I have one more blog on our time in Delta, Colorado, earlier this month. My first engagement was a 7:30a breakfast with the men. Pastor James’ introduction went something like this:

Men, we are pleased to have with us this morning, from The Navigators, Bob Ewell, an ordinary guy who serves an extraordinary God!

I don’t think I’ve ever been introduced as “an ordinary guy.” After all, I have an earned doctorate, served 20 years in the Air Force, had my own statistical consulting business for 10 years, and went into “paid Christian employment” in 2001. That’s what people usually say. But I like “ordinary guy.” After all, that’s what the religious leaders said about Peter and John:

The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. (Acts 4.13, NLT, emphasis mine)

I told the men something like this:

Men, I really appreciate being called an ordinary guy…because I am. When I went into vocational Christian ministry in 2001, the church that hired me specifically liked that I was a layman. No seminary training. But guess what? As soon as I joined the staff as “Minister of Discipleship,” I wasn’t a layman anymore–not in the eyes of the church people I was trying to work with. So thank you, James, for introducing me as “an ordinary guy.” If I can do what I’m talking about, you can too.

And so can all you readers!

Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (Amos 7.14, 15, ESV)

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1.6 – 8, ESV)

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1.26 – 31, ESV)