How do we live distinctively in communities embedded in the world around us?

The Not-Very-Persecuted Church provides church leaders, pastors, and Christians interested in community development with principles for evaluating culture in light of mission. Since we are called to live in community, the processes that build group identity can help us understand how to live together well.

Paul addressed some of the problems that can occur in not-very-persecuted groups in the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, and he shows us the way suffering forms identity in that context. With discussion questions and stories from personal interviews, this book offers both fascinating glimpses into the world of the first century and practical applications for Christians today.