Forum Summary: We’ve Got to Own It

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 23 seconds.

Dr. Scott Winnail, the pastor of several congregations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, spoke to the Living-Ed students over WebEx. Dr. Winnail was the Dean of Faculty and Executive Vice President of Living University. He assisted in the transition of LU into Living Education and taught the Living-Ed Christian Living course for the first few semesters. He said, “It’s a treat to talk to you. I chose to talk about a subject I hope I can make relatable to you at this stage in your life.” He asked the students how they had been leaders in the past and what leadership roles they aspire to have. Leadership is a fundamental component of life—even for young people. Dr. Winnail explained, “God is looking to us to be leaders so He can use us.”

“Leaders must own everything in their world.”

Dr. Winnail referenced the book Extreme Ownership How U.S. Navy SEALS Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. The book shows leaders and aspiring leaders how to have a positive influence on everyone around them. Willink wrote, “Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.” Dr. Winnail asked the students, “Does that sound extreme? We can’t control everything and everyone else, but we have way more sway than we might think.” In his forum, Dr. Winnail pulled two principles from Extreme Ownership about how Christians can take ownership in their lives.

“There are no bad teams, only bad leaders.”

The first point was illustrated in a story from Willink and Babin’s book. In a SEAL training exercise during Hell Week, groups of men were assigned to inflatable boats and went through a series of races. A crew-leader directed each group. After a few rounds of these races, one team continued to place first while another team regularly placed last. The head instructors then switched the leaders of these teams. The originally winning team maintained relative success—the team had learned how to work together, even under the poor leader. The former losing team with the good leader placed first consistently. Dr. Winnail used the account of David’s census of Israel as an example of ownership in leadership. David admitted he had sinned, took responsibility for his mistake, and didn’t blame Joab or his team for his failure (1 Chronicles 21:8). Dr Winnail said, “Effective Godly leaders own up to their mistakes.” Good leaders don’t blame their team but lead their team to be better.

“Good leaders check their ego.”

The authors of the book wrote, “Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility.” Good leaders don’t feel threatened by those under them and are willing to listen to advice. According to Josephus, Moses was a general and powerful political figure in Egypt. Yet Moses listened and took Jethro’s advice on governing Israel (Exodus 18:24). He was “very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Dr. Winnail said, “He was meek, teachable, and approachable. He was willing to check his ego and not pull rank.” Romans 12:3 reads, “For I say… to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think… as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Dr. Winnail pointed out that God gives gifts to each person differently—we are not God’s gift to mankind.

We’ve Got to Own It

“We don’t know all the future leadership roles we might have, and, frankly, we don’t even know all the roles we are in now.” Dr. Winnail said, “We have to own the truth. We have to own the Work.” God is watching for young leaders who will step up and take ownership of everything within their world. Christian leaders now are part of something far greater—in the millennium, Dr. Winnail reminded, they will teach leadership and ownership to those who will be leaders later during the Great White Throne Judgement. “In a world in which so many people want to blame others,” Dr. Winnail concluded, “we’ve got to own it.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Forum Summary: Understanding Ourselves and Others

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes, 43 seconds.

Mr. Bob Rodzaj joined the Living Education students and staff from wintry Racine, Wisconsin via Webex. As he spoke, snow was falling, adding to the 2 feet already on the ground. Mr. Rodzaj grew up in Rochester, New York. He was introduced to the Church while he was studying architecture at Virginia Tech. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Mr. Rodzaj attended Ambassador College. He was ordained into the ministry over 30 years ago and currently pastors five congregations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.

Mr. Rodzaj said, “Many years ago, I remember Dr. Meredith telling us to become students of human nature—why people do what they do, what makes them the way they are… I’d like to talk about that very subject: the need to better understand ourselves and others.”

“You bring with you what makes you—you.”

