John N Clayton Archives

June 27, 2025June 26, 2025

Magnificent Church Buildings

Many of us have been in some incredibly beautiful church buildings. Living in the South Bend, Indiana, area since 1952, I attended the University of Notre Dame on a National Science Foundation grant. When the family came to visit, I would take them on a tour of the beautiful church, including the grotto in the basement where Catholic heroes are entombed. When I gave lectures in London and visited France, I had the opportunity to see the magnificent church buildings in those countries. I have also seen the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. The human ability to build magnificent church buildings is without question, but is that what God called us to do?

Many years ago, we took a large group of Christians down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. On Sunday morning, we held a church service on a sandbar, complete with communion, a sermon, singing, and prayer. As we began our worship, the preacher held up his hands and said, “This is how the Lord’s church met for a long time before the first church building was erected.”

What is the justification for the expense of magnificent church buildings? If it is to glorify God, the Bible does not tell us that is what God desires. First Corinthians 3:16 tells us, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” In Acts 2:46, we see the first-century Church meeting in homes. In Acts 16:14-15, we see Lydia, a woman, converted to Christ, and in verse 40, we read that the Church was meeting in her home. In John 2:19-22, Jesus tells His adversaries, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was talking about His resurrection, not the physical building in Jerusalem.

The emphasis of Catholicism, Mormonism, and virtually all protestant denominations on constructing magnificent church buildings contradicts the focus of Christ and the Bible on building beautiful lives. The Church is not a building. If the construction of a building for the Church to meet in becomes the purpose of the Church, it is misguided. It is essential for the Church to meet together to worship, pray, and encourage one another. (See Matthew 18:20, Acts 2:46, and Hebrews 10:25.) However, a simple structure will meet that need.

Atheists and skeptics have a valid point when they criticize the wasted money. How many hungry children could we feed, and how many needy people could we help with that money? Following the example and teaching of Jesus, the Church’s emphasis should be on building lives, not constructing buildings.

June 26, 2025June 25, 2025

Archaeomagnetic Dating of Biblical History

Biblical archaeologists use various dating methods to uncover the history of ancient Israel. Three of those methods are relative dating, carbon-14 dating, and a newer method of archaeomagnetic dating.

In relative dating, archaeologists compare the age of things based on whether they are near the surface of a dig (younger pottery) or deeper under multiple debris layers (older pottery). In 1 Kings 9:15, we read about King Solomon’s fortification of cities, indicating that pottery found in excavations of these cities would be of the same age as the cities themselves.

Researchers can use carbon-14 dating when there is organic matter, such as seeds found in the pottery. Besides seeds, other organic matter, such as fruits and textiles, can be dated with carbon-14. While alive, all living things absorb this radioactive isotope of carbon, and once the plant or animal dies, it decays at a constant rate. By measuring the amount of carbon-14 left in the artifact, researchers can determine its age. However, much of the time, the amount of carbon-14 is too small to be measured because of a lack of organic matter or because too much of the carbon-14 has decayed. The half-life of carbon-14 is well-suited for dating between 1200 and 800 B.C., a significant period in Bible history.

Recent technology has enabled a method that uses changes in Earth’s magnetic field. Archaeomagnetic dating can determine absolute dates for materials that were deposited at high temperatures, such as those resulting from a fire, lava flow, or volcanic intrusion. When materials such as bricks or pottery are fired, their magnetic particles (domains) conform to the direction and intensity of Earth’s magnetic field. As they cool, the pattern of the field is set in stone. Since scientists understand how Earth’s magnetic field direction and intensity have changed over time, archaeologists use this baked-in orientation to determine the age of the artifact.

Using archaeomagnetism, archaeologists can verify the dates of biblical events by combining absolute and relative dating methods. An example is the date when Pharaoh Shoshenq (also known as Shishak in the KJV) attacked Jerusalem (1 Kings 14:25-26). It is becoming increasingly difficult for skeptics to dismiss the biblical account as new tools like archaeomagnetic dating enable us to verify its accuracy.

Reference: “Dating Game” by Yoav Vaknin in the Summer 2025 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. pages 56-59.

June 25, 2025June 24, 2025

Ptarmigan Camouflage Design

One of the most remarkable birds on the planet is the ptarmigan. Along with the snowshoe hare and the Arctic fox, the ptarmigan is a master of disguise. What these animals do is change from dark colors in the summer to totally white in the winter. When I was in Alaska, I saw these animals in the snow. Their coloration was as white as the snow itself, and the only thing you could see was a pair of eyes.

What is unique about the ptarmigan is that they seem to be aware of the importance of their coloration. The changeover from winter plumage to summer is a difficult time for a bird because of the danger of predation if they lose their camouflage. However, if they dropped all of their feathers, they would be unable to fly. What the ptarmigan does is seek out patches of mud and dirt and bathe itself so that its camouflage remains effective.

