Big Is The New Small

Naysayer is defined as- a person who habitually expresses negative or pessimistic views: Despite a general feeling that things were going well, a few naysayers tried to cast gloom.

Some people are naysayers and don’t even realize it, while others are naysayers and proud of it.  If there is one thing that can drain a team, group or relationship, it’s a naysayer.  I will avoid hiring someone that I feel has naysayer type of qualities, not only will I avoid hiring them, I don’t even want to be around them.

It’s important to look at life with a cup half-full approach and with positive eyes.  It doesn’t matter whether the days are good or bad… it’s all good.

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Naysayer, If you don’t believe that every day is a good day, try missing one.

No Time For Naysayers!

Share your thoughts on the negative effects of naysayers.

Do we have it all right or do we have it all wrong? Share your thoughts!

Many people are Christian Atheists and don’t want to admit it.   My Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel’s new book Christian Atheist is releasing today, online or in a bookstore near you.

This book tackles this tough topic of Christian Atheism.  What is a Christian Atheist?

A Christian Atheist is- Someone who believes in God, but lives as though He doesn’t exist.

If you would like to win a signed copy of Christian Atheist, you can do so right here at BigIsTheNewSmall.com.  Below are the details for you enter into a random drawing for a signed copy.

1. Leave a comment and say “I’d like to win a signed copy of Christian Atheist” in the comment section below.  Say that in your own words of course.
2. Re-Tweet my tweet about winning a signed copy. “Win A Signed Copy of Craig Groeschel’s new book “Christian Atheist”? Click here & RT http://ow.ly/1pT3T“
3. You can also comment on my Facebook update as well.

I’ll pick a random winner or two this evening and 10:00 p.m. Central Time.  For more information check out ChristianAtheist.com.

Good Luck… Ready, Set, Go!

AND THE WINNER IS…  Alonso and Kara Wiley.

Thanks for your interest & thanks for reading BigIsTheNewSmall.com

In my opinion the one question that ministry leaders need to stop asking is this: “How Can We Get More Volunteers?”  Although that may seem like a good question, a better question is “How can we get more people to be carriers of the vision.”   If ministry leaders tap into how to create more vision carriers, volunteer challenges will diminish.  People will be busting down the doors to serve and excited to be a part of that particular ministry.

Ministry leaders and staff should be the chief vision carriers, leaking the vision every opportunity they get.  The same thing applies to members, attenders and volunteers.  If you believe in your church’s vision, you should be leaking it like a reporter with exclusive insider information.  Leak it and leak it often!  Adopting that “I have to share what God is doing here” mentality is what’s necessary to be a vision carrier and create vision carriers.

The One Question Ministry Leaders Need To Stop Asking is: “How Can We Get More Volunteers?”  Ministry leaders should instead begin asking these two questions: “What Is Our Vision and How Can We Create More Carriers Of The Vision?”

What are your thoughts?

The phrase “The best thing since sliced bread” and other variations are commonly used hyperbolic means of praising an invention or innovation.  Sliced bread is the arbitrary benchmark against which later innovations should be judged.

The history of the bread slicer dates back to 1912 when Otto Fredrick Rohwedder invented the the first loaf-at-a-time bread slicing machine.  This original prototype burned down in a fire and it wasn’t until 1928 that Rohwedder had a fully operational commercial machine.  The popular use of “the best thing since…” phrase comes from the fact that Wonder Bread, the first mass-marketer of sliced bread as a product, launched a 1930s ad campaign touting the innovation.

3 Reasons Why Twitter Is The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

• 1. The Bread Slicer Made The Loaf Into Smaller Pieces — Twitter Has Made The World Into Smaller Pieces: The world is becoming smaller and smaller one tweet at a time.  It is easy to access, learn from and connect people all around the world.   You will even see tweets being re-tweeted in a language different than it originated.  Twitter has made our local communities and the world abroad much smaller; in this instance smaller is definitely better. Big Is The New Small.
• 2. The Bread Slicer Broke Bread Into Slices — Twitter Is Allowing Christians and Faith-based Communities To Break Bread On-line:  Through Twitter Christians and people of faith are able to break bread and share their faith in an on-line world.  This really promotes the cause of “going into all the world” and sharing The Gospel.  All the world includes the on-line world as well.
• 3. The Bread Slicer Created Exponential Uses For Bread — Twitter Has Created Exponential Uses For Micro-blogging:  The uses for Twitter are endless.  People are staying connected, businesses are using it as an effective advertising tool, got ?’s the Twitter world has answers, breaking news, technology updates, stock info., trends, networking, research… and these uses go on and on like the Energizer Bunny.  Speaking of the Energizer Bunny, I haven’t seen him around in awhile, maybe it’s because Energizer Battery Co. now has the @energizer  bunny.

