Ordinary People
Extraordinary God
Compiled and edited by Nathan Brown

“Money, money, money, money.” The catchy tune from the hit TV show “The Apprentice” may ring in your ears when you think about money, and what God asks from us. It may come as a surprise, but stewardship isn’t just about money! “Stewardship is choosing to live life as a follower of Jesus, as a member of the kingdom of God today. That has practical implications for all aspects of our lives” (v). Ordinary People Extraordinary God takes a fresh and diverse look at what stewardship really is, what it means to Christians in the Seventh-day Adventist church, and how it becomes a part of our daily lives.

What’s stewardship? Why do we tithe? What if I don’t have a job? Why does God want us to give Him money? Is it really about money? These questions and many more may pound around in your head at the thought of stewardship. Ordinary People Extraordinary God may not specifically answer these questions, however it gives a fresh and unique look at stewardship and what it means in Christianity.

Ordinary People Extraordinary God breaks stewardship into eight categories: time, others, creation, talents, finances, life choices and opportunities, trials and sharing our faith. Fifty-five everyday ordinary individuals share their perspectives in one of these areas highlighting stewardship as our “love relationship with God” (ix). Whether you are really young, young or somewhere above young, stewardship is relevant to your Christian life. Colossians 4:5 says that we should “live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.” Paul had it right and what a great way to start of Ordinary People Extraordinary God.

South Pacific Division Director of Stewardship, Dr Erika Puni, suggests, “Stewardship is about practical Christianity and allowing God to be in control of our lives daily. It is an expression of absolute trust in Him with all that we are in Christ Jesus, and submitting to His eternal rule” (x).

Through the diversity of 55 perspectives, Ordinary People Extraordinary God provides inspiring and memorable stories that will challenge your perspective of stewardship and what God asks of you. The opportunity to meet and pray with someone almost missed; the love of a newborn child; sharing one’s faith under unique circumstances, and many answered prayers are just a few of the stories.

Sharing one’s faith isn’t always easy. Robert Granger shares an experience where his beliefs were pushed to the edge however he was able to answer each question intelligently and Biblically and concludes by saying, “I have come to recognize that respecting both the individual and their freedom of choice are keystones in sharing our teachings on stewardship” (17).

Opportunities, both to demonstrate and talk about our faith, are times of stewardship. Rebecca Koolik states, “Opportunities are just one of the many ways I believe God knocks on our door…” (36). Again and again, Ordinary People Extraordinary God delves into the opportunities taken to share, experience and grow through the stewardship of being the hands and feet of God.

Often the first thing that comes to mind when the word "stewardship" is mentioned is tithing. But it’s not just about the money or the “blessings” we will receive when tithe is dutifully paid. It is, however, about being faithful and allowing God to work through jobs, people, nature, prayer and many other things. From strokes, to car trouble; cheques from unidentified donors, to battered wives; dreams, to Bible in schools; shifting house and selling possessions, to cancer, Ordinary People Extraordinary God is a fantastic compilation of how awesome God is. Nurses, pastors, administrators, parents and more, these fifty-five ordinary people provide incredible examples of our extraordinary God.

Compiled and edited by Nathan Brown, Ordinary People Extraordinary God shares the ‘real-life stories of faith and commitment’ as experienced by you and I, the ordinary people God uses to do His extraordinary work. Pr Jeffrey Pum Lian Pau shares a beautiful testimony and states, “The more we put our trust in Him, we discover the blessings multiply exponentially” (94).

Inspirational, life-changing, and reflective, Ordinary People Extraordinary God sheds a generous ray of light on the topic of stewardship putting real faces and real stories into what traditionally many have viewed as a ‘money thing’. Regardless of how you give back to God, in Ecclesiastes 11: 1 He promises, “Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later.”

Note: Edge regulars Julene Duerksen-Kapao, Scott Wegener, Kellie Hancock and Nathan Brown each have stories in the book.