JREnsey blog for February 2022

Welcome…Thanks for taking a few minutes for some biblical analysis and other information.

The Word du jour

“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a luckie felowe and continued in the huse of his master the Egiptian” (Genesis 39:2; Original Tyndale Pentateuch 1530).

I chose the original Tyndale Pentateuch translation to quote our verse for the day to show that even the great William Tyndale sometimes used dynamic equivalence in rendering words from the original language. Joseph was considered to be a “lucky fellow.” The KJV translators used about 80% of Tyndale’s renderings. Fortunately, they chose other words to translate this particular verse. As you can see, the spelling in the English language had not yet been standardized in 1530, or even by 1611.

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More lettuce for your lessons

“The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune.” – Plutarch

“I find the great thing in this world is, not so much where we stand, but in what direction we are moving.” – Goethe

If you see a drowning man, don’t wait until you have a life-saving certificate before trying to rescue him.

“A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just because it is accepted by a majority.” – Booker T. Washington

“You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.” – Mary Tyler Moore

“Every mountain means at least two valleys.” – Anonymous

“We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.” – Smiles

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison

“You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing.” – Dale Carnegie

“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self.” – Aristotle

Idle Christians are the raw material out of which backsliders are made.

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William Tyndale’s letter from Vilvorde prison

First, let me quote 2 Timothy 4:13 from Tyndale’s New Testament, 1534:

“The cloke that I lefte at Troada with Carpus/ when thou commest/ brynge with the/ and the bokes / but specially the partchement.”

William Tyndale was arrested in 1535 and spent nearly 500 days in Vilvorde Prison, near Brussels, Belgium. One letter from him, written in Latin, has survived. The English translation of his letter is below. It reminds one of Paul’s appeal from prison in 2 Timothy 4:13. The letter speaks volumes about the terrible conditions which Tyndale endured. It is a moving letter.

I believe, most excellent Sir, that you are not unacquainted with the decision reached concerning me. On which account, I beseech your lordship, even by the Lord Jesus, that if I am to pass the winter here, to urge upon the lord commissary, if he will deign, to send me from my goods in his keeping a warmer cap, for I suffer greatly from cold in the head, being troubled with a continual catarrh, which is aggravated in this prison vault. A warmer coat also, for that which I have is very thin. Also cloth for repairing my leggings. My overcoat is worn out; the shirts also are worn out. He has a woolen shirt of mine, if he will please send it. I have also with him leggings of heavier cloth for overwear. He likewise has warmer nightcaps: I also ask for leave to use a lamp in the evening, for it is tiresome to sit alone in the dark. But above all, I beg and entreat your clemency earnestly to intercede with the lord commissary, that he would deign to allow me the use of my Hebrew Bible, Hebrew Grammar, and Hebrew Lexicon, and that I might employ my time with that study. Thus likewise may you obtain what you most desire, saving that it further the salvation of your soul. But if, before the end of winter, a different decision be reached concerning me, I shall be patient, and submit to the will of God to the glory of the grace of Jesus Christ my Lord, whose spirit may ever direct your heart. Amen.

W. Tyndale

This translation comes from an 1884 book written by Jacob Isidor Mombert: William Tyndale’s Five Books of Moses Called the Pentateuch: Being a Verbatim Reprint of the Edition of M.CCCCC.XXX. (New York and London, 1884), pp. li-lii. [retrieved: https://firstenglishbible.com/2018/05/13/tyndales-letter-from-prison/%5D

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Read early English, Greek and Spanish Bibles online

Here is a site that you may find interesting and helpful. You can see and read early English Bibles, Erasmus’ second edition 1519 Greek text, and other very old Bibles and books that may assist you in your deeper studies of the Scriptures.

https://bibles-online.net/

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Aquinas on Baptism

Ray Copeland

Thomas Aquinas, someone that many of us are not familiar with, but a titanic figure in the shaping of Western thought and theology, lived from 1225 to 1274. He was declared a Doctor of the Catholic church and is probably best known for his contributions in natural law and metaphysics. Among his works is the massive Summa Theologia, wherein he attempts to summarize all aspects of theology into one, admittedly gigantic, place. In this article, however, we are using him as a window into the 13^th century to see what a Doctor of the Church thought about the practice of baptism, and what the Church believed about the form and the ceremony at that time.

The treatise on the sacraments occurs in the third part of the Summa. Baptism is found in questions 66 – 71. We will deal with question 66, mostly, with a particular focus on articles 6 and 7. Reading the Summa is no easy task. The vocabulary and the format are foreign to our ears, especially if we are not familiar with the technical language of Thomas’ particular type of philosophical reasoning.

