"Small in Size, but ..."

I was born and raised in Boyden, Iowa, a town of about 500 people, not counting the farm folks who lived near enough to call Boyden home.  As long as I can remember there was a sign on the edge of town, right on Highway 18, where we fought with the county every year to get the cars and trucks to slow down as they rolled past our little town.  It was a pride thing for us, a self-esteem matter.  We weren’t so naïve as to think that cars and trucks slowing down past our little town would somehow increase business.  We simply thought they ought to slow down in recognition that we exist, and that even though we were little, we were legit!

“Small in size, but big in business.”  That’s what the sign said.  Love that sign.  60 years later, a new sign stands were the old signs always stood.  And even though Boyden, Iowa is smaller than it was, the sign still declares – “Small in size, but big in business.”  The good news is that now the cars and trucks have to slow down to 45 miles per hour as they roll past our little town.  They don’t, but that doesn’t mean they are not supposed to.  Just goes to show you that some battles are not won in a day or two.

Last Sunday, December 9, I spoke in two small churches. The Reformed Church of Highland Park is located in the Borough of Highland Park, New Jersey, and The First Reformed Church of New Brunswick, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Both of these churches had a hay-day, a day when they were not small.  But those days are gone for now, and now what?  “Small in Size, but big in Mission.”  That’s what ought to be on the signs of these two churches.  Both do mission in a big way and we ought to slow down and take notice.

A new addition is being added to The Reformed Church of Highland Park.  The small congregation is not building a new state-of-the-art sanctuary, not a family life center equipped with a coffee shop and full-court basketball court.  To do what they feel called to do in the place they are placed, they don’t need those tools.  Some churches do, but not this church.  This church in located in the middle of an old neighborhood filled with a vast variety of people.  The need in this place is the need to be radical rather than simply relevant.  There is a difference.  This church knows that “church”, not just their church, but “church,” has lost it’s edge, and without an edge in this place, you are as good as dead.  In fact, you are dead, you just don’t know it yet.  So they are building six apartments above their church.  These six apartments will be filled with six young women who came late into the foster-care program in the community.  They have bounced around and need a stable place with stable, loving, disciplined people to help them transition from foster home to real life in a real tough world.  “Small in size, but big in Mission.”  You gotta love it!  God does.

This church was also the catalyst for a “Ten Thousand Villages’ Store” in the business district of Highland Park.  They weathered the storm of Jewish protest, because this store also sells goods made by Palestinian people.  They handled this controversy with wisdom and care.  God, these folks are good at mission – really, really good.  I like them a lot.  Guess what, you get the feeling that God likes them a lot as well.

And the First Reformed Church in New Brunswick?  Well they define small in size – tiny, really.  But they have a edge-cutting ministry with Muslim women from Turkey.  They reach out to them, and surprise, surprise, these lonely, hurting women reach back.  During this Thanksgiving season, First Reformed, had a Thanksgiving service.  But it was anything but traditional.  They invited a Jewish rabbi to take part, and a leader in the Muslim community as well.  Over 250 people showed up, and I’m guessing God did as well.  “Small in size, but big in Mission.”

So what?  So this – do something big in mission.  You don’t have to be big in size to do this.  Organize a small group in your church who might like to do something big.  Begin dialogue with the other faith traditions in your town.  Look into a Ten Thousand Villages’ Store.  Did you know that your church could sell Fair Trade coffee?  You can.  And it’s not that hard.  You could do this, and it would make a difference to some poor family in some poor place.  You can do this.  And guess what, people will slow down when they drive by your church.  And guess what else, God will notice too.  God will love what you are trying to do.  God will bless what you are trying to do.  God will, because this is what God does.  God blesses those who try to be a blessing.

Do something.  Begin in the New Year.  Gather some others around you, and no matter how small you are in number, you can do some big business in the Kingdom of God.

Please!