Assembly Summary: God Has a Purpose

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Gaylyn Bonjour opened his lecture to the students by talking about how our lives are similar to the sand passing through an hourglass.

He stressed that time is moving quickly and that we, as younger people, need to learn from older people. The reason for this, he said, “is that information is not knowledge—experience is.” We were advised to keep in mind that, though we will make mistakes before and after baptism, God has a purpose for us; He is bringing many sons and daughters into glory.

Biblical Examples

Mr. Bonjour spoke briefly about three individuals of the Bible with whom God worked despite the terrible mistakes they made. He spoke of the Apostle Paul, who persecuted the Church before Christ called him. He hated those of “the Way,” and they feared him in turn. However, after Paul was converted, the attitude of the Church toward him changed, and they eventually loved him. 

Mr. Bonjour also mentioned Moses, who killed an Egyptian for the sake of his Hebrew brethren—an action that was not pleasing to God. Yet God did not stop working with Moses, because He had a purpose for him. The final individual Mr. Bonjour referenced was David, who committed adultery and killed a woman’s husband—yet God called him a “man after My own heart,” and He will resurrect King David to rule over Israel in God’s Kingdom.

Mr. Bonjour mentioned that, despite God’s clear instruction that kings were not to have many wives, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Some of these marriages, perhaps most of them, were political in nature. As one reads through Proverbs, one notices that Solomon wrote about problems with contentious women, and Mr. Bonjour made the point that Solomon probably wrote these proverbs based on experiences that he’d had with his wives. He also made the point that even though many believe that Solomon may not be in the first resurrection, we do not know this for a fact, and we even see evidence of Solomon’s repentance as we read through the book of Ecclesiastes. 

It’s How We Finish

Mr. Bonjour closed his lecture by reminding the students that while we may be waiting to see what God does in our lives before we make certain decisions, God may also be wanting us to make a move. God can work with us to shape the decisions that we make, even after we make them. Of course, this is not to say that we do not need to exercise wisdom or that we should not ask for God’s help in making decisions. Nevertheless, God will allow us to learn from our experiences, and even when we make mistakes, God will forgive us once we repent, even if He does not remove the consequences of those mistakes. God had a purpose for each of the biblical figures we read about, and God has a purpose for us all. It is not how we start that is important, Mr. Bonjour said, but how we finish that matters.

Forum Summary: Finding Good News

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Luke 21:36 tells us that we are to watch and pray always. 

To “watch”, in part, means we have to be keeping up with the news and learning about the affairs of our world. But are we learning about our world from a Biblical perspective, or are we letting other influences shape our understanding? For the forum this week the director of Living Education, Mr. Jonathan McNair, explained that while we live in an age full of news sources, an increase in information comes with an increase in misinformation. Mr. McNair explained that there is a three-fold challenge in determining the reliability of the news sources we listen to and provided four strategies for meeting it.

The Three-fold Challenge

The first aspect of this challenge is that every news source has its bias. To illustrate this point, Mr. McNair had the students look at a variety of current news headlines from various right and left-leaning news outlets. By comparing the phrasing of the headlines alone, the students could determine the political leanings of the outlet. Mr. McNair explained that all people have biases and buy into that which supports their point of view. We must be careful to not fall into this trap. 

Another aspect to consider is whether the news is accurate. With so many different sources of information out there, news networks must compete to grab your attention. Sometimes a network will embellish and exaggerate the news to generate more traffic to their website or channel. 

The final question to ask is “am I getting the whole picture?” A news outlet may leave out information to support their stance, or even just by mistake. It’s impossible to cover every aspect of an event as it unfolds. So, now that we know the challenge, how do we meet it?

Four Strategies for Navigating the News Media Maze

1. Understand the System

As was previously mentioned, our whole news system is geared toward getting attention. It’s all about getting the “scoop” first, even at the expense of accuracy. We need to be wary and take eye-catching headlines and attention-grabbing articles with a grain of salt.