The Summa is divided into three parts. Each part is divided into questions. Each question is further divided into articles. Each article begins with a series of objections to whatever belief that Thomas holds. These are valuable because, firstly, he is not uncharitable in forming the beliefs of his opponents and, secondly, it gives us an insight into what was being taught at the time of his writing. We understand that Thomas was a devout and completely orthodox Dominican. He taught and wrote what was believed by the Catholic church at that time. However, in his objections, we can get a glimpse into the history of baptism and how that belief tended toward change over time. It has been said that rare exceptions tend to become general rules, over time.

Part 3, question 66, article 6 puts forth three objections to the triune formula of baptism. First, since there is only one Faith and one Baptism there need only be one name conferred. And that Acts 8:12 tells us that they were baptized in the name of Christ. Second, Ambrose said that baptism in the name of Christ alone was acceptable because that name designated the one who anointed, the one who was anointed, and the one by which he was anointed. Third, Pope Nicholas I answered a letter from the Bulgers by saying, “Those who have been baptized in the name of the Trinity, or only in the name of Christ, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles must not be rebaptized (italics mine).”

From these objections it seems clear that, at least until the 13^th century, the common doctrine of the Church was that the early church baptized in the name of Jesus alone. There was no trinitarian form of baptism that was used at all. In his replies to these objections he further strengthens this historical view by saying:“It was by a special revelation from Christ that in the primitive Church the apostles baptized in the name of Christ; in order that the name of Christ, which was hateful to Jews and Gentiles, might become an object of veneration, in that the Holy Ghost was given in Baptism at the invocation of that Name.”

It seems that there is no question in the mind of the greatest theologian since Augustine that the early church baptized only in the name of Jesus. He postulates that it was done as a distinctive so that others would venerate that name. He does not seem to indicate at what point that veneration became unnecessary or repetitive. And would there ever be a time that the pendulum would swing the other way and the church would have to go back to baptism in only the name of Jesus because of current culture. It seems incongruous with the nature of the Word of God and the commandments of God that we can change the understanding of the Apostles and their teachings because we do not think them theologically relevant to our current culture.

The second question we will deal with is the view of immersion as necessary for baptism. This is found in article 7 of the same question. Again, he lists three reasons (in opposition to his view, remember) that one should be immersed at baptism. First, he once again references Ephesians 4:5. There is only one baptism. And since “in many parts of the world the ordinary way of baptizing is by immersion,” baptism should be by immersion. Secondly, baptism is a form of burial. Here he quotes Chrysostom: “When we dip our heads under the water as in a kind of tomb, our old man is buried, and being submerged, is hidden below, and thence he rises again renewed.” Therefore immersion is required for baptism. Thirdly, he points out that baptism is a washing, and the whole body is affected by sin. Therefore the whole body should be washed in baptism.

In his answer (e), he points out that washing can be done by pouring but “it is safer to baptize by immersion, because this is the more ordinary fashion.” His defense of sprinkling and pouring is about convenience and urgency. In rare cases it may not be possible for either the one administering the baptism or the one being baptized to physically perform the necessary acts. Therefore, in those cases, a sprinkling or pouring would be acceptable. Here we see that the exceptions for extraordinary circumstances has morphed into the ordinary rule.

In his reply to the second objection he states: “Christ’s burial is more clearly represented by immersion: wherefore this manner of baptizing is more frequently in use and more commendable.” It is better to be baptized by immersion.

Summary

We have seen that, at least in the 13^th century, the church taught that the Apostles baptized in the name of Jesus only and by immersion. I would caution, however, against using Aquinas as an example of one who believes our teachings on baptism. He did not. The purpose of this article is to show that He believed that the early church and the Apostles taught the same thing that we teach about baptism. The biblical formula is “in Jesus’ name” and the method is immersion.

– Brother Ray Copeland is Pastor’s Assistant at Caney Creek Apostolic Tabernacle, New Caney, TX

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What did Jesus mean when He said:

Matthew 11:12-13: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

Since neither Jesus nor the apostles elaborated on this observation, I am not sure that I can unequivocally state exactly what He had in mind. However, when I was recently asked about this verse by a minister who was searching for answers, my response was this:

For hundreds of years the Hebrew prophets, particularly the messianic prophet Isaiah, had predicted a coming kingdom led by a conquering Messiah that would displace the present order and establish a new Davidic-like kingdom, glorious in all its pursuits (Isaiah 2:2-4; 9:6,7; 11; 32:2-4; 35; 41:18; 43:19; Micah 5:2; et al). They had felt the heel of one nation’s boot after another for over 700 years. They were at this point under Roman rule through pagan governors and political appointees. They were ready for relief. They wanted their independent nation back.

