Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/768438
Oh,no.Howdidyouend up reading an article writ- ten by a Millennial? That's right. I be- long to the notorious generation which came of age at the turn of the millennium. We've also come to be known as the 'Peter Pan' generation because of a tendency to delay the tran- sition from childhood into adulthood. Pew Research, a nonpar- tisan research group, has also observed that Millen- nials are less likely than older Americans to pray, attend church, or consider religion to be a major part of their lives. Yet they are more likely to compromise clear moral values set out in God's word because of social acceptability. How did we get here? It's clear that we are ac- tively being influenced by things and people around us. The wise King Solo- mon wrote about this in the book of Proverbs when he gave countless warn- ings and instructions to his readers. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharp- ens iron, so a man sharp- ens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 22:24 says, "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go." It would be easy to be- gin parsing out blame to explain the alarming sta- tistics involving millenni- als wandering from con- servative scriptural values, but it would be impossible to do so accurately. How- ever, I do have a theory which I believe to explain this trend in my peers. It doesn't require pointing a finger at anyone's per- sonal influence, but rather the lack of something's in- fluence. My theory is that those old Looney Toons' car- toons we all loved were actually accurate. As a child, and still to this day, I laugh as Daffy Duck or Yosemite Sam would walk off a cliff and keep going. They could take dozens of steps before looking down and realize that there was nothing under them. It wasn't until this realiza- tion that they would start falling. All of physics and Sir Isaac Newton may dis- agree with me, but I con- tend that this concept is accurate. Not in terms of physics, but in relation to our culture. We have seen a cos- mic shift in technology in my life, but we have seen a comparable shift away from the Word of God. It's no longer acceptable to read the Bible, pray with students in schools, and many churches have even strayed from the Reform- er's understanding of sola scriptura. References to the 10 Commandments have been removed from courthouses, and it's clear that the Word of God is no longer the foundation of our nation's moral princi- ples. Our nation has been running for years like Wi- ley Coyote off a cliff with- out anything of substance under our feet. Popular opinion has be- come the only guiding principle and now as peo- ple look down, they're re- alizing that nothing is keeping us from our im- moral desires. We have seen the rapid decent of our culture in 2016 as sex- ual sins and identity strug- gles are now defended, protected, and celebrated. Where the command- ments of God once stood there is now a gaping hole. While some may enjoy the first little bit of the fall, but it's a slippery slope from here. My prayer for 2017 is that we can turn to a de- pendency and love for God's book, but it must start with Christians first as they give Scripture its proper place in the home. Then intensify as people are converted by the good news that Jesus Christ died for their sins and of- fers reconciliation with God through his blood. It doesn't matter if you are a Millennial or of an- other generation. The Bi- ble's truths are for every- one. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only be- gotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have ev- erlasting life." Whoever means everyone without exception. ChrisDotsonisoneof the speakers at Gerber Bible Fellowship. He has recently started Xendizo. tv, to produce high quality media for the Christian church. He is married to ZoAnne Dotson, who teaches at Selah Dance Academy, with one son, Elijah. GODTALK Learning from your past Chris Dotson By Jason Patinkin The Associated Press ERIGAVO, SOMALIA In a tradition dating to Biblical times, men rise at dawn in the rugged Cal Madow mountains of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa to scale rocky outcrops in search of the prized sap of wild frankincense trees. Bracing against high winds, Musse Ismail Has- san climbs with his feet wrapped in cloth to pro- tect against the sticky resin. With a metal scraper, he chips off bark and the tree's white sap bleeds into the salty air. "My father and grandfather were both do- ing this job," said Hassan, who like all around here is Muslim. "We heard that it was with Jesus." When dried and burned, the sap produces a fragrant smoke which perfumes churches and mosques around the world. Frankin- cense, along with gold and myrrh, was