Christ in Genesis—The Creation of Man

By Ron Bartanen        The creation of man originated in the mind of God.  It would begin with the creation of “the heavens and the earth, and the preparation of a paradise for man’s habitation, a bountiful garden, the garden of Eden, to be available for man’s food supply.  It would not be accomplished through thousands of years of  unimaginable evolution, but through six evenings and mornings, each, followed by a “day of rest”, thus establishing a period of time we know of as a week, as described in Gen. 1:1 to 2:25.   The pre-flood diet for humanity was vegetarian, consisting of the fruit of the garden (1;29-30).  Everything was in readiness then for humanity.      With the garden in readiness for human occupation, Adam was physically formed from the “dust of the earth” (2:7)”.  However, man was unique from the animals. And said to be “in the image of God” (1:26).  God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.”  Unlike the life of the animal-creation, man’s life is sacred in origin—the breath of the Creator.  It is thus described to Noah following the great flood: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man” (9:6).  The penalty established by God for murder is rightly the murderer’s surrender of his own life.       The sacredness of human life should also be recognized in the taking of a human infant’s life in the process of abortion, and be perceived as willful murder.  From the moment of conception in a mother’s womb, a human baby is a human baby, made “in the image of God.”     The account of the creation of man requires the recognition of Adam’s wife, Eve, the “mother of all living.”  “Male and female created He them” (1:27b; 2:18-24).  As is often noted, Adam’s wife was a part of himself—not of his head that she would rule over him, nor of his feet that he should walk over her, but from his side, nearest to his heart, that he might love her—a covenant of marital unity and loyalty.  The apostle Paul compared the love and unity of husband and wife to the love and unity designed in our relationship with Christ in Ephesians 5:22-35.       The attachment of Eve to Adam is seen in the fact that she was not taken from the “dust of the ground” as was Adam, but from what the King James version calls his rib (1:21),  I read that the word translated rib is “tzela”, which in Exodus 25:12-14 and 26:20 is translated as “side,” not “rib”.  Adam’s side was opened in the process of providing for him a wife.  It is interesting that this would fit this as a prophetic picture of the opening of the side of Jesus, whose side was pierced (John 19:24) to purchase His church “with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).       As Adam in Genesis is seen as the head of the human race, Jesus is portrayed by Paul as the head of the church—the “body of Christ” (Ephesians 5:23).  In 1st Corinthians 15 he goes into more detail, likening Christ to Adam in the context of describing our resurrection.  He refers to Christ as the second Adam, declaring, “The first man, Adam, was made a living soul: the last Adam was made a quickening spirit…. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (vs. 15, 17),  He expresses our hope in Christ to be raised from the dead, wherein our corruptible bodies will “put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality” (v. 23).  In verse 22 he adds, “As in Adam all die, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive.”      We can see Gen. 2:23-25 as the first marriage as so-defined by God as the marriage of one man (male) and one woman (female—the “one flesh” in the bond of marriage.  That’s God’s definition.       Man is the crown of God’s creation, but this is especially seen in Christ, the “Son of man” as well as the “Son of God.”   I’d suggest the reading of Hebrews 2, but especially verses 6 to 9, where Christ is portrayed as being made at His first coming “a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, (yet) crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (v. 9).

- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com

Life’s Three Most Important Questions

By Ron Bartanen     I can think of no question more important than these three: Who am I? Why am I here? And ... Where am I going? The escalating number of suicides, especially among youth, may be largely attributed to persons not knowing the answers to these questions.  One may pursue wealth, pleasure and fame, only to find that becomes little more than a dead-end-street.      Jesus, more than any other, gives purpose to life.  He demonstrated it in His own life, His life’s purpose was to know the will of the Father, and to do it.  He said, “I must work the works of Him who sent me” (John 9:4); and again, “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me” (John 4:34).     Being here because God wants us here, and realizing that He desires to grant us eternal life, we find purpose in His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “I am come that you more abundantly” (John 10:10).       The successful life is not necessarily one of wealth and fame, but finding the will of God and doing it.  God calls us to serve.  With a purpose found in serving God, you will know who you are and why you are here.  Serving God in Christ, you will know also where you are going.

- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com

The Road into Love and Patience

By Ronald Bartanen “The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5)     Have you ever found yourself in unfamiliar territory, unsure of what road to turn on to get to your desired destination? If so, join the crowd.  While it is disturbing to be in such a predicament, it is tragic to be spiritually confused, uncertain of what lies ahead.  This can be the plight even of Christians who have begun the journey on the Christian Way, as indicated by Paul in writing to the believers in Thessalonica whom he has commended for their “faith and patience” while enduring persecution (1:4).       While Paul is obviously not denying their love for God, or their patient endurance, yet he saw the need to desire for them divine direction into both.  Were they not already in the love of God and patience? Yes, and no.  To illustrate, a man may take a plane from London to New York City, and may phone his family, informing them that he is now in the United States.  However, as a Midwesterner I would say he needs to leave NYC, and go on into the United States because there’s a lot more to see than what NYC can offer.  When we come in to the love of God, we do not stop our journey.  It’s then just begun.     How extensive is the love of God? One of our songs expresses it in these words: “The love of God is greater far,/Than tongue or pen can ever tell:/It goes beyond the highest star,/And reaches to the lowest hell.:”  In the storms of life, God would direct us into the sanctuary of His love.     Likewise, the “patient waiting for Christ” does not end when one rises from the waters of baptism.  We do not sit down, gazing into the clouds as we await His return for us.  Jesus warns His followers to not be found sleeping at His coming (Matt. 24:36), but faithful in watching and praying, even as tribulation in the world worsens, saying, “Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36).      The road into the love of God and the patient waiting for Christ will not end until that day we stand in His presence.  Are you letting Him lead you into His love and steadfast patience?

- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com

None Other Name

By Ron Bartanen     “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name Under heaven whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).     “The name” referred to, by which we are to be saved, is “the name which is above every name,” even the name before which “every knee shall bow” (Philippians 2:9-10)—the name of Jesus Christ.  Jesus commissioned His apostles to preach “repentance and remission of sins…in His name” (Luke 24:47).  The power to become sons of God is given “to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).  The convicted multitude at Pentecost were commanded to “repent and be baptized…in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  Christians are admonished, “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17).  Faith, repentance, baptism and Christian worship and service are all in the name of Jesus Christ.      When a thing is done in the name of another, it is by the authority of that person.  Every check you sign with your name gives authority to the bearer of that check to draw money from your account.  It is not so much the repetition of the name “Jesus Christ” as it is the recognition that we seek and honor His authority.      Denominational names imply a loyalty to the authority of that denomination.  Paul corrected those who declared, “I am of Paul,” saying, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor. 1:13).  Human, denominational names give honor to others than to Christ and divide those who claim faith in Him.  May we honor Him alone in our faith and obedience.

- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com

The Creed of Atheism

By Ronald Bartanen       Atheism’s faith or creed is that there is no God, hence no creation. The cornerstone of that creed is evolution, the only possible (though implausible) explanation for the existence of all things. This cultic dogma is repeatedly drilled into the minds of youth in our tax-supported schools. Was it overwhelming scientific evidence that forced some to accept such a dogma? Not at all. Let Sir Julian Huxley, late president of UNESCO, and grandson of Darwin’s colleague, Thomas Huxley explained The real reason: “I suppose the reason we leaped at the origin of species was because the idea of God interfered with our sexual mores.” Nobel Prize winner and professor emeritus of biology Dr. George Wild, is quoted in Scientific American: “I do not want to believe in God. I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible, spontaneous generation arising to evolution.” This is why the debate over “Intelligent Design” is so heated in scientific circles. While evidence for creation mounts, and the impossibility of an orderly creation without a Creator becomes ever more apparent, some insist on still clinging to the hope that there is no Creator to whom they must give answer in eternity. As loyal cultists, they must defend their cult’s creed.     I believe this no-Creator creed of atheism is the foundation stone for the increasing disregard of Bible truth within our society today. If we, as humans, are simply the end result of millions upon millions of years of mindless evolution, life has little purpose. Our one rule of life, then, becomes, Let us “eat, drink and be merry,” with no thought of eternal consequences. Every person is left to be his own moral compass, unbound by any “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not” of Scripture. Schooled early in life to adhere to this simple creed, it becomes an easy step into sexual immorality, the killing of unwanted babies in the womb, thievery, drugs, transgenderizm, and anything else that satisfies our appetites. Is it unimaginable that the transition from “peaceful demonstrations” to rioting, looting, arson, and even murder becomes the new norm? Indoctrinated by the Prince of Darkness, the goal is to create for ourselves a utopia of self-gratification that would be totally godless. Any surviving religion or faith would be required to assimilate to the new standards. It is conceivable that verbal opposition to such standards would be considered “hate speech,” and the offender would be subject to penalty. After all, Biblical standards would no longer prevail, while humanistic, politically correct standards would be the obligation of all.   Am I exaggerating on this? Hear the apostle Paul: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3).

- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com

God Has Heard Me

By David Bragg

    Loneliness, especially among the elderly, can lead to becoming victims of online scammers. Recently, an 80-year-old woman in Japan was targeted by an online "astronaut." He claimed to be a Russian cosmonaut under attack while orbiting Earth. In this intense battle he was running out of oxygen and needed to purchase more. She ultimately transferred nearly $7,000 (U.S.) into an online account in his desperate measure to save his life (http://www.msn.com); 9-18-25).

    According to the article, victims in cases like this often feel marginalized by society. They feel alone, forgotten, unseen, and unheard. Perhaps Hannah wrestled with similar anxiety as years and years passed with her prayers for a child seemingly unheard by God (1 Samuel 1:19-20).

    Pouring out her heart before Eli the priest, Hannah finally received a favorable answer to years of praying. Tellingly, she named her firstborn son Samuel, meaning “Heard by God,” saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.” 

    Her story reminds us of the desperation of the world to be heard and recognized, and the blessing we enjoy as Christians with God we are heard. He listens to our prayers, and through Jesus (1 John 5:14) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26), we are assured that He hears us

 

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/ If you are in the Greensboro, NC area, please join us for worship: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Whose Team Are You On?

By David Bragg
    Last summer the Associated Press reported on a very unusual baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. What made this game so special was the participation of Jose Caballero. The Rays player seemed to have had a regular game through the sixth inning. It was during the seventh inning stretch that Caballero was traded … to the Yankees (AP, 7/31/2025).    If you think about it, how we grow as servants is so important because it is one of the major ways that we display to others which team WE ARE ON! Peter says that each of us have “received a gift” (1 Peter 4:10). He is not talking about a miraculous gift because of the examples he offers: to “minister” and being “good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” We are each set by God in the body “just as He pleased” (1 Corinthians 12:18). How am I using my God appointed gift?    Like Jose Caballero, each of us, as Christians, switched teams, as it were. We must be careful to avoiding switching back. It is up to us individually to decide what to do with the gifts that grow out of our maturing faith. Will we bury our gifts, or use them in service to others, and God?