As a latchkey child, Mr. Rodzaj grew up with both his parents working full time. Outside of school, he was essentially alone. “By the time God called me at age 21, I was a deeply troubled, angry young man with a lot to overcome… But God helped me grow past the past.” Mr. Rodzaj said, “I speak to you at the beginning of your adult lives.” He asked the students how well they understood what they want out of life, why they want it, what’s important to them at the very core of their being—and how their past has shaped them. Mr. Rodzaj explained, “As a pastor, I’ve dealt with people who struggle with the effects of their past—particularly their formative years.” If people could understand themselves and others, they would improve the quality of their relationships and develop the ability to make a real difference in the lives of others now and in the millennium.

“The story of Job is the story of each one of us…”

Job thought he understood himself and God. He did what was right and thought he understood what God expected of him. Yet, Mr. Rodzaj explained, “Job’s relationship with God was based on fear.” Job said, after God allowed Satan to persecute him, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me” (Job 3:25). Job was motivated by terror: “He is unique, and who can make Him change… Therefore I am terrified at His presence” (Job 23:13-16). Mr. Rodzaj asked, “Does this describe a trusting relationship? Is this the kind of relationship God wants us to have with Him?” Eventually, Elihu told Job, “For has anyone said to God… ‘Teach me what I do not see…’?” (Job 34:31-32). Job hadn’t asked God for this understanding. Mr. Rodzaj explained that Job hadn’t understood what motivated him and the relationship that God expected of him. But Job came to understand himself and God correctly.

Do we understand our motives?

Mr. Rodzaj gave other examples in the Bible of individuals who needed to better understand themselves. One was the rich young man of Matthew 19:16-22. Mr. Rodzaj compared him to a young person in the Church. “The young man was very diligent, but there was something buried deep in his heart that he couldn’t see. Christ pierced right through to the core of the young man’s desire and ambition.” When Christ told him to go and sell all that he had, “he wasn’t willing to go there. But sooner or later, he would have to if he really wanted to inherit eternal life.” Mr. Rodzaj mentioned other individuals who needed to understand themselves. Adam and Eve didn’t understand their gullibility. Moses struggled with his fierce anger. And even Peter had to reckon with a cowardly side.

God Can Help

“People’s tendencies have an impact on their well-being and the well-being of others. It affects how we function, how we deal with life, and how we deal with others.” Mr. Rodzaj admitted that when he was the students’ age, he hadn’t understood himself. “I wish I had understood these things sooner. It would have made a world of difference—in my life, in my marriage, in my parenting, in my role as a minister and member, as an employee, as a boss, and as a friend.” Understanding yourself helps you to better understand others. But only God can search a Christian’s heart and mind (Jeremiah 17:10). God can help if we take Elihu’s advice and ask Him to “teach me what I do not see” (Job 34:32). Mr. Rodzaj concluded, “My hope and prayer is that you can learn this sooner and enjoy its fruit in your life and in all your relationships.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Student Life: A Ladies Weekend

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

On February 13, at 1:00 p.m., Mrs. Christy McNair, Mrs. Carol Weston, Miss Rebekah Ross, and the female Living Ed students joined the Walterboro congregation for services. Later that evening, after an adventure of several wrong turns, U-turns, and GPS malfunctions, they happily arrived at their booked Airbnb outside the Historic District of Charleston, South Carolina.

The ladies spent a rainy Sunday morning on a “Charleston’s Alleys & Hidden Passages” tour. They followed their guide through romantic city alleys sandwiched between historic brick pubs, meeting houses, and homes. Magnolias, ferns, and camellias sprawled in the tiny spaces around intricately wrought iron gates, red brick walls, and cobblestone pathways. They walked “Rainbow Road,” where old merchant buildings that originally stood on the riverfront were restored in the 1900s into today’s most-photographed section of Charleston. The ladies stood on the Battery promenade—a civil war defensive artillery site—where the Ashley and Cooper rivers pour into the Charleston Harbor. Through the rain, they could just glimpse Fort Sumter, Fort Johnson, and Fort Sullivan across the water.

