The Apostle Paul wrote to the house churches he planted in Corinth because they were quarreling and had divided into factions who could not agree with each other. The wealthier, more educated patrons were pulling rank over the others. In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, they were not even eating together. We will re-create one house church, listen to Paul’s advice, and see if we can solve the problem. Then we’ll talk about social divisions in the church today. Interactive learning and lots of fun!
Reta Finger is a retired professor of New Testament from Messiah College, and now teaches part-time at Eastern Mennonite University. She co-authored “Creating a Scene in Corinth” from which this role-play and study is taken. She attends Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA.