Rejection is part of life

"Rejection can be a major hindrance to creating an empowering church culture"

Rejection can be a major hindrance to creating an empowering church culture. Leaders are not immune to this as they are on the front line and so handling rejection comes with the territory. The fear of being rejected can create a very damaging pattern of behavior in our lives. It can cause us to feel that we are not good enough and that we are failures. Jesus, when he sent out the twelve apostles on a mission, wanted to prepare them so that they would deal with rejection in an appropriate way.

Jesus understood what it was like to be rejected “He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him” (John 1:11- Message). Isaiah prophesied about him, “He (Jesus) was despised and rejected by men” (Is. 53:3). Jesus said “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law…” (Mark 8:31)

Sometimes we act in such a way that makes people reject us for the wrong reason. Jesus instructed his disciples on how they were to conduct themselves. He told them “Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting” (Matt. 10:12). They were also to eat everything that was put before them. I am amazed how some people get hurt & rejected for acting in an inappropriate way and then feel they have been hard done to.

To be continued…

Rejection is part of life

Rejection can be a major hindrance to creating an empowering church culture. Leaders are not immune to this as they are on the front line and so handling rejection comes with the territory. The fear of being rejected can create a very damaging pattern of behavior in our lives. It can cause us to feel that we are not good enough and that we are failures. Jesus, when he sent out the twelve apostles on a mission, wanted to prepare them so that they would deal with rejection in an appropriate way.