A Missionary Letter From Paul

© 2026 C. O. Bishop

1^st Corinthians 16:5-18

Introduction:

We sometimes receive letters from the missionaries we support. Sometimes they have a lot of information, sometimes a lot of prayer concerns, sometimes exciting reports about what the Lord is doing where they serve.

Last week we received two such letters: One simultaneously gave exciting news and let us know of a need:

Burdett Letter

Jim and Judy Burdett announced on Facebook the fulfillment of the ministry we have supported for years. The announcement said the Dom believers are delivering the Dom New Testament. They are distributing them among the people who speak that language in Papua New Guinea. We have a copy of this translation, in the foyer, under Jim and Judy Burdett’s prayer letter and card. The churches they planted began with over one thousand of these New Testaments, last year. Those thousand books are nearly gone. Many people earnestly desire to have a copy of the New Testament.

They have also distributed hundreds of copies of another book: “King of Glory.” It is written in Melanesian Pidgin, the trade language of Papua New Guinea. (It is effectively a translation of the book we often give away, here, called “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.” The book explains the Old Testament. It shows Jesus’s appearances throughout the Old Testament. (Jesus taught the two disciples in that way on the road to Emmaus, before they recognized Him.) They are nearly out of that book, too! So, we take that news as an invitation to help replenish their printing fund, though they did not ask for anything.

Megan Lewis Letter

We received another prayer letter, but it was the reverse. Megan Lewis, whom we support in her ministry with Ethnos 360, asked me to send her any news of our church, or needs within our church or ministries, so that she could pray for us! That is encouraging, all by itself!

Paul Sent A Few Missionary Letters, Too:

I am quoting the NLT translation today, because it allows us to see how similar his letter is to the letters we receive.

NLT Version Reads Very Much Like A Modern Prayer Letter.

Paul included these personal notes at the end of the book of 1^st Corinthians. The rest of the book was mostly corrective teaching. This part includes more personal sharing, and information about Paul’s travel plans and about his fellow-laborers.

⁵ I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia,^[a] for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. ⁶ Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. ⁷ This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. ⁸ In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. ⁹ There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.

Other Leaders

¹⁰ When Timothy comes, don’t intimidate him. He is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. ¹¹ Don’t let anyone treat him with contempt. Send him on his way with your blessing when he returns to me. I expect him to come with the other believers.^[b]

¹² Now about our brother Apollos—I urged him to visit you with the other believers, but he was not willing to go right now. He will see you later when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous.^[c] Be strong. ¹⁴ And do everything with love.

¹⁵ You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece,^[d] and they are spending their lives in service to God’s people. I urge you, dear brothers and sisters,^[e] 16 to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion. ¹⁷ I am very glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here. They have been providing the help you weren’t here to give me. ¹⁸ They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.

King James Version, In Contrast:

(Read it) (Notice verse 15: “Addicted to the ministry of the saints.”)

So, Where Was Paul?

Historical And Geographic Notes:

Macedonia, today, is a separate Balkan nation, north of Greece. But, at that time in history, it was under Roman rule, and it also included the northern part of what we call Greece, today.

Ephesus was also under Roman rule at that time, and though it originally was a Greek city, today it is in modern-day Turkey, on the coast, directly across the Aegean Sea from Athens.

Achaia included the northern crescent-shaped coast of Pelopónnese, the southern section of Greece, as well as a wide strip of the southernmost section of Greece, proper. It was bordered on the west by the Ionian Sea, and on the East by the Aegean Sea. It included Cenchrea, Corinth and Athens, as major cities. Corinth was the Roman capital of Achaia in Paul’s time.

Paul’s Plans

Paul shared with the believers at Corinth that he was currently in Ephesus, and planned to stay there until after the feast of Pentecost (50 days after Passover) because he had a wide open door for evangelism, although there were many who opposed the message, as well. He said he intended to pass through Macedonia on the way to Corinth.

Now, when I look at a map, I can see that Ephesus and Corinth are separated by “only” 250 miles of water. So, to my mind, a ship seems a logical choice: It might be a three- or four-day voyage, depending on where else among the various islands the ship might make stops. But ancient sea travel was dangerous, due to storms and pirates, as well as fairly expensive, compared to walking.

If all you want to do is “get there,” then, even today, a flight is the most efficient way to travel almost anywhere in the world. But: If the journey itself, and the lives of people you touch along the way are also important, then you might choose a means of travel that takes much longer, but allows stops and visits en route.

