The Gathered Church

Prolonged chaos is stressful; we prefer to be at peace that to be in disarray. In Corinthians, Paul urges the church to embrace order in their gatherings instead of chaos. By doing so, we will love each other well.

The spiritual gifts of speaking in tongues and prophecy can seem spectacular in nature and Paul urges the Corinthians, and us, to use them correctly. In doing so, he urges believers to prioritize ‘we’ over ‘me’ in the worship gathering.

In one of the most famous Bible passages, the Apostle Paul extols the virtues of love above all of the other things that we as people find important. It leads us to evaluate our own lives for evidence of love for others - how well am I loving people?

In 1 Cor 12:12-31, Paul compares the Church to a body, stressing the significance of each member. Unity is crucial, as diversity in roles contributes to the body's effective functioning.

It can be easy to feel we are inadequate. We can see how gifted others are and wish we could be like them. But for those who are followers of Jesus, we have the Spirit of God in us and therefore we can live courageously and humbly.

Community divisions harm; in Corinth, they affected how the Lord's Supper was observed. A strong church reflects the united community Jesus envisioned, avoiding fragmentation.

How does the Bible instruct us to honour one another in the context of the gathered church? In one of the most complex passages in the New Testament, Paul reminds the church of the importance of respecting each other, and, therefore, respecting God.