The question is how the ptarmigan knows to do this. With a brain the size of a pea, this bird could not reason and plan this camouflage behavior. The three species of ptarmigan (rock, willow, and white-tailed) were designed to be aware of their environment and themselves. Joe Jackson wrote in Alaska magazine, “This is a bird that’s hyperaware of what’s around it, and, we now know, hyperaware of itself.”

Trying to explain this astonishing behavior by chance is creative but not logical. It appears that an intelligence has designed a system that enables this bird to survive in a complex environment. We truly can “know there is a God through the things He has made” (Romans 1:20).

Reference: Joe Jackson writing in the July/August 2025 issue of Alaska magazine, page 44

June 24, 2025June 23, 2025

Sperm Cell Design for Reproduction

With the number of children born every day on planet Earth, it is easy to miss the complexities of human reproduction. All animal life on our planet radiates this complexity, and the sperm cell is the most complex of all the cells in the body. Science is still struggling to understand sperm cell design, but we are learning more about how it functions as technology opens doors that were previously unavailable.

The sperm cell has three parts: (1) The head, which contains a haploid nucleus carrying half the normal number of chromosomes. It also has an acrosome, which contains enzymes that enable it to penetrate the egg. (2) The middle, which is packed with mitochondria to provide energy for the sperm’s movement. (3) The tail (Flagellum), which allows the sperm to swim through the female reproductive system.

Sperm cells are also biconcave or disk-shaped, allowing them to absorb oxygen more quickly and rounded to flow easily through the tiny capillaries. Sperm cells can swim fast thanks to a tail, a streamlined shape, and a high concentration of energy-transferring mitochondria.

The sperm cell design is just half the story. The egg becomes concave at one spot, allowing a single sperm cell to complete fertilization. All animal life depends on this design. The mechanism by which this happens is not understood and is the subject of modern research. We take for granted the fact that animal life can reproduce, but the design that makes it possible speaks eloquently about the existence of God.

Reference: Wikipedia and Michigan State Genetics Course Notes.

June 23, 2025June 22, 2025

A Partial Solution for Invasive Species

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has suggested a partial solution for invasive species: eat ‘em. Erin Huggins of the CDFW wrote, “Eating invasive species can help protect native wildlife by reducing their numbers and limiting the damage they cause to ecosystems.”

The nutria is an invasive species causing problems in 18 states, particularly in California. These rodents are native to South America but were initially introduced into the United States for the fur trade. Officials thought they had eradicated them from California in the 1970s, but they began to reappear in 2017. Nutrias cause significant problems for farmers and livestock owners, as they eat vegetation right down to the root. Nutrias are even more omnivorous than goats, so they are more destructive.

This is not the first time an invasive species has become an issue. In the 1970s, Asian Carp were introduced into ponds to control the growth of aquatic plants. Four East Asian species were introduced: silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, and black carp. Some of these species would jump high out of the water when disturbed, creating a hazard for recreational boaters, and elaborate measures have been taken to keep them out of the Great Lakes.

Fish and wildlife officials are now advancing a partial solution for invasive species — making them a food source for humans. Even high-end restaurants now offer nutria and carp meat on their menu. Selling the public on this will take time. Consider that there was a time when Europeans shunned tomatoes, considering them to be poisonous.

The Bible has a good record of banning meat that would be hazardous for human consumption. A familiar prohibition of the Old Testament was against the eating of pork (Deuteronomy 14:8). The Israelites were also told not to eat anything that had already died or any bird or fish that could have eaten contaminated meat, such as vultures, owls, and falcons.

Strong evidence for the inspiration of the Bible is its accuracy in giving the ancient Israelites health guidelines that were far ahead of their time. We rely on science today to provide us with guidelines for healthy eating. A partial solution for invasive species might be to eat them, but a better solution is for humans to avoid upsetting the natural balance in God’s well-designed world.

Reference: “Rodent for Dinner” in The Guardian, March 6, 2025

June 19, 2025June 18, 2025

Collateral Damage of Cohabitation

If you listen to today’s music, whether country, heavy metal, folk, or pop, you will hear that “hooking up” is the thing to do. Television shows and movies add to the commercialization of sex, so we see the collateral damage of cohabitation in the entire entertainment industry.

Roughly 20.1 million couples in the United States live with an unmarried partner. That is approximately 8% of U.S. couples, most of whom are in the 25- to 34-year-old age group. According to Pew Research, by double digits, married adults are more likely to trust their spouse or partner to be faithful to them, to act in their best interest, to always tell them the truth, and to handle money responsibly. That means those who are cohabiting may never experience the complete joy and commitment that God intended for the marriage relationship.

Not only do the participants in cohabitation not know the security or commitment that comes from God’s design for marriage, but they also lose the structure of the nuclear family as God intended. Children grow up living with constant change in their home situation. Those of us who have been foster parents or have adopted children know how hard that is for the kids.

