United through food! The “Dinner Church” movement believes that many conflicts can be settled over a nice meal. Maybe a good potluck with a chicken and bean casserole is precisely what the Christians at Corinth needed.
Liberal and conservative congregations. Rich and poor. Traditional and contemporary. Black, white and brown. Native-born and immigrant. Gay and straight.
Clearly, there are divisions in the church.
Not that this is new. Churches have been splitting since before the Great Schism of 1054, which led to the break in communion between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Think of the Judaizers, Modalists, Arius and Alexander, Docetism, Gnostics, Montanism, Apollinarians, Marcion, Manichaeism, Nestorius, Augustine and Pelagius — want more?
A few centuries after the Schism of 1054, the Protestant Reformation led to further splintering. Today, the fracturing of the church continues, and some people joke that Christians have a strange approach to math: They actually multiply by division!
The apostle Paul to the church at Corinth: “We are not amused!”
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul challenges Christians to live a cross-shaped...
Start today. Cancel any time.
Act now and, for just $7.99 a month or $69.95 a year, you’ll receive a full year of this valuable sermon preparation resource.
Our convenient, continuous-subscription program ensures you'll never miss out on the inspiration you need, when you need it.
You’re never obligated to continue. Naturally, you may cancel at any time for any reason, no questions asked.