Do you find it hard to “be present?” The early church practiced presence by honestly situating their past and prayerfully entrusting their future to God. In so doing, they were able to find newfound availability for both God and one another.
The story of the ancient church in Corinth gives us a robust and compelling vision for what a modern urban church can be—engaging, resilient, and hopeful in the midst of a diverse, dynamic, and pluralistic culture.
Like the famous words announced on the intercom of the London Tube, the church’s call is to “mind the gap” between God’s Kingdom and human culture, creating loving dialogue that help people experience the beauty of Jesus Christ and his good news.
The transforming power of the gospel shines through in this story of two women from vastly different backgrounds. Remarkably, the first convert in Europe was a female Asian business leader—a powerful reminder that God’s grace reaches across every boundary.
For many, religious rules are comforting. But the gospel invites us into a radically healthy but utterly paradigm-shifting freedom from old rules and regulations. The church is meant to be the beating heart, the epicenter, of that message of freedom.
When he and his followers are accused of not being “religious” enough, Jesus tells a series of parables that reveal just how transformative the gospel can be for those of us who feel worn out by the old, endless rituals and empty rules. He invites us to encounter something totally…well, new.