the little guy

"oh im just the little guy!" quote from one of the greatest movies of all time

being the little guy does not necessarily mean much anymore. i have learned this throughout the years of watching ncaa (the madness of march) basketball. normally during the final four you will have some higher seeds. yeah, there are two number ones in the final four (unc and illinois) but we also have a number 4 (louisville) and a number 5 (michigan state) and of course i need to mention all the upsets that west virginia, bucknell, uw mil., nc state and vermont actually pulled off. who expected this? well, we should not be too suprised. it happens almost every march. but has it really ever happened quite like this?

i like a lot of america love to cheer for the smaller weaker underdog. this year my "dog" was west virginia. i loved seeing those white guys shoot the ball. they obviously were over matched by athleticism but what they lacked in the ability to jump they made up for in heart. they never gave up. unfortunately for them they did not have what it took to hold out against louisville (who has heart and athleticism.)

i am also a big fan of the small church. its not that i dont like big churches. big churches are able to reach out and effectively reach people. they are able to do more with technology, they are able to hire pastors that have there own specific expertise. (if i keep on going i think i might be persuaded to move on to a bigger church.)

however i like the sense of a smaller church. i have now been at a church of 100 for over a year now. and at first i judged them for not reaching out as much as they could. i have been frustrated many times when the printer hasnt worked and the projector decides to have a mind of its own. but in reality i see a church that has been beat up by former pastors, former members and people within the district. i sit back now and look at these board members that i have ridiculed and church members that i have judged and say i am in just as much fault as they. now i look at them and say that they are tired, burnt out and think that it is my job to lift them up and encourage them. church people just like pastors can get burnt out. but the last few weeks i have seen a fire in them. they want to grow, they want to get back to where they know God wants them. and they have admitted where they have faltered and failed and where they should have been. they know that they have messed up and they are now starting to turn around.

i know that this really doesnt show why i like the small church, but when the small church wants or needs something. they strive, they work hard in order for it to happen. the bigger church works hard but it is seen more in the staff. they small church you have a higher percentage of volunteers because they have ownership of the church. i have started rambling. what do you like small churches, big churches?
what do you think of the ncaa tournament?