Acts 11:1-18 | the Church Will Criticize You. Don't Criticize It.Sample

We’re told Peter was criticized by the circumcised believers. That is, by the church (only circumcised males were part of the Jesus movement at this point). Let’s talk about the church, and what we mean when we talk about “the church” criticizing.

Does the pastor constitute the church? How about the staff? The Elders or other lay leadership? Or maybe it’s the representative denomination, or mother church to which a satellite campus belongs. Is that “the church”? Or how about that rude usher? Or maybe it’s those three kids in youth group who are entirely unfriendly? Or those cliquey moms who gather and laugh with their best friends and never really let any other moms into the circle? Or maybe the church is that one curmudgeonly old man who comes every week and sits in the back and only seems to spew negativity? No, it’s probably the guy who comments online. Or that group of visitors who showed up once and didn’t say hi to us, but because we’re new too, we just assumed they were “the church” because they seemed to know what they were doing. After all, why else would they be there?

Defining what we mean by “the church” is pretty important when we say things like “the church is critical,” “the church is judgmental,” “this church is unfriendly,” or “the people at this church are close-minded and mean.” If you say “the church is so critical,” who do you actually mean?

It’s ridiculous to say it this way, but this is how people often judge “the church.” They have a less-than-stellar experience with a few, and assume it’s representative of all. If there’s one thing that’s become fashionable in our day, it’s this: to condemn the church and kick it in the teeth. Even if it’s based on our experience with a select few. All of the people mentioned above might be part of the church. But when pushed, I don’t think any of us would say they are the church. At most, they’re part of the church.

When we project the comments or attitudes of one as representative of an entire organization, people, or belief system, we become guilty of the very thing we hate and condemn. It could have been easy for Peter to project the criticism he was receiving from “the circumcised believers” as representative of every believer, or even as reflective of the Way of Christ itself. Instead, he went a different way.

When you find yourself being criticized by others in the church, don’t automatically assume it’s representative of Christ, his church, or what he wants his church to be. And don’t criticize back. Instead, be ready to explain and give a reason for the hope you have with gentleness and respect. That’s what Peter did.