Building a Church
Looking back on everything he has written thus far, Paul says his defense of himself is really intended to “upbuild” (ESV) the church. Paul considers his letter to be a legal defense against an attack coming from his opponents in Corinth. He describes it as an apology in the legal sense of the word (ἀπολογέομαι). Acts 24:10 uses the word for Paul’s legal defense before Felix, the Roman governor. Paul has been defending himself, but not for the purpose of winning the argument with the church and proving himself to have been in the right all along. His goal in this defense is to build up the church in Christ.
The word Paul uses is used for buildings or structures (οἰκοδομή), the ESV uses the odd word “upbuild” the NIV has “strengthening,” the KJV has “edifying.” Paul uses this metaphor frequently to refer to things that “build up” the church in contrast to tearing down the church (1 Cor 14:12, spiritual gifts, 14:16, orderly worship). In Romans 15:2 it refers to speech which “builds up” a neighbor.
Paul has used architectural metaphors in 1-2 Corinthians several times (the temple of the Holy Spirit, etc.) Sometimes to construct something new old things must be destroyed. Old structures need to be demolished and the ground needs to be properly prepared for a new structure to be built. Edification therefore requires Paul to occasionally knock down old ways of thinking (especially the pagan worldview of the Corinthian church) before he can build up the church to maturity.
If the church felt they had been wronged by Paul or they were offended by his change in plans, it was because their suspicions about Paul were wrong or the accusations coming from the opponents were wrong. Paul’s defense in the last few chapters was to allay their fears so that their anger with Paul will no longer hinder their maturity in Christ. If Paul has hurt the church, it is because it as necessary to tear down their existing ways of thinking in order to replace those structures with a Christ-like world view.
This is a very difficult aspect of ministry to get right since most people in the church feel attacked if a pastor tries to deal with tough issues from the pulpit. I think Paul has it right, he preaches Christ crucified seeks to apply the death and resurrection to all aspects of life. In my experience, preaching through the text of the the Bible will raise issues in context churches need to hear.
To a large extent, any pastor who is leading a congregation needs to worry less about their reputation or legacy than the spiritual growth of their congregation. A pastor who is seeking to pad out a resume for the next (bigger and better) church has completely missed the point of being a servant of Jesus Christ.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
My grandpa is a pastor and is always working in his shop, similar to Paul, my grandpa likes to talk in architectural metaphors and analogies as it is something that he can relate to. I can understand where the people of Corinth are coming from when hearing these things from Paul because the truth hurts. In the blog post it mentioned that it can be very challenging to be a part of the congregation and the pastor talks about something difficult, but the purpose of the message is not to make you feel comfortable or complacent in your faith, the message is to make you grow your foundation in the faith. In my Bible, NIV, the word that Paul used was “strengthening” but I feel that the KJV says it best. Edifying, providing moral or educational instruction. As a pastor we are meant to provide for the church and let the people know what to do and what we should avoid according to the doctrine. Although it may be difficult, it is better to have that firm foundation in a building which is set in stone rather than in sand. Just like Paul is trying to do, he is not wanting to prove himself to the church, but rather build their foundations in their faith so when it comes to a time where they are challenged, then they can go through the storm knowing who their faith is put in. That seems crazy to some people is faith to another person. Paul seemed crazy in the eyes of the world and their pagans’ ways but when the Church realizes what he did, it will be looked at as faith instead of craziness. I find it to be very difficult to see Paul and what he did in his life especially with all the opposition that he had to face when trying to rebuild the faith in these areas. In 1 Corinthian 16:8-9, Paul stays in Ephesus because even though he knows that people will oppose him, he understands how effective his works will be if they do change. In today’s world it can be very hard to do something knowing that people will be against, yet Paul seems to do it effortlessly. The faith that he has in Christ is so strong that he doesn’t need the approval of others to do the work of the Lord. Paul realizes that there is opposition to the Lord which means there is an opportunity to lead others to the life that he has. I feel that this is how we are supposed to live our lives if we want to make impacts on those that don’t have a solid foundation in their faith.