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/ If you are in the Greensboro, NC area, please join us for worship: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Luck and Salvation

By David Bragg
    Do you feel lucky? Arthur Priest was. Arthur worked below deck throwing coal into a steam boiler of steam-powered ships. Consider these benchmarks of his career:• In 1908 he survived the wreck of the Asturias. • In 1911 he survived the collision of the Olympic with the HMS Hawk. • In 1912 he survived the Titanic.• In 1916, during WWI, he survived sinking of the Alcantra and the Brittanic.• In 1917 he survived the torpedoing of the HMHS Donegal. His name was so closely tied to these “lucky” escapes that ship owners didn’t want to hire him, workers didn’t want to work with the “lucky” Arthur Priest (https://afrinik.com/).    As David penned the 68th psalm, he sings that God’s name is exclusively tied to salvation. Look closely to verse 20: “Our God is the God of salvation.” We see that same God working out a salvation of which David could only dream: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).     Salvation is not based on chance. It is not luck, such as Arthur Priest. Salvation is Jesus Christ. He alone can guide us through the unavoidable valley of death.

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/ If you are in the Greensboro, NC area, please join us for worship: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

A Soldiers' Spear

By David Bragg     Fantasy? Legend? The apocryphal “Gospel of Nicodemus,” written hundreds of years after the New Testament closed, sought to “fill in” the gaps in the inspired Gospels to satisfy people’s insatiable curiosity. It is there that we first encounter Dismas and Gestas, the two thieves crucified with Jesus, and Longinus, the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus’ side. Even there, no names are assigned to the soldiers who hammered the nails into Jesus’ hands and feet.     The problem is that all this unwarranted speculation serves as a distraction to what is REALLY important. It is not the names of these criminals and soldiers that matters; else the inspired writers would have “filled in the gaps” for us. What is crucial is the fact that David prophesied that Jesus would be pierced 10 centuries before Christ was born (Psalm 22:16), and that John witnessed them as they were being fulfilled. And the REAL key, that Jesus indeed died on the cross, for the very ones who nailed Him there!     Why did Jesus die on the cross? For the sins of the world. Who nailed Him there? We did!

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/ If you are in the Greensboro, NC area, please join us for worship: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Willing Spirit, Weak Flesh

By David Bragg
    In the late 1800’s, the race to reach the North Pole was intense. Explorers experimented with every available means of transportation in this quest. S. A. Andrée, a Swedish engineer, made his attempt in 1897, choosing to travel on a massive hydrogen balloon. Confident of success, Andrée even packed a tuxedo, fully expecting to attend numerous victory celebrations held in his honor.    Andrée never made it to the North Pole. After his departure his body was not discovered until 1930—33 years later. The anticipated celebrations never happened. His tuxedo, never worn, ended up preserved in a museum, a somber reminder of the expedition’s tragic outcome and unrealized dreams.    You remember that night as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, struggling with the menacing challenge looming before Him. You can hear His plea to the Father, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). Don’t you rejoice this morning that the weakness of His flesh did not overcome the will of His spirit? Unlike Andrée’s celebration that never came, we have eternity to share in Jesus’ victory.

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/ If you are in the Greensboro, NC area, please join us for worship: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about

“Unity – No Matter What”

