Why First Corinthians?

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It’s perfectly appropriate and insightful to ask why First Corinthians (FC)? If, as we plan, we are going to dig into this ancient letter for almost all of 2023, the reasoning must be thoughtful and intentional. Well, we think it is. Let’s talk about a few reasons we chose FC.

First, we have always been committed to make disciples and reach our city through the empowerment and equipping that comes by reading, teaching and practicing the living Word of God. So in our ten years as a church family we’ve made our way through every text of two gospels, the Book of Acts, a half dozen of Paul’s letters, one of John’s short epistles, quite a few psalms and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We use God’s Word as our door into life, culture, family, spiritual growth, transformation, community and mission. So it’s natural that we start here yet again.

Next we asked some really core questions about what God is doing in our church family, what He is doing in King County and the areas and neighborhoods in which we live, and more importantly, what He wants to do. We took some time to prayerfully engage God’s heart on these questions and more, trying our best, in community and collaboration, to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, as a way of clarifying and confirming the direction we felt led, we began to read, study and discuss First Corinthians, as we felt nudged in that direction. What we rediscovered there, reading with fresh eyes, was a host of specific topics we think are tailor-made for Reach in this time and place. It is as if, in many ways, the ancient words of the Apostle Paul, were tailor made for us in our present day.