Gathering 235: “Then What?” // Service of Worship // Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.

For Arizonians, "the Wild West" is a moniker we can't quite shake nearly two centuries after legendary Buffalo Bill Cody coined it through his tales of conquest and survival among diverse cultures. For the early church, the years following Jesus' death most likely were just as unorganized and "frontier-like". Geography and diverse accounts seemed to separate his followers especially when you look at the variations between the four Gospels. 

Did Christianity in fact trace a line of purity back to Jesus that created the narratives and orthodoxy ("right beliefs") that we have today? Or did it develop later out of the diversity of those 1st century Christians?  

Join us as Pastor Tony continues his sermon series, "Then What?" exploring the challenges and triumphs of the early church and its lessons for us today. Listen and discover the historical shift that occurred from an accepting community of diverse believers to an exclusionary community where orthodoxy was more important than right conduct. Then ask yourself, which is more important to you? Is your identity wrapped up more in what you believe or in how you conduct yourself? 

Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 05/22/22  

Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D. 

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 

Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn 

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