brought by the Three Kings as gifts in the Gospel account of the birth of Jesus. But now these last intact wild frankincense forests on Earth are under threat as prices have shot up in re- cent years with the global appetite for essential oils. Overharvesting has led to the trees dying off faster than they can replenish, putting the ancient resin trade at risk. "(Frankincense) is some- thing that is literally given by God to humanity, so if we don't preserve it, if we don't take care of it, if we don't look after it, we will lose that," said Shukri Is- mail, Somaliland's minis- ter of environment and ru- ral development. The Cal Madow moun- tains, which rise from the Gulf of Aden in sheer cliff faces reaching over 8,000 feet (2,440 meters), are part of Somaliland, an autono- mous republic in Somalia's northwest. The frankin- cense trade is Somaliland's largest source of govern- ment revenue after live- stock and livestock prod- ucts, Ismail said. Harvesting frankincense is risky. The trees can grow high on cliff edges, shallow roots gripping bare rock slithering with venomous snakes. Harvesters often slip and tumble down can- yon walls. "Every year people ei- ther break both legs or die. Those casualties are so of- ten," said Hassan, add- ing that he wished he had proper ropes and climbing gear. "It's a very dangerous job, but we don't have any alternative." Oncetheresiniscollected, women sort the chunks by color and size. The various classes of resin are shipped to Yemen, Saudi Arabia and eventually Europe and America. Besides its use as incense, frankincense gum is distilled into oil for use in perfumes, skin lotions, med- icine and chewing gum. In the last six years, prices for raw frankincense have shot up from around $1 per kilogram to $5 to $7, said Anjanette DeCarlo, an ecologist and director of Conserve Cal Madow, an environmental group. The rise in demand is the result of stronger market- ing in the essential oils in- dustry, which labels frank- incense as the "King of Es- sential Oils," DeCarlo said. The dwindling supply of high-quality resin, and competition between ex- porters, also are factors. Now over-tapping is de- stroying the trees across the Cal Madow, as tappers try to extract as much sap as possible and make too many cuts per tree. They also tap the trees year- round rather than season- ally, preventing the trees from recovering. "The death rate of the adult trees is alarming," De- Carlo said. "There is poten- tial for regeneration, but it takesabout40yearsorsofor these trees to become viable for tapping if it's done right." Officials worry the an- cient trade could disappear. "Frankincense that the pharaohs were using came from here, so you could imagine it has a history, it has a rich history," Ismail said. "I'm afraid that we will lose that rich history." ANCIENT GIFT World's last wild frankincense forests are under threat JASONPATINKIN—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Mohamed Ahmed Ali wounds a frankincense tree Thursday near Mader Moge, Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. TheConnection/ His Way Church ComeWorshipwithUs Tuesday & Saturday at 6pm WithPastorsJohnandChuck 446 Walnut Street Downtown Red Bluff (across from Post Office) www.hiswayonline.org www.theconnection@vpweb.com Tehama County Church Directory RedBluff.... ABUNDANTLIFEFELLOWSHIP 21080LutherRd.•528-2499 Pastor J.E. Heitman • WORSHIP Sunday 10:45 AM & 6 PM BRIDGEWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH 345 David Ave • 527-0543 Pastor Scott Camp • Sunday 11:00AM, Sunday School 9:30AM CALVARY CHAPEL 12375 Paskenta Rd. • 527-8219 Pastor Gilbert DeLao Jr. • WORSHIP • Sunday 9 AM & 11:00 AM CHURCH OF CHRIST 1605 Park Ave • 529-3063 • Evangelist Gary Den WORSHIP • Sun. 11AM & 5 PM • Bible Study • Sunday 10 AM & Wed 7 PM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Antelope 545 Berrendos • 529-2506 • Bishop Phillip Smith • Sunday 11 AM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Red Bluff 545 Berrendos • 527-7012 • Bishop Jim Wilhite • Sunday 9 AM CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS 857 Washington St., Open Daily 9-11am Pastors Brad & Susan Harms•WORSHIP•Sunday 2PM•Bible Study Thur 2-4pm COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH 598 Round -Up Ave. 527-4203 Pastor Dr. Paul Wright • WORSHIP • Sunday 9 AM • PRAYER • 6 PM CORNERSTONE CHURCH OF GOD Hwy. 36, Jorgenson 527-9210 • Pastor Roy Duggins • WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM & 5 PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 501 Pine St. • 527-4361 Pastor Bruce Cloutier • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15 AM FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH Hickory & Madison • 527-4688 Pastor Daryl Jones • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM FIRST CHURCH OF GOD Jackson & Luther • 527-5717 Pastor Sean Story • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15 AM FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Johnson & Hickory • 527-3361 Pastor Jesse Morris • WORSHIP • 10:30 AM FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH 585 Kimball Rd. • 527-5083 Don St. John • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 525 David Ave. • 527-5754 Pastor Scott Gessford • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM FREEDOM CHURCH 601 Monroe St. • 355-2284 • Pastors Pete & Bev Williams • WORSHIP Sunday 10:30 AM • YOUTH Thurs. 