"Spring Outreach With David Miller" (pt.1)

Zechariah 4:10) "For who has despised the day of small things?" As many of you know we are in the middle of our "Spring Outreach" with David Miller. David is from Heber Springs, AR where his ministry (Line Upon Line) is based out of his local church, Tumbling Shoals Baptist church. I met David over 6 years ago at a deacons retreat in Alabama. Since then we have kept in touch. About 5 years ago David invited my wife and I to his annual expository preaching conference which his ministry and his local church (Tumbling Shoals Baptist church) hosts every year.
During our time there I found it refreshing to see that David did not come from a "mega-church." But rather, a small country church. Something David said during the conference to the preachers attending was, "the fact is the large majority of you men will never pastor the First Baptist church of your county seat." This was a great relief to me and my ministry, due to the thought I had to grow a church to be a "big" church. David wanted us preachers to see you could do things for God's glory, which he said, "regardless of where you serve, whether you have 10, 50, 100 people, you can serve God in such a way which brings Him great glory!"
I have since then had the privilege to teach in Ecuador with another ministry which is based out of David's home church, International Church Planters, www.internationalchurchplanters.org/ in their pastors bible institute. Over 50% of the church membership of Tumbling Shoals Baptist (which is largely older members over 50 years old) have been on the foreign mission field with ICP (to Eucador and Africa). I am so encouraged that God, if he so chooses can work even in "small country churches." This brings hope to pastors and lay members who might serve in the rural churches and will never have the big churches. Which I truly believe the Lord has no "big or small" churches!
I have written this blog so it may encourage others (pastors and lay members) who may seem they are out in the middle of nowhere and God has forgotten them. God has not forgotten you and matter of fact, has you are right where He wants you. So, do not be weary in well doing...serve God with all you heart, mind, soul, and strength and do it for His glory. I know as a pastor we may seem as though we are spinning our wheels in the mud...but we do what we do for God and not man.
So when you feel as though no one cares and you wonder if God remembers where you are, "the most beautiful rose God has ever created has never been seen, for it is in the middle of a forest somewhere bringing God glory right where He placed it." So, it is with preachers, God often places them right in the middle of nowhere, in the small country churches where they will never make it on the radio, television, or have a jet plane, but He has you and me right where he wants us.
"For who has despised the day of small things?"