Reporting on Culpeper

I am glad I can have complete confidence in you. 2 Corinthians 7:16 NIV

Paul expresses his joy toward the Church at Corinth for the way they’ve allowed the Holy Spirit to direct their lives and the love they showed Titus during his visit to Corinth. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if Paul and Titus were alive today and if Titus were to visit our community in Culpeper. What would Titus’ report to Paul be like? Would Paul be joyful with Titus’ reception?

Consider the issues Paul had addressed with the Corinthian Church in his previous letter to them: division in the Church, laxity in Church discipline, lawsuits among believers, sexual immorality, marriage duties not being fulfilled, pride, self-centeredness, impropriety, drunkenness, lack of self-control, disorderly conduct during the corporate worship service, lack of accountability, teaching of misinformation and lack of financial support for the Church to name a few. Because the Church was obedient and received Titus with fear and trembling (v. 15), Paul was confident that the Christians in Corinth had a true desire to live their lives inside and out of the corporate worship service according to God’s will.

As a local pastor, it’s my responsibility to lead my sheep into a life that is marked with a true desire to live out God’s will every moment of every day. It’s my responsibility to encourage my sheep in that life, praising them when they are successful and lovingly correcting them when they are not.

May all of Culpeper’s pastors lead their sheep in that same Truth. May all of Culpeper’s Christians have a desire to live their lives in obedience to Christ inside and out of the corporate worship service.