Posts

Forum Summary: The Future is in God’s Hands

/in

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

Estimated reading time: 2 min.

For the forum this week, Mr. Gaylyn Bonjour addressed the topic of the future, asking, “What are you going to do six months from now?

You don’t know, because you don’t know what the world is going to do.” We face an unknown future, and we don’t always have control over what happens in our lives—but when we involve God, He guides us in the direction we should go. 

Mr. Bonjour used the story of Job as an example; he asked, “Do you think Job knew what was going on when he was going through all his trials?” What happens to us isn’t as important as how we handle it—that’s what really counts. Physically speaking, we can’t plan for much in this life. Yet, spiritually, we are gifted with an understanding of God’s plan, and with that, we can prepare for the time to come.

Life’s Unexpected Turns

Life will often take us in directions we don’t expect. Take Moses, for example; he didn’t expect to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. And look at David; he was just a simple shepherd, who couldn’t have known he would become the greatest king that Israel would ever have. Life happens, and we have to make the best of the opportunities that God brings us. 

Mr. Bonjour read from an article entitled “Following Christ at Any Stage of Life” by Mr. Davy Crockett III: “Life passes through stages, and our activities and our understandings change with the seasons of life.” As we mature, our perception changes. Things that are important to us when we’re young will likely mean less to us when we’re middle-aged. We are constantly learning, and we are ultimately a product of what we go through. Mr. Crockett’s article continues, “At each stage of life, we learn new lessons that are unique to that phase of our existence. We understand things at age 30 that we could not grasp at age 20.”

Stick with God and Things will Work Out

Sometimes, bad things will happen to us even when we haven’t caused them. There are problems and disappointments in everyone’s life. Yet it’s been said that “character is built in the crucible of adversity.” God allows bad things to happen to us so that we can build His character. We are facing an unstable world, and none of us really know what next year might hold—but if we let God guide us, no matter which way the world goes, we can be confident in His perfect will.

Assembly Summary: The Suppression of Males in Israelite Society

/in

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

Estimated reading time: 3 min.

Mr. Stuart Wachowicz started his lecture by referring us to his Tomorrow’s World Viewpoint video “Do Schools Discriminate Against Boys?”

He then went on to mention the prophecy given in Isaiah 3:12: “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.” This serious warning is one of many prophetic scriptures about the fall of Israel at the end of the age. 

This prophecy is descriptive of social conditions, and one of the issues it highlights is children being our oppressors. Mr. Wachowicz stated that children being our oppressors can be seen one of two ways—childlike or unwise leadership in society, or literal children oppressing society, such as children bringing their parents to court. 

“Women Rule Over Them”

The other element of this prophecy addresses women ruling the nation. One of the things we see happening around us is the suppression of males in society. “Do Schools Discriminate Against Boys?” shows that Dr. Jim Dueck, former deputy minister of education for the province of Alberta, Canada, examined the marks of twelfth-grade students in a classroom setting versus the marks of the same students when they were graded “blind”.  Dr. Dueck found that the marks given to the male students when thon those tests were generally higher than those given by teachers to the same students when they knew who they were. He also found that for female students, the opposite was true. 

These results led him to the conclusion that female students’ academic marks are being deliberately inflated. Scholarship eligibility is based on teacher-given exams, and this leads to a disproportionate number of scholarships going to female students; women make up a sizable majority in universities, especially in professional facilities in North America. 

The Bible prophesied these events over 2000 years in advance. Mr. Wachowicz drove his point home by showing a snippet of an interview by Mrs. Diane Watts titled “The History of Feminism and its Impact on Men,” where she explained the origin of the feminist movement. Interestingly enough, the feminist movement started as an effort to get women out of factories and back to their families—until Betty Friedan insisted that women in the home were living in “comfortable concentration camps” and that men were their oppressors.

How This Affects the Church

“Why is this significant to us in the Church of God?” Mr. Wachowicz asked. It is significant in terms of the people to whom we must preach the Gospel and give a warning. Many in modern Western nations have values and mindsets very different from those that were commonly held twenty years ago. 

Mr. Wachowicz closed his lecture by stating that “perhaps prophetically, we are over the tipping point where it is very difficult for our society to recover, and only God can do that for us.” He left us with some questions to consider: How do we preach the Gospel to a population that is so influenced in this manner?  Eighty percent of youth in Canada are unaware of any characters in the Bible and are even less aware of the Bible’s instructions. This is the environment that activists are striving to establish; they are seeking to eliminate knowledge of the past, so people will have no reference with which to analyze the present. This is the world in which God’s Church must preach the Gospel.

Assembly Summary: Read Books!

/in

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

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Mr. John Strain used his lecture to give us some books that would help us understand “what’s behind the pastoral information and things that we believe.”