2. Know the Source

So much news is duplicated from an original source and finding the source can give us a clearer picture. But even then, we must be watching for any biases that the source may have.

3. Know the Perspective of the Source

Everyone has their own biases and perspective. Even “fact-based” news has its leanings. No reporter or news analyst is completely objective, and their values often come through in tone if not in the words they use.

4. Know Yourself

Your age, background, country, and values will affect your worldview. We must understand that some outlets use these aspects to emotionally manipulate us onto their side. It’s a tactic used by both sides of the political spectrum.

Final Recommendations

Mr. McNair ended the forum with a couple of recommendations on how to apply this knowledge. He suggested that when watching or reading the news, don’t just stick to one outlet with one point of view. By using multiple news sources while acknowledging their biases, we can still get valuable information. As an example, Mr. McNair explained that while science magazines might be biased toward evolution, we can still gain valuable scientific information from them. Varying the type of news we take in can give us a more balanced view of world events. However, we need to be careful of getting too caught up in the biases and politics of the world. A vital point to remember is that as Christians, we are not to focus on being right or left-leaning, but unified in the body of Christ

Assembly Summary: Getting the Job—Three Keys to Getting Hired

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 4 min.

For his assembly, Mr. Michael DeSimone talked about the process of getting a job.  As we approach the end of this year of Living Education – Charlotte, Mr. DeSimone presented this lecture in hopes that the students would find it helpful as we plan ahead to apply for various positions and potential jobs in the near future. Referencing the book “48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal” by Dan Miller, Mr. DeSimone gave us some practical keys for the following three steps to successfully get hired. 

Step 1: Successfully get the interview. 

Send an introduction letter. The purpose of this letter is to build name recognition; it is very important to stand out from other applicants.

A week after sending the introduction letter, submit a cover letter and resumé. Both of these need to be addressed to a particular person and not to a department. If addressed to a general department, there is a high chance your submission will be overlooked; however, if it is sent to a particular person, that person will likely follow-up with the application.

Follow-up with a call 4-5 days after sending your resumé. Mr. DeSimone highlighted this as an extremely important step in the process—one which is followed by only 1-2% of job hunters.  Mr. DeSimone advised the students not to leave a voicemail, except perhaps for the opportunity of leaving your name. It is also not a good idea to leave anything in the voice message telling them to call you back, nor to leave too many messages.

Step 2: Prepare and practice for the interview.

Grab a friend and practice your interview. We were advised to get a family member or friend and practice having a job interview with them. This way, that person can offer critiques and insights that may help at the actual interview.

Mr. DeSimone advised that, in order to show proper etiquette, you should not arrive to the interview too early—arriving 30 minutes before the interview creates an inconvenience for the interviewer. Instead, you should aim at arriving 5-10 minutes early. We were advised to dress appropriately, which means dressing one or two notches above the requirements for the position you are being interviewed for. You can also show proper etiquette by not wearing too much perfume or jewelry, making regular and friendly eye contact, shaking hands firmly, and wearing a smile.

Know yourself enough to be able to sell yourself well. Mr. DeSimone explained that preparation for a job interview involves being intimately familiar with your skills, strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and values. Solidify your answers for the typical interview questions, such as, “Tell me a little bit about yourself,” or, “Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.” No answer should be more than two minutes in length.

Mr. DeSimone said to conduct your own research on the company that you are planning to apply to. It is essential to know what the company stands for before your interview—that way, you’ll be able to ask more appropriate questions.

Step 3: Negotiate compensation.

The salary that the company offers is based on the responsibilities of the job and not on your educational background or past experiences. When negotiating compensation, Mr. DeSimone advised, there is a right time to do it. Too often, job hunters will talk about compensation when it is not the correct time to do so. You should not be the first one to bring up the topic of benefits—unless the interviewer never brings it up at all. If the topic of compensation is brought too early by the interviewer, you should deflect it in order to first make sure that the job is a good fit for both the company and yourself. The arrow on the graph below shows the ideal time to discuss compensation during the interview.