Paul evidently chose walking: He expressed his intent to travel through Macedonia en route to Corinth. We can read Acts 16 and 17 to see where in Macedonia he may have wanted to visit:  

What Cities Might He Visit In Macedonia? (See The Vision In Acts 16:9)

• Neapolis, (Acts 16:11)
• Philippi, (Acts 16:12-40)
• Amphipolis, (Acts 17:1)
• Apollonia, (Acts 17:1)
• Thessalonica, (Acts 17:1-10)
• Berea, (Acts 17:10-14) and
• Nicopolis (Titus 3:12)

A walking journey through Macedonia could take some significant time. God does not reveal to us how long he may have spent at each of these places, but the walk itself (Ephesus to Corinth) is around 865 miles by land, and each visit may have added a few days, or more, to the overall journey. So, Paul lets his supporters in Corinth know where he is, and where he intended to go next, and approximately when he might arrive in Corinth.

Paul’s Priorities

When we read 1^st Corinthians 16:8, 9, we see a little of “what made Paul tick.” The reason he stayed in Ephesus, was an open door to the Gospel there: He was not about to miss it!

Want to see another place where Paul states his priorities? Romans 15:20 says, “²⁰ Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:” And, even when he was in prison, for preaching the Gospel, Paul asked for prayer that he would have boldness to keep on preaching the Gospel.

Ephesians 6:18-20, says “¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Paul’s Other Concerns

The Lives Of The Corinthian Believers

Paul said that the believers were to “¹³ Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous.^[c] Be strong. ¹⁴ And do everything with love.”

• They were to be watchful at all times, knowing the enemy is not going to take a day off.
• They were to stand firm in the faith in which they walked, not allowing any distractions.
• He said to be courageous, facing whatever persecutions might come, as they appeared.
• They were to be strong in the Lord.
• They were to saturate everything they did in the Agapé Love of Christ.

How The Believers Were Going To Treat The Leaders That God Sent To Them

Timothy

Timothy was one of Paul’s protégés. He was much younger, and, though he was gifted as a prophet of God, he faced some resistance because of his youth. In  1^st Timothy 4:12-16, Paul warned Timothy that this could be an obstacle, and told him how to avoid it:

“¹² Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, (it means “behavior”) in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (Teaching) ¹⁴ Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁵ Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. ¹⁶ Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

He told Timothy that his job was to live in such a way that no one would have an excuse to be dismissive of his ministry. But, he warned the Corinthian believers, that their job was to render full respect to Timothy, and not allow anyone to intimidate or despise him.

They were to treat Timothy just as they did Paul, because he was doing the same work. His assignment was from God, just like Paul. Also, he told them to help him on his way, financially.

Paul asked Apollos to visit them, but Apollos was busy elsewhere. He said he would come when time allowed.

Stephanas, And Others Like Him

But Paul was especially concerned that they would learn to value Stephanas and his family for the work they did among the believers, there in Corinth.

He said that they had served faithfully and had been a great blessing to Paul as well as to the whole church. They had refreshed the spirits of Paul and the whole church. Therefore, Paul declared that they were to treat Stephanas and others like him, as elders: Follow their leading, and show appreciation for their work.

The Writer of Hebrews echoes this command: Hebrews 13:17 says, “¹⁷ Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

How Does It Apply?

This command is specifically addressed to Church leadership: Secular leaders or supervisors are not “Watching for your souls.” They may be actively attempting to destroy your faith, in fact. But Paul gives reason to follow the leaders in your assembly, and what to watch for in identifying such leadership. 1^st Timothy 3:1-8; Titus 1:5-9; and 1^st Peter 5:1-4 all tell us how proper elders are to behave, and what they are to accomplish. Ezekiel 34:1-10, (from a negative point of view) lists the seven tasks of the shepherds and concludes that the shepherds of Israel were seriously failing to do their collective job.

How Does It Apply to Us?

So, this “Missionary Letter” had a great deal of corrective teaching or exhortation included. It was not just a “How are things on your end?” letter. Information was given, and observations made, and exhortation given, telling them (and us) to actually live out the principles of God’s Word. It is not just “Fun Stuff to Know and Tell!” The letter is practical. It assigns the reader some responsibility and allows them (us) to see “how the writer is practicing what he preaches.”

Paul did all the things he encouraged his followers to do.

My desire is to learn to follow in Paul’s footsteps, but I seem to be progressing awfully slowly.

My hope is that all of you will join me in this endeavor. No one is saying it will be fun or easy: But we get to watch the Lord at work, not only in our own lives, but also in the World at large.

Lord Jesus, please correct the trajectory of our lives. Help us to press on toward the mark: The prize, of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. We desire to please You with our lives. We know that “it is God who works in us, both to will and to do of Your good pleasure.” Bless us to Your Service. Amen!