1 Corinthians 1-9: Challenging church: 7 studies for individuals or groups

by Mark Dever

Overview

Even today, Jesus is still a figure of intense interest and admiration for millions. But then there’s His church. Church is a boring topic for most, and a reluctantly fulfilled duty for many.

And we can understand why. Churches say they have the best news in the world, that they have the answer to our problems, that they are God’s embassies on earth; and yet churches are made up of people like you and me, who are grumpy, irritable, unfaithful, selfish, and worse.

And as that is sadly true of churches today, so it was of the church in Corinth. It was young, it was full of life, and it was just as full of problems. What would God say to such a challenging church? What did they need to be excited by, to listen to, to learn?

Use this seven-study guide to open up the first nine chapters of the letter of 1 Corinthians, to hear what God said to His church in Corinth, and what God still says to His church today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781908317681
Publisher:	The Good Book Company
Publication date:	02/01/2012
Series:	Good Book Guides Series , #35
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.22(d)

About the Author

DrDr. Mark Dever is Senior Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and President of 9Marks Ministries. Married to Connie with two grown-up children, he is the author of books including The Deliberate Church and What Is a Healthy Church? He has a M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell, a Th.M from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Why study 1 Corinthians?
Timeline

1. Count your blessings - 1 Corinthians 1 v 1-9
2. Unite in "foolishness" - 1 Corinthians 1 v 10 - 2 v 16
3. Unite as God's community - 1 Corinthians 3
4. Recognize real ministers - 1 Corinthians 4
5. Don't go soft on sin - 1 Corinthians 5 - 6
6. Let your calling count - 1 Corinthians 7
7. Use your rights - 1 Corinthians 8 - 9

Leader's Guide

Editorial Reviews

The aim of the The Good Book Company is to be biblical, relevant and accessible, and nothing embodies that ethos more than their Good Book Guides. Each guide provides a framework for your group to dig into the text of Scripture for itself while providing enough of a steer to keep you on track plus useful pointers towards application. The result is a great combination of fidelity to Scripture and ease of use.

Tim Chester (Crosslands Training; Author of Enjoying God)

Mark Dever has been a leader of church reform for many years now, and nobody I know has thought more carefully about the church.  That’s why I’m thrilled the Good Book Company is publishing Mark’s helpful study guide to 1 Corinthians, because no book of the Bible says more about the church.  No doubt, Mark has acquired these insights through many years of hard labor both in the Scriptures and in the church.  Whether you are a church leader or a faithful member, this guide will help you understand and apply 1 Corinthians to your life and the life of your church.  I highly recommend it.

Greg Gilbert (Author and Pastor)

This outstanding study guide to 1 Corinthians 1-9 both helps the readers to feed for themselves and to understand and apply even the most tricky parts of the text. I thoroughly recommend it.

William Taylor (Rector

I love this small group study guide series from The Good Book Company. Christians are regularly told they should spend more time studying God’s Word, but sometimes there’s not a clear plan for how to do this. These study guides provide practical, step-by-step guidance on working through books of the Bible, along with wonderful questions that encourage reflection and application. I hope churches and Christian ministries will take advantage of this wonderful resource.

Michael J. Kruger (President and Professor of New Testament

The Good Book Guides are an immensely precious resource for the church. A careful blend of helpful context and clearly-worded, searching questions which aim to help readers to uncover the meaning of the text and apply it in responsible ways. I think these small group studies are the best available and pray that they will continue to prove helpful to local churches across the world!

Gary Millar (Principal

The Good Book Guides are a fantastic resource for small-groups and personal study. I've used many of them myself. For a busy small-group leader, or a Christian looking for refreshment in his or her devotional life, these come so highly recommended.

Sam Allberry (Pastor at Immanuel Church

Mark Dever's studies in 1 Corinthians will help individuals or groups get to grips with the message of this challenging letter. The seven studies have clear questions that get right to the heart of the text. The leader's guide at the end provides extra help that will make these studies accessible to people who may be studying this for the first time. A great resource

Justin Mote (Chairman of the North West Gospel Partnership)

These studies tackle core issues in life together as God's people - what we stand for and how live together. They blend careful examination of the text and searching application to our lives. Accessible, punchy, clear and convicting about real church life.

Graham Beynon (Head of Local Ministries

Here is a pastorally sensitive and well-earthed guide to nine hard-hitting and practical chapters from Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. The bible-handling is careful, the questions are accessible, and the pointers to application are striking for their realism and penetration. This study guide comes from the day-to-day experience of a practising pastor and will be of great help to Christians (and especially group leaders) seeking to learn from the first half of this ancient and yet amazingly contemporary letter.

Christopher Ash (Writer-in-Residence

Mark Dever's series of studies on 1 Corinthians 1-9 are a welcome addition to the excellent Good Book Guide Series. It combines excellent questions which point the reader to the heart of the message and its application along with faithful and accessible notes.

Vaughan Roberts (Rector

Here is a pastorally sensitive and well-earthed guide to nine hard-hitting and practical chapters from Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. The bible-handling is careful, the questions are accessible, and the pointers to application are striking for their realism and penetration. This study guide comes from the day-to-day experience of a practising pastor and will be of great help to Christians (and especially group leaders) seeking to learn from the first half of this ancient and yet amazingly contemporary letter.

Christopher Ash (Writer in Residence

These studies tackle core issues in life together as God's people - what we stand for and how live together. They blend careful examination of the text and searching application to our lives. Accessible, punchy, clear and convicting about real church life.

Graham Beynon (church planter and author of Mirror Mirror)

Here is a pastorally sensitive and well-earthed guide to nine hard-hitting and practical chapters from Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. The bible-handling is careful, the questions are accessible, and the pointers to application are striking for their realism and penetration. This study guide comes from the day-to-day experience of a practising pastor and will be of great help to Christians (and especially group leaders) seeking to learn from the first half of this ancient and yet amazingly contemporary letter.

Christopher Ash (Director