Graph: The right time to negotiate compensation during an interview.

Mr. DeSimone hopes that these three steps will be helpful to the students as they prepare to shine God’s light in the workforce. 

Forum Summary: Do you think long-term?

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

For his forum, Mr. Michael Heykoop, a telecast presenter and the Media Director for the Work in Canada, provided four points for long-term thinking.

He explained that while we ought to take notice of world events, we don’t have the exact date for when Christ will return, so we need to take the long-term approach in planning for our lives. While there’s no way we can physically prepare for the things to come, prophecy is provided so that we can be spiritually ready.

1: Planning ahead does not show a lack of faith.

Sometimes, people take Christ’s words in Matthew 6:25-26 to mean that they should not plan ahead and instead take each day on faith. However, Mr. Heykoop explained that Christ isn’t saying to never make any plans, but to make sure that our planning doesn’t come between us and God. As James 4:13-15 tells us, we must plan with humility, recognizing that while we plan, it is according to God’s will that our plans come to fruition. Mr. Heykoop used the story of Joseph’s preparation for the famine in Egypt as an example of planning being rewarded.

2: God’s promises do not allow for unnecessary risk.

There is a misconception that if God is protecting us, we can take any risks we want to. However, Mr. Heykoop showed the students through Matthew 4:5-7 that we are not to tempt God. He explained that we must be mindful and determine whether we are taking undue risks in our endeavors. Our body is the temple of God’s Spirit, so we must be vigilant in protecting it.

3: Mistakes of youth can cause lasting harm.

While we are forgiven of our sins, we may still have to suffer their consequences. Mr. Heykoop encouraged the students to picture where we want to be in ten years and to identify roadblocks that would keep us from getting there. We must ask ourselves whether we are making our decisions with God in mind. What could take us from His truth? Mr. Heykoop stressed that we must recognize and weed those things out of our lives. Mr. Heykoop illustrated this point with the example of Jacob. One lie separated him from his family for more than twenty years—God had promised to bless him, but he still took matters into his own hands and deceived his father. Whether good or bad, our actions have consequences that can last a lifetime.

4: The effect of good decisions made over time is extraordinary.

Mr. Heykoop used the principle of compound interest to illustrate this point. When you invest in developing good habits and making good decisions, the return compounds over time. For instance, if you were to make the decision to study for thirty minutes a day over a period of five years, you would have studied a total of 912 hours. Imagine all the things you could learn in that time—and that’s just five years! Mr. Heykoop encouraged the students to take advantage of the unique opportunity we have to start building these habits early as we begin our adult lives.

Mr. Heykoop stressed that we need to bring God into our plans and seek His help and guidance in setting them, eliminating undue risks, avoiding sin, and setting up good habits. God will make it clear when the end is near, but until then, it’s our responsibility to move forward and plan. However, in our planning, we must always remember that it is only according to God’s will that our plans succeed.

Student Life: Visiting the JAARS Facility

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Author: Caanin Fausone | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

On February 9th, the Living Education students took a trip to the JAARS facility located in Waxhaw, North Carolina.

JAARS is the acronym for “Jungle Aviation and Radio Service.” The land for the facility was originally donated in the 1960’s by businessman Henderson Belk, CEO of Belk department stores to JAARS founder Cameron Townsend to build a runway and hangar. Uncle Cam (as he is lovingly referred to by the employees today) took this plot of land and built the original building that would serve as headquarters for the work that JAARS does.

When we arrived at the facility, it looked nothing like the original humble building that “Uncle Cam” had built but was rather a bustling operation with an airfield, housing, and multiple media ventures underway. The facility now encompasses over 572 acres, 43 buildings and 4 airstrips, accommodating more than 500 employees. 

