Facing Criticism

What do you do when “religious” people criticize you for doing ministry?  Peter faced this situation in Acts 10 and 11, when after sharing the Gospel to the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house, he faced criticism from his brothers in Jerusalem.  Acts 11:1 “The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. (2)So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him (3)and said, ‘You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 

As unfortunate as it is, many believers face daily criticism for loving others and for doing what God commanded.  Religious churchgoers are often unhappy with their fellow church members for reaching out, doing missions, serving, and so on.  As we examine Peter’s response in Acts 11 we find a couple of key things to remember.

First, “Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened.”  It is important that we are precise in our understanding of what God has taught us and what God has commanded us.  Be certain . . . Be confident . . . Be precise in your testimony.

Second, Peter “remembered what the Lord had said.” (verse 16)  Peter was careful to remember what Christ had taught him and that provided him motivation and clarity in his mission. 

And finally, stay out of God’s way.  Peter realized that opposing God was pointless, ridiculous, frivolous, and obviously a losing battle.  He trusted God’s will, and He trusted God’s desires and therefore declared “who was I to think that I could oppose God?”  When God leads, we cannot get in the way.

So if you feel as if people are not supporting you in your ministry?  And you are truly doing God’s will.  Take a moment, remember, trust, and led God lead.  

The Outsiders

Have you ever felt like an outsider?  I’m not talking about Ponyboy or Sodapop Curtis but a real outsider.  You felt alone, isolated, like no one cared about you or acknowledged you.  I sure have and boy does it stink.  Maybe you just are not popular enough, sophisticated enough, wealthy enough, smart enough, or likable enough to fit in to certain groups and therefore you are an “outsider.”  No matter our age, we can all be left out and neglected.  Isn’t it beautiful that when God looks at mankind He does not see status, wealth, talent, or likability. 

When God sees mankind He sees a bunch of folks that have really fouled things up, but He loves us nonetheless.  God never looks at us and judges us by the aforementioned attributes.  But instead He looks at us with love, forgiveness, and compassion and to those who have given their lives to Christ, He looks at them as Children. 

Children;  not outsiders. 

Therefore the appropriate question to ask ourselves is:  Do we look at people with the same eyes? 

When Peter spoke to the Gentiles who were with Cornelius (Acts 10) he declared “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”  He closes this brief testimony by stating that “all the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

God does not show favoritism and God’s redemption is for everyone who believes.  Therefore, should we not love with the same attitude?  We should look at all people of all ethnicities, personalities, bank account sizes, and backgrounds with the same love.  We must lift them up, encourage them, teach them, listen to them, and therefore show them the way to God.  For everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness and will be an outsider never again.   

God Said . . .

Do you have a favorite book?  If I had to answer that question I suppose I would say "Alas Babylon": a 1950s story of survival following nuclear war in America.  Through God's blessings I have had the pleasure of reading many great books; some have kept me on edge, many have entertained me, a few have made me cry, a few have made me laugh, and many have informed me of great people, places and events.  But of the hundreds of books I have read none match the power of God's Word.  None have the ability to calm me, convict me, and change me like that of God's Holy Scripture.  

So today I just want to say how thankful I am that God has spoken to us.  Did you catch that?  GOD HAS SPOKEN TO US.  Just the thought of our eternal, omnipotent, and omniscient God speaking to us should send shock waves of awe throughout our being.  The fact that GOD SAID is powerful and life-changing for each of us.  

God's Holy Word is our bread and our breath.   We must eat it up and breathe it in.  

I still have so much to learn . .  . so much to understand . .  . so much to memorize . . . but still I am thankful today for God's Word.  May the prayer of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:18 asking God to "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" be our prayer today.  May each of us approach God's Word with thankfulness and a prayer to see the wonderful things that await.  

*So, besides The Bible, what is your favorite book?  Feel free to share in comments.*

*Image from Google Image Search

Trust and Go

I must admit I always chuckle a little when I read the story of Ananias.  (Yes I said chuckle)  If you're unfamiliar with Ananias let me catch you up.  In Acts 9, Saul is "breathing out murderous threats" and heads to Damascus to hunt down and imprison any followers of The Way (Christians) that he can find. Saul has become well known for his brutality against believers and word of his mission has spread to the people of Damascus.  It is there where we find Ananias.  

Ananias, a devoted follower of Christ, is called to in a vision.  In the vision, (Acts 9:11-12) "The Lord told him, 'Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying (12)In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."  This is where I chuckle . . . because I can just imagine the look on poor Ananias' face.  "You want me to do WHAT LORD?"  I know the look because I have given the look.  God tells us to do things that we so often are blown away by; as is the case here.  

Ananias is given a major task by God.  A task that he feels is dangerous, and perhaps could even cost his life.  So, he feels it necessary to enlighten God. (insert chuckle here)  "Lord, this guy is bad news - he's mean and he's coming here to arrest us. Lord this is not who you want me to go see." (my translation) After enlightening God, Ananias is told . . . "Go!"  In other words, no balking, I know all things . . . just go.  With great obedience and faith, Ananias then goes, and brought Saul from his blindness.  Ultimately, his is a great story of obedience; yet the beauty of this story goes even deeper.  It goes to the heart of how God leads us.

When God calls us to a mission, we often forget that He has already gone before us.  He never calls us to a mission and says "Good Luck - not sure what's going to happen really, but best of luck to you."  No, when He calls, He knows.  In this story we see that Saul has already been dealt with by Christ.  Christ himself has appeared to Saul and in His marvelous light, has literally blinded Saul.  Furthermore, after Saul is humbled by Christ, he is also given a vision.  God gives him the vision to expect Ananias to come visit him and heal him.  

I am so guilty of forgetting and/or ignoring God's Sovereignty.  When God called Ananias, I can relate to the fears he must have felt and the uncertainty of God's mission.  However, the uncertainty only was in man's heart, because in God's heart and in God's plan all things were already taken care of.  God went before Ananias.  And He will go before you and I.

May we all rest in the certainty of God's mission today.  May we all rest in the Sovereignty of God today.  So that the next time we hear Him saying "Go!" . . . we will trust, and we will go.  

**Image taken from http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/clip/gosign4c.html    

A Humble Request for Help

Dear Family and Friends,

Many of you know that we have been called by God to give a young orphan girl a “forever family.”  Through years of hopeless moments, endless questions, and ultimately faithful prayers, we know God has called us to adopt a little girl from Bulgaria. At some point during the next year we hope to travel to Bulgaria and bring our daughter “Sophia” home to us.  Sophia literally means “God’s Holy Wisdom” and that is the promise that we are clinging to throughout this journey.

Through years of infertility, and therefore praying and searching God’s Word we have been greatly convicted of God’s call to adoption.  We know that through Jesus Christ we are adopted as Children of God and therefore we have a great responsibility to care for the orphans of this world.  We desire to be obedient to God’s Call and we also want to give a child a home she might otherwise have never had. Prayerfully, we will provide a loving home for our daughter Sophia; one that provides for her needs and wants and teaches her the love God has for her.

There are over 147 million orphans worldwide and 120,000 children currently in the U.S. foster care system. It is estimated that less than 10 percent of these children are adopted into evangelical Christian families.

The biggest challenge is not opening our hearts and home to a child, but it is finding the finances to make this happen. The approximate total cost for the adoption is $30,000. Obviously we do not have that money but throughout this journey we have seen God provide the exact amount we have needed at the exact time it was needed. To this date, we have paid nearly $13,000 of the total cost but between $15,000 and $19,000 will still be due at some point in the process. 

Those of you receiving this letter know how private we are as a family and know that is difficult for us to ask for help.  However, we humbly ask for your help in one or two ways. 

        1.     Please pray that God would bless Sophia and her birth mother in Bulgaria until we are able to bring her home.  Please also pray for us as we begin the journey of being parents.

        2.     Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help cover the remaining expenses to bring Sophia home?  Our goal date is June 28, 2013, but funds will be accepted until our adoption is complete. 

Please make checks payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”.  In the memo, note “#3586/Pippen” to assure it goes to the correct account.  

Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744. Lifesong has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all U.S. administrative and fund-raising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.

Another option is to give online. Go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate. Select “Give to an Adoptive Family.” Complete the online form and fill in “Family Account Number (#3586)” and “Family Name (Pippen)” Fields.

In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use. Individual donations of $250 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $250 will gladly be sent upon request. Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.

Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances—it will be an investment with an eternal return! We’ll give you an update with a picture of Sophia and details as we receive them. Please pray this entire process will glorify God and fulfill His purposes.

In Christ,


Brian and Dawn

Are You Available?

There have been times in my life when I have wished that God would have given me a play by play book for my life.  For instance, "On May 3, at 3:17 you are to go to Wal-Mart and buy underwear."  It seems that would be much easier.  However, it would not require much faith would it?  Nor would it really test our obedience.  

In Acts 8 (one of my favorite chapters), Philip is told by an angel of the Lord to "Go South on the road - the desert road - that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."  That's it . . . that's all the instruction he was given, and yet, he went. Philip made himself available.  According to the Scripture, we was not told why to go in that direction, who he was to meet, where he was to buy underwear. . . that was it.  In his faith and obedience he went.  And along the way he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way home from Jerusalem.  

The Spirit then told Philip to "Go to that chariot and stay near it."  Had Philip not made himself available to the leading of God he would not have seen this chariot. Often times, we are not given the full vision of where God is leading us.  Many times it is a step by step faith process.  

Step 1:  Go South

Step 2:  Go to that chariot

Step 3:  Philip knew what to do next

As the story goes on, Philip is able to share the good news of Jesus Christ with this eunuch and even baptize him.  After the baptism, Philip is taken away. His mission here was accomplished.  

Philip was never given a play by play, daily calendar of events.  He just stepped out in faith and went south.  All because he made himself available to the leading of the Spirit.  

If only we would be more faithful and obedient to do what God is calling us to do.  Even though we do not know every detail of His plan we must learn to trust him for the direction He gives us today.  

*Picture taken from http://bibleencyclopedia.com/pictures/Acts_8_Philip_and_the_Ethiopian_eunuch.htm

Where are you?

Where are you at today?  Now, I am not talking about some existential philosophical "where are you"mumbo jumbo.  But literally, where are you?  Are you at work? Home?  The Golf Course? Wal-Mart?  

Wherever you are and wherever you spend most of your days, does your life let others know about Jesus Christ?  

In Acts Chapter 8 the church has just been struck with a great persecution that has scattered believers throughout the areas surrounding Jerusalem.  Acts 8:4 is very striking:  "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." In the face of bitter persecution and in communities that they may not have been completely comfortable, believers were proclaiming Christ.  

I wish that the same could be said about my life, and about the lives of believers all around me.  We face only minor persecutions and yet we do not often preach Christ to those around us.  I pray today that your life, and my life would preach the Word wherever we are.  

So where are you today?  And what is your life preaching?  

Identity Theft

I am currently leading my students through a series I call "Identity Theft," based on 1 Peter 2:9 where Peter declares "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (NIV)  This week we are focusing on the "royal priesthood" part of this passage and it has me thinking. One of the great responsibilities of the priest is to reflect God.  How good are we at reflecting God?  

How many times throughout life, in your quest for identity, have you changed something about yourself in order to be like another person or a particular group?  In middle school I remember tight rolling my pants and wearing "Dex" shoes in order to fit in.  It was the age of "Saved by the Bell", tight rolled pants, and Z-Cavaricci.  Honestly though, my parents did not like spending tons on "name brand" clothes so I never got the real "Dexters" so I had to wear a cheap knock off pair that was really uncomfortable....and really, not cool.  And as bad as wanted the "Z-cavs", there was no chance of that.  So I was a dork trying to be cool ... and I tried so hard.    I was never really "cool" but I sure tried to be at different times in my life.  I struggled with my identity and therefore often mimicked certain people or certain groups to try to be something I was not.

I doubt that I am alone.  Nor do I think that this is just a teenage problem.   I think people of all ages transform themselves in order to be like someone else, to look like someone else, to keep up with the Joneses, etc.  We are great at copying others through our language, fashion, houses, finances, and more.  However, rarely will we take the time to really try and be like God.  In 1 Peter 1:13-16 he writes: “(13)Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  (14)  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (15)  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (16)  For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

What if ... instead of looking for our identity in others, we looked to be more like Christ?  What if we stopped conforming to the world and began to conform to Christ?  If we would become the priesthood we are called to be and reflected God in all we are and in all we do we would see changes all around us.  

We would see changes in us.  We would find our true identity.