Paul has done a wonderful job just being a servant of God and not worrying about his reputation. I’m sure he knew coming in that it was going to be hard and he had to make sure and stay grounded in his faith and be guided by the holy spirit. The one line that stood out to me in this passage was the one about reputation, and being obedient to God. It’s hard when people don’t like you and are threatening you, to worry about your reputation. Paul didn’t though he kept on going listening and obeying God. This is important because the hearts of the Corinth people are what he is after at the end of the day. It is kind of like keeping your eye on the prize, and not getting distracted.
I feel like it is so important for a pastor to pass on as much knowledge about the Bible as they can. If they put their own and personal reputation or “fame” ahead of the church, then they will typically fail the people of the church. They have to let the idea of leading a church go and regain the focus of representing God. In the article, Professor Long states “If Paul has hurt the church, it is because it is necessary to tear down their existing ways of thinking in order to replace those structures with a Christ-like world view” (Long, 2015). Paul knew what he had to do. If the people did not agree with him, he knew he was doing his job. Providing new knowledge to his people only benefited them more. I feel like it is so important to put feelings aside and to hear the ideas out to gain a new perspective on ideas just in general. In Thinking Through Paul, Longenecker states “Paul feels he had a right to speak severely to them, just as a father has cause at times to speak severely to his children (4:14-16)” (Longenecker, 120). Not everything that happened in the Bible is easy to talk about. Paul makes sure to mention some of these topics to not make the people feel uncomfortable, but to help them grow their knowledge and trust in the Lord. It is so important to build a strong and faithful basis in your religion. This is one of Paul’s main focuses and goals. He wants the people to gain a strong foundation to their religion. Paul disregards his own reputation and feelings to talk about the Bible and hard topics so that the people he was teaching could build their faith. We all need to think about the way Paul preached to the people, as he did not look for any approval from them, but to teach them. We need to not be so insecure and worried about what others think, so we can also help strengthen others’ relationships with God or bring them to the Lord. Paul sets us with good concepts on how to touch other people that every Christian should practice upon.
Coming from a charismatic background I grew up in a church where my pastor wasn’t afraid to truthfully be blunt with the Word of God. I would often hear my pastor say “I wasn’t put on this earth and called by God to sugar coat things”, I never understood what this meant until I started to grow in my relationship with Christ. In today’s society there are so many topical issues that are avoided in the church because the congregation or pastor is afraid of losing members or being slandered. Unfortunately it seems as though more than half the churches out in western religion seek approval from the things of man rather than the things of God. There is a way to go about preaching the word in a loving way, but too much love and acceptance can lead others astray. It’s important that pastors still preach love but also correct the wrongdoings. If Paul was scared of offending the Corinthians while preaching he might as well have walked away from the city all together. I understand that truthful preaching is a tough subject to clash with due to today’s society but we as Christians were not made to blend in with the rest of society. If one is afraid of offending a people group, one individual may never get to hear what their soul and spirit longs for. Each pastor has a different style, not every one of them is going to be a charismatic preacher jumping up and down, getting on top of chairs and sternly getting his points across during the sermons like I grew up. Others might have a quiet, soft approach which is also totally fine. But preachers are in fear of offending others so much that they are straying away from preaching the truth that needs to be heard among believers.
Ephesians 4:25
Paul was a great example for pastors to follow. Pastors are not supposed to be worried about their reputation with people but with God. God calls pastors to speak truth and share the Gospel and to follow what the Bible says. Galatians 1:10 states, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” When church pastors are focused on themselves and what other people believe instead of the Bible. They should check their own heart, because the Bible is very clear on believers. When pastors speak only on what their church community wants to hear it puts them in a bad spot. Church is supposed to make you uncomfortable in a good way, because it is supposed to cause growth. When people go to church they should go home and read the message for themselves and study it. To make sure that the pastor was accurate. People will learn a lot from church if they started to do this. Paul is an example to us also because he reconciled with the Corinthians, he did not just let them go. Even though they wronged him, he still made things right with them while he was hurting and in pain because of their actions against him. It is important to read and learn the Bible on your own along with listening to sermons and going to Bible studies. Reading the scripture by yourself and learning about what God has to say is important because sometimes the people that you are listening to make a mistake and they are wrong. That’s why it is important to learn it on your own along with others.
