Volume 75 Oklahoma City, July 2018 Number 7 With unbridled enthusiasm, By ERIK TRYGGESTAD Olan Hicks launched into the Thumbing through the first issue first front-page news story in The of The Christian Chronicle, it’s “Greetings to the readers Christian Chronicle, a brand- hard to tell that America was of the first issue of Christian new publication for Churches of fighting a massive war in Europe Chronicle. I am happy to Christ dated June 2, 1943. and the Pacific. assume the job of editor and “The most intensive campaign Nearly a year before the publisher of the paper you now ever staged by members of the D-Day landings in France, the hold in your hand. Not that it is church is planned for the summer pages of the brand-new peri- an easy task, by any means, for in Salt Lake City and Ogden, odical are filled with news of it is one of the most arduous and Utah, bailiwick of the Mormon gospel meetings and brimming thankless tasks in all the world.” church,” Hicks wrote. with optimism about the future Those brutally honest words The preacher-turned-newspaper- that awaits Churches of Christ. from Olan Hicks graced the founder highlighted the upcoming “There are hopeful indica- front page of the Chronicle’s debate between Otis Gatewood, a tions that we are now in the first first issue 75 years ago. But the renowned missionary in the fellow- stages of growth unparalleled in paper’s founder and first editor ship, and Kenneth E. Farnsworth, the history of the church since quickly added that “I am happy a member of a Quorum of the the Apostles turned the world to tackle the job because I think Seventy in the Mormon church. upside down with the dynamite it is the best means available Paul Southern and Harvey of the Gospel of Christ,” wrote today for stirring up missionary Childress, ministers for Churches Bonds Stocks, a preacher and enthusiasm in the church.” of Christ, would do two weeks of the Chronicle’s capital corre- campaigning before the debate. Hicks devoted much of his spondent in Washington, in an The topic was appropriate, first front-page columns to editorial. He then noted “the perhaps, since the Latter-Day introducing “the fine group of tremendous responsibility of Saints played a small role in the Christian men and women who the church during and after this Chronicle’s genesis three-quarters have rallied to my side to help unprecedented global crisis.” of a century ago. Hicks, a native me.” Among them was John On Page 7 of the second issue, F. Wolfe of El Paso, Texas, a (Continued on Page 8) Margaret Upton wrote about veteran missionary to Mexico Japanese Americans brought who “will give you each from Los Angeles to the Granada week a well-written column (Continued on Page 9) on the status of things reli- gious among Latin-American peoples,” Hicks wrote. The Christian Chronicle “was and activity among members the newspaper’s first editorial Homer Hailey, a Bible teacher begun with the purpose of of the church everywhere and on Page 34. We also offer a at Abilene Christian College publishing all the news of the to give all a broad vision of the Dialogue with Hick’s daughter, in Texas and minister for the Churches of Christ that is worthy opportunities and responsibili- Lavella McMillan, on Page 10. Highland Church of Christ, of being published,” editor Olan ties of the church today.” agreed to help write editorials. Hicks wrote in an editorial in the In 2018, the Chronicle Plan now to get every issue Other early staffers included first issue 75 years ago. remains committed to the Hugo McCord, Jim Taggart and “The reason for publishing this biblical principles Hicks set out of the CHRONICLE and keep a (Continued on Page 9) paper is to stir up missionary zeal in issue No. 1. See more from file of them. 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE JULY 2018 For more than 55 years, Sunset has been dedicated to training preachers, teachers and Church leaders for ministry in the United States and around the world. In recent years, Sunset has focused on and enlarged our mission to strengthen congregations and congregational leaders, plant congregations and reach the lost of the nations. While continuing this effort, it’s become more and more obvious that this same intensity and dedication is needed in this nation. Mission America is a multi-faceted approach to encouraging, equipping and energizing congregations and congregational leaders across the USA and seeking to restore America to Christ. We are looking for partners to join us in this mission. Use the QR Code or visit sunset.bible/mission-america. International Bible Institute Sunset International Bible Institute • 800.658.9553 • www.sunset.bible JULY 2018 