I have yet to meet anyone who enjoys being corrected. While it's true that there are many reasons that we need correction in our lives, it takes certain character qualities to embrace correction and see it as beneficial.  Humility, patience, honesty, vulnerability, courage... in order for correction to be effective, these traits must rise to the forefront of our being.  That's much easier said than done.

The Apostle Paul wrote to his young protege Timothy, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  We like teaching and training, but we don't like reproof and correction quite as much.

This week, as we continue in our study of First Corinthians, A Better Way, we'll see Paul take on the task of bringing reproof and correction to the people of the church at Corinth.  1 Corinthians 4:1-21 gives us a picture of loving correction that comes from the heart of a pastor who grieves for the congregation he poured so much into.  He can't sit by and watch the church wander so far from the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which they were given.  We can learn much from the correction that Paul gives the Corinthians.  I hope you'll join us for this important discussion.