That afternoon, they walked and shopped the Charleston City Market, only slightly chilled by the cold rain. The girls warmed up that evening with cups of hot chocolate and cheerful conversation They asked Mrs. Weston and Mrs. McNair about their experiences and shared their own. The next day, they rounded off the trip by visiting the Charleston Tea Garden Angel Oak, a huge 1400-year-old southern live oak.

When asked what she enjoyed most about the Charleston weekend, Meredith Hodges replied, “I really enjoyed the car ride. Getting to know Mrs. Weston was really fun… Also, the tour—all those little alleys and plants were really cool. And dancing in the rain.”

The ladies drove back to Charlotte in more stormy weather—but not even a little rain could dampen their fun this weekend.

Juliette McNair headshot

Juliette McNair is a student at Living Education Charlotte. She works in the Editorial Department transcribing sermons and proofreading transcripts. She also assists Living Education by writing Second Thoughts essays and Forum/Assembly Summaries for the website. Juliette recently graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in Upstate New York with an A.A.S in Horticulture, a B.T in Plant Science, and a minor in English with a writing focus. She loves playing soccer on the beach, getting up early to watch the sunrise, and playing piano with the lights out.

Assembly Summary: Don’t Despise the Day of Small Things

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 55 seconds.

Mr. Rod McNair walked into the Living Ed classroom and hung a large picture frame on the whiteboard. It was a portrait of a regal couple standing in a throne room. He said, “Have you ever thought as you’re going through the day, How does this relate to me ruling over cities?” It’s easy to think that the little things of today are trivial and don’t affect our future kingships. But Mr. McNair pointed out that the knowledge and skills learned today may be exactly what is needed in the future. He began, “I’d like to tell the story of a real-life king.”

“We shall reign with righteousness for the benefits and happiness of the Siamese people.”

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, swore this traditional oath when he ascended the throne in 1950. He planned a career in engineering and science, but when his brother was killed unexpectedly, he became king, and duties of state took precedence over his personal interests. Yet, King Bhumibol was more than just a royal figurehead in Thailand’s constitutional monarchy. Because of his training in engineering, conservation, forestry, and irrigation, he had the ability to begin 43,000 development projects in his lifetime. That training started when he was very young. The king said once, “Some people wonder why I became interested in irrigation or forestry… When I was 10 years old, a science teacher who is now dead taught me about soil conservation.”

Apply yourself to dead-end situations.

Joseph is another example of a ruler whose earlier experiences prepared him for leadership. He eventually recognized that his past prepared him for a specific role. He said to his brothers, “God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). Mr. McNair said, “He applied himself in dead-end situations. Joseph asked himself, What can I learn from this?” Mr. McNair gave seven pointers to the students.

“Take advantage of what’s in front of you.”

Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Mr. McNair told the students to not miss out on the three months they have left in Living Ed. “It’s easy to think the big, valuable stuff is somewhere else and miss the goldmine right in front of us.”

“Look beyond what you can see.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 states that Christians walk by faith and not sight. Just like children playing with Legos and dolls, they have no concept of what they will be as adults. “Whatever stage we’re at, we can’t foresee the whole future.”

“Learn how to relate to different types of people.”

One of the biggest lessons a young person learns is that not everybody thinks like them. Mr. McNair said, “You didn’t choose the other people in this program.” Clashes between differing personalities are inevitable. “But you learn that conflict is not the end of the world… Don’t run from it.” The skill to relate to people and work together as a team lasts forever.

“Learn the habit of learning.”

Education does not stop with formal instruction—most of it occurs outside of the classroom. God inspired the workmen who built the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-7). “God can download knowledge into you… But probably, God used people who had some ability in that direction.” Establish the habit of learning.

“Keep God at the center.”

