The 2024-25 Chapel Theme

Corinthians: Compelled

 In many ways, ancient Corinth was like modern-day Los Angeles. It was a port city that served as an economic and ideological hub for trade, commerce, and pluralism. Agriculture flourished nearby; in fact, raisins were first developed there (currant is a variation of Corinth). Tourism attracted many visitors, especially during the biennial Isthmian Games (second in popularity to the Olympic Games). Corinth had famous spiritual centers (like the Temple of Aphrodite) that brought religious conversations to the forefront. It was a desirable place to live because of its diversity, prosperity, and prominence.

The church in Corinth was also similar to many churches in and around Los Angeles. They idolized Christian celebrities at the expense of unity and mission. They were politically and economically polarized with seemingly no way forward. They struggled to reconcile issues of gender and sexuality with the gospel. They confused Christian freedom for a license to sin instead of an invitation to live a new communal life in the Spirit. They did not value the human body, and their approach to spiritual gifts divided their church body. They did not practice generosity as a way to live out God’s economy of grace. Ultimately, they misunderstood the countercultural, even foolish, message of the cross in everyday life: that weakness was actually a gift from God to live more deeply into his strength and provision and care for others from that place.

In the 2024-2025 year, Biola Chapels will be expositing Paul’s Corinthian letters to invite our community to live out the fullness of the gospel. This year has the potential to be divisive with all the political clamoring and aftermath. Instead of being persuaded by popularity and power, we want to live into obedience and humility. Instead of downplaying the importance of the body, we want to embrace a biblical view of gender and sexuality. Instead of using spiritual gifts and finances for self-actualization, we want to utilize them to serve others well. We need the countercultural message of the cross to guide and bring us together this year.

And so we root ourselves in the reality that because of the resurrection (1 Cor 15), Christ’s self-giving love compels us (2 Cor 5:14) by the power of the One Spirit uniting us together as One Body (1 Cor 12) to live out a ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18) for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor 9:23) where we are invited to experience ever-increasing glory (2 Cor 3:18) as jars of clay (2 Cor 4:7) in our light and momentary troubles (2 Cor 4:17) while we pursue the message of the cross (1 Cor 1:18) that reminds us that power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9) and that the greatest of these is love (1 Cor 13:13).