1 Corinthians: A 35-Day Reading PlanSample

What Happens When The Church Comes Together

Ever found yourself on the receiving end of one of these comments:

“You saw 13 people get baptized last weekend! That’s great. Did I tell you about the time our church baptized 300?”

“Oh, you go to that church. We’re more of a disciple-making church.”

“You listen to that podcast? I prefer deeper teaching, but that’s good for you.”

Like the church in Corinth, we, too, are quick to group ourselves by the churches we attend or the teachers we follow. We convince ourselves that these cliques reflect refined taste or spiritual maturity, but in reality, they show how little we understand about how God works.

God works through all kinds of people, from different backgrounds, with different strengths, and in different denominations. There are no superstars in the kingdom, only God who makes things happen. This means we all have opportunities to help someone take one step closer to Jesus.

We all have opportunities to help someone take one step closer to Jesus.

Your invite to church might be the seed that sprouts someone’s curiosity about Jesus. The way you encourage your co-workers and honor your spouse might be the water that helps their faith grow.

Our leaders don’t save us; Jesus does. Imagine how much farther the Gospel would go if Christians stopped competing with each other and did our best to love and serve everyone we meet, regardless of where or whether they attend church. 

Reflect:

• Who are the leaders, family members, and friends who pursued you and influenced you in your early days as a Christian?
• What unique role did each of those men and women play in helping your faith grow?
• What’s one opportunity you have today to plant a seed or help someone else’s faith grow?