The prophets had said that day was coming. When Messiah comes, things will change, they were told. Isaiah said, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein” (Isaiah 35:5-8). In other words, things would be different then.

That was their daily hope and the focus of their prayers. That hope was passed down through each family. It was whispered to the babies, repeated to the children, and hammered into the minds of the adults in the synagogues. They didn’t know when, but they knew that it would happen someday.

A few felt it in their spiritual bones that the time had come when Jesus was born. Shepherds heard the first Christmas carols of the angels. Mary and Joseph had been supernaturally communicated with about the coming of a special child: “And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against” (Luke 2:33,34). Anna also knew when she saw Jesus that the time had come: “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).

Things were mostly quiet for thirty years afterward. One hint that someone special was on the scene was given when Jesus met with the doctors of the law in the Temple at the age of 12. He astounded them with His knowledge and wisdom: “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:46-47). Nothing more is recorded that resulted from that exchange. Joseph and Mary took Him home to Nazareth and there was a quietness in the life of the family for the next 18 years.

When He was 30 years old, the age of priestly service in the Temple, He went to John, His cousin, who had begun preaching that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Matthew 3:1-3). He found him at the Jordan River baptizing people who promised repentance and the preparation of themselves to receive the Messiah (Matthew 3:13). John was having tremendous results by preaching so forcefully that the kingdom of God was at hand: “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:5,6). Jesus requested that he baptize Him also. After His baptism, Jesus went into a mountainous area where he fasted for forty days, during which time He withstood several temptations of Satan. After that He returned to Galilee and began to preach.

Because of John’s preparing the people’s hearts before Him, great crowds followed Him, especially after He began to heal the sick and deliver the demon possessed: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan” (Matthew 4:23-25).

With John apparently converting a great portion of Judea to his message of preparedness for Messiah, followed by multitudes falling in with the ministry of Jesus in Galilee, it looked like the entire population was going to embrace Jesus as the Messiah. The kingdom seemed to be taking shape, and by the numbers it looked to some like a revolution was in the making.

Not long after he had baptized Jesus, John was taken and put into prison. He was ultimately beheaded by Herod Antipas in the fortress of Machaerus (Matthew 14:3-12). During what was probably the second year of His ministry, Jesus made a speech about John. It was recorded by Matthew in chapter 11 and included these words: “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” Luke quoted Jesus in this way: “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (Luke 16:16).

That seemed to be a reference to the response of their ministry during the last twelve months. It appeared that all of Judea, Galilee, and even parts of what is Syria and Jordan today, were crowding to hear Him. They were most enthusiastic, with people even tearing roofs off of houses to get someone in front of Jesus so He could heal them. Needy people screamed at Him from the roadsides appealing for His help. Nothing like this had ever occurred on Israeli turf. They pressed to hear, to see, to know (Mark 2:4; 3:10; Luke 8:19; 19:3). Hundreds of years appeared to be climaxing in the fulfillment of their hope. People were being baptized that the religious rulers never thought would become religious—the tax collectors, the harlots, the very poor, the nobodies of Israel. The “violent” were now “pressing” to take advantage of the moment, to be a participant in this new kingdom which seemed to be appearing. With such sinners becoming followers of Jesus, the Jewish leaders were concerned that this movement could turn into something they had not anticipated.

In His eulogy of John, Jesus was basically giving him his due: “He was the greatest of all the prophets,” Jesus said. He was the way maker, the door opener, the trail blazer, the light bearer. Since John’s ministry began, Jesus told them, until this day, the kingdom of heaven had been attacked (“suffered violence”), not by destroyers, but by those wanting in, pressing to participate. That was the way Jesus Himself described the movement. Nothing like this had ever happened before in Israel. People with bad reputations, the poor, the weak, the ignored classes were now attaching themselves to this “new thing” (Isaiah 43:19) by the hundreds, even thousands.

The Jewish elitists stood off, confounded and confused, but the common people paid close attention to what was being said and done. They wanted in! It was a violent moment. Jesus could see the problem building in the minds of the leaders. But those willing to align themselves with John and Jesus, to be baptized and confess their sins, were forcing their way in, past the traditional guidelines, and past the scowls of the self-righteous leaders.

