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This quarter I am teaching a graduate course on the Pauline Epistles. Today we began working through 1 Corinthians. Here I wanted to touch upon something we examined in class today: Paul's co-workers. Paul begins 1 Corinthians by doing something he often does in his epistles: he mentions a co-worker. "Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God which is at Corinth. . ." (1 Co 1:1–2).The question of Sosthenes' identity is an extremely interesting one. Is he the same figure who gets beaten in...

There are a great number of religious bodies today which advertise themselves as loving bodies of believers. This is fantastic and the way Christ’s Church should be identified. In fact, Jesus told his disciples the following in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. The Bible has much to say about love. A scan of I Corinthians 13 lists a great number of attributes of love including patience, kindness, a lack of arrogance, proper behavior, and a desire for others betterment. God is love (I John 4:8)....

“Weak Power and Foolish Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)The American Religious Identification Survey conducted a huge, nationwide survey in 2008, the first one since they did a similar survey in 2001. They asked people to identify themselves by their religion, and they included every religion you could think of--Catholic, mainline Protestant, Evangelical, you name it. Perhaps the most interesting result to come out of this survey is the only group they found that increased in number in every state in the union. Guess which religious identification that was. Give up? “None.” That’s right, “none” was the religious identification that increased everywhere,...

This is a beautiful YouTube this lady has put together. I submit it here as a comfort for these times, if even for a few moments.

“Wherefore whoever shall eat this bread, and drink of this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11 Verse 27 Now that’s heavy! The Corinthian’s were characterized for their unruly behavior at their agape´ suppers. Some were irreverent and self centered in their manners. There were divisions among them in the church. Some ate without thought for others who went hungry and humiliated those who had nothing… and then they proceeded to take part in the Lord’s Supper.

Faiths seeing wider spectrum of female clergy Tuesday, January 02, 2007 By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lake Fong, Post-Gazette The Rev. Kristen Beckstrom of Olivet Presbyterian Church in West Elizabeth was ordained two years ago. Click photo for larger image. On Christmas Eve, the Rev. Kristin Beckstrom's little church in West Elizabeth was packed with 120 worshippers -- the majority newcomers who did not belong to Olivet Presbyterian Church. The congregation, which draws 40 on Sundays, chose her two years ago to help it grow. Her gender was not an issue, because Olivet has had female pastors for 25 years....

1st Corinthians, Chapter 12: 4 Now there are diversities of gifts but there is only one Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministries, but there is only one Lord. 6 And there are diversities of powers, but it is the One God who works all things in all people. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every person as help. 8 For to one is given by Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by...