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 My life in the pews, black and white overing the 50th anniversary of the Atlanta meeting on race relations in Churches of CChrist has me thinking about my own history. I’ve moved about our congregations — some black, some white, too few a mix of both. Inside Story Some were welcoming. Some were PHOTO PROVIDED BY DWAIN EVANS not. Black and white ministers pose for a group photo during the 1968 Atlanta meeting on race relations in Churches of Christ. When I was a boy, it seemed strange ‘We still have two brotherhoods’ that I never Hamil R. Harris heard instru- FIFTY YEARS AFTER historic meeting, Churches of Christ remain split along racial lines. mental music coming out of the East Hill BY Bobby ROSS JR. AND HAMIL R. HARRIS right to the point in describing his of Christ and being unable to attend Church of Christ, which was THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE view of racial discrimination. a Christian college without going to across the street from the “It’s paved streets on Southwestern Christian College or house in Pensacola, Fla., n the summer of tumultuous one side of town and 1,500 miles to Pepperdine,” the long- where I lived until I was 6. 1968, more than 40 black and white unpaved streets on the time minister of the Newark Church of My mother was the organist ministers gathered to discuss other side,” Lawton Christ in New Jersey added. “It’s attend- for the Mount Olive Baptist ways to improve race relations in told the group, accord- ing worship service and being sent to Church, one block away. Churches of Christ. ing to a July 5, 1968, the basement. It’s a preacher being dis- Years later, on Dec. 3, IThe two-day meeting — held 50 years article in The Christian missed on Monday because he prayed, 1978, I was baptized at the ago at a hotel near the Atlanta airport Chronicle. “It’s wall-to- ‘Lord, bless the King family.’” Call Street Church of Christ — came less than three months after wall carpet on one side In recent interviews with the Lawton in Tallahassee after studying the assassination of civil rights leader of town and wall-to-wall Chronicle, the 80-year-old Lawton Bible with church members Martin Luther King Jr. and at the height rats on the other. It’s having to sleep and three other surviving attendees on the campus of Florida of the unpopular Vietnam War. in the car beside the road because recalled the circumstances leading State University. My Bible One of its organizers, a black there’s no place in the inn. to the historic meeting, the personal study leader, Dean Farris, preacher named Eugene Lawton, got “It’s being a member of the Church See BROTHERHOODS, Page 6 who was from Pensacola, told me I needed to worship with a Church of Christ Generation Z is plugged in, but do they spiritually Contribute? when I went home. I didn’t want to disappoint BY CHELLIE ISON | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE providing them with something people to my heart,” Armstrong told The him or my family, so my only in her country take for Christian Chronicle. option was to sneak out of OKLAHOMA CITY — If the phrase granted — feminine She and three of her classmates at the choir stand at Mount “Generation Z” makes you think of hygiene products. Friendship Christian School in Lebanon, Olive, slip out the back door teenagers plugged into their iPhones, “Going there and Tenn., were recognized for their service and run up the street to the disconnected from the world, get to teaching them — during the first Contribute Conference, East Hill church on Sunday. know Anna Kate Armstrong. looking into the faces sponsored by Oklahoma Christian At East Hill, I was surprised Less than 48 hours after returning of girls my age and Academy, a pre-K through high school to see theater seats and about from Africa, the 17-year-old stood seeing they don’t have associated with Churches of Christ. 60 white souls — and they on a stage at Oklahoma Christian access to these things Armstrong Brandon Tatum, the school’s presi- were even more surprised University and talked about the work and how easy of a thing dent, said the purpose of the conference See PEWS, Page 4 she does to empower young women by it is to provide — that’s really close See GEN Z, Page 24 4 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY JULY 2018 PEWS: Some churches accept diversity, others pursue it FROM PAGE 3 was Selma, and on my mind were white evangelists at those meetings: to see me. Then I spotted a husky, all of the college students who were Marvin Phillips, Terry Rush, Richard About our front page silver-haired man in a brown suit, beaten or lynched during those years Rodgers, Chuck Lucas.