General Comments
Hello Growth Group Leaders. For a number of reasons, we will not be writing brand new, custom-produced study material for the 1 Corinthians 12-14 series. The reasons include:
- the relatively limited duration of the series – only 3 weeks during term time
- the prevalance of growth groups extending their Words for Life material or studying other material
- the existence of material produced by JAC in the past – which we’ve been able to update
- staff capacity
I encourage you to consider what is best for your group for the final three weeks of term 3 and do what is appropriate.
If you wish to study 1 Corinthians 12-14 along with the teaching series, I suggest you take note of the teaching schedule outlined below, and investigate the resources provided. You might like to make use of pre-written studies (JAC/St Helens/St Lukes) or employ the generic questions published by Reading 121.
As you approach 1 Corinthians 12-14, there a number of issues and tricky topics to negotiate. In particular, these relate to spiritual gifts. What are they? Do they all still exist today? What about speaking in tongues and prophecy – what are they? Below, there are number of links provided to articles and other resources that will assist you in thinking about these matters.
Teaching Schedule
Term 3, Weeks 7-9 31 Aug – 3 Sep: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 7-10 Sep: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 14-17 Sep: 1 Corinthians 14 Sep/Oct School Holidays 21-24 Sep: 1 Corinthians 15 (Part 1 verses tbc) 28 Sep-1 Oct: 1 Corinthians 15 (Part 2 verses tbc) 5-8 Oct: 1 Corinthians 15 (Part 3 verses tbc)
Resources
STUDY MATERIAL
JAC – 3 studies on 1 Corinthians 12-14
These were written and produced by JAC staff in the past, when 1 Corinthians was studied previously. They have been slightly modified to allow for one study per chapter. They do not contain leaders notes.
This document covers the entirety of 1 Corinthians. The material includes study questions and detailed leaders notes with respect to each unit (not in relation to each individual study question)
This material contains a set of 8 bible studies produced by St Lukes in connection with a 2019 teaching series. Studies 4, 5 and 6 address, respectively, chapters 12, 13 and 14 of 1 Corinthians. There are no additional leaders notes.
Fields Anglican Church (Enfield/Strathfield)
This set of studies covering 1 Corinthians 12-16 is well presented and easy to follow. Chapters 12-14 are covered across 6 (relatively short) studies. There are no additional leaders notes
ARTICLES
Gods Good Design – Claire Smith
This is a book excerpt from Claire Smiths helpful book called God’s Good Design, which is all about tricky passages in the bible about men and women. The except is of chapter 4, which addresses the difficult to understand comment in 1 Corinthians 14:33-34 about women remaining silent in church.
A summary of Smith’s argument would be that we need to understand the context of 14:33-34 to grasp it’s meaning properly. Much of chapter 14 is taken up in regulating the orderliness of church gatherings, and particularly what happens when prophecies need to be weighed up by the church leaders. It is in this specific context that women aren’t too speak. It is not a blanket prohibition on women speaking at church. That would be absurd, and contradict other verses like 1 Cor 11:5
IVP Hard Sayings – 1 Corinthians 14:5
This is an excerpt from an encyclopedia of hard sayings. This excerpt addresses the issue of whether all Christians should speak in tongues.
ARTICLES ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS
10 Questions about Spiritual Gifts
This article gives an introductory overview (10 things) that the Bible tells us about spiritual gifts.
The two links above come from The Gospel Coalition website.
One of the debates about spiritual gifts (and especially those that seem supernatural like speaking in tongues, healing, etc), is whether these gifts are still around today. Or were they only special gifts for the early church given by God, so that the ministry of the Apostles could be attested and endorsed by supernatural signs?
Those that say the gifts continue are called Continuationists. Those that say the gifts were only for the apostolic period and no longer apply, are called Cessationists. The two articles above provide good summary arguments in favour of each position, by well respected Christian theologians (who also happen to be friends).
COMMENTARIES
1 Corinthians For You (Andrew Wilson)
This is a scanned excerpt of a very easy to read, helpful commentary on 1 Corinthians. The chapters covered in the excerpt are chapters 12-14.
PODCASTS
Help Me Teach the Bible (Nancy Guthrie and Greg Lanier)
From about the 17:15 mark there is a helpful discussion of chapters 12-14.
OTHER TOOLS
This resource from the Reading 121 website provides general questions using the COMA method (Context – Observation – Meaning – Application) with respect to all different genres of biblical books. Pages 6-7 contain the questions for New Testament letters.