Read a Chapter a Day: Small-Group Study on 1 Corinthians 1-7

Click here to read the General Leader's Guide.

Enter the Museum/Fellowship:

Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer if there’s a meal). Keep creating a welcoming, intentional space.

• If online: Ask someone to light a candle on camera and spotlight that person to invite the Holy into the virtual space.
• If in person: Place a candle near a printed image of a scroll or an artifact replica (or even the Magna Carta text).
• Consider displaying this centering scripture: “God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise.” – 1 Corinthians 1:27a, CEB

Hands off the Artwork/Ground Rules:

Open or reaffirm your group’s ground rules. These are the gentle boundaries of your shared space. (Examples of Group Rules)

The Picture Frame/Gathering Time (5-10 minutes):

Divide participants into pairs or groups of three. Then ask:

• “Have you ever found something old—a letter, a story, an object—that gave you new perspective?”
• “When has your view of faith shifted—not because of a new idea, but because something old or recently remembered deeply moved you?”

The Big Picture/Group Dialogue (15-20 minutes):

Use this introduction to help your group feel the wonder of the original letters of Paul by imagining the recent discovery of an original copy of the Magna Carta, one of the world’s most important secular documents.

In 2023, a Harvard researcher browsing digital archives stumbled across a high-resolution scan of a document bought in 1946 for just $27.50. After close study, scholars confirmed it was an original Magna Carta from around 1300 AD—one of only seven known copies. For decades, it had been overlooked, nearly forgotten.

This rediscovery of a foundational document reminds us how long-lost words can still change lives. Picture a first-century house church pulling a dusty scroll from a basket—Paul’s letter to them, urging a return to unity, holiness, and identity in Christ.

Like a spiritual Magna Carta, 1 Corinthians names both freedoms and obligations.

The Magna Carta secured rights like justice and protection but also demanded loyalty and responsibility to the community. Likewise, Paul gives believers freedom from sin, factions, and worldly status—but insists that this freedom is lived out through unity, purity, and love.

Both remind us that real freedom comes with purpose—and boundaries that protect what matters most.

Discussion Questions:

• How do you experience freedom in your life? Do you hunger for any new kinds of freedom?
• Like the Magna Carta, 1 Corinthians points to freedom with purpose and boundaries.
• What boundaries or commitments help you use your spiritual freedom well?

The Hi-Def Picture/Going Deeper (15-20 minutes):

Focus on 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Look at the line, “Don’t you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don’t belong to yourselves?”

• What do you feel when you hear: “You don’t belong to yourselves”?
• How does knowing you were “bought with a price” change your view of how you find your identity? What does this mean for your understanding of personal freedom and responsibilities?
• What parts of your life today (work, relationships, body, speech) might need to be reclaimed as having sacred value?

The Motion Picture/Take Action (5-10 minutes):

Paul isn’t just giving doctrine; he’s helping a fractured community live out their calling. These chapters urge the Corinthians (and us) to:

• Refuse division over leaders and status (chapters 1–3).
• Build with spiritual wisdom, not cultural pride (chapters 2–3).
• Embrace humble leadership (chapter 4).
• Pursue holiness in relationships and choices (chapters 5–6).
• Live faithfully, whatever the stage of life (chapter 7).

Action Step:

Choose one concrete way this week to live out your spiritual Magna Carta:

• Reconcile with someone in love.
• Practice holiness in a private habit.
• Offer your body, time, or choices back to God.
• Choose unity over ego in a group setting.

Prayer (10 minutes):

Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes):

Close with the Lord’s Prayer or this short blessing:

“Everyone has a Magna Carta—

a moment to claim freedom, and boundaries that give life shape. May we cherish the wisdom we’ve uncovered— and live it with courage, grace, and freedom. Amen.”

End with a moment of candlelight or silent reflection.

Leader’s Guide Notes:

• Fellowship: Encourage participants to mingle and introduce themselves if they are new. Place art or visuals in the space to set the tone.
• Gathering Time: Keep the pairs/groups small to allow everyone to share. Have a leader or facilitator ready to join groups if someone is left alone.
• Group Dialogue: Allow flexibility in the conversation. If discussion flows deeply on one question, don’t feel pressured to cover everything.
• Going Deeper: Invite participants to share only what they are comfortable sharing. Leaders can model vulnerability by offering their reflections.
• Prayer: Provide a gentle reminder that prayer requests are confidential. Ask if someone in the group wants to volunteer to close in prayer.

Click here to watch the Zoom recording from June 29. To access the recording, use passcode: $jb3!##6

Rev. Manohar Joshi (aka Mantu) has been a minister and elder in the United Methodist Church for more than twenty years. He teaches at Western Michigan University and serves as a chaplain at Trinity Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Drawing on his life as a stay-at-home dad, sports coach and referee, writer, teacher, and chaplain, he helps people explore new, meaningful ways to connect with what matters most. He’s also the author of the bestselling book The Resilient Parent: Everyday Wisdom for Life with Your Exceptional Child.