By Jim Faughn     That’s what the message was on a sign at a church building in our community. I’ve been thinking about that message ever since I saw it.      I cannot truly be loyal to Jesus if I’m not concerned about, praying for, and working toward unity. At the same time, I’m thinking that I cannot do all of those things no matter what.     Allow me to try to explain what I mean by that after I share with you a portion of the words that Jesus prayed to His Father very shortly before He went to the cross. As His thoughts transitioned from His apostles to “…them that believe on me through their word…,” He prayed:     that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:20-21)     To be sure, unity was on the mind of Jesus as He prayed. It is also clear that He viewed a lack of unity as a hindrance to belief in Him. While those things are true, we don’t need to overlook the connection between unity and the inspired message with which the apostles would be entrusted.     It might be helpful to remember that, not long after Jesus prayed the prayer recorded in John 17, He was on the cross. There was a strange and unusual combination of hatred, division, and unity that played a vital role in putting Him there.      One example of that has to do with two Jewish sects of that day. Pharisees and Saddducees were in opposition on a number of doctrines, but were united in their opposition to – and hatred of –  Jesus. That “unity” was a factor in putting Jesus on the cross. Whatever else that could be said, it should be acknowledged that this arrangement was both temporary and artificial.     Another example can be found with regard to two officials of the government. As we read about the trials which led to the crucifixion of the Savior, we find these interesting and telling words: And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves (Luke 23:12). This is yet another example of a temporary and artificial unity that played a role in the death of the Lord.     We now live in a world in which the most ungodly lifestyles, philosophies, beliefs, religions, practices, etc. are accepted and promoted. Not only are they accepted and promoted, we are now being told that people who do not celebrate what the Bible condemns are unloving and even unChristian.      How did we get here? How did so many who claim to be following the One who prayed for unity become so divided and divisive? Why has it gotten to the point where people who preach and talk about love actually practice hate? What makes people who promote tolerance become so intolerant with those who disagree with them?     For that matter, why would people whose stated intention is to follow Jesus produce creed books, catechisms, manuals, etc. that have the effect of dividing people? Why would any individual allow his or her opinions, preferences, or “comfort zones” to be of equal or greater importance than scripture?     I suppose that multiple volumes could be written to address questions like that, but I will suggest just one thing. It may not be all that profound, but I am hoping that you will give it some consideration.      It seems to me that the closer we get to Jesus and His Word, the closer we get to one another. That seems to me to be the answer to His prayer for true unity. A corollary to that might be that things which He condemns cannot be endorsed or practiced by those who are truly His followers.     Genuine unity includes a genuine connection to God’s Word, submission to the will of Jesus, and true fellowship with His followers. People can form temporary unions, but unity is eternal.     So – count me in for “unity,” but count me out for “no matter what.”

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

One Man’s Idea about the Message of the Bible

By Jim Faughn     During my lifetime, I have had some conversations which are difficult to forget. There are some which I would like to forget, but have difficulty in accomplishing that. At other times, there are conversations which I hope I never forget.     There are at least a couple of reasons why a conversation can find its way into that second and much more positive category. The reason could be that the person with whom the conversation took place is one of those unforgettable people in my life. At other times, it was just the fact that something was said which made a major impact on me and/or caused me to do some real thinking.      On some occasions, both of those factors play a role in making a conversation very memorable and important to me. Both the person saying something and what was said had an impact on me that lasts long after the conversation is over (and maybe long after the person is no long alive).     I often think of one of those kinds of conversations that took place a few years ago. The man with whom I was having that conversation was one of the most interesting men I have ever met. He was unique in so many ways. Although he is no longer living, one comment he made still lives in my memory. I have every reason to believe that it will continue to do as long as I have a memory.     My friend and I were talking about the Bible and, during that conversation, he made an observation that, in my mind, is one of the (if not the) best succinct statements about God’s Word that I have ever heard. “I’ve read the Bible. Its message is that I need a Savior and I’m not Him.”     I thought about suggesting some ramifications and applications implied in that statement, but I decided against that for a couple of reasons. First, I’m afraid that the number of those ramifications and applications is almost endless. I truly believe that it could take volumes to try to explore each way in which that statement is true.     The second reason that I decided to just let his statement “stand for itself” is that I did not want to influence your thinking. I prefer to let you do what I have done. I would like for you to remember that statement and continue to think about it for years to come.     Maybe, like me, you will have difficulty in getting one short statement out of your mind and, at the same time, trying to think of all of the ways it applies to you. Maybe, like me, you need a regular reminder of the fact that…     I need a Savior and I’m not Him.

