Big Is The New Small

I was talking with a buddy of mine not long ago who was considering going through the process of obtaining his concealed carry license.  I had informed him that I’ve had my concealed carry license for quite some time… that was the beginning of a pontificatory (I think I just made up a word) conversation about pastors packin’ and owning guns. 

There are a wide range of opinions about whether or not pastors should own guns and definitely on whether or not pastors should carry handguns.  When the concealed carry law came into existence there were several states in which pastors of rural and urban churches lobbied lawmakers to change the law to add clergy to the list of those who could carry guns.  Some pastors were fearful of armed robbers stealing the offering… that’s a whole other blog-post.  I know the State of Kentucky was successful in making Pistol Packin’ Pastors a reality. 

I personally had my concealed carry license prior to being a pastor (back in my Warden days); however I am totally okay with pastors owning and packin’ pistols.  I don’t make a big deal of it, I pray that I will never have to use it and it just sits in a safe place.  The right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the Constitution does not exclude pastors.  Again, it’s perfectly fine for a pastor to be a Pistol Packin’ Pastor and to own a gun, not only for the purposes of hunting; but for personal and family protection as well.  I know many pastor’s that agree with me; it’s simply a matter of personal choice.

I know some people are probably reading this and saying what about Love & Faith and More Love & More Faith.  I love my family and that’s why I own a gun; in case I need to use it to protect my house, my family and my stuff.   “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.” Luke 11:21

Should pastors own or pack guns?  Overall thoughts on Pistol Packin’ Pastors?

Late last night on our way home from Ardmore, OK we decided to stop at the Loves truck-stop in Pauls Valley, OK.   I don’t know what it is about truck-stops but the restrooms always seem to need a little extra attention in the cleanliness department.   I was getting a little sleepy while driving; so I had to stop to grab me a Mt. Dew Code Red and some of that really good, extra hard beef jerky that you can only get at a truck-stop.

As I was going to the counter to pay for my items there was a guy in front of me ordering a Subway sandwich and the two cashier/subway/truck-stop workers were helping him.  The guy politely said to me “Sir, I am going to take care of your items for you!”  My old response would have been, “No,  Absolutely Not, You Don’t Have To Do That…” or I would have tried to pay for his items.  That was before I had learned to just simply say “Thank You” and that’s it.  Here was our exchange:

• Me: “Thank You Sir”
• Him: “No problem, I see you at church.”
• Me: “Oh you go to LifeChurch”
• Him: “Yes”
• Me: “What’s your name and which campus do you attend?”
• Him: “Byron; I kinda just attend all of them, but I see you… I like what I see.”
• Me: ”What are you doing out this way, do you have family here?”
• Him: “No, I’m just traveling through for my job!”
• Me: “Thanks again, Byron it was good to meet you… Have a Blessed One Bro.”

I twittered my experience late last night and @moneyinmarriage replied back to me with “@ScottWilliams Got to love random acts of kindness. He will be blessed tremendously.”  Hmmm, how tremendously blessed would the world be if we all just took the time to do Kind Acts of Randomness; formerly known as Random Acts of Kindness.  Let’s take it a step further, how different would the world be if we just learned to say thank you! 

Just like your momma taught you as a child…  ”Be Kind and Say Thank You!”   Transcend The Isms

Thoughts?  Experiences? Chime In…

It’s Christmas Eve and many of you will be attending Christmas Eve Services all around the globe.  I thought we would take the opportunity today for everyone from around the world to “Promote Your Pastor & Your Church!”

Here is the Question:

• What is Your Pastor’s Name?
• What Church Do You Attend? Name, Location & Website if Available!

Thanks for visiting BigIsTheNewSmall… tonight go visit a church and celebrate the birth of Christ!

We had my entire team and their spouses/friends over to my house last night for our annual Christmas Party the night before the LifeChurch.tv Christmas Experiences.  Let me tell you, I have absolutely the best team in the world… that just my humble opinion.  {Fist Bump} to my team!

We ate, played some poker, watched some football, laughed and played Dirty Santa; which is always fun.  The cool thing about Dirty Santa is that most of the gifts that people give are Re-Gifts!  I have a couple of questions regarding the never-ending world of Re-Gifting.

• What are you going to Re-Gift this year or what have you already Re-Gifted?
• What is the funniest or most ridiculous Re-Gift that you have received?

