In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul tells us that Christ is the only true foundation of the church and of our Christian lives. On that foundation, every believer in Christ has the opportunity to build, not constructing their own life, but building up the church. Paul says we can choose from two categories of materials with which to build - that which is of eternal value (gold, silver, precious stones) or that which will perish (wood, hay, stubble). Only that ministry that brings eternal value to the church will survive the fire of testing and will yield eternal rewards to the servant.