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

A Candidate for the World’s Most Clueless Husband (and a Rebuttal)

By Jim Faughn     As Mothers Day approaches, I am reminded of a conversation I had with a lady during which she mentioned her late father-in-law. Somehow the subject of retirement came up. During that part of the conversation, she related to me something he had told his wife when he retired. The following may not be a word-for-word quote, but it is pretty close: Now, I’ll get to do what you’ve been doing all these years I’ve been working – absolutely nothing.     My first reaction (which I think I might have actually said aloud) was that surely no man could be that clueless. Actually “clueless” might be the polite version of what I said. The actual word could very well have been “stupid.”     Surely there would only be a very, very small minority of husbands who would think so little of their wives that they would belittle them in the way this man did. At least I sincerely hope that would be the case whether the wife has chosen a career outside the home or has chosen to stay at home.     I thought that, since the “stay-at-home wife” was the subject of the discussion I had, I would offer the following as a rebuttal to this man’s thinking.     I found the following on salary.com. They did a study during the early days of the Covid pandemic in 2020, but the figures were not much different from what they had reported prior to the pandemic.      According to that website, they “…surveyed more than 19,000 moms since the start of the pandemic and have estimated the value of a mother’s work by tracking real-time market prices of all the jobs that moms perform.”     What follows is their list of positions/responsibilities that wives/mothers have: Chief Financial Officer Chief Operating Officer Logistics Analyst I Housekeeper Laundry Manager Van Driver Public School Teacher Facilities Manager Meeting/Event Planner I Kitchen Manager Assistant Athletics Director Staff Nurse – RN I Bookkeeper Physical Therapy Supervisor Nutrition Director Consumer Loan Officer I Fast Food Cook Server Conflicts Manager Interior Designer I Fundraising Coordinator The website’s estimate of the grand total of the salary was (without any additional benefits) — $184,820 I’m one of those people who is inclined to think that the truth is often somewhere in the middle of two extremes. I’m aware that this figure could (or could not) be exaggerated somewhat. At the same time, I’m very certain that the value of a wife/mother is nowhere near zero.      You may have read the following about the woman described in Proverbs 31 by terms such as “a virtuous woman/wife,” “a wife of noble character,” “an excellent wife,” and other similar phrases depending on the translation of the Bible you happen to be using. The wise man who was inspired to pen those words “calculated her worth” as being “far above rubies,” “more precious than jewels,” etc.     I think that I will go with that assessment rather than the one of “Mr. Clueless.”

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

Property Poor Church Members

By Jim Faughn     I recently came across an article in a religious periodical published in 1918. The title of that article was the same as the title for this post.     The article mentions a man who served as an elder in a local congregation who owned a great deal of property. According to a statement he made, the value of his property was $160,000. His weekly contribution to the local congregation of which he was a member was seventy-five cents!      When this man was encouraged to increase his contribution, he said that he could not do that because he was “property poor.” He even claimed that his financial “stress” made it necessary for him to borrow money at times.     With a little research and my elementary skills in mathematics, I discovered that $160,000 in 1918 would be the equivalent of almost $3,400,000 today. That “sacrificial” seventy-five cents would be the equivalent of a little less than $16.00 today. When numbers like this are discussed, it is not unusual to hear or read the term “adjusted for inflation.”      I’m thinking that another adjustment might need to be considered. In both 1918 and 2026, there might need to be an adjustment in the attitudes and priorities of some people.     I’ve never known and have never wanted to know how much monetary support is given to the work of the Lord by people with whom I worship. I’m wondering though if some haven’t gone from being property poor to also being automobile poor, boat poor, hobby poor, entertainment poor, fashion poor, travel poor, etc. In other words, I’m wondering if people have “obligated” themselves to so many other things that there is not much left for the Lord and His work.     Maybe we need to revisit a parable that Jesus taught. He spoke of a man whose mindset was totally on material things. You may remember that he was so prosperous that the only solution he could think of was to build bigger places where he could store his “stuff.” (Have you noticed the proliferation of “storage facilities” in most communities today?)     This man heard these words from God: Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20, KJV) You may remember how Jesus ended that parable. It should serve as a reminder and challenge to all of us: So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:21 KJV)

