WHO OWNS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?

A few weeks back while in the home of Julius Hovan in Gallatin, Tn., where I was conducting a series of studies with the Gallatin Church of Christ, Julian, who ministers to said church, came in one day to tell me he had just heard Paul Harvey, the famed news commentator, say something about the Church of Christ. I was sitting at his dining room table working on my history of The Stone-Campbell Movement, which we hope to have off the press later this year. Julius drives a church van about town, one that has “Gallatin Church of Christ” lettered across the sides. So we were both interested in what Paul Harvey would say about us.

It was one of Paul Harvey’s quickies, like those bumper stickers he likes to tell about. He saw this sign out in front of a church building that read, “For Sale. Church of Christ. By Owner.” While Harvey and Hovan got a laugh out of that, my own amusement soon led to a question, as funny things often do. Yes, I was soon saying myself, who really does own the Church of Christ? I doubt if we often look at the church from that viewpoint.

What Paul Harvey was talking about is simple enough, I suppose. Some congregation had its property up for sale, and they were informing the public that they were selling it themselves rather than through an agent. It was their property and they were selling it. They would be the first to insist that what they were selling was not the Church of Christ, but the building that belongs to the church. The church is the people. Most of us understand that. We would agree with this premise: Anything that men can sell is not the Church of Christ.

Paul Harvey’s prank may reveal something about the world’s view of the church, something good. There” would have been nothing funny in what he saw on the sign except for the assumption that Christ really owns the Church of Christ. Jesus has his church up for sale! That is sort of funny. But Harvey, of course, understood the situation. There was property for sale, owned by a particular denomination or congregation. Whatever there is about a church that God owns, it is the pope or bishop or eldership or board or people that owns the property. And of course they can sell it just as men can sell anything else they own. Or is it that God really owns the property too, not just the people that use it. We would but be the trustees of what is really His, even if we legally hold title. Not many county clerks would care to register a deed made out to God or even to Jesus Christ! So we put it in our name, the Church of Christ that is, but we are really only the trustees.

Is that the way it is or are we really the owners of the property? If Paul Harvey had seen a sign that read: Church of Christ. For Sale by the Trustees, he would not have given it a second thought, and it certainly would not have gone out to his millions of listeners. As it was he was paying us a compliment, and perhaps teaching us a lesson along with it. He was saying: “That church belongs to Christ, otherwise the sign would not read Church of Christ. At least that is what the sign says. It says the owner has it for sale. Does Christ have it for sale?”

He certainly would have found nothing incongruous (which is basic to humor) in a sign that read: First Baptist Church. For Sale. By Owner, and he probably could not have done anything with: Our Lady Catholic Church. For Sale. By Owner. He could nail only us with that one, or perhaps a Church of God. We must admit to the incongruity of God or Christ putting things up for sale. They may buy, but do they ever sell?

My mind got to working overtime in that I conjured up a scenario, supposing that Paul Harvey decided to buy the property:

Harvey (to someone standing on the front steps): I am interested in this property and would like to talk to the owner about it.

Step brother: One of our deacons is handling that. I’ll see if I can’t find him for you.

Deacon (approaching): May I help you, sir?

Harvey: I may buy this property if the price is right. What does Christ want for it?

Deacon: I beg your pardon. What did you say?

Harvey: You say this is the Church of Christ or Christ’s Church, and the sign says the owner has it for sale. What is the owner’s price? What does Jesus want for all this?

Step brother (in an effort to help the confused deacon): Maybe I better go fetch one of the elders!

Well, you can complete the scenario. The elder would of course set Mr. Harvey straight. “Yes, of course, it all belongs to Jesus, but he is not exactly the owner, not legally that is. We are the actual owners and so we set the price, which is one million even,” the elder would explain, as good business men do.

I am not sure how Paul Harvey would respond. He seemed to be interested, so he might shell out the cash right there on the spot. Or he might say: “I am terribly disappointed. I was really buoyed up by that sign, for 1 have always wanted to do business with Jesus. 1 was thinking that if he owned it, he wouldn’t be asking too much for it. After all, what would he do with the money anyway?” - the Editor

To me, the conception of two people living together for 25 years without having a cross word suggests a lack of spirit only to be admired in sheep. Where there is spirit there must be sparks. Don’t imagine that your first row in married life will be the end of everything. It is more likely to be the real beginning. - A. P. Herbert