Opening Doors for the Rejected

✝️ From the Heart of Pastor Gary Boyd

📖 Acts 9:26–28

“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him… But Barnabas took him…” (Acts 9:26–27)

🏕️ A Moment from Camp That Got Me Thinking…

Something happened at junior camp last week that stuck with me. The speaker got up in front of about 120 kids and asked what kind of school they attended.

• Public school? ✋ Fewer than 20 hands went up.
• Christian school? ✋ Maybe 30.
• Homeschool? ✋ The rest of the room.

My wife and I just smiled. If you had asked that question when we were in junior camp in the ’90s, it would’ve been the exact opposite! Back then, being homeschooled often felt like being on the outside looking in. 😅

Whether it was at church, camp, or even with extended family, we sometimes felt like we didn’t quite belong—like everyone else was in on something we weren’t.

That same feeling is something a lot of people wrestle with when they start attending church. Even believers. Even those who really want to connect.

🚪 That “Outsider” Feeling at Church

Let’s be honest—church can be hard to break into. Even if someone’s already saved, walking into a new church can feel like crashing someone else’s family reunion.

People try to smile and be friendly… but that deeper connection can still feel just out of reach. And if someone’s a guest for weeks or even months without feeling truly seen? That’s discouraging. 😞

That’s why I believe every church—our church—should work hard to bring people in. Not just say “we’re friendly,” but be the kind of place where people go from “visitor” to “family.”

And I think Barnabas shows us how.

😨 Saul Walks Into Church—And Gets Rejected

Acts 9 paints the scene. Saul returns to Jerusalem after his dramatic conversion, ready to join the church there. But instead of a warm welcome?

He’s met with fear. 🤯

And honestly, can you blame them? This is the same guy who had Christians arrested, beaten, even killed. Some of those believers in Jerusalem had lived through his persecution. Their fear was rooted in real trauma.

They didn’t believe he was truly a disciple. They thought it was a trap. They weren’t about to take that risk. So, they shut him out. 🚫

That could’ve been the end of the story—if it weren’t for one man.

🙌 Enter Barnabas: The Bridge-Builder

Barnabas didn’t just believe Saul’s story—he did something about it.

I imagine him watching Saul’s awkward attempt to join in… then quietly walking over and saying, “Hey, I’d love to hear your story.” 🤝

And when he did, something clicked. He saw the evidence of real transformation. So Barnabas took a step further—he brought Saul to the apostles and vouched for him.

He used his credibility to help someone else find their place. That’s powerful. 💪

And guess what? It worked.

🎉 From Rejected to Received

The very next verse says Saul was now “with them”—going in and out, part of the group, fully accepted.

He went from outsider ➡️ insider.

Not because he proved himself through some long trial. Not because he was extraordinary (even though we know he would be). But because one man stepped up and said, “I’ll walk with you.”

All it took was one Barnabas.

❤️ Be That Person

Let me ask you—have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in? 😔

Barnabas probably knew that feeling too. And that’s why his heart was soft to someone like Saul.

Here’s what I know: there are people walking into our church right now who feel like Saul did—unsure, hesitant, quietly wondering if they belong.

You don’t have to be a pastor to make a difference. (Barnabas wasn’t!) You just have to be willing.

✅ Go up and introduce yourself.

✅ Hear their story.

✅ Sit with them.

✅ Invite them out for coffee or lunch.

✅ Introduce them to your friends.

✅ Make it easier for them to connect.

Who knows? Five years from now, they might be one of our most faithful, serving members—and it’ll all be because youopened that door. 🗝️

🌱 Final Thoughts

There are a lot of Sauls out there. People who are hungry for connection, but unsure how to find it.

But there are also a lot of Barnabases—if we choose to be.

So here’s the question I want to leave you with:

👉 Will you open your heart to the rejected?

👉 Will you be a Barnabas at Collinsville Baptist Tabernacle?

Someone’s future in our church might depend on it.

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