Ministry is a tricky business to get into. There are several reasons for this, the main reason being that the gospel should be offensive to most people when it is properly preached. Think about it: one of the key facts of the Gospel is that we are all sinners – that’s why we need a savior. But to preach that we are all sinners, we must tell people they are wrong, that they mess up, that they have problems. In order to lead people to salvation, they first have to know that they are condemned, in order to understand their need for a savior, and that is offensive to people. All preachers will be judged harshly, but especially those who preach from the Bible. James 3:1 expresses that those who teach will be judged more strictly, and preachers are the biggest teachers of the Bible. I do not think that this verse refers to being judged by mankind, but that is also true. Pastors truly need to be able to place the growth of their congregation above their own reputation, because preaching through the Bible will offend some people. I think that Paul is able to claim his defense as upbuilding for the church because his defense shows he has been preaching the gospel, and that is ultimately the goal. I wonder why specifically the word used is the word for buildings and structures. Is it simply for the purpose of the metaphor? Were there other words that could have referred to upbuilding, or was that the only form of the word? I also think that this concept fits well with the chapel theme for this year: be renewed. Being renewed is not just adding onto the old, it is a process that gets rid of the old and allows a space for the new to be built.
I know quite a few pastors from the few churches that I have been to. My childhood church where I had attended for many years that saw three different pastors who I became very close with a couple of them and still occasionally, talk with him and his family. From what I know about them is that they care about their job and teaching others about God’s word and and less about their reputation and the money that comes along with being a pastor. There are things that you need to talk about in the church that me be a concerning subject to certain attenders. In the past couple years, we have seen the church being divided more and more based on people’s beliefs. We are now seeing what are called “super church” where I believe that these pastors are there for the money, yes they teach people but they care more about their reputation than those who belong in a small church. The community that attends smaller churches tend to have better relationships with those in the church where the pastor can reach their needs for what they might want to hear and learn about where in a big church, you can’t get that same feedback from the church. P Long states that the church is not the building itself but the people who make up the church. This is something that I did not hear until a few years ago when my pastor was speaking on this topic. I thought it was very interesting in the way that the church is the people that are underneath the roof of the building. From that day, this is something that has stuck in my head since that day.
Here, Paul is truly one of the best examples for having preached the gospel and to teach biblical truths regardless of offending others or losing his own reputation. Far too often, modern church pastors are more focused on maintaining their reputations and avoiding at all costs offending others. It is during these times that as a result the pastor begins to deviate from the scriptures altogether. If pastors are to take on this particular ministry within the church, it should be vital for each pastor to seek to only please God in all that they preach. Paul showed genuine care and concern for the church at Corinth and was willing to preach what was needed at that moment in order to protect the church from the influence of society and the temptations of sin. So; with setting Paul as the example as seen in Corinth, what are modern church pastors doing to fully dedicate themselves to guiding, teaching, and protecting their own church congregations?
I can sense Paul’s frustration with the Corinthians in this particular section. He’s been put on blast for his “hurtful visit,” questionable apostolic authority, and accusations of taking advantage of the people there, and he’s left to defend himself. Yet, he has so much care and concern for the people that he doesn’t want them to get the wrong idea of what he’s trying to do or hurt them even more. Thus, his main rebuttal is that “everything [he] does, is to strengthen [them]” (v.19).
I think you point out a great observation in that his wording compares to other architectural metaphors that emphasize the need to sometimes tear down before building up. Both of these Corinthian letters are clear in that the congregation is not on the right track. There are a ton of issues and things that are hindering spiritual growth in their lives and the church, which is why Paul is making these statements. There’s no doubt that Paul loves this church, and there’s no way that the harsh comments he makes do not have a purpose. Just as “the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (Heb. 12:6), Paul is not making these comments to harm the people, but to build them up.
The role of a pastor today is to do the same for their congregation. One who simply preaches what the people want to here and refuses to ruffle up a few feathers, when it’s needed, does not care for the congregation. A pastor/teacher is looked up to for correct doctrinal teaching and clear guidance, but when that guidance has an ulterior motive to just sound nice, it hurts everyone in the end.