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

A Tradition Unlike Any Other

By Jim Faughn     I have a lot of friends who enjoy the game of golf. I am happy for them, but I am not a big fan. I discovered a long time ago that I could get frustrated without spending time and money trying to do something that could not even remotely be described as playing golf.      I do know enough about the sport, though, to recognize that there is a tournament that takes place at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia each spring during the first full week of April. The Masters Tournament has a long history and is considered to be one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. As you may know, those who promote The Masters use the following slogan: “A Tradition Unlike Any Other.”     As I understand it, there are even what could be called traditions within the tradition. Even a person like me who knows very little about golf knows that the winner of that tournament receives a green jacket. I also know that the course is known for its beauty and that a certain part of the course is known as “Amen Corner.” (I’m not sure what that means, but I’ve heard the phrase.)      Shortly after this year’s tournament was completed and Rory Mcllroy was awarded the green jacket, I was reading about a unique (and apparently fairly recent) tradition. There are no cell phones allowed on the course.     After I learned about that policy, I started reading some reports about it and even watched a television news report online about it. According to what I read and watched, there are “phone banks” available for people who feel that they really need to make a call, but the phones in these “banks” are what some refer to now as “landlines.”      I thought that the television report about these phone banks was particularly interesting because one seven-year-old boy described the experience of using one of the phones. It almost seemed as though he was describing something from ancient history when he said that the phone had a long cord and that you couldn’t see the person with whom you were talking. He said that what he was using was “not at all like a normal phone.” (just one of many reminders I keep getting about how old I am)     What I found most interesting was a common thread that ran through the reports I read or saw. Various sources reported that there was a real similarity between both the purpose of the prohibition of cell phones and the result of that prohibition. That similarity was that the entire experience of this prestigious tournament was enhanced. The positive results which were reported included things like more personal interaction, a greater appreciation of the natural surroundings, and a general sense of making the entire experience more meaningful.     The barber who cuts my hair is, unlike me, a huge fan of golf and loves to play the game himself. When I mentioned what I had learned about the “no cell phone policy” to him, he told me that the officials are very serious about its enforcement. According to him, if a cell phone “goes off’ or is found on an individual, that person is immediately escorted to the gate.      Have you figured out yet where I am going with this? If not, let me help you out a little.     Golf courses are not the only places where people assemble who at least claim to share a common interest. On a regular basis, assemblies take place in facilities which are designed to assist people in their worship of God.      Sadly, in some of those assemblies, there will be those who will be checking their emails, texts, the latest posts on social media, and/or just playing some sort of mindless game on a cell phone or tablet. All of this (and more) could and does happen when people are doing what these people must consider to be such “trivial things” as addressing God in prayer, hearing His word proclaimed, and singing songs like “Jesus is All the World to Me.”     Is it just me, or is there something wrong here? Why would people willingly give up their cell phones to watch a golf tournament, but balk at any suggestion about not having them “in hand” and using them during a worship assembly?     Before somebody “goes there,” I understand that some people use their phones as their Bibles. At the same time, I am not so naive as to believe that everybody who has a cell phone out during a worship service is using it for that purpose. If you think that is the case, I would invite you to talk to the guys in “the crow’s nest” where I worship and let them tell you about some of the things they have told me that they see from their vantage point or you could just ask me what I’ve seen from the pulpit while I was trying to preach.     Some traditions may have a very small beginning. The “seventh inning stretch” in baseball, for example, began when one person was tired of sitting and decided to stand and stretch between the top half and bottom half of the seventh inning at one baseball game. Admittedly, that one person happened to be the president of our nation at the time, but he was still only one person. His action influenced others to also stand as a demonstration of respect. As the saying goes, the rest is history. The “seventh inning stretch” is now almost as much a part of the game as the game itself.     Let me suggest something that you might be able to start all by yourself or join with others in implementing where you worship. Maybe you and some others could set the example of separating yourselves from your phones long enough to truly worship.        Maybe your congregation would be known as a people with… A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith