Accept One Another Church Orientation & Recruitment of Elders

Basic Meaning To take or receive someone/something to oneself, to admit, or to receive. New Testament uses include:

• To take someone aside for a private conversation
• To take food for nourishment
• To welcome/accept someone as a close friend

Reasons We Do Not Accept One Another

• We have not experienced or fully understood our acceptance by Christ..&…quot;for God has accepted him.…just as Christ accepted you" Romans 14:3, 15:7b (NIV)
• We allow disagreements or differences to create barriers and distance. "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him." Romans 14:1-3 (NIV)
• We are preoccupied with ourselves and our needs. "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 (NIV)

• We are selective about our associations with others. "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." Romans 12:16 (NIV)
• We are afraid a person will hurt us (or hurt us again). "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem… When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him… Acts 9:13, 26 (NIV)
• We are skeptical and suspicious of a person's motives or the genuineness of their walk with Christ. "When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple." Acts 9:26 (NIV)

Steps to Accepting Others

• Discover Christ's acceptance of you. "Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet." Acts 4:36-37 (NIV)

How does Christ receive us?

With no condition beyond simple faith in him

With no cost to us, but at great cost to himself

• Determine to consistently reflect Christ's acceptance of you to others. Acts 4:36 - What was Barnabas' real name and who changed it? Why?
• Watch for the hand of God in the heart of those you want to accept. Acts 9:27 - Barnabas focused on this truth.

• Place your faith in God's working, not in people. Act as if all conditions for intimacy were already fulfilled. Acts 9:27 - "Barnabas TOOK him…"
• Cover all areas of offense or disagreement with love. Note what Barnabas did not do or say.
• Ask questions to know people on the deepest level; avoid the superficial encounters. Acts 9:27 - How did Barnabas obtain this information?
• Help those who accept you to accept others into the circle. Take people to others and introduce them. Talk about people to others and tell their story.
• Be intentional about including others in the ministry. "News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul…" Acts 11:22-26 (NIV)
• Be willing to be hurt by those you accept. "Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus…" Acts 15:36-39 (NIV)