1 Corinthians 16:1-11

Most of us turn off the credits at the end of a movie, unless the music is really good! The endless scrolling list of names does not carry the entertainment value that the rest of the film does. As a student of the Bible, when you start seeing names and personal greetings, don’t treat them like that list of movie credits and tune out! All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for His people (2 Timothy 3:16). In this passage, we get a glimpse into how the budding New Testament churches interacted with one another. How did these small groups of people across the Mediterranean grow into a burgeoning gospel movement that progresses so powerfully across the globe? The churches and their workers walked through “open doors” of ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes they faced adversity on the other side of those doors, but a love for Jesus and His people kept them struggling toward the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 12:1).