As the tour began, our guide explained the mission statement of JAARS, which is to make Bible translation and language development possible, especially in the most remote and difficult places on earth. by enabling locally appropriate and sustainable solutions in transportation, technology, media, and training. We were shown multiple Bibles in different languages. “With each”, our guide explained, “there is a specific cultural challenge to translation.” For example, in the Middle East holy books are especially ornate and are easily distinguishable from secular books. As a result, bibles written in Aramaic (a common language in that area) are also quite ornate and printed with fancy flared text on high-quality paper. 

Next, the guide brought us to the technological hub of the operation, where JAARS employees lend assistance to translators all over the world through the power of the internet. They include consideration of cultural context and the ability to review some of the more difficult translations in real-time with relevant language experts. 

Then we were shown my personal favorite area of the trip, the airfield. It’s here that JAARS keeps the planes that are able to offer much-needed supplies to its Bible translators throughout the world. The students watched the aviation mechanics at work as they repaired the various planes and made sure that the others were flight-ready. In order to make sure that the translators are provided for and well equipped to do their work, it is essential that equipment can be dropped off at almost any location worldwide. 

Lastly, the students were able to visit the Alphabet Museum and see how language developed over millennia. It truly was fascinating to the progression of our modern English alphabet and how each individual character changed over the hundreds of years it has been in use. In addition to educational material, the students also had fun posing with the various statues in a “copycat” fashion. All in all the trip was educational, enjoyable, and engaging for everyone.

Forum Assembly: The Chief Propagandist

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Paul Kearns, LCG’s area pastor for New Zealand and Vanuatu, is a university graduate who majored in World War II history and early Christian history.

For his forum, he told the students that there is a crisis that affects almost every issue today: We don’t know who to trust anymore. Truth is scarce since everyone has their own agenda. Mr. Kearns explained that Satan is responsible for this confusion and showed the students that this has been a strategy of his since the very beginning.

The Greatest Deception

The beginning of this crisis can be found in Genesis 3:1-5. Mr. Kearns broke down this account and showed the cunning methods Satan used and still uses to deceive mankind. Satan started by sowing the seed of doubt in Eve’s mind (v. 1). Then, he used a half-truth—Satan knew that Adam and Eve would not die instantly upon taking the fruit, yet neglected to mention the eternal death penalty that comes with sin (vv. 2-4). Finally, he slandered the source of the truth, God Himself (v. 5).

All of this is very familiar to us; we can see it occur daily amongst our politicians, news outlets, and nations. However, this muddling of the truth is not where Satan stops.

Propaganda: One of the Devil’s Greatest Tools

The Bible and history are full of examples of Satan’s use of propaganda. He doesn’t want just to obscure the truth, but to replace it with his false narrative. Today, propaganda is everywhere, and it can affect us. So, how can we recognize propaganda? 

Mr. Kearns explained that to recognize a source of information as propaganda, we must look at the agenda of that source. Why is it giving out that information? He then pointed to the story of Absalom’s rebellion recorded in 2 Samuel 15:1-6, explaining that Absalom believed he was justified in his actions and that his agenda reflected that. He went to the city gates—the social and informational hub of the day—and befriended the people. Then, he sold the people his idea. Absalom also planted the seeds of doubt in Israel by slandering David and elevating himself. Mr. Kearns explained that this was Satan-influenced and pointed out the parallels between this account and the account in Genesis 3. In Matthew 11:19, we find that the Pharisees spread propaganda against Jesus Christ. What was their agenda? They saw that Christ was performing many signs and wonders and sought to destroy and discredit Him to preserve their own prestige.

The Power of Propaganda

Mr. Kearns turned the students’ attention to Nazi Germany for an example of how powerful propaganda can be. Joseph Goebbels was Germany’s minister of “public enlightenment.” He promoted the agenda that the Aryan people were the master race. However, the Jews were considered enemies to the Aryans. Therefore, the Nazi agenda was to destroy the Jews. Goebbels utilized many half-truths to paint the Jews in political office and other positions as trying to destroy German society. He used this narrative to dehumanize them, and his efforts resulted in the Holocaust.

