference in this world and I know it; If you will just give me the opportunity to show it; Please, just let me lead!

Never-mind, I don’t need your permission… I’m A Leader!

To all the leaders out there… Go make it happen!  GO LEAD!

With all of the discussion surrounding the death of retired Titans Quarterback Steve McNair; I thought it was important to make one thing clear… That Dirty Little Secret Will Ruin You!   Amidst his recent murder, people are raising questions about the married Quarterback’s off the field/personal life and adulterous dealings with his alleged 20 year old girlfriend.  The question is whether or not those off the field actions and Dirty Little Secrets should affect his or any other person in a similar situation’s philanthropy, good deeds, life-long career and good standing in the community.  

The answer is absolutely, positively Yes it should affect you, it will affect you and bottom line is: That Dirty Little Secret Will Ruin You!   If you don’t believe me look at the life of Christian Evangelist Ted Haggard and countless others… simply survey their lives before and after those Dirty Little Secrets Were Exposed.  You can read all of the latest news on the McNair Story here.

This is not about casting stones; as a matter of fact this applies to each and every one of us.  Those Dirty Little Secrets that stay in the dark will Ruin You if and when they come to light.  By God’s Grace, we can absolutely be forgiven for our actions and for our sins; however that doesn’t negate the fact that, That Dirty Little Secret Will Ruin You! 

Expose those Dirty Little Secrets and remember you can be forgiven and you can be restored; however you can still be ruined!  That Dirty Little Secret Will Ruin You!  Not only will it Ruin You… it will devastate, hurt, crush and at times even ruin those you closest to you.  Please continue to pray for Steve McNair’s wife, children, family and friends.

Can and should one Dirty Little Secret Ruin You?  Share Your Thoughts!