Today’s post will in the form of a simple statement and a simple question:

• Simple Statement: Twitter Is The New Blogger!
• Simple Question: Is Twitter Killing Blogging/Are Less People Reading Blogs Because of Twitter?

BigIsTheNewSmall… Follow Me On Twitter: @scottwilliams 

Over the last few days I have been feeling a little tired and my throat seemed just a bit sore.  Yesterday I was running through my message/sermon for this weekend and by the end of my run-through, I noticed that my voice was almost gone.  So I have decided to take the advice of many good people and try all of the home remedies; as well as not talk until Saturday.  When I say not talk that means I’m having a couple of phone conversations here and there, whispering or talking really low to my family but for the most part, I’m not talking.  It was really difficult or me not to talk at my boys b-ball practice last night; it will be more difficult at the Thunder game tonight and my boys b-ball games tomorrow.

I am a “Thinker” by nature; in other-words, I love to think things through for myself and others, I like to think and dream, I like to think “What If’,” I like to think think think…  Since I am limiting my talking, I am obviously increasing my thinking; however my thinking has been in more contemplative. 

In life many times what we need to do is “Shut-Up, Think and Listen!”   Shut-Up, Think and Listen to the whispers, listen to your inner voice and listen to the voice of God.

Pause:  Stop the noise, the madness, the hustle and bustle and simply “Shut-Up, Think and Listen!”

Passion:

• Vision does not ignite growth, passion does.  Passion fuels vision and vision is the focus of the power of passion.  Leaders who are passionate about their call create vision.  Ken Kemphill
• You will be remembered in life only for your passions.  John Maxell
• When the heart is afire, some sparks will fly out of the mouth.  Thomas Fuller

Attitude:

• Attitudes determine actions.  You are not what you think you are.  What you think, you are.
• God chooses what we go through.  We choose how we go through it.
• Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.  Ella Williams

 Leadership:

• A great leader doesn’t care about being the leader, but instead cares about the mission, the vision and the people they are leading.  Scott Williams 
• If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.  John Quincy Adams
• Some leaders are born women.

Perspective: (Bonus)

• What we see depends mainly on what we are looking for.  John Lubbock

Don’t try to be someone else… That’s Stupid!  Be Yourself & Transcend The Isms

Thoughts, comments or favorites from the above list; or share any personal favorites! 

When you get the opportunity to sit down with someone you admire, someone you are intrigued by, someone you respect, someone you don’t understand, someone you don’t like… the significance of your time will be based on the questions you ask.  When I am meeting with someone who I admire, respect, don’t understand, intrigued by, digg… I always have some questions in my iPhone notes that I’m ready to ask.  I don’t read them line by line; however I make sure that I cover them over the course of our time together.  Don’t simply ask questions… always ask the right questions!

If by the end of this year you could sit down with any One Person that is currently living and ask them One Question…  Who Would It Be and What Would You Ask?   One Person… One Question 

The phrase “My People” is used loosely to mean a variety of things including: my family, my friends, my homeboys/homegirls, my network, my team, my staff, my disciples…  We are going to focus on the term “My People” from the standpoint of a leader and their followers; however this can be applied to other areas of life.

 Trust is defined as- Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.

As a leader it is important for me to first hire able people and over time truly trust/place firm reliance on them for the organization’s success.   When I begin to really know “My People” and understand what will allow them to most effectively contribute to the success of the organization… I then trust them to do their job.  That’s how this working relationship makes sense; it’s all based on trust.  I trust them to do a good job and they trust me to speak into their lives and to their area of responsibility.  The reason it is so difficult for micro-managers  to lead is because a micro-manager is basically saying “I Don’t Trust My People!”

Just as Jesus trusted his Disciples to carry out his work;  you trust your people carry out the work.   In Biblical illustrations, a good shepherd would name their sheep, speak to them quietly each day and pat them on the head to settle them down each evening.  As leaders it’s important to trust your people, get to “really” know their name/give them a nickname if you will, speak quietly into their lives/their work/their future, and pat them on the back/give them some attaboys/instill confidence in them and settle them down when necessary. 

People will become what the most significant people in their life think they will become…  “You should trust your people…  I Trust My People!”

• What has been your experience in environments where people did or didn’t trust their people?
• Share stories and thoughts on the importance of trusting your people.

This video will have you really thinking and saying wow, ohhhh, man, seriously, what’s next…   It’s well worth the time to get your brain charged up this Monday Morning.   Check it out and share your thoughts!

Hat Tip to Anne Jackson!