From Matthew 24:9, we can see that we will be hated by all nations for Christ’s sake. Mr. Kearns explained that this will likely happen through propaganda, just as it did in Nazi Germany. Matthew 24 also warns us that many false christs will arise in the end times, and these will even try to deceive the elect (vv. 23-24). Mr. Kearns warned the students that we all need to be alert, recognizing Satan’s propaganda and holding fast to God’s word as the one source of untainted truth.

Assembly Summary: The What and Why of Your Choices

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Strain began his Assembly lecture by taking a trip down memory lane to when he was in grade school.

When he was taught reading comprehension, he learned about the “five Ws and an H”—what, why, who, where, when, and how. If we are able to answer those questions, he said, then we understand what we have read. Mr. Strain proposed that these questions are of value when we are analyzing our life choices as well. For the purpose of his lecture, he only discussed two out of the six: what and why.

We have choices to make

Mr. Strain used the example of a man who was working for a company and decided that he no longer wanted to work there anymore, but instead to start his own business. If he was to do so, this man had to know what he wanted to do and why he wanted to do it. Mr. Strain then asked the students why they had chosen to attend Living Education. He mentioned that we had made a choice to devote this year to learning and immersing ourselves into God’s way of life. Mr. Strain challenged the students to think about what we do as Living Education students and why we do these things. He acknowledged that some things are decided for us, like participating in activities and living at the dorms with other students. These things are by design, for the students to learn and build stronger bonds. However, we also have choices that we make, for which we will have to give an account. Mr. Strain contrasted Living Education and Ambassador College with secular colleges, which often do not care about what students do with their time. Like Ambassador College, Living Education has been designed to teach its students principles that will guide us for the rest of our lives.

Dangerous comfort?

Mr. Strain encouraged the students to get out of the “danger zone” of our comfort zone. He gave the example of when he was a student at Ambassador College and was advised to join the chorale. He learned something new in the process of getting out of his comfort zone, and it helped him to become a more balanced person. 

Mr. Strain advised the students to think about what we are doing and why we are doing it whenever we make decisions. We need to tie our decisions to our overall purpose of being in God’s Kingdom. An example of that would be doing the Work of God. In order to accomplish the Work, we have to consider what we are doing and why we are doing it, keeping our minds on the overall purpose of getting the Work done. There are some things that are beyond our control—for example, when we are hired for a job, we could expect that we would have a supervisor determining what time the work begins and when it ends. But life should not only happen because someone else schedules it for us. 

Know why you’re doing what your doing

Mr. Strain added that not everything we do needs to have a deep spiritual meaning to it. We may choose to relax and watch television for a while, or listen to music—however, we need to balance our lives. In whatever we strive to do, we must understand what is being done and the purpose of doing such a task, especially if we are to make it into God’s Family.

Forum Summary: Thinking about History

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 4 min.

Mr. Mark Sandor, pastor and former social studies teacher, began his forum address by asking the LivingEd students a question—why is history important?

His goal was to answer that question and to show the students how they can properly navigate the complexities of history.

Why Is History Important?

One of the reasons the topic of history is important to us in God’s Church is because it contains numerous examples of God’s hand in world affairs. Mr. Sandor made this point by referring to the book Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose. The book covers the adventures of Lewis and Clark in their expedition across the western territory of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase. Many times, the expedition would have ended in disaster if not for what secular scholars deem “coincidences.” However, we in God’s Church can see that these seeming coincidences were God’s hand using imperfect human beings to guide a nation.

History also provides case studies in human behavior, showing us the cause and effect of the actions and choices made by those who came before us. Observing the lives of others can reinforce what we know and teach us examples of both what we should and what we should not do. Mr. Sandor used Abraham Lincoln as an example, who, despite not being called, understood the basic teachings of the Bible and used them to lead America through the Civil War.