The collateral damage of cohabitation is a worldwide tragedy, with drugs, including alcohol and marijuana, catalyzing the instability of these relationships. Every culture in which marriage and family disintegrate is doomed to collapse. Will America learn from history or repeat it?

Reference: pewresearch.org

June 18, 2025June 17, 2025

Animal Pathogen Transmission to Humans

The World Organization for Animal Health and the World Health Organization released data on the number of illnesses and deaths caused by pathogens transmitted to humans from animals worldwide each year. They gathered data from 183 member states, showing that a billion illnesses and millions of deaths occur worldwide due to animal pathogen transmission to humans.

The recent data was triggered by the outbreak of bird flu known as H5N1. That virus has sickened millions of birds, dozens of mammalian species, and people worldwide. This strain of avian influenza has threatened food supplies and pressured governments to take a serious look at food security and public health.

When God created life on Earth, He planned it to meet the needs of humans. Long before modern science, God gave dietary instructions to the ancient Israelites. Skeptics today may consider those instructions archaic; however, they were far ahead of their time, and many of them remain applicable today. We see the consequences of not following wise dietary and health instructions.

Animal pathogen transmission to humans is not the only problem we face today. Every time humans have discarded the Bible as a guide for life, the consequences have been dire. We are seeing that again in the tragedies of humans suffering because of the rejection of God’s design for healthful and moral living.

Reference: WHO and WOAH public health assessment, April 2025

June 17, 2025June 16, 2025

Dealing With Disasters

One of the challenges that we all face is dealing with disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. Skeptics claim that if a God exists, He wouldn’t allow these terrible natural disasters to take place. That claim displays a combination of scientific and theological ignorance.

Tornadoes result when hot air is trapped under a layer of cold air. Warm air rises, but if the cold air above it is dense enough, the warm surface air will become even warmer. Eventually, the hot air will rise through the cold layer. Hang glider pilots and soaring birds look for these vertical updrafts. When the ground is covered with vegetation, there is never enough heat to trigger a strong upward air movement. However, when thousands of acres of land are plowed up or paved over, the surface air becomes hotter and creates stronger vertical movement. Earth’s rotation spins these upward air movements, creating a tornado.

Areas around 30 degrees north and south latitude are usually deserts. The states of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama are at or near 30 degrees north latitude. Hurricanes pick up massive amounts of water from the ocean and dump it on the land. Without hurricanes, there would be a water shortage in many places. In the past, storm surges were not a problem because the coastal areas were lined with mangroves and other plants on the barrier islands and along the mainland coast. Today, that protection has been stripped away and replaced with hotels, roads, parking lots, and beach-front homes. The result is that we are dealing with disasters.

God told humans to take care of the Earth, but greed, selfishness, and ignorance have often caused disasters. The more we learn about the creation, the more we understand that God designed it to work well, but humans have brought much pain and suffering on ourselves by misusing God’s gift. We must work together and avoid repeating past mistakes, or we will continually be dealing with disasters.

June 6, 2025June 2, 2025

The Church Worshiping Together

These thoughts were inspired by a good friend who said, “I get a lot more out of sitting on a log in the woods and listening to the birds than I do out of sitting in a pew and listening to a preacher.” Yesterday, we looked at some reasons why the Church needs to gather in prayer. Today, we explore some other benefits of the Church worshiping together.

Worship is not a spectator sport! Every command related to music in worship involves the individual participating in a shared activity. (See Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; and Colossians 3:16.) Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, and singing together is one of the most unifying things we can do. The purpose is not to entertain God or people. By singing together, we unify, encourage, and build up one another.

The Lord’s Supper, also known as communion, serves as a means to encourage and edify one another. It is not just vertical toward God but also horizontal to your fellow Christians. Remembering the sacrifice of Christ and sharing a memorial provides a way to unify, grow, and be encouraged by the Church worshiping together.

Even giving is not for God’s benefit. God is the creator who made and owns everything. He does not need our money. The Bible makes it clear that giving benefits the giver. (See Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:7; and 1 Corinthians 16:2.) The person who never learns to give loses in every aspect of life. A good marriage, good kids, good sex, good recreation, and good health all depend on being able to give freely and unconditionally.

People giving through their local congregations can accomplish significant things in the world. Atheists and agnostics take delight in pointing out every mistake that Christians make, but atheism does not primarily address hunger, disease, broken families, mental illness, and homelessness. The Church worshiping together not only encourages and builds individuals, but it also coordinates resources and directs them to meet real needs.

A person may find that “sitting alone in the woods” brings them more personal pleasure than “going to church,” but it will not address the world’s problems or allow them to be part of something bigger than they could accomplish on their own. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together …” (Hebrews 10:25) is not an ego trip for God but a call to action for Christians. The fellowship of the Church worshiping together can have a powerful effect on us individually and on the world.