“There will be very few people who are honest enough to say, ‘I don’t like your message, I don’t like to submit to this God. Yes, what you’re saying is in the Bible. But I reject the Bible because I don’t want God’s authority over my life.’ A thoroughly honest person like that is more likely to be found outside the church. But generally in the church they will not say, ‘I hate this gospel that you’re preaching.’ So if they cannot get at God himself, the next best thing is to get at you. Maybe you will face criticism of your appearance, personal characteristics or preaching style. Sometimes criticism is valid and needs to be acted on, if we are to be fruitful.
Although we must be open to questioning the way we do things, still we must not take it too personally. As we think and pray about it, we may be aware that the pressure of the Word of God is affecting those who criticize. Be patient with them, for sometimes the debate will move on to the message, and there may be a real opportunity for conversion, or there may be some area where critics have helped you improve.”
-Douglas F. Kelly, New Life in the Wasteland: 2 Corinthians on the Cost and Glory of Christian Ministry (Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus, 2003), 137-138.