Things to Keep in Mind

However, there are a few questions we should keep in mind while reading history. First, we should determine the author’s background and point of view. Mr. Sandor brought up Herodotus, “the Father of History,” as an example. He often wrote about the wars between the Greeks and the Persians. Being Greek, he portrayed the Greeks as stalwart heroes and the Persians as despicable villains. Every historian has their biases, and as we read history, we should remain aware of this.

Another thing to consider, although this applies more to ancient historians, is who the historian was sponsored by. A sponsor was often necessary to be able to afford the time it took to write in ancient times. This sponsor held much influence on what was recorded and often ensured that they would be portrayed in a positive light.

A third thing to consider is the author’s source. Mr. Sandor used the example of George McClellan, a general in the Union Army who was a bitter rival of Abraham Lincoln. He served under Lincoln in the Civil War and after a serious military blunder was replaced by a different general. McClellan went on to run against Lincoln for office and publicly insulted his appearance and name. However, Mr. Sandor read a book painting McClellan as a “God-fearing, good man.” Checking the source, he found that it was exclusively what McClellan wrote about himself! Often the subject of a story is painted as a hero, but the facts of history may not show them in such a noble light. It is nearly impossible to record every aspect of one’s life. In writing history, you have to choose a place to start and a place to end. So, whether by choice or necessity, things are often left out of historical accounts.

How Does God Tell History?

We can determine how to properly study history by looking at how God records it. One of the aspects of history revealed by the Bible is that there is more than one way to accurately tell a story. Mr. Sandor referenced the four gospels as an example of this.

Another thing we can see is that sometimes God leaves things out to get a point across. He tells us what we need to know, but doesn’t necessarily give us everything. Mr. Sandor used the dispute between the Archangel Michael and the devil about the body of Moses in Jude 1:8-9 as an example of this. This event is recorded nowhere else in Scripture, and while it would be very interesting to learn more about it, the spiritual lesson is what’s important in this account.

A third lesson we learn is that God focuses on the big picture and the legacies people leave behind. We can see this throughout the Bible. For instance, Mr. Sandor compared King David and King Ahab. Both men coveted something belonging to their servant, leading to the death of that servant, and repented. But, while they both went through a similar situation, one wouldn’t consider these men as equals based on their greater legacy. This same principle applies to historical figures outside the Bible. Focusing on the big picture gives us a greater view of the impact people and events have had on history.

This is the challenge of history: We must seek multiple sources on a subject, note the differences between them, and consider how the sources may reveal the full picture when examined together. By meeting this challenge, we can get the most out of studying history.

Student Life: Fun in the…Snow! – Part 2

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Author: Caanin Fausone | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.

(This is part two of the Feb 18 post “Student Life: Fun in the…snow”)

Some friendly competition

Later that evening, the class started a new tradition with the induction of the first inaugural “dictionary game”,  a word game that challenged the students to come up with convincing-sounding definitions for obscure and bizarre English words. This year, student Ryan Price was the victor, claiming a hard-fought victory that awarded him bragging rights and a complimentary water bottle. Once again, the students were up into the wee hours of the night engaged in fruitful and lively conversation in anticipation of the following day’s activities.

Hitting the slopes

That morning, breakfast consisted of yogurt, oatmeal, and a variety of other breakfast items that fueled the students in a spirited clean-up effort. With the house cleaned and all their belongings packed, the final leg of the journey was upon them, a mountainous yet scenic drive to the nearby Beech Mountain. With an elevation of just over 5,500 feet, this mountain is the highest in the state of North Carolina and quite the tourist attraction for skiing and snowboarders alike. Thanks to the recent storm, the conditions were perfect for some recreational fun in the snow, and the activity of the day was snow tubing. The facilities set up at the resort were very beginner-friendly but still was thrilling for those who are more accustomed to speed on the slopes, especially if a “double” snow tube was selected as one’s vehicle for the day’s entertainment. At activities start, the air was a crisp, refreshing, and exhilarating 38 degrees Fahrenheit but for those who are more fair-weather fans the day delivered, warming up to a comfortable 48-degree beauty.

