In set 16 of the That the World May Know series, titled “Cultures in Conflict,” Bible teacher Ray Vander Laan leads viewers on a journey to where the Apostle Paul founded the church in Corinth and preached in Athens, Greece on Mars Hill. Ray highlights Paul’s tremendous ability to share God’s truth in a way the culture of his day could understand.
For example, at one of the most important structures in Corinth – a temple dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing – Paul communicated God’s truth by taking advantage of a popular custom. At the time, people who attributed their healing to Asclepius expressed their gratitude by forming a model of the healed body part and leaving it in the temple as a testimony to Asclepius’ healing power. Body parts by the thousands – arms, legs, eyes, ears, and feet – accumulated into piles.
So, imagine the scene: Body parts scattered everywhere, but not one unified body to be found.
Now read Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:14-21, where, after confronting division within the church, he says:
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
Paul understood his culture and communicated God’s truth in a way that transformed it. Ray Vander Laan communicates the Bible in a similar way that will transform you.
Ray is with me on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Engaging Hearts and Minds in a Broken Culture” to share how to communicate the Gospel in a manner our culture can understand. Listen to our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or on our free phone app.
Ray Vander Laan has been doing tours in Israel and other locations from the Old and New Testaments for many years with Focus on the Family. Set number 16 of the That the World May Know series titled, “Cultures in Conflict,” was filmed on location in Israel and Greece. When you become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program, I’ll send you a copy as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, click here or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
