ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

WEEK BEGINNING 8 MAY 2005

1 CORINTHIAN 1:1-17

For home groups that would like them, here are some questions based on the talk at Sunday's 6:30 pm service. There's no need to answer them all - just tackle the ones you have time for. You don't need to stick to the areas mentioned here - feel free to discuss any other issues that arise for you.

 1. What do you already know about life in Corinth? What sort of place was it? What challenges did the church face?

 2. What parallels can be drawn between 1st century Corinth and 21st century Newbury?

 3. Please read 1 Corinthian 1:1-17.

 4. Paul's greeting shows that he sees the Corinthian Christians as those who are 'called to be holy' (verse 2). What does this mean?

 5. How would you answer someone who suggested that to be 'holy' is a) unattractive and b) unattainable?

 6. What is it about the Christians at Corinth that Paul thanks God for? How does he spell out the way in which God is at work among them?

 7. What was it that had led to divisions within the church at Corinth? How does Paul deal with this?

 8. What happens when people attach themselves to one particular leader and downplay the role of the others?

 9. "Only Christ is worthy of our undivided loyalty." Why?

10. Now read 1 Corinthians 3:1-5, where Paul takes up this theme again. What aspects of 'worldly' behaviour does he focus on? Are you aware of these things in the life of our own church?

11. What's wrong with being 'mere men [and women!]' (verses 3 and 4)? What are we supposed to be?

12. Take some time to reflect in silence on these two questions: Who do we feel jealous of in the family of the church? What quarrels are we involved in at the moment?

13. As appropriate, take some time to pray together about the issues raised in this study.

David Stone
8 May 2005