Harvard grad author of 'Joyfilled: Discovering the Profound Value of the Joy Within.'
The Rev. W.C. Watson Jr., of Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Springfield, is author of "Joyfilled: Discovering the Profound Value of the Joy Within." It's joy, not money, that individuals and organizations need to raise in order to get things done.
That's what the Rev. W.C. Watson Jr. says in his book, "Joyfilled: Discovering the Profound Value of the Joy Within," and that's the message the pastor of Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Springfield has for all people, whether they are parishioners, community leaders, leaders of neighborhoods and congregations or policy makers.
"All individuals have within themselves a rich reservoir of energy and inspiration that they can tap into," Watson said. "When people are joy-filled, they can really draw on this reservoir of energy to achieve great things."
Many people, Watson said, haven't reflected on how powerful they are or how potentially capable they are of accomplishing significant and great things.
"When you come to an understanding of how to tap into the rich well of resources among the people you lead, you can really achieve great things," the Windsor, Conn., resident said.
"There has to be a sense of that. It's not a matter of hope and waiting for rich abundance. It's realizing that there's a goldmine within the people that you lead, guide and direct each day."
Watson himself is joyfilled, and it's not just because his wife, Annie, is due any day with their first child. He is a life-long Baptist who has been inspired by such historical events as Civil Rights movement and by such current ones as a the fact that his congregation of 300 was motivated enough to take on a $1.5 million renovation project in recent years.
"You can do a lot of things with seemingly nothing," said Watson, who also has a 16-year-old daughter, Pearl.
"Joyfilled" was published by Xulon Press in the fall of 2011 and is told in two parts. The first half, "The inspiration of Joy," is a compilation of Watson's thoughts and expressions of joy and its roots in our lives. The second part, "Messages of Joy," features essays and stories with the theme of joy at their core.
The book is intend to be a spiritual read with its many Biblical references as well as reader friendly.
"What I was inspired to consider in writing the book was to really think about the people that I've encountered and work with in life and to see the distinction between those I felt were full of life and energy and were active and engaged versus others who I saw who were sapped of life and lacking vitality to do and accomplish," Watson said.
Watson, 58, grew up in Forrest City, Arkansas, and made the shift to New England and Harvard College after graduating from high school.
He earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Harvard in 1978 and then entered corporate America, working for Raytheon for six and a half years and doing a stint with Speidel Watch. After moving to Washington, D.C., in 1985, he also worked for a telecommunications company.
It was in D.C., where Watson attended Shiloh Baptist Church, that he reconnected with his roots, singing in the choir. He felt his business and spiritual worlds converge as many of the member were in government or related fields and were also people of faith.
Watson was in his 30s at the time.
In 1989, he felt a "clear and distinct" call to ministry and returned to Harvard, where he earned a master's of divinity. He later earned a doctoral degree in ministry from Drew University in New Jersey in 2011.
"I just came to the understanding that while I did well, and I functioned well my ultimate interests were beyond what corporate America was about," he said. "I was just not truly satisfied and content with being in corporate America. It didn't give me joy and fulfillment."
Watson served in the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn. - only minutes from his hometown - for several years after earning the master's degree. He's been at Canaan Baptist since December of 1994 and says some of the highlights there have included overseeing and strengthening the active ministries within the church and leading the renovation project that tripled the size of the facility.
"We're pleased that we were able to accomplish that," Watson said. "That's something that has been a hallmark and has been a feature of my ministry."
"Joyfilled" is available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
For more information, contact Watson at watsonwcwjr@gmail.com or (413) 739-5053.