30 Aug
2026

The Church of God In Corinth

Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:1-13, 17

REFLECTION QUOTE

“So, why church? The short answer is because the Holy Spirit formed it to be a colony of heaven in the country of death. Church is the core element in the strategy of the Holy Spirit for providing human witness and physical presence to the Jesus-inaugurated kingdom of God in this world.”
— Eugene Peterson, Practicing the Resurrection
“In Essentials unity, In Non-essentials liberty, In All things charity” – EPC motto

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

How do you typically handle divisive conflict? Are you more inclined to fight or flight?

Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. What does this passage show you about God’s character and about being his follower? What challenges, encourages, or sparks questions for you in this passage?

How does Paul demonstrate in the first nine verses that Christ is involved in the Corinthians’ past, present, and future?
On what basis were the Corinthian Christians creating divisions, and why was this so destructive (see 1:10-17)?
What issues are we tempted to divide over today in the church? Why do we move these things from “non-essential” to “essential”?
What perspective can we gain from knowing Paul was addressing divisions within the early church? How might this shape our expectations of doing church together?
How does Paul’s spiritual direction to the Corinthians speak to us? Consider how he directs their attention to Christ and what we reminds them of.
What from this passage and this discussion is something you want to put into practice or be more aware of this week or praise God for?

 

PRAYER

Share with your group how they can be praying for you: what is weighing on you from this past week? What are you praising God for from this past week?

“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)