The language Jesus used is that which describes the taking of a city by violent force, but the violence does not seem to be directed toward Jesus at this point. John had been arrested to remove him from the activity, but he was not killed for his forerunner’s role. He had crossed swords with Herod about the king’s marital situation. That is what ultimately cost him his head, not necessarily his baptism of Jesus and his growing number of disciples. The drastic shift from the staid formalism of Jewish religious life was indeed similar to an army taking a city by force. The preaching of John had signaled a time to press for change from the old and eagerly embrace the new. The kingdom was suffering violence and the violent were taking it by sheer force, not coming through the normal channels. This seemed to be violating the Temple pattern and even the synagogue/rabbinical order. They weren’t clamoring for technical readings from the Law or repetitious chants on street corners. The desperate multitudes had, of course, a different idea in their minds from what was later revealed as the ultimate plan of God.

Jesus explained further: “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” This was telling them that He was speaking figuratively, and it is doubtless that few, if any, fully understood. They were wild with excitement and intense speculation.

Like that of the prophets, Jesus’ teachings often had two meanings—a “now” and a “then.” It seems likely that this was one of those times. His statement incorporated “from John until now,” a period of about a year more or less. But Jesus could see a future time when people would be that energetic about coming into the church—today’s spiritual kingdom of God. A number of exegetes feel that to be Jesus’ ultimate point. Certainly the kingdom of God is not entered into with apathy or ambivalence. Jerome (fl. c. AD 390) embraced a similar view: “For great indeed is the violence, when we who are born of earth, seek an abode in heaven, and obtain by excellence what we have not by nature.” Did Jesus also have in view the Jewish remnant revival during the Great Tribulation, after which those who accept Christ as Messiah will be ushered into the millennial kingdom at the close of the Tribulation? It was this future kingdom that Isaiah and other prophets saw more clearly in their prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 11).

Aside from the larger prophetic possibilities, repentance is a violent death, as the self-life is challenged, and deep sin is excavated and confessed. Separation from family and other religious traditions can be a violent step. Great determination is demanded in real conversion. There is a pressing, a push of self-denial, a deciding against one’s self that is involved in entering the kingdom. One “dies” in the process. As someone has observed, we often tend to ignore the work of repentance and celebrate its fruits. There is an intense expressiveness in worship and commitment as one “enters the kingdom.” The struggle of Jacob at Peniel (Genesis 32) may have foreshadowed our own struggle to claim the blessings promised in John 7:38,39 and Acts 2:38. Even Aristotle himself acknowledged this truth: “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self.”

For 2,000 years men have been pressing their way into the kingdom. May it continue until the present gives way to the future when “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is finally realized.

[Other views and opinions are welcome. Please share them with us.]

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Observations

• If you give politicians more power in an emergency, they will create more emergencies to get more power.
• Someone said another variant has just been identified. Its called “Anothercon.”
• Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor: “I’m not sure I understand the distinction why the states would have the power [to impose a vax mandate] but the federal government wouldn’t.” There she is, charged with protecting the Constitution and she hasn’t even read it: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.“
• Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has released hundreds of violent criminals back onto the streets? WHY, why, why do we continue to elect/appoint ……….??? [readers may finish this sentence according to their conscience and convictions.]
• A professional tennis player has become the first athlete to be banned and deported [from Australia] for not taking drugs—the Covid vaccine.
• The brilliance of AOC, the darling of the left, was on display when she recently observed: “One senator stopping the Build Back Better Plan is fundamentally undemocratic.” Earth to AOC: “51 Senators voted against that bill, which constitutes a majority.” (Did she fail Special Ed?)
• Should Apostolics consider adding booster baptisms to be “fully baptized”?
• “[I]ndustry studies reckon that clothing manufacture and distribution account for between 2% and 8% of global carbon emissions. The fashion industry probably emits more carbon than aviation (3% of emissions) or shipping (2%).” – https://wealthwisefinancial.com/media-events/wealthwise-market-commentary/
• Nothing says, “Trust the science” like Pfizer asking for the vaccine data to be hidden for seventy-five years. – https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2021/12/09/fda-says-it-needs-75-years-to-release-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-data-to-the-public/
• “Testing yourself constantly for disease when you have no symptoms is a form of mental illness.” – Zuby @ZubyMusic
• “Professional sports are no longer a force for good. They do not unify us. They do not inspire us to seek our better selves. They do not provoke participants to take bold and courageous stances. For the first time in my lifetime, I believe professional sports do more harm to American society than good. This is what ran across my mind yesterday as I watched Tampa Bay wide receiver Antonio Brown strip off his uniform mid-game, toss his equipment to the ground, wave to the crowd, and run off the field.” – Jason Whitlock, Blaze Media

[Well, it took that writer a long time to figure that out. We knew that two or three generations ago and expressed it in our UPCI Manual where it remains today (pages 43, 220). Some pastors and parents decided they knew better and urged or allowed participation in competitive and even professional sports. How many of our young people have we lost through that approach? Being famous or wealthy seems to have replaced being saved in importance.]

