When trying to convey a clear and simple message, it doesn’t hurt to “go big.” And when attempting to answer God’s call, it seems the same rule can apply.

The Bible is chock-full of stories with characters who took huge risks, built gigantic boats, traveled across sprawling wilderness and deserts, fought seemingly insurmountable odds—and even a giant—on the battlefield and did many, many other big things in response to God’s call.

In Ephesians 1:18-21 Paul wrote: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”

That passage captures just about all that is necessary to go big for God. Paul prays that Christians might be enlightened to hear God’s clear call and be aware of His great power. Then he gives the most obvious and perfect example of power: Christ’s resurrection and reign forever.

By reassuring the Ephesians that God had called them to hope, given them an inheritance and supplied believers with great power, Paul was setting them—and future generations of Christ followers—up to go big.

So what “crazy” ideas has God put on your mind lately?

Believing that God put a call on her own life to do something big, a Minnetonka woman named Julie Haberle started Who Is Your Creator. The local nonprofit “uses media … to raise awareness of the serious misrepresentations and lack of scientific proof for the theory of evolution.”

The group’s first “big” move was a public service campaign in which billboards were purchased in Minneapolis and Duluth with the message: “Everyone has an opinion on evolution. Read ours. Post yours.”

Now that is going big.

The billboards are designed to direct viewers to visit www.whoisyourcreator.com. At the Web site, visitors can find a compilation of news stories, research and arguments for creationism and against evolution. The site also features message boards designed to allow discussion on similar topics.

Haberle, a 55-year-old business consultant, gathered donations for the last few years to pay for the display advertising, which cost about $10,000 per billboard. She’s hoping to put up a new version of the billboard next month as well.

Be aware that going big is never without a cost. And going big will almost certainly draw opposition and criticism from somewhere or someone.

In a Star Tribune story about the billboards, the Web site is criticized as “not a serious site” by Paul Z. Myers, a biology professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

In the same story, the site is called “redundant, inaccurate, misleading and a waste of Internet bandwidth” by University of Minnesota anthropology professor Greg Laden.

(It seems an increasingly prevalent defense mechanism by those arguing against faith perspectives is to immediately label something as worthless, rather than address the actual topic at hand. For example, instead of debating President Bush’s policies, most of those opposing him spend all their time trying to paint the man as stupid. That’s a great political strategy but a horrible way to effect any real change.)

But as with many who have decided to take the leap of faith and go big, Haberle doesn’t seem too concerned about the criticism. She makes no claims to be a scientist or researcher, calling herself “just a hack” who has “come up with the best arguments” she could find.

In her own words, God “put it in my head to have a billboard to refute evolution.” No clearer explanation of her feeling of God’s call in this scenario could be offered.

“I’m not a biblical scholar and don’t pretend to have one original thought on the site,” she told the Star Tribune. “I have no idea what will happen but figure God will take it where he wants to take it.”

What is perhaps most clear in Haberle’s comments, and the stories of many biblical characters that went big in their own ways, is an attitude of submission to God’s leading and confidence in His great power.