A picture-perfect trip

Following snow tubing, the class gathered together at the top of the adjacent hill and took a traditional panoramic photo showing the sweeping landscape. After that, lunch was served, consisting of a turkey lettuce wrap with tomatoes and topped with zesty ranch ending a great day with a tasty snack. The students piled into the car and headed back down the mountain to Charlotte and the warmth of the dorms. I know I speak for everyone when I say that the outing was well worthwhile and enjoyable for all the students.

Assembly Summary: Let no man despise your youth

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Frank opened the assembly by showing us an old photo from his time in Ambassador College when he traveled to Israel to participate in an archaeological dig.

He made the connection that a person’s youth passes by quite quickly and the older generation must pass their wisdom to the younger. The lecture was geared towards biblical instructions guiding the youth of Living Education and was largely based on 1 Timothy 4:12.

            Mr. Frank mentioned that the letters of 1 Timothy and Titus were written during the time of Paul’s evangelistic work while under house arrest in Rome. Paul placed Timothy as pastor of the church in Ephesus and Titus in Crete. During his final imprisonment, Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy, requesting a visit from his young protégé. Paul wrote both letters to help Timothy in his pastoral duties. 

            Mr. Frank explained Paul’s admonition to Timothy to not let anyone despise his youth, in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity. Paul also charged the church that they should not despise Timothy (1 Corinthians 16:10-11). As Mr. Frank described, at the time of the early Church it was culturally unusual for someone under the age of thirty to be considered a leader, and certainly many of the other leaders at that time would have been older than Timothy. Paul charged Timothy to live an exemplary life so that no one could find fault in him. Mr. Frank stated that this does not imply that Timothy was careless in his prior behavior, but rather that Paul was encouraging him to continue being the good model that he already was. A young leader should take care not to commit youthful foolishness or sinfulness which would give reason for people to discredit him. 

            Youth should not be a time for sowing wild oats, for this is not the Christian way. Mr. Frank admonished us to flee youthful lusts and to remember to seek the Creator while we are still young. Once we graduate, no matter where we go, the brethren will view us as graduates of the Living Education program and we will be expected to behave accordingly. There are six areas Paul tells Timothy to consider—Mr. Frank expounded on these areas, which we too can think about in order to set a good example to other people in the Church, both young and old. 

Let no one despise you in… 

  • Word – The Greek word logos, which means “divine word,” in this context can be translated as “correct doctrine.” It is essentially a warning against idle talk. We need to be extremely mindful of what we say, especially among Church members.
  • Conversation – The definition of the Greek word translated “conversation” includes behavior, general conduct, and how we speak with others. 
  • Charity – This word is translated from the Greek word agape, meaning “love,” “brotherly love,” or “benevolence.” We are to have godly love for others, whether they treat us well or ill. 
  • Spirit – Translated from the Greek pnévma, this relates to governing one’s passions, as by the Holy Spirit, and being of a mild, meek, forgiving disposition. 
  • Faith – The Greek word pistis describes a state of trust, conviction, fidelity, and unshaken confidence in God, in both good times and bad. The word is also used to describe faithfulness, implying that we should be faithful to our families, our Church, our work, the general public, and—most importantly—God.
  • Purity – Paul cautioned Timothy that his interactions with others should be with purity, not giving into youthful lust. Mr. Frank used this opportunity to issue the same caution to the students and warned us not to engage in such behaviors that could tarnish our reputation. This type of purity is not limited to rejecting the sins of the flesh, but also includes rejecting wrong motives and thoughts.

As Mr. Frank discussed, these are not requirements for pastors only; rather they are meant for all of God’s people. We should consider the lesson given to Timothy and strive to build good habits in our lives, that we may be above reproach and give no man a reason to despise us in our youth.