January 2, 2025

“That’s an impossible question for me to answer,” Ed says, adjusting his reading glasses. I’ve just asked him if, as a bilingual person, he tends to think in English or in Spanish. Ed and I have been reviewing the Spanish translation of the Ekklesia Excelerator (the Transform Our World discipleship class) and I’m ready for a break. “Alright, here’s an easier question,” I say. “Do you remember the first sermon you preached in English?”

Ed’s eyes light up and he begins to laugh. “Oh yes, that one I can’t forget. A pastor had very kindly invited me to speak at his church for the Sunday service. I decided to preach about when God called Moses to lead the Israelites to freedom and Moses responded with four objections as to why he could not do it. ‘But Lord, what if people don’t believe me? But Lord, I’m not a good speaker…’ Moses said. I thought that Moses’ doubts and God’s answers would be a wonderful subject to explore.

“I wrote the sermon very carefully, making sure my English was correct. But when I finally finished, the Pastor asked me to create a title for the sermon. We didn’t usually do that in Argentina, so I was stumped. I hunched over my typewriter, wondering what kind of title would fit. Finally, the idea hit me like a bolt of lightning! I proudly wrote down my title at the top of my page of notes. 

“That Sunday, I walked up to the pulpit and beamed at the well-dressed crowd. They sat expectantly and smiled at me. ‘Good morning everyone,’ I said. ‘Today, we will be taking an in depth-look at ‘Moses’ Four Buts’. I paused, hoping everyone would be impressed with my title. However, it seemed to have a strange effect on my audience: some of them sat stiffly with their lips pressed together, others trembled and made strained faces. It was only later, as my English improved and I learned that ‘but’ and ‘butt’ sound similar, that I realized my listeners had been valiantly suppressing laughter!

“Yet that was the start of me and my family’s ministry in the United States, which has now had an impact all over the world. I often look back on that story and laugh. Throughout my time in ministry, God has called me to do many things that I may not have felt fully equipped to do. So many times, I felt too shy, too young, not knowledgeable enough, or not proficient enough in the language to fulfill my calling. But despite the limitations, God always gave me everything I needed! He is the one who made me strong.” Ed smiles and looks around his office, which is filled with keepsakes of his 60+ years of ministry: a prophetic declaration signed by Pastors from all over Argentina, a copper model of a merchant’s ship gifted to him during one of the Latin American crusades, books from marketplace and pulpit ministers: all testaments of God’s faithfulness through the years.

Yes, God is the one who gives us strength. Moses was insecure about his leadership abilities, but God chose him to lead a people to freedom. Gideon was by his own estimation “the least of the least” of his people, but God saw him as a mighty warrior and chose Gideon to storm the powerful Midianite camp with only three hundred soldiers. The truth about who we are is both humbling and strengthening: our power and effectiveness don’t come from our own capabilities, but from God! As you prepare for the approach of a new year, have faith! God is the one who both calls and strengthens you, so you can face the future with confidence!

-Eutychus