• “In the civil society, the individual is recognized and accepted as more than an abstract statistic or faceless member of some group; rather, he is a unique, spiritual being with a soul and a conscience.” – Mark Levin
• If you plan to take your kids to the General Conference in Orlando so they can visit Disneyland, they will get a good dose of unisexism, transgenderism, and the full force of LGBTQ propaganda while there. Even Minnie Mouse has traded her dress for a pantsuit. Remember: children notice.
• Liberal Hollywood actor Sean Penn finally got it right when he recently noted that American men have become “wildly     feminized”—thanks in large part to his own profession! Now you can have an emoji for your phone of a pregnant man. Never saw one myself. Don’t think I ever will. C’mon, folks let’s follow science, not science fiction.
• A must read: “The Great Reset.” This article appeared in Imprimis, the college publication every Christian leader should put on their priority reading list. Read it here: https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/what-is-the-great-reset/a
• “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.” – Mark Twain
• “Let me control the textbooks and I will control the state.” – Hitler

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Anyone surprised?

Moderna CEO Says Fourth Covid Vaccine Dose Likely Necessary

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/moderna-ceo-says-fourth-covid-vaccine-dose-may-be-necessary/

Pfizer CEO says fourth Covid vaccine doses may be needed sooner than expected due to omicron

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/08/omicron-pfizer-ceo-says-we-may-need-fourth-covid-vaccine-doses-sooner-than-expected.html

NOTE:  Triple-vaxxed, home-bound liberal, Whoopi Goldberg, gets COVID then tells her co-hosts on The View: “It was a shock,” then claims it is what America will be facing “unless everybody gets vaccinated.” What? Unless we get triple-vaxxed like her when reports are out there that the boosters actually make it easier for folks to test positive for Covid? Why is America still using these people to broadcast such nonsense to the public? If it didn’t work for her and thousands of others, why should it be trusted? [Another reason to unplug the TV and turn it to the wall.] https://www.theblaze.com/furnace/triple-vaxxed-whoopi-goldberg-covid-shock?utm_source=theblaze

Someone said it like this: “I do trust the science, but coercion is not science, withholding data is not science, manipulating data is not science, social conditioning is not science, fear mongering is not science, and censorship is not science!” (Source unknown) Why would anyone accept as “science” that “a man is a woman” or that “babies aren’t alive until they are born.” It’s science “falsely so-called,” Paul said.

Conservative sources in Australia have declared Covid a “pandemic of the vaccinated,” as 99.5% of cases are among the vaccinated. The report said it may be safer to be around someone who is not vaxxed than someone who is.

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Vaccine reactions compared

After this chart was published, Reuters’ fact checkers tried to discount it and explain it away, recognizing its potential harm to the vaccine mandates. They said, “The World Health Organization’s (WHO) VigiAccess database lists adverse reactions (ADRs) reported by people after taking a drug or vaccine. It does not confirm that medicinal products or their active ingredients caused any observed symptoms.” But the WHO chart comparisons are there to speak for themselves. You be the judge. [Note the dates]

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Another reason Apostolics should consider running for local school boards

Imbecilic and insane reports like the one below don’t remain in the domain of adult readers. It is likely this report was recently read or published in some middle school classrooms. Twisted minds are twisting the minds of our children.

Trans man and Satanic minister give birth after one-night stand with fellow gay dating app user, then reports that the experience “felt like one of the most masculine things” he’s ever done. – Blaze Media  https://www.theblaze.com/news/trans-man-gives-birth-after-one-night-stand-with-fellow-gay-dating-app-user?utm_source=theblaze-

He evidently hasn’t done many masculine things. His statement ought to deeply offend every living woman, particularly mothers. This kind of nonsense [like appearances in schools by gay clergyman shown here] is being dumped into many of our nation’s classrooms. Let’s work together to keep real education as the focus in our schools.

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Memes and artists’ opinions I couldn’t pass up

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Last Word

Just so you know…regarding Covid, I tested positive for refusing to live in fear.

Also, some items in this monthly blog I might not publish if my readership was far-flung among laymen. While a number of lay leaders read this blog, almost all of the notifications go to ministers. If you like what you read, please share the blog link with someone you care about.

Thanks for the visit!

JREnsey