“For some, life centers around experience—but if we’re not keeping God at the center, that experience is empty.” Even Christ did nothing apart from God and His will (John 5:30). Mr. McNair related how, as a freshman at Ambassador College, he was offered advice from a vastly more experienced sophomore: “You’re going to have too much to do. When you do, make sure you make time to pray.”

“Go all out.”

“That doesn’t mean burn out.” Living-Ed requires the male students to be in Spokesman’s Club and the ladies to do the Women’s Enrichment Program. From cooking for Friday night dinners to participating in the scheduled activities, Mr. McNair said, “Throw yourself into it.” As Dr. Meredith said after his stroke: “I want to learn every lesson God has for me from this.”

“Don’t despise the day of the small things.”

King Bhumibol died in 2016, but his legacy lives on in the Royal Projects scattered around the nation. The small things he learned early in life laid the foundation for his reign. Zechariah 4:9-10 reads, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?” Mr. McNair said, “We’re going to have way more responsibility and opportunities than King Bhumibol… Don’t take it lightly when things start small.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Assembly Summary: Actions We Take Now for Our Future

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 15 seconds.

“How many of you have heard the phrase, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Mr. Mike DeSimone joined the students in the Living-Ed classroom and gave an interactive Assembly. He said that this saying doesn’t only apply to preventing future disasters. “I want to talk about the actions we take now and the impact they have on the future.”

An Ounce of Effort Now—Or a Pound Later?

Using the newly-installed whiteboard on the wall behind him, Mr. DeSimone drew a diagram of a lever with a tiny weight on one side, labeled “Now,” and a large weight leveraged on the other side, labeled “Future.” Small actions today, with just an ounce of energy, can accomplish things worth a pound of energy later in life.

Christ Prepared for the Church of God

Luke 2:41-52 gives the account of Christ lingering in Jerusalem and His parents returning to find Him. They found him asking questions and listening to the teachers in the temple. He told His parents, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”  Mr. DeSimone explained that, at twelve years old, “He was preparing Himself to begin the very Church of God and train the apostles to continue the Church and preach the Gospel for the next thousands of years.”

Ezra Prepared His Heart

Ezra was given the opportunity to lead his people back to Jerusalem. But only after he “had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD” [Ezra 7:10]. Ezra prepared himself but didn’t necessarily know that he would be called to lead the return. Mr. DeSimone stated, “What you do now may even provide opportunities in the future that will not be there if you don’t prepare.”

Fix the Issue in Stage 1

Mr. DeSimone used the example of the cost to fix an issue with an iPhone. During the assembling stage—Stage 1—it might cost one hundred dollars. At Stage 2, when it is a finished product, that same issue costs 1,000 dollars to fix. And at Stage 3, when it’s shipped, the cost is 10,000 dollars. “This is the value of fixing a problem early… If this was life pain, issues, or troubles, how much would you rather spend taking care of that?”

Areas of Preparation

Mr. DeSimone covered five areas of preparation by posing questions and discussing various answers. “What can you do now to prepare for your future spiritually?” One student answered, “Fasting.” Through the right actions, like fasting, the right trajectory is set. He asked, “What are some ways you can prepare for a family?” A student raised his hand and replied, “For men, learning leadership.” Next was, “How can you prepare to be loyal to the Work and the Church?” Someone volunteered, “By learning how to explain the truth to non-Church members.” One answer to, “How can you prepare for your future career or life-work?” was, “By staying educated in your career.” Mr. DeSimone nodded, “Whatever you’re doing, you need to continually educate yourself—relentlessly.” Finally, Mr. DeSimone asked, “How can you prepare for your future financially?” One young lady raised her hand and said that you must, as she learned from Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden’s Christian Finance course, live below your means. 

“Everything we do now is leverage for the future—every life-choice and every habit… The way you spend your time now influences the way, when opportunities come, you are prepared.”

