Paul had been accused, by false teachers, of failing to look after the church in Corinth because he had wrong motives and was not a real apostle (2 Corinthians 12:11). Instead, their false description of Paul accurately described themselves because they wanted to take the credit for the church, using it as a centre of their sphere of influence. Paul's concern was not so much for his own reputation, as the reputation of the Lord Jesus who had commissioned him, and the authenticity of the gospel he brought to Corinth (Romans 1:1).

Certainly, others like Peter and Apollos had contributed (1 Corinthians 1:12), and Paul did not want to take any credit for their ministry, but neither was it right for the parasitic leaders to take credit for Paul's ministry. Their activities had done nothing to advance the gospel: in fact, they had frustrated the onward advance of the gospel. Paul's desire had always been to preach the gospel where others had not already planted a church (Romans 15:20) – that was part of his apostolic commission.

It was Paul's hope that the church in Corinth would grow in faith and become a mission-sending church; perhaps providing a base for mission to Dalmatia (now Albania and Croatia (2 Timothy 4:10), or to Italy and Spain (Romans 15:24-28). Paul was always wanting to move the gospel beyond its current geographical limits but, like a mountain climber, he needed reliably supportive church centres such as Antioch, Ephesus and Philippi to be 'base camps'. His motive in building up the believers in Corinth was not to establish a spiritual empire for himself there, like the false teachers, but so that the church could support more gospel ministry in other places further away from Jerusalem. His boast was not in himself but in the Lord Jesus and His gospel.

It is easy for believers and their leaders to become so focussed on 'their' church that they fail to even notice the areas around them where the gospel has not yet been preached. That is made worse by the intent of some to establish their own power-base, or to proudly protect the comfort of their club so that they exclude others. All that prevents the church being outward looking and eager to take the gospel beyond its borders. Parasitic leaders inevitably quench gospel outreach as there is nothing in it for them. But a normal, healthy church will be keen to build up people to send them out (Luke 10:1-3). It is a good test of the spiritual health of believers and their fellowship to see if they work for their own good or the blessing of those who have never heard.