By Ryan Strother
State Convention of Baptists in Indiana
A mentor pastor once told me to be wise in giving my time to people. He said negative people will take 100% of my time if I let them. Instead, he said to listen to any legitimacy in their complaints and criticism but then spend most of my time with the people who want to get things done and be committed to Kingdom work.
Paul and Barnabas exemplified what to do when you are criticized suddenly and severely, just as your ministry is gaining momentum.
Acts 13:49 says, “And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.” Paul and Barnabas saw lives transformed as the gospel spread. And then, the rug was pulled. Verse 50 says, “But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.”
There’s a big difference between those two verses. Suddenly, Paul and Barnabas are forced out of the place where their work had been so effective. They’re facing rejection.
What do you think they did? What would you do?
Verse 51–52 says, “But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”
Shake the dust
Symbolically, shaking the dust from their feet meant they were breaking off further communication. In other words, they would not be burdened with this rejection but would move on and continue to focus on where they could be effective.
If you pastor a church, you can’t just break communication and move on; however, you can choose where and to whom to give your time.
Consider these two examples:
When Jesus sent out 72 followers to go ahead of Him in ministry, He told them to wipe the dust off their feet in a town where they were not received (Luke 10:10–11).
When Nehemiah faced opposition to the effort to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, his opponents called him out for a meeting and offered threats. Nehemiah would not be deterred from his important work (see Neh. 6:9).
The reality is that it is so much easier to quit than to persevere. But God’s Kingdom and glory are worth your perseverance.
The voices of rejection and criticism can be loud. Pray for God to strengthen your hands as you shake the dust off your feet, push through the opposition and rejection, and stay faithful to what you know God called you.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Ryan Strother is executive director of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana. This story was originally published by the Indiana Baptist.
Letters to the Editors
I was interested to see the recent story in [The Baptist Paper] about Francis Lake Baptist Church in Georgia. Not only is the congregation unusual with an 86-year-old pastor who’s served them for 46 years, but the church has had Colby Davis, age 11, preach twice in recent months.
Young Colby impressed the church with the earnestness of his prayers, and the pastor invited him to preach at the final service of the year last December and again last spring.
“During my second sermon in May of this year, I wanted people to have the seeds of salvation planted in their hearts and to think about removing the weeds, which are the sins from their lives,” Colby said.
Sounds pretty deep for a boy of God.
Reading this story reminded me with gratitude of faithful churches in my youth who gave us kids an opportunity to share our faith. Our church had an annual youth Sunday, and we teens taught Sunday School, led music and spoke from the pulpit.
I’m not sure we were as profound as Colby, but I do know these church members deserve a golden crown for their tolerance and for their patience. They loved us despite our timidity at times and impudence at other times.
I’ve tried to understand the current shortage of pastors [and wonder if it’s because] we don’t make as much of young people considering a call to vocational ministry as we once did.
Michael J. Brooks, pastor
Siluria Baptist Church
Alabaster, Alabama
The impact of true friendships
By Rhonda Rhea
The Pathway
Trip and fall in front of your friends? Anytime that happens, the best thing to do is to just bounce right back up and keep on going, but it’s always nice to have friends nearby who will help you.
I love the reminder in Ecclesiastes 4 that “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up” (vv. 9–10).
There is a true blessing in a friend who’s with you through all your ups and downs, through every victory and every tumble. And there’s great blessing in becoming that kind of friend to someone as well.
Important reminder
Since the Father has so much to say about the importance of relationships, and since He included it all through His Word, I’m taking that to mean I need to be reminded. We need each other.
I find myself remembering all the more clearly each time a close friend offers godly counsel or encourages me to seek the Lord. I remember it well each time friends spur me on or inspire me to walk closer to Christ by their godly example.
If you’re experiencing one of those seasons in life when close friends are not as accessible, could I encourage you to keep praying, asking the Lord to send a bud your way? True friends are a blessed bonus. It’s amazing how the Lord can use them to forever impact our lives for Him.
Jesus told about the proper response to His promised return: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes” (Matt. 24:45–46).
We may take our last breath, or we may live to see His kingdom come. But whatever the case, our task is to remain faithful in God’s work until the hour he calls us home.
Michael J. Brooks
Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster
“It’s always easy to focus on and become discouraged by the shocking news stories and internet posts that showcase negative examples of emotional excess,” noted Daniel Blackaby, who co-wrote the new book “Straight to the Heart.” “But a culture driven by the heart is actually primed to receive the gospel in many unique and powerful ways if we can learn to speak the language of the heart.”
“One of the things I love about the Bible is its realism, how it’s true to life,” Aaron M. Renn writes in his new book, “Life in the Negative World.” “Christians today should not ignore our cultural reality but rather be realistic about the negative world environment we live in. … We can do many things to start adapting. … There are ways for us to create churches that can thrive in this world.”
“He was officially dead, just like Lazarus was dead,” said Donny Richards, whose grandson, Charlie Guisinger, survived a near-drowning accident.
The burdens of others are an invitation to repent of our rebellion rather than laud our righteousness.
Adam Dooley
Jackson, Tennessee
“Many young people are looking for ways to start a conversation about faith; they just aren’t sure how to begin. ‘Bring Your Bible Day’ is a great opportunity to do that,” said Trail Life USA CEO Mark Hancock about the Oct. 3 event sponsored by Focus on the Family.
“What we realized is that local pastors and local believers can go places we can’t go,” said a missionary serving Sub-Saharan Africa, according to sbc.net. “The best way for us to multiply ourselves and extend our reach is to train other people to go and share as well.”
Posted on Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief Ministry Facebook page: Spruce Pine, North Carolina Recovery Site — We’re grateful to all the volunteers, individuals delivering supplies and thankful to the Lord for equipment. He’s blessed us with to be His hands and feet to a hurting world.
Posted on Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief Facebook page from Boyd Kendrick: The response of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams is literally the hands and feet of Christ to this world, and it moves me deeply. … The Disaster Relief teams of highly trained volunteers and first responders are the brightest and most brilliant gem of our … denomination. We are right to be proud of them. We do well to partner with them, on a church level and a personal level, in any way possible.
