About the Author
Jay Guin grew up in northwest Alabama where he learned both the joys and tribulations of the Churches of Christ first hand. He attended David Lipscomb College (now University) in Nashville, majoring in mathematics. At Lipscomb he met, wooed, and married his wife Denise.
After college, Jay attended the University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa, where he began attending the University Church of Christ. www.universitycofc.org. He was graduated in 1975.
After clerking for a federal judge for a year, Jay returned to Tuscaloosa (and the University Church of Christ) to practice law, founding his own firm, Tanner & Guin, LLC, in 1984. www.tannerguin.com.
Jay has been very active in church, as a deacon and in leading the effort to merge his congregation with the Alberta Church of Christ, the relocation of the congregation, and two major building programs.
Jay led the congregation’s adult education program for many years and taught virtually every Sunday morning (and many Wednesday nights) for 30 years. Jay wrote The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace in 1994 (still available at http://web.ovc.edu/bookstore/holysp.shtml.) They made Jay an elder in 2003.
Jay has recently spoken at the Pepperdine Lectureship, ACU Lectureship, the Harding University Lectureship, the Lipscomb lectureship (called Summer Celebration), and at ElderLink programs in Atlanta. (Outlines from these lectures are posted on this site.)
Jay and Denise have four sons, two of whom graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Jay’s oldest son, Chris, works in Boston, where he’s part of a church plant. Jonathan is a tax attorney in Boston, married to Erin, who is expecting Jay’s first grandchild. Another son, Tyler, is attending Auburn University, studying chemistry and chemical engineering and engaged to be married June 2012, and the youngest, Philip, is a junior at Alabama studying computer science and accounting.
Nothing in this book represents the official or received position of the eldership of the University Church of Christ — Jay speaks for himself only — and he’s been known to change his mind.
Jay’s email address is jfguin(at)comcast(dot)net.
(@ and . are replaced to avoid the web bots that mine email addresses to send spam.)
I was blessed to hear your presentations at ElderLink in Atlanta, GA this past Saturday. I appreciate your study, knowledge, and challenge that we truly be One in Christ. It was a refreshing experience and one I know I will appreciate more and more as time goes by. Thanks again. May our God continue to bless our work. Tell Shon hello for me.
Brother, this blog may have possibly kept me from losing my faith and/or going insane! For a long time I have been very confused about so many ideas in the Bible that I've just wanted to give up trying to understand anything. A lot of your articles are helping me to see more clearly. Of course I'm not "taking your word" over my own study of the Bible but you are putting things in a context that makes sense. And you are not glossing over contradictions or being intellectually dishonest as sadly I have found some authors to do. I thank God that He allowed me to read this stuff at a time when my doubts and fears have been making me miserable. Praise be to Him!
Melina,
Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm delighted my writings have helped you search the scriptures.
Please feel free to email me to ask any questions that concern you. I genuinely appreciate such questions. After all, ideas for new postings have to come from somewhere!
Ultimately, I'm doing this for you and others like you, and it's good to hear now and then that it's worth the trouble.
Jay
Dear Jay: I am an elder in a small congregatino in NC (thus the lack of last name), I had started to write a position paper for the other elders because although we all have an agreement on how to respond to those divorced and remarried we did not have a good grasp of why we felt we were doing the right thing.
I am reading your essay "But If You Do Marry" and was amazed at the number of questions you raise which I also have considered. I have also read some of the essays by Cecil Hook and find that Chap 16 of his book "Free as Sons" (http://www.freedomsring.org/fas/chap16.html) gives a very good explanation of what and why Paul wrote the instructions on I Cor. 7. At least it answers in my mind what Paul may have meant in that passage. Keep up the good work.
In Christian Love,
AL.P
Please check out a great website http://www.divinereflections.blogspot.com
Can you be of help with a tax question. AKCLI is is a 501c3 organizartion. We have a couple and their two children living on our orpahanage property in Zambia. They are supported through donations sent to AKCLI and then fowwarded to them in part and another part stays in the US to fund retirement, insurance, 529 fund for college, and travel back to the US every three years.
They have lived in Zambia since Oct. 2006 and have not travelled out of Zambia since. What is the proper way to handle their taxes? They have paid no social security and no state taxes. They have no residence in the US. As a friend, I have pwoer of attorney for them. The organization has no employees, all is done by volunteers. Can you give us, me, direction on the tax issue.
Thank You
Ken Mueller
Jay, I'm studying to be a deacon in the Episcopal Church. One of my assignments is gathering information about baptism. I've checked quite a few websites. Your information is one of the best. Thank you. It was really helpful. God's peace be with you.
Willetta
Thanks, Willetta.
On this site, you should be looking at the Amazing Grace series (link on the left) or the Born of Water book found under Books by Jay Guin (link on the left).
Some of my favorite books on the subject are — Baptism in the NT, by GR Beasley-Murray, and Down to the River to Pray, by John Mark Hicks and Greg Taylor.
May God bless your studies.
InvitationToVisit:
Jesus and Paul on divorce rights under the New Covenant.
christiandivorce.1hwy.com/index.html
Resource Link For Thinking Christians
I have added you to my links at http://gracedigest.com
Merry Christmas,
Royce Ogle
Jay ,
Just found your blog. I still have great memories of our few years at University. May God continue to bless your life…Ray Bean
Ray,
I'm thrilled to hear from you. I hope your ministry continues to do well.
Jay,
Just found your website and have been reading your opinions with interest. I believe that anything that makes me think makes me stronger. Anything that makes me consider or study an opinion I may not agree with broadens my base, again, making me stronger.
So far, from your writings, I’m doing a lot of thinking and considering and feel I’m definitely expanding my base knowledge and growing. It’s one thing to read knee jerk opinions and another to read well considered thoughtful ideas. Keep it up.
Pat Patterson
I get emails —
[Edited for anonymity]
hi jay,
i am a new subscriber to your site and am really enjoying the articles and comments. i am also a 59 year old disfellowshipped member of the coc. i have spent most of my life in confusion concerning baptism, instrumental music, etc. in fact, i can ably debate almost any side of any issue but have yet to find my moorings on any of them. i would be interested in reading any info concerning events following Christs 2nd coming and the new heavens and new earth. also, whether we rmain in a state of"sleep" until HIs coming if we die prior to this event.
yours truly,
sid carter
Sid,
I'm glad to have you as a reader.
You might take a look at the Surprised by Hope series. http://oneinjesus.info/index-under-construction/e…
Also regarding where the dead are before the Judgment, see
Where Are the Dead? Part 1
Where Are the Dead? Part 2
Where Are the Dead? Part 3
I am a member of Highland Church of Christ which is in Abilene, Texas. I saw by your blog that you have participated in Lecureships at ACU.
We are not supported by Highland but they have been handling our funds and providing tax receipts for our supporters. We are missionaries in Bosnia & Herzegovina for 11+ years. As happens personel changes and many in the church are new since we came to BiH. We recently met with the mission committee and found that only one member of the committe was on it when we started in BiH.
When we started in missions our CPA was Brother McCurdy and he had been CPA as a ministry to many coc missionaries. He set up a working fund for us of $20000 dollars and we have never reported this as income. We have never reached the level of the working fund. We receive our main personal income from Social Security because I am at retirement age.
The amount handled for us by Highland went from them into a separate fund, all of which was used as working funds. Our actual expenses are greater than the amount of the fund and we make up any deficit from personal income.
Highland are very supportive of us but they are now fearful of violating some IRS regulations and they are wanting a written agreement. They have suggested a number of alternatives including calling us employees, having us form a 501c3 corporation, filing a 1099, etc. They also want detailed reports of the way in which we spend the ministry funds.
Before now they have not exercised any control over us. They are supportive as I said but they want to do what is right and we do too.
When we filed tax returns Brother McCurdy filed them in accordance with his advise on how to report the working funds. They were not reported as income. He has been retired for several years and our total income is far below the minimum and we no longer file returns.
I have a couple of questions. One- what receipts should we keep on file for money spent on ministry expenses?
I have not read your 12 page memo on missionary reporting so I may have other questions.
I too am an attorney and did in fact do a good deal of tax law but I am anything but current today.
My second question is this – Several members of coc are in or considering law as a profession. How do you advise such persons?
I have recently had a revelation that our Christian lawyers are put in a vise when forced to provide adequate defense for an obviously guilty party. I did not do criminal defense work but I did represent clients whose ethics I found wanting.
I realized as I thought about this that the legal system as it is laid out did not provide us with any advise or options how to represent a guilty party other than to provide a vigorous defense;
There are times when an honorable coming forth with the truth would be a breath of fresh air. I know that mediation and arbitration is gaining populatity. I also know that CLS has long advocated Christian Mediation or Arbitration as a biblical alternative.
Max,
Regarding a missionary’s (or preacher’s) work fund, it’s 1099 or W-2 income unless the sponsoring church has an “accountable” plan. The missionary or preacher can deduct what he actually spends in the performance of his duties, in general, but for an employee (rather than an independent contractor) the deductions are itemized deductions subject to a number of limitations. It’s much better to have an accountable plan.
A plan is “accountable” if payment is only made based on receipts or similar proof that the money is being spent as a legitimate expense of mission or ministry work.
The rules for an accountable plan are at http://www.irs.gov/govt/fslg/article/0,,id=164471,00.html And http://www.irs.gov/publications/p463/ch06.html#en_US_publink100034114 And http://www.irs.gov/publications/p463/ch05.html
As a rule, you have to have receipts and you have to demonstrate the business purpose of the expense.
One way of looking at it is that you have to include the money in income unless you demonstrate either to the IRS or your sponsor that the money was properly spent on a deductible expense. But if you have unlimited control of the funds, it’s income subject to whatever deductions you can prove.
IRS Publication 463 is a pretty good source for the rules.
Good article on patternism.
My critique of the Josh 22:28 "behold the pattern" example is that the question of whether the pattern (replica) of the altar was good or evil depended entirely upon what the Transjordan tribes intended in creating it.
The same is true of any patter today.