He commented that the Living Church of God’s Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs represents what we believe, what we teach, and what we should be practicing. It also defines why we are in the Living Church of God and not somewhere else. Mr. Strain reminded us that though there are different Church of God groups and some think they are all alike, we do not believe all the same things. He challenged us to think about the question “Why are you here?”

Books Recommendations

1. Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstong, vol. 1

The first book Mr. Strain recommended for us to read was the first volume of the Autobiography of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. We are continuing the work that was started by Mr. Armstrong, and this book tells us how he was called and how he began the work as we know it today.

2. The Mystery of the Ages, by Mr. Herbert Armstrong

Mr. Strain commented that Mr. Armstrong wrote the book when he was about 93 years old. This book can serve to augment our beliefs in the Living Church of God, as it addresses seven mysteries that the world does not understand.

3. The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy by Herbert Armstrong

Even though we have a booklet on the subject written by Mr. John Ogywn, because Mr. Armstrong wrote extensively on the subject and it is a part of our fundamental beliefs.

4. Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World by Niall Ferguson

We’ve heard the statement that the sun never set on the British Empire, and this book goes into details that reveal how this small nation became as dominant as it did. This book can help us understand the physical realities of the The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy 

5. The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton

This book deals with the American Civil War and its causes. American society has been torn apart by social constructs, and The Coming Fury illustrates the reasons behind this and gives a history of modern-day Manasseh. Mr. Strain believes that God allowed the American Civil War to happen so that the United States would not be permanently divided.

6. Lincoln by David Herbert Donald

President Lincoln was criticized for being undereducated but ended up with one of the most famous speeches ever written. We were advised to go back and read Mr. Lincoln’s speeches if we wanted to know how to communicate and stir people. Mr. Lincoln was well educated because of all the reading he did.

7. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

After Mr. Lincoln was nominated as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, he unexpectedly won the presidency. William Seward was secretary of state under President Lincoln, who was convinced that America should buy Alaska. Alaska is a strategic location for protecting the United States, which makes it an important part of God’s plan. Salmon Chase, Edwin Bates, and William Seward were vying for the presidency at that time and were rivals. Once Lincoln won, he put all three men in his office because of their skills and knowledge that he did not have himself.

8. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman

This book describes the events led to World War I, highlighting that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand triggered the war. Describing the years leading up to Ferdinand’s assassination, this book details the social, industrial, and political structure that led to the war. The Balfour Declaration, stating that the Jews should have a homeland to return to, in turn led to them making enemies with the Arab nations. Britain prolonged the fulfilment of the declaration, which then led to World War II. 

9. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer

A history of Hitler and the Nazi party, this book describes Hilter’s chancellorship, dominance during World War II, and the fall of the Third Reich. What struck Mr. Strain most about this book was that people who are passionate, even if they are passionate about the wrong things, can be very influential in a society. 

10. O Jerusalem! by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre

This book details what the Jews did to prepare themselves when the last Jewish ship left Britain to depart to the Middle East. They knew that the surrounding nations did not want a Jewish nation, and would try to drive them into the sea. The Jews were ultimately successful in expanding their territory. Britain was able to declare the Jews deserving of a homeland due to General Allenby freeing Jerusalem in 1917. Britain was then the caretaker for Palestine and had command over what happened there. 

Why Read?

“Reading gives you a chance to study things, draw your own opinions, put perspective behind what you know to be the truth of God,” said Mr. Strain. He recommended one final book that had been recommended to him by Mr. Weston, This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole Perlroth, which is about cyber warfare affecting our world today. While the students are unable to read these books now, we are encouraged to do our own reading when we have time. We will have to manage our time in order to read. Mr. Strain said in closing, “Don’t let social media… dominate your life.”

Forum Summary: The Forgotten Key to Individual Growth

/in

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

Estimated reading time: 2 min.

For this week’s forum, Dr. Douglas Winnail shared with the LivingEd students what he called a forgotten key to individual growth—that key being reading.

He discussed the alarming trend of neglecting books and showcased the many benefits of reading to encourage the students to read more books. 

Spending Your Time Wisely

In 2 Peter 1:5–6, Peter says to add to your faith virtue and knowledge, a deepening awareness of facts and information. He also implores us to add to knowledge self-control—in other words, deciding how we will use our time. It’s incredibly easy to waste time, yet so very important to spend it well.

Reading Is on a Decline

There is a sharp decline in reading today. One study from 2014 entitled Decline of the American Book Lover has shown that 25 percent of adults don’t read a single book in a year. Children have also begun to read less and less. What are the consequences of this? 

A 1991 study entitled The Death of Reading addressed the consequences of not reading. One of its findings was that when we don’t read, we lose a form of thinking. Children who watch TV rather than read can even lose the ability to write and speak coherently. Electronic entertainment is replacing reading and home libraries are being replaced by entertainment centers.

When You Read, You Think

Reading provides time for