I could share a number of more reasons Why Twitter Is The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread; however I think you get the picture.   There are many new innovations that are coming out daily, although in my opinion Twitter is going to be at the top of the list for quite some time.  Maybe Twitter is the new innovation benchmark and people will begin to use the phrase, “The Best Thing Since Twitter!”

What do you think?  Is Twitter the best thing since sliced bread?  Why or Why Not?

Many people are Christian Atheists and don’t want to admit it.   My Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel is releasing a new book on March 23rd, called Christian Atheist. This book tackles this tough topic of Christian Atheism.  What is a Christian Atheist?  A Christian Atheist is- Someone who believes in God, but lives as though He doesn’t exist.

For more information check out ChristianAtheist.com.

Are You A Christian Atheist?  Do You Know A Christian Atheist?

Many of you are reading this might be asking the same question that I did several years back, “Why in the world would a church use a search firm?”  Uhh, I was naive at best!  Corporate America has been using head hunters and search firms for key roles for as long as any of us can remember.  The reason they do this is because hiring the right person for a key role is paramount.

I have a buddy named William Vanderbloemen who first introduced me to the world of executive searches for churches several years ago.  I know you are probably thinking, that’s an interesting last name.  I agree it reminds me of a combination of Vanderbilt University and that onion appetizer that you get from Outback Steakhouse.  It’s a name that you will definitely remember, which will help with the launch of William’s new search firm Vanderbloemen Search Group. Since my original introduction, I have come to understand and appreciate the importance of what William and his firm does.

5 Reasons A Ministry Should Use A Search Firm

1. Hiring The Right Person Is Key- Ministries can’t afford to hire the wrong person, it can set a ministry area or an entire organization back months and even years.
2. Time Is Money- Search firms spend all of the time and energy to research, screen, test and properly vet the candidates.  They spend time doing what they do, “Making The Right Connections.”  This allows the ministry to focus on their mission.
3. Relationships Are Critical- A search firm has to have a broad relational network of clients who are looking for candidates and candidates looking for ministries to get plugged into.  These relationships go hand in hand with finding proper match.  Just because a candidate match didn’t work for one ministry, doesn’t mean that candidate won’t be perfect for another.  The search firm has the relational network to make the proper connections happen.
4. Two-Way Interview-  A search firm is interviewing both the ministry and the candidate.  There is tremendous value for everyone involved in the process.  The search firm gets to know the in’s and out’s of both the ministry and the candidates.
5. Money Should Be Spent On Things That Are Important- If it’s important for you to have the “right” executive level team member and you are not confident you can find them on your own… Pay A Professional To Help!   Your ministry can sit back a year later and say “That was money well spent!”

Check out my buddy William Vanderbloemen and the Vanderbloemen Search Group.

Share your stories, experiences and thoughts on ministries using Search Firms.

GUEST BLOGGER: @MarshallJonesJr of bondChristian.com, a practical guide for serving others.  Feel free to check out his blog and #FistBump him on twitter. If you would like to submit a Guest Blog Post for BigIsTheNewSmall.com, click here.

Lead like Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Scott Williams

Leading is all about serving others. And as leaders, we want to serve the most amazing stuff out there, right? We want to be original. We want to be authentic. We want to be authoritative.

Whatever. The best leaders are reminders.

Seth Godin keeps reminding us that marketing is all about being remarkable, being so outstanding that fans spread the word for us. You know this, I know this and what we don’t is remember.

Gary Vaynerchuk keeps reminding us to hustle, to get out there in the conversation, to build a brand. You know this, I know this and what we don’t is remember.

Scott Williams keeps reminding us that BIG Is The New Small, that the biggest, most amazing things happen when we drill into the smallest, most intimate details.  He also reminds us to dream BIG and think BIGGER.  You know this, I know this and what we don’t is remember.

It goes on and on.

[Insert your leader of choice here] keeps reminding us that . You know this, I know this and what we don’t is remember.