While reading through this passage, I found that the phrase “building up the church” is simply Paul creating the Corinthian church from the structure of a Christ-like world view. Paul is wanting to make an impact on his church that people will remember him for in a way that individuals are living life in a similar perspective of Christ. A final thought that I have from this passage was how strongly Paul preached the gospel. Preaching in a sense that Christ’s crucifixion seeks to apply both the death and resurrection to all aspects of life.
The Corinthians did not truly trust Paul, and this is seen in 2 Corinthians. They did not trust his motives, his character, and let themselves be swayed by Paul’s opponents to believe that Paul’s intention was not loving for Christ’s sake. This idea was wrestled in the hearts of the Corinthians, which made them skeptical when Paul asked them to participate in his ministry such as with the collection. I feel that the Corinthians were so stuck in their worldly ways of thinking and living that it is hard to vision how Paul had hope for them. But Paul was devoted to his ministry, and he was led by the Spirit, which gave him this passion and the belief that the Corinthians would become devoted followers of God and believers in Jesus Christ.
I can recognize on how Paul’s passion reflects a parent raising up their child; Paul feels the need to stress issues intensely and call the church to major changes, even when this is seemingly uncomfortable or offensive. This is the process of “building up” the church that was so desperately needed, and I have first-hand experience in seeing a church receive and need such a message. Reflective of a parent with a child, the parent disciplines and teaches their children to grow into Christ-like individuals, as Proverbs 22:6 instructs. This is also reflective of how God the Father raises up His children, as we can see in his relationship with the Israelites, as well as in use of Scripture: 2 Tim. 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (ESV). If the Corinthians have a hard time dealing with this, I believe that it is their duty to change their heart posture and open themselves up to the spiritual growth that Paul so passionately teaches them.
It’s evident that Paul’s ministry was driven by a genuine concern for the spiritual growth and maturity of the Corinthians. As you rightly pointed out, sometimes old structures of thinking need to be torn down to make room for the growth and transformation that Christ brings. Your reference to 1 Corinthians 14:12 and Romans 15:2 emphasizes the importance of speech and worship that build up our fellow believers. I wholeheartedly agree with your perspective that pastors and leaders should prioritize the spiritual well-being of their congregation over personal reputation or career advancement. Your conclusion resonates with 1 Corinthians 3:11, where Paul states that “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Indeed, our ministry should be centered on Christ and His transformative power in the lives of those we serve.
We all know the acts of service that Paul did when he was called by God to go fix the Church in Corinth from sin. The Church was broken and the members of the Church were broken as well. They were preaching the wrong intentions towards the people of Corinth and making the city sinful. “Paul considers his letter to be a legal defense against an attack coming from his opponents in Corinth” (Long, 2015). I find this very interesting because Paul is a smart man when it comes to listening to God’s word and using that calling to help others in need. Paul helped a lot of people during the time that he served God and fixed the culture of the Corinthian Church. Throughout 1 Corinthians, there were so many struggles that the church was going through and ultimately Paul fixed the culture and brought people back to God. One of my favorite things about reading Scripture is reading these stories and applying them to my life and learning from the experiences that others have had. The brokenness that the church of Corinth had was something that we can see all around the world. All of the problems that the church had can be looked at and fixed through the ways that Paul did. Learning from the stories throughout the Bible have great meaning behind them and give out great lessons to the readers. The Bible doesn’t talk about every single problem in the world and how to fix them, but learning God’s word makes it easier to answer those questions through what would God do?
I really enjoyed this blog post. I think it raises an important question: What does it truly mean to build someone (or something) up? Not just in today’s world, but even back in the time of the Corinthian church, many people believed that “building up” simply meant encouraging the good things someone was doing, without addressing the areas where they were falling short. But that’s not really what Scripture teaches us, and I don’t think it reflects the heart of God either.
We know that God calls us to speak in both love and truth. And sometimes, truth means calling out what someone is doing wrong and helping them see where they need to grow. As P. Long mentioned in the post, Paul sometimes had to tear down false beliefs or behaviors to rebuild them with truth. That, too, was part of his mission to build up the church.