Peace,
billb
"And, yes, I realize that in the Churches of Christ there’s a long history of violating this command in our publications, bulletins, and sermons. That just means we need to repent.
* No judging motives. No personal invective. No personal insults."
Jay,
I was asked a good question recently. "What was the response to Tim Woodruff's "A Church That Flies"?"
Regarding counterpoint books written, counter point articles:
I have "The Cultural Church", for example, but I think that was in response to "The Second Incarnation". I have also seen a less-than-positive F. Lagard Smith review of "A Church That Flies". But, I don't know of material written to refute the book, specifically. Was Smith's "Male Spiritual Leadership" a rebuttal to T. Woodruff?
I'd like to say that the reaction was more one of reaction to the principles of the book —
a) churches and their leaderships warning their members to stay away from "change agents" and anything they write, any university/college they are in, etc (presumably supplying names of those agents)
or
b) churches and their leaderships daring to make changes, hold special meetings and special studies. Perhaps there were many congregations which made changes due to "A Church That Flies"?
The initial question is along the lines of "this book resonates so much with what I have been thinking, but what has been the trace-able effect of the book?"
P.S. Any more-recent books addressing this principles vs. practice topic? I have stepped down from my eldership position due to this hermeneutics clash. It is creating a good challenge to me, regarding my role, now. So appreciative of the website and the fellowship/encouragement it brings me. God bless.
Seeker,
I'm not familiar with Tim's A Church that Flies. I'm familiar with the other books you mention, but don't know who wrote in response to what. All the books have had some influence.
I find Smith's "Male Spiritual Leadership" a deeply flawed book at many levels, but it's had a huge influence in teaching some bad theology and bad ways to do theology.
Smith's The Cultural Church never really caught on, but spurred some serious discussion. The book struggled to reach conclusions because Smith labors under a flawed, ad hoc hermeneutic. He is often quite insightful but fails to put it all together because he's trapped in a flawed perspective as to the nature of scripture.
There are several books that try to establish a better hermeneutic — and any better hermeneutic will emphasize principles over practices, because that's what the Bible teaches.
You might check out the series here on The Blue Parakeet (excellent book by Scot McKnight) and the other series indexed under Hermeneutics here.
Critiquing traditional hermeneutics are the series indexed under CENI.
Regarding the role of women, you might check out either the series or the ebook Buried Talents. Compare the approach I argue for with Smith's and see which is truer to the Bible.
I see you keep some late hours occasionally, also. Thanks for your reply. I need to get The Blue Parakeet book. I haven't started reading your Blue Parakeet comments, yet.
I think you would like Tim W's "A Church That Flies". I'm waiting for a copy of "The Church In Transition" that his father wrote in 1990. It was ten years earlier, but looks to have a similar thrust/theme (as does Harris' and Shelly's Second Incarnation book in 1992).
It also occurred to me that rather than the books causing something, perhaps it was more the books were written to try to give a voice to something already happening. When did some of the bigger congregations, say, begin adding praise teams, instrumental services, women in more public roles, and so on?
As I mentioned, I could see a "vision collision" on the horizon for the eldership, and that was one of the reasons I recently stepped down from my elder position. In the congregation, I can't even say that the Regulative Principle has any particular stranglehold (though some of the membership feels that way), but there is a definite traditional CoC CENI-based look to all that goes on. I simply look at the commands and examples differently,and, thus, arrive at different inferences. I definitely like Al Maxey's Reflective Principle/Approach. I am struggling with what "settling for CENI" ("stopping at CENI"?) does to leadership goals and teaching/equipping/maturing goals.
Thanks for listening and for the dialogue. God bless.
(P.S. I still don't receive these e-mails/responses at my e-mail address that I type into the dailogue window that pops up when I go to post what I've typed. ??)
I have one question Do you believe in mans free will to chose to accept Gods gift of salvation?
Bruce,My thinking doesn’t really fit into the classic Reformation-era dichotomy. I explain my thinking somewhat in the Searching for the Third Way series at <a href="http://oneinjesus.info/index-under-construction/theology-general/searching-for-the-third-way/http://oneinjesus.info/index-under-construction/t... />More recently, I’ve concluded that it’s better to read the scripture in light of the OT and the issues actually being addressed and the arguments actually being made. Thus, when I exegete Ephesians 1, I don’t turn to Calvin or Arminius, but to Exodus, which is the source of much of Paul’s language.The various passages that speak to Calvinistic issues are generally written for other purposes. They may well bear on Calvinism a great deal, but the author wasn’t trying to address the rightness or wrongness of Augustine or Calvin.Therefore, my focus has been to interpret these passages in light of the author’s original intent first and foremost. That doesn’t make the Reformation issues go away, but to me, it makes them of secondary importance.When we interpret in light of First Century thought rather than 16th Century, then and only then are we able to have a good conversation about Calvinism vs. Arminianism.Nonetheless, I’ve addressed perseverance and election in at least two series, which I’d be glad to refer you to if you’re interested. Finally, I don’t consider the old Calvin vs. Arminius dispute a fellowship or salvation issue. It’s not unimportant, but it’s the wrong filter through which to approach the scriptures or fellowship.