The nobleman’s servants, in Christ’s parable (Luke 19:11-17), didn’t know what their reward was. But when they realized that their small minas could bring entire cities as rewards, they must have thought, as Mr. DeSimone interpreted, “I should’ve put in more—all I needed to do was do it right then.” The minas represent “all the things we have control over now.” Our actions now determine our future. Mr. DeSimone concluded, “As much as you prepare yourself now for the future, you will reap greater rewards.”

Assembly Summary: Unlocking the Mystery of Life

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes, 16 seconds.

Modern science claims matter and energy are the two fundamental elements of life. “But,” Mr. Richard Ames said, “there’s another factor: intelligence.” Mr. Ames played the documentary Unlocking the Mystery of Life for his Assembly. In this documentary, scientists argue that intelligent design is undeniably present in nature. Mr. Ames asked the students to consider this question as they watched the video: “Why should intelligence be a foundational element of science?”

“If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.”

– Charles Darwin

Irreducible Complexity

Irreducible complexity is the idea that a biological system could not have evolved through tiny, incremental developments because the system itself cannot be any less complex to operate. This concept is clearly seen in the functioning of the tail-like organ called a flagellum on a bacterium. Flagella can spin at speeds up to 100,000 rpm. Just like an outboard motor on a boat, these natural propellors have gears, a stator, rotor, u-joint, driveshaft, and propellor—in total, they have 40 different parts. Evolution must explain how this system can be built gradually when the system only works when each part is functioning. The biologist Jonathan Wells explains that natural selection “selects only for a functional advantage… so if you had a bacterium with a tail that didn’t function as a flagellum, chances are natural selection would eliminate it. The only way you can select for a flagellum is if you have… all the pieces of the motor in place to begin with.”

Life Requires Instructions

The video introduced Dr. Dean Kenyon, who wanted to answer the question: “How did life begin in the first place?” He theorized that amino acids assembled themselves into proteins millions of years ago through chemical attraction. A student challenged him on how amino acids could assemble without instructions from DNA. DNA regulates the sequences and shapes amino acids need to form to create proteins. Dr. Kenyon found he couldn’t explain how amino acids had formed proteins without any instruction from pre-existing DNA. Furthermore, natural selection, by definition, needs existing organisms to operate. The issue of the origin of DNA is a major challenge to evolutionary theory.

“Science ought to be a search for the truth about the world… when we come to a puzzle in nature, we ought to bring to that puzzle every possible cause that might explain it. One of the problems I have with evolutionary theory is that it artificially rules out a kind of cause even before the evidence has a chance to speak, and the cause that’s ruled out is intelligence.”

– Paul Nelson

Design Reasoning

When archeologists discover ruins or when tourists see Mount Rushmore, they assume an intelligent mind was responsible. William Dembski wondered why. He established two reliable criteria for determining whether something was designed or not: small probability and specification. It’s highly improbable erosion carved faces into Mount Rushmore. The specific patterns of the faces are also recognizable. This speaks to design. From computer software to words scratched in the sand on the beach, people take intelligent design for granted all the time—without needing to be present when it was done. Scientists even monitor outer space for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence. If a highly improbable, specifically patterned signal was intercepted from space, researchers would declare extraterrestrial intelligence existed. Yet, the microscopic world of a single cell exhibits these same signs of intelligence and the possibility of intelligent design is rejected out of hand.

Mr. Ames stopped the documentary when the assembly time ran out. He encouraged the students to finish the documentary in their own time. The visible world may consist of matter and energy, but every component—from Mount Rushmore to bacteria flagella to the genetic code in living cells—reflects intelligence in its functioning and origin. The documentary Mr. Ames played proved that intelligence is as elemental to science as DNA is to the natural world.

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Assembly Summary: Today Matters

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 16 seconds.

“Put your trust in God, and keep your powder dry.” – Oliver Cromwell

Dr. Richard Franz, the area pastor of the Illinois and Missouri congregations, said, “While trust in God is our ultimate duty, it doesn’t rule out our responsibility to work hard and prepare diligently.” In his assembly, he reminded the students of the importance of what they do today to prepare for tomorrow.

“If we’re waiting for the absolute perfect conditions to do something in life, it will never happen.”

The lives of those God has called now are not dress-rehearsals. True Christians cannot afford to kill time. Solomon wrote, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap” (Ecclesiastes 11:4). Dr. Franz explained that while a farmer cannot control the weather, the longer he takes to do his planting, the longer the harvest is put off.

Decisions and Discipline

“There are two necessary ingredients to making each day a masterpiece: Decisions and discipline.” Discipline without good decisions results in constant but aimless movement, while decisions without discipline are not sustained. Theodore Hesburgh said, “Don’t make decisions because they are easy… cheap… [or] popular; you make them because they’re right.” Then after a decision, discipline must be exercised. Dr. Franz held up a “Wash Away Your Sins” bar of soap as a prop—change does not come after one washing. Decisions and discipline are required for success. But how can these principles be applied daily? The students were given eight keys to making today matter. 

Managing Today

First, take responsibility for your attitude. If you are wronged, “gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13) and move forward. When you are not treated with a good attitude, instead of denying any fault, Dr. Franz advised, examine yourselves to see if you in any way caused that wrong attitude.

“With all things equal—or sometimes unequal—attitude wins.” 

Repent of your bad attitude. Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). Decide to change. We can’t change everything, but we can change our attitude.

The third key was: “Find something positive in everything.” Dr. Franz pointed out that one can grumble as much on the inside, without saying a word, as verbally out loud. God also teaches Christians how to think, not complaining, but dwelling on true, noble, and admirable things (Philippians 4:8).

Fourth: Project your future. Like pole-vaulters who envision every moment of their race and jump before they compete, envision and conduct yourself like the person you want to become. The students were encouraged, “Transformation takes time. That’s why today matters.”

Don’t be a walking Brillo pad.

Fifth: Place a high value on people. It isn’t possible to dislike people and maintain a good attitude simultaneously. Christians should not be “like walking Brillo pads, scouring everyone they touch.” Rather, “value others above yourself” (Philippians 2:3).

“Remove negative phrases from your vocabulary.” Negative vocabulary about yourself, others, and your situation reinforce bad behavior. “It lets us off the hook.” Instead, think “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Seventh: Develop a strong attitude of gratitude. Dr. Franz explained that gratitude is not a matter of sophistication but perspective. He quoted Zig Ziglar, the famous motivational speaker, “The more you are grateful for what you have the more you will have to be grateful for.” That doesn’t mean you get more—it means you see more of what you already have.

Finally, “If you want to change tomorrow, you’ve got to start today.” Time is the most precious resource. While time can’t be changed or controlled, Dr. Franz said, “You can change your priorities.”

“Start today, because today matters.”

Trust in God is fundamental, but Christians also have the responsibility to “keep our powder dry” daily with discipline and decisiveness. Dr. Franz dared the students to not get distracted by things out of their control but to take ownership over the changes they can make in their lives now—today.

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Forum Summary: God’s Way Works

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 3 seconds.

Mr. Stephen Elliot is the Area Pastor of New Mexico and Arizona. In his Assembly, Mr. Elliot shared with the students a broad sketch of what it was like in Ambassador College (AC) and the Worldwide Church of God. “I recognize that to you and even to me that’s ancient history, but I want to put it into perspective for you.”