TTP highlights how deeply Paul was troubled by dissension within the church. His goal wasn’t just to bring people to salvation, but to build a genuine, Christ-centered community. That point really stuck with me—true growth goes beyond initial salvation and requires ongoing transformation. As the post says, Paul only caused hurt when it was necessary: when tearing down an unhealthy way of thinking was essential to rebuilding a Christ-like one.
It reminds me of something I once heard about speaking into someone’s life: “I only tear down the people I intend to build back up.” I think that’s really wise. Often, Christians feel like they have the right to call out any sin they see in any believer’s life. And while that’s not always wrong, I do think it requires discernment. If I meet a fellow believer for the first time, I’m probably not going to confront every flaw I notice. Instead, I’d aim to offer gentle encouragement and maybe suggest areas for growth, while also affirming the good I see. Discernment is key, and I believe Paul modeled that beautifully in his correction of the Corinthian church.
Finally, I just want to say how much I appreciated the last few paragraphs of this blog post. I’ve often felt frustrated when pastors avoid difficult issues, not because they’re unsure of what Scripture says, but because they’re afraid of upsetting people in their congregation. While I don’t envy the challenge pastors face in handling these topics, I do believe they need to be addressed both boldly and lovingly. Pastors must also practice discernment, yes, but at the end of the day, God’s Word and truth should be preached clearly and without compromise.
“Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you” (pg. 2239) is the opening line coming from 2 Corinthians 12:19. The verses leading up to this show Paul refusing to take money from the Corinthians. Everyone who worked with Paul, one being Titus, was a man with “impeachable integrity.” Following verse 19, those who do not present themselves the way God pleases, Paul will face God’s judgment. 2 Corinthians 10:8 ties in when saying, “building you up and not for destroying you” (pg. 2235). Paul uses words similar to building in different parts of scripture. Buildings last a long time but often need maintenance to stay sturdy. As time and culture change, the old has to change, and the new needs to come in. The old is no longer going to have the same effect it once had. The blog states, “If Paul has hurt the church, it is because it was necessary to tear down their existing ways of thinking in order to replace those structures with a Christ-like world view.” When someone in charge, like a pastor, changes the way things are done, they may feel like they are turning their back on the congregation. The pastor has acknowledged that times have changed and new structures have to be set in place. The pastor cannot worry about what others think, but do what he is called to do as a servant of God.
Paul really shows his heart for the church in this part of his letters. Even though he’s defending himself against critics, he’s not doing it to prove he’s right or boost his reputation. His goal is to “upbuild” the Corinthian believers, which comes from the Greek word ἀπολογέομαι. It’s like a legal defense, but Paul uses it to strengthen the church. In 1 Corinthians 14:12, he says spiritual gifts are meant to build others up, and that fits here. Even when people question him, his main goal is helping the church grow in Christ. It reminds me that sometimes criticism can help us grow rather than hurt us.
I like how Paul uses the idea of building. Just like a builder has to tear down old things to make something stronger, Paul says the Corinthians need to change old ways of thinking to grow in faith. Romans 15:2 tells us to “build up” one another, and Paul models that in how he leads. Growth can be uncomfortable, but it helps us mature in Christ. Paul also gives a great example for leaders today it’s easy to focus on image or success, but he focuses on people. In Colossians 1:28, his goal is to help everyone become mature in Christ. He cares more about others’ spiritual growth than his own reputation, and that really stands out. It makes me think about how I can put others’ growth before my own pride too.
I think Pastors today can totally miss out on the point of building up a Church. I really like the statement you made talking about how if a pastor is trying to build up a resume to get to the biggest stage possible he’s doing it all wrong. I feel like you see that a lot these days with mega church pastors (sometimes more like personalities) buying and doing outlandish things that really serve no greater good to the body. Its hard as sinful humans to not pursue money as it really is the driving factor of most lives. But pastors and congregants alike should be more worried about how they are building up the body than what new item would make the church stand out more. Churches in persecuted countries are happy to have a single room to meet in and they still find ways to preach the gospel and gain converts. Do we really need the 30,000 dollar camera doly so that the viewers who don’t want to actually visit Church can get a close up shot of the lead guitarist. Probably not but that’s up for debate.