7 PM GATEWAY BAPTIST CHURCH, IND. FUND. 12830 Glasgow Dr. 527-2964 • Pastor Jeff Eldred • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM & 6 PM HIGH POINT ASSEMBLY 625 Luther Rd. • 527-0445 Pastor David Blythe • WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM LAKE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY CHURCH Lake Club • 347 6970 Jim Bredow, Pastor • WORSHIP • Sunday 8:30-10:15 AM NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH 1625 Johnson St. • 527-8134 SERVICE • 10 AM NUEVA VIDA 11841 Hyw 99W • Red Bluff • Spanish-speaking Pastor Freddie Villasenor • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM OPEN VISTAS AWARENESS CENTER 807 Lincoln St. • 529-9285 Rv. Tresha Wing • SERVICE • Sunday 10 AM OUT OF THE BOX MINISTRIES-COWBOY CHURCH 585-3070 22812 Antelope Blvd. –– Wednesday 7 PM –– Sunday 10 AM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Jefferson & Hickory St. • 527-0372 Rev. Beth Hoyt • WORSHIP 11:00AM • SUNDAY SCHOOl 9:30AM PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD 370 Kimball Rd. • 527-6346 Pastor Mike Cox • WORSHIP • Sunday 11:00AM RED BLUFF COMMUNITY CHURCH 1920 Park St. Pastor Stan Kolbert • SERVICES • Sunday 9:30 AM • 282-2248 SABBATH COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 705 So. Jackson St. • 529-1890 Pastor Ron Largent • WORSHIP • Saturday 10:45 AM SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH 515 Main St. • Father Sherwin Colaste MASS • Saturday 5:15 PM, Spanish 7 PM • Sun. 8 AM, 10 AM, Spanish 12 PM THE SALVATION ARMY 944 Walnut St. • 527-8530 Major Kit Wetter, Pastor • SERVICES • Sunday 10 AM & 11 AM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRUCH 720 S. Jackson • 527-3733 Pastor Robert A. Clark • WORSHIP • Saturday 10:30 AM ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHU RCH Jefferson & Elm • 527-3414 Pastor Dallas D. Dubke • WORSHIP • Sunday 8:30 AM & 11 AM ST. PETER'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH Jefferson & Elm • 527-5205 Rev. Maryly Adair • Sunday 9:30AM, Holy Eucharist Rite II SUNRISE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP GARBC Corner of Cedar & Jackson 529-6884 • Pastor Chris Hurton • WORSHIP • 10:50 AM • Bible Study 9:30 AM TEHAMA COUNTY'S MERCY PLACE FELLOWSHIP, bilingual 836 Washington St., Red Bluff • 2 PM Sundays • 262-9474 TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL 8529 Placer Rd., Redding 243-5726 • For service dates & times 529-9246 TRINITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 20920 Hampton Rhodes Dr. 528-8668•Pastor Loren Browning • WORSHIP • Sun. 10:45 AM & 5 PM - Wed. 6 PM THE CONNECTIONS HIS WAY CHURCH 446 Walnut St. • 529-4256 Worship Tuesday & Saturday, 6PM • Pastors John & Chuck • www.hiswayonline.org THE ROCK CHURCH OF RED BLUFF 285 Gilmore Road • 527-7234 Pastor Vik Hylen•WORSHIP • Sun. 10 AM & 6:30 PM - Tues. 7:3 0PM - Men's Prayer Sat. 9 AM VINEYARD CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 738 Walnut St. • 527-2449 Pastor Luke Geraty • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30AM WALNUT GROVE CHRISTIAN CENTER RHEMA Bible Church • 527-9065 435 Round Up Ave.• Pastor Michael Ragsdale • WORSHIP • Sun. 10:30 AM ZION CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES 836 Washington St. 529-1836 • Pastor Joshua John McKim • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15 AM Bowman... COMMUNITY CHURCH Bowman Rd. & Landes • 347-6130 Pastor Mark Lugg • WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM Capay... COMMUNITY FRIENDS CHURCH • 4th & Moller Ave. • 865-2806 Pastor Toni Brown • WORSHIP • Sunday 9:30 AM Manton... MANTON COMMUNITY CHURCH Forward Rd. • 474-5156 Pastor Michael Stiener•WORSHIP•Sunday School 9:30 Sun. 10:45 Corning... BELIEVERS CHURCH OF GOD 783 Solano St. • 824-6502 Pastor Dan Steigmn • WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM CHURCH OF CHRIST 1418 South St. • 824-3603 WORSHIP • Sunday • 10:30 AM CHURCH OF CHRIST 1440 Yolo St. • 824-4333 David King, Minister • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM & 6 PM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Marguerite & Blackburn • Bishop Scott Davis • WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM CORNING FOURSQUARE 404 5 th St. • 824-5776 • Sr. Pastor John Gehrung WORSHIP • Sunday: adults 9:15, 10:30 AM • Tues.10AM prayer meeting FAMILY BIBLE CHURCH Marin & Pear Sts. • 824-9989 Rev. Russ Ziegler • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:45 AM & 6 PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 506 Colusa St. • 824-3490 Pastor Chris Fissori • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:15 AM • Sunday School 9 AM FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 1421 Marin St. • 824-5739 WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 824-5535 • 471 Marguerite Pastor Julie Horne • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM HARVEST CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCH OF GOD 1006 6th St. 824-2091 • Pastor Michael Sharp • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:00AM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH 824-5879 814 Solano St. • Father Cormac Lacre • MASS • Sun. 10AM, Spanish 12PM INDEPENDENT LUTHERAN CHURCH OF CORNING Houghton Ave. between Solano and Yolo Worship: Sunday 11 AM• Pastor Dennis Wyman • 526-4736 MT. OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH 341 Solano St. • 824-5530 Pastor Dallas D. Dubke • WORSHIP • Sunday 9 AM NEIGHBORHOOD FULL GOSPEL CHURCH 901 South St. • 824-2323 Pastor Ken Killinger • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:50 AM & 6 PM NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY CHURCH 824-3426 • Rev. Ezy Ulibarri WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM • Sunday School 9 AM OLIVE BRANCH BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP 565 1st St. • 824-3661 • SERVICE • Sunday 10:30 AM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH West & Butte • 824-2153 Pastor Robert A. Clark • WORSHIP • Saturday 11 AM SONLIGHT WORSHIP CENTER 1520 East St. • 824-0175 Pastor Lenny Duval • WORHSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM & Wed. 6:30 PM ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 820 Marin St. • 680-0353 Rev. Diana Lueckert • CHURCH • Sunday 10 AM Cottonwood... FOURSQUARE CHURCH 2400 Rhonda Rd. Rev. Paul Shrum • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM & 6 PM Dairyville... CONE COMMUNITY METHODIST CHURCH 11220 Hwy. 99E • 527-2329 Pastor Scott Gessford • WORSHIP • Sun. 9 AM El Camino... COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Hwy. 99W • 385-2314 Pastor Scott Gessford • WORSHIP • Sunday 9:30 AM NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH 8345 SR 99W, El Camino • 200-4112 Pastor John Bohrer • Sunday School • 9:30 AM • WORSHIP • 11 AM SHADY REST FULL GOSPEL CHURCH 7211 Hwy. 99W 385-2155 • Pastor Andrew Dalson • WORSHIP • Saturday 7 PM Gerber... BAHA'I FAITH OF TEHAMA COUNTY 385-1091 Prayer meetings Fridays 7:30 PM Brickyard Creek Apartments FAITH HOPE LOVE MINISTRIES 21941 Chard Ave. 385-1431 • Pastor Ina Driggers • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM GERBER BIBLE FELLOWSHIP 301 Samson @ Ventura 385-1718 • WORSHIP • Sunday 10 AM Los Molinos.... COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Sherwood & Josephine 384-2656 • Pastor Ray Watkins • WORSHIP 11AM MILL CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH HWY 99E and Taft St., 384-1564 Pastor Carl DeBiase • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM & 6 PM SPIRIT OF LIFE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD 25235 Orange St., 310-4990 Rev. Kenneth & Pamela Auld • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM & 6 PM Paskenta... PASKENTA FLOURNOY BIBLE CHURCH 13140 Round Valley Rd. Sunday 10:30 AM • 833-0557 Platina... ST. HERMAN OF ALASKA MONASTERY Begum Gorge Rd. Abbot Herman • LITURGY • Sunday 8:30 AM Rancho Tehama... COMMUNITY CHURCH (Non-Den.) • 585-2526 Pastor Stephen W. May • WORSHIP • Sunday 11 AM CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRIES Stage Coach Rd. • 585-2961 Pastor John and Sandra Edmiston • SERVICES • Sun. 10:30AM, Wed. 6 PM Tehama... ASSEMBLY OF GOD Third St. • 384-2603 Pastor Walter Bright • WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM ST. STANISLAUS CATHOLIC CHURCH • 824-5879 Corner of 4th & D • MASS • Sunday 8 AM - Bilingual Vina... VINA COMMUNITY CHURCH 5th & D Street • 839-2340 WORSHIP • Sunday 10:30 AM & 6 PM HOYT-COLE CHAPEL OF THE FLOWERS 816WalnutSt.-RedBluff FD 652 Thisdirectorysponsoredby: TEHAMA ESTATES A Retirement Community for the Active Senior Citizens 750 David Ave. - Red Bluff - 527-9193 RED BLUFF DODGE, JEEP, CHRYSLER, RAM Urges you to worship regularly at the church of your choice 545Adobe Rd., Red Bluff - 366-3166 FAITH » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, December 31, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B3