Some Perspective

Mr. Elliot’s father was the first Church member hired as a teacher at AC. He was hired in 1949 when competitive and political issues were beginning to arise from employing non-members as instructors. He became the first Dean of Students and was head over the campus grounds. In those early years, Dr. Meredith babysat Mr. Elliot. In 1947, only four students attended the college, but by the mid-60s, when Mr. Elliot attended, both the Big Sandy and Pasadena campuses had grown to around 500 students each. At a college reunion years later, Mr. Elliot found that most of his peers had left the Church and were glad they had been “liberated” from what they now considered a cult. There were around 1200 ministers in the 1980s—nine out of ten have since left the Church. By the late 90s, ninety percent of the membership had left the Church, with the remaining ten percent split now between almost 500 different organizations. Mr. Elliot asked, “How could we all have been taught the same things, grown up believing the same things, and most of us drift away?”

Do You Want the Answers?

After college, Mr. Elliot shared how he became disillusioned by Church politics and poor examples and stopped attending. But after he got married and his family began to grow, he returned. “I came back for a very selfish reason. I knew the Church had the answers and I wanted those principles for my marriage and family… The world was no longer shiny and glossy.”

God provides answers to life through His Church. “This is the reason that I stayed in the Church—not because people are perfect. Everyone is flawed, and no matter how hard we try, we are going to fall short. God only calls humans.” Yet there are always those who don’t want answers—they never get better, and they don’t change. While it is easy to become anxious about those who are not concerned with improving their lives, Mr. Elliot shared some sound advice he had gotten in the past: “Why are you worried about them? They’re not.” This is not meant to be cynical but real. Each person must choose to seek the truth individually. “It isn’t really selfish to want the answers to this life—it’s why we’re here.”

“You should experience struggles.”

Mr. Elliot said, “What do I wish you to get from your Living Ed experience?” Years ago, Mr. Armstrong instituted a rule that students being considered for the ministry had to have attended AC for at least two years—why? So that they had practiced the right way of thinking and the right way of living. You don’t need Living Ed to become educated, but it is an opportunity to learn a way of life. “It’s not always easy—you probably will experience some struggles. I hope you will because if you’re not, you may not be taking this way of life seriously… Before we have anything to teach others, we have to practice it ourselves. We have to have a track record.”

A Way of Living

Mr. Elliot concluded the Assembly, “Out of seven and a half billion people, God chose to call you. At Headquarters, you have an opportunity to know how the Church works. Living Education is not all book-learning—you can get that anywhere. It’s about a way of living.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Assembly Summary: The War Against God

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 53 seconds.

“If God has opened your mind to the truth, you are going to be in Satan’s crosshairs.”

Dr. Douglas Winnail, the Director of Church Administration, began the Assembly with a PowerPoint slide with the following statements:

The Bible is outdated. The miracles of the Bible never happened. Moral absolutes are old fashioned. There is no ultimate purpose in life. You are stupid if you believe the Bible.

These are ideas that are prevalent in a society that is waging a war against true Christianity. Dr. Winnail asked the Living Ed students, “Where do these ideas come from—why are they here?” The first step in understanding the modern war against God is knowing where these ideas come from.

Know Your Enemy

The struggle is not a physical one—it is Satan’s fight to win hearts and minds and pit them against their Creator. Dr. Winnail said, “Modern cultural wars are more than just liberals versus conservatives—it’s a spiritual war.” And if we know who is behind this war, we can understand that, as Dr. Winnail quoted, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against… spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).

“Who are the warriors in these cultural wars against God?”

There are several recent figures instrumental in tearing down belief in God and the Bible. The renowned atheist Richard Dawkins has called creationism, “God’s gift to the ignorant” and religious faith, “the great cop-out.” Christopher Hitchens, a social critic and another antagonist against Christianity, believes the real axis of evil in the world is “Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.” Bart D. Ehrman, a New Testament scholar from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, is a prominent critic of modern Christianity, authoring numerous books that seek to discredit the New Testament and the Christian belief in God. James Tabor, a former teacher at Ambassador College, is another scholarly skeptic who had commented, “If you find the bones of Jesus, the resurrection is off.”