We’ve heard it all before, all the information anyone ever needs is already available. Welcome to the second decade of the second millennium. If you want information, google it.

Leaders aren’t always the smartest people. Leaders aren’t always the most original people. No, leaders are leaders because they know who to follow. Leaders say what many have said before – they just say it (and live it) a little louder.

• As leaders, we have to stop thinking we’re required to innovate.
• As followers, we have to stop thinking leaders are required to innovate.

Nothing’s new under the sun. Encouragement is what we need now, not new info. We need to be reminded of what we already know.

That’s what leaders do, and that’s why we need them. They remind – again and again and again. They remind with what they say, what they do, and who they are. Those reminders trigger followers to become leaders as well because now the followers are following leaders (and as you know, leaders are leaders because they know who to follow). So the result trickles outward.

Seriously, you’ve probably tried to innovate lately, haven’t you? I know I have, and that’s not necessarily bad. But I challenge you to a different question:

How are you reminding?

In the comments, share in one sentence your reminder, what you want your followers to remember. Because the bigger a leader wants to be, the smaller and more insanely focused the reminder must be. You know this, I know this and what we don’t is remember.

GUEST BLOGGER: @BrookJames  You can find Brook on Facebook by clicking here.  If you would like to submit a Guest Blog Post for BigIsTheNewSmall.com, click here.

Yeah, I Could Be Judas

Yeah.  It’s true.  I could be Judas.  You know.  The guy who pulled an “Et tu, Brute?” on Jesus?  Played the BFF card until he got paid to sell Jesus out and then hung himself?  Yeah.  That guy.  Can’t see me as Judas?

What about you?  Could you be Judas?

No?

Understandable.  We only talk about Judas and the events surrounding crucifixion.  We only think of him as the outcast disciple that handed Jesus over to the authorities with a kiss.

Jerk.

But let’s think about him in a different way.  He was hand picked by Jesus to follow Him.  He spent three years following and learning from Christ.  He not only saw the intense and amazing things that Jesus did, but HE DID THEM TOO!  If you read the first four books of the New Testament, you see it.  Jesus’ disciples were sent out preaching the message, heal the sick, drive out demons and raise the dead!  They were given authority over all kinds of crazy things!  Judas was part of this!

But then he screwed up.

Somewhere along the way he gave in to the dark side, decided the money was more important to him and served up his master, teacher and one of his closest friends on a silver plate.

Makes me wonder.  Jesus sent them out using the “buddy system” as my mom would call it.  What bum got stuck with Judas as his “miracle buddy”.  Did he fully take part in all this or was he just going through the motions?  What was Judas smoking to see and DO the things he did and forget?  Luke 10:17 says that they all came back excited and celebrating after going out, preaching and performing miracles.  What do you have to be on to forget something like that?

Yeah.  I could be Judas.  Still no?

Alone I am always capable of falling.  This was a man that was walking with Jesus in flesh and blood.  He was one of the first 12 leaders of the biggest revolution in history.  A leader hand picked by Jesus Himself!  If he could trip up so badly, why would I be immune?  In any leadership role, we can’t kid ourselves.  We are not above falling.  Pastors, teachers, leaders, speakers, directors.  All of us.  We hear about it all the time.

Human nature dares us to think we are strong, but without Christ we might as well all change our names to Judas.  What are some ways that you set yourself up for success instead of filling out a new name tag?

I am typing this while chillin’ in Miami Beach Florida on a Spring Break Vacation with my family.  I have a number of great guest blogpost’s lined out to share; however I decided to share a new blogging phenomenon that I am creating as I type these few lines.  A phenomenon is defined as– an exceptional, unusual, or abnormal person, thing, or occurrence.

If you are trying to come up with something to write and find that you have writers block, information overload or you just don’t feel like writing.   Simply type these words below for your blog title and the body of the post.

Title: “I Don’t Feel Like Sharing Anything Today!”

Body of Post: I Don’t Feel Like Sharing Anything Today!  If you have something to share feel free to leave a comment.  Thanks!

It’s freeing to type those words and just look at your computer screen and smile.  If you find yourself typing this same post over and over, it might be time to join the blog club that millions of bloggers have already joined before you.  It’s called the “I Once Had A Blog Club.”  Membership to that club does have it’s privileges.

I Don’t Feel Like Sharing Anything Today!  If you have something to share feel free to leave a comment.  Thanks!