I grew up in a small town, went to a small church, learned in a small school, played sports because it was a small setting (therefore they needed players). In that small town, in that small church, I learned some things about God being big in the midst of small. A teen friend sang a song, "Little is Much When God is in It." So very true! It is about the bigness of God, not the smallness of ourselves.
Going to college, I went to a university of 20,000, intimidated by the size. So in class, I didn't speak up much, just listened. I graduated from college known only by those in class and professors (really not known by professors), by my first name, which I did not go by for those who really knew me. I was too intimidated to tell them what name to call me, my middle name, not the formal name of class lists and records. But the campus ministry group I was part of gave me chances to be me, to try my gifts and grow my faith. That is where God made great impact on my life.
After teaching school in a small town for a small school (much bigger than where I went, however), I was called by God to what at the time, I did not know what. But my answer was "yes." Gradually God's call and purpose became known to me.
Eventually, feeling a call to serve God among college students, I went to the largest seminary in the world, and again was intimidated by its size (though I did tell them I was "Sam" not "James". I listened and learned and served, knowing some of what I would need in ministry among college students.
After graduation, I went to begin a college ministry on three campuses in central Illinois. (Well that was what I was supposed to do--intimidating, isn't it?) And with a big God and fear, I was at times, intimidated by the largeness of it all. One university had about 13,000 students, the private college had about 5,000, and the community college had about 10,000 commuters. (By the way, two of these were 80 miles from the other.) And in an area where our denomination was not strong.
As time went on, I focused on the state university ministry. The work was small, but God was big. I learned the value of one or two, rather than serving in a ministry with hundreds involved. My budget for the year was about $1100, above my salary, which began small but gradually grew. The budget money pretty well remained the same throughout those 14 years of ministry there. One year, I remember going to a conference on collegiate ministry where I went to one seminar on the church and campus. The leader told of one event they had, a kickoff event at the beginning of the year, where they had a beach party. The church paid for sand to be brought to their property and made a volleyball court for the event. And then after the event was over, they had the sand hauled off their church property. And I thought ot myself, "what could I and our ministry do with just the money they paid for sand?"
But little is much when God is in it. A few students a year ministered to, taught, discipled, led to quite a few through 14 years, and they literally scattered all over our state and world. As I ministered to international students, and especially when I began teaching conversational English to internationals, the ministry there became worldwide as these students and spouses went back home. Korea, China, Taiwan, Nepal, India, Brazil, Nigeria, Kenya, Finland, and the list goes on, of opportunities I had to influence students for Christ. I taught English (voluntarily) to them, I showed Christ's love, I became a friend, and at times, was a Christian counselor to them and Americans as well. All thanks to my denominations' state program of ministry to college students (through basically my salary).
Due to study time and money of that state denomination, I completed a doctoral degree. Through their funding, I did mission work for a month, with my family, in Ontario, Canada. Through their support, I taught conversational English (for about 10 days) as a ministry in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Little is much when God is in it.
Called by God to leave college ministry, I took a pay cut of about $15,000 per year to pastor small churches. (I'm not bragging nor complaining, just showing you God's provision and bigness even in the small). For over 12 years, while pastoring small churches, God provided for my wife and I (her now teaching school) with our three kids and all the expenses that came with them. But I felt God wanted me to minister with small churches--that was His call to me, although I jokingly said that I was waiting on His call to the largest church in our denomination.
Now for the past 10 months, I have been unemployed, except for supply preaching. I am not old enough to retire according to the government's standards. But God has provided for our needs, not our wants, necessarily, but our needs--the basics. Through a wife that knows how to get more out of a dollar than anyone I know, and through our sacrifices of "things" that are conveniences but not necessary to live, we have made it (on my wife's teaching salary--by the way, she is in a small school).
Throughout the time, while looking for full time churches and other jobs, while things have not worked out for any, God has provided. Little is much when God is in it. God is big enough. I have continued to minister through voluntary conversational English teaching, relating to internationals through weekly friendship at an international luncheon (sponsored by our state denomination), being a conversation partner, and supply preaching. I have blogged (samspews.blogspot.com) and Facebooked (both sharing Scripture and Christian encouragement, plus joking with people). Through the blog and Facebook, I have reconnected with former students all over the U.S. and other countries. One of my former conversational English students has shared my Christian blog in his country, the Czech Republic, and one friend shared it in Japan. And the lives that have been touched in small ways, through day by day contact with collegiate people and spouses, literally go around the world now.
I have related during this time to church planters through friendship and mentoring support. I have continued to teach seminary extension courses (mostly as volunteer ministry--again, with little financial support for that, but little is much when God is in it). I have taught courses in Old and New Testament surveys, Systematic and Biblical Theology, Church History, Pastoral Care, Christian Ethics, Coping with Grief and Loss, Preparing for Ministry, etc., during the past years of pastoring small churches and the past few months of no job. I have facilitated small groups at relational discipleship conferences and led two groups through a 12 week study of Real Life Discipling.
The apostle Paul, one who never pastored a large church, said in Philippians that he had "learned to be content in all circumstances." (Philippians 4:13) He had learned what it was to have and what it was to "have not." But He learned that God was big and that God would "supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)
Little is much when God is in it. Big God even in small circumstances. Great impact--literally worldwide impact--even from small things over many years. And all in a relational way--the life impacting people more than just the words impacting people, for Christ. I hope that is true of me. I believe that is true of me. But it is all due to a big God, who provides what we need, who gives us opportunities to play the game and minister, even in small circumstances.
Still looking for the future opportunities--all the while, growing as a Christian, reading, studying , preaching, teaching, relating. I'll be glad when that full time ministry comes again. But the story of my life, I guess, has been "Big God--little person--little is much when God is in it."
How has a big God been involved in your life? How does He want to be involved in your life?