Yet, Dr. Winnail emphasized, these skeptics are “merely the latest versions of people who have been doing this for years.” In the 19th century, Robert Ingersoll said concerning the Bible, “It has lost power in the proportion that man has gained knowledge.” Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution planted doubts on the biblical account of creation. The philosophers, Voltaire and Rousseau, played a role in turning “cathedrals into temples of reason” during the Enlightenment. Even in the first several centuries A.D., many philosophers—Porphyr and Celsus, for example—were bent on discrediting Christ and the Bible.

Critics of the Critics

Yet these warriors against God are not without their critics. John Gray, an English philosopher from the London School of Economics, calls Dawkins closed-minded, saying, “His atheism is its own kind of narrow religion.” Peter Hitchens, brother of Christopher Hitchens, was also an atheist but returned to religious faith later in life. He is a sharp critic of his brother’s book, God Is Not Great. James Tabor has been called out for his speculation on the nature of Christ because his ideas are built on the shaky ground of the Gnostic gospels.

“How do you prepare to fight?”

Dr. Winnail turned to Ephesians 6:10-18 to conclude his talk. God gives His servants weapons for defending themselves. The students were inspired to “put on the whole armor of God…”  Christians must arm themselves with the spiritual belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword to fight for the truth in a world at war with God. Dr. Winnail encouraged, “Seek God’s help; win the war against God.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Forum Summary: Skilled People Have Choices

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 42 seconds.

Mr. Rick Stafford is the Regional Director of the Caribbean and Area Pastor of South Texas. After studying geology for two years at the University of Oregon, in 1965, Mr. Stafford enrolled at Ambassador College. At Ambassador, Mr. Armstrong encouraged the students to not only prove God’s existence and His Way of life but also to learn skills. Mr. Stafford discussed the importance of skills in the Living Ed Forum.

“God created us to work.”

God commanded man to work from Creation (Genesis 2:16-17). Parents ought to instill the value of work into their children at a young age. Mr. Stafford quoted an old Jewish proverb, “He who does not teach his son a trade teaches him to steal.” Traditionally, Jewish boys were taught some skill very early in their lives—often by the age of twelve. When pogroms and social persecution uprooted and relocated them, “they could take their skills with them.”  This is especially important if you are Sabbath keeper.

Don’t be a square peg in a round hole.

When he attended Ambassador, Mr. Stafford had no idea what career he wanted. Yet, he explained this is normal. As young people mature, they discover their abilities and begin to harness them in their lives. “Find out what that ability is and get your interests behind it.” Align your interests and abilities, for “much of your happiness in life will depend on whether you’re a square peg in a round hole.”

“Whatever you’re doing, if you have a mindset that your work is a paid education, you will become skilled.”

Mr. Stafford advised the students to wholeheartedly catch their organization’s vision. Work must be one’s study and passion. “People are not just overnight successes. They’ve probably worked on that one thing for years.”  Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”Treat work like your ongoing education.

Career or job?

Mr. Stafford defined a career as “a pursuit of a lifelong ambition.” On the other hand, “a job is an activity in which an individual can earn money.” While a job is short-term and competitive and doesn’t require one to grow and adapt their skills, a career is long-term, secure, and requires one to hone their skills and talents and be flexible. A young person needs to build skills that apply to their life-long aims and not just earn money. “I’ve seen this too many times—young people who have wasted their youth. It is a time when you need to build your foundation.” Mr. Stafford said, “You’ll find your education wasn’t lost time.”

“You’ll never get to perfection,” Mr. Stafford wrapped up, “you’ll always be improving—so do it with all of your might. You are working for God using the talents He has given you to serve.  Getting skilled and being diligent leads to a blessed, full and abundant life.”

Over the years, Mr. Stafford worked over thirty different jobs—from career counselor, sales engineer, and carpenter to cowboy in Colorado, roping, branding, and herding livestock. Yet, he said, he’s already submitted his request to God for his future work in the Kingdom. He said, “I want to be a tour guide, taking people to where no man has been and colonizing the universe!”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.