His Body: Behind the Scenes - 1 Corinthians 14

In this chapter, Paul uses the subject of Spiritual Gifts to address an overarching concern he has about the Church at Corinth - and all local bodies of Christ for that matter. Even just a few decades into the Church movement, Paul was noticing a trend that Church services and Church communities were becoming very insider-focused and mostly about appealing to the senses of those who already belonged. By spotlighting the gift of prophecy, emphasizing the ability church members have to encourage one another and build up one another, Paul warns the Church of becoming obsessed with spectacle and emotion. This path would lead (and has led) the church in a direction that effects its ability to reach outsiders and is detrimental to believers' faith. Paul desires that the Church produce Christians with faith not tied to feelings or a time and place, which is strong enough to stand on its own no matter the environment or circumstance. In this message, we take a "behind the scenes" tour at what goes into producing a truly edifying and uplifting church service and community. From the role each members plays to the posture towards outsiders, this chapter gives us tremendous guidance about making the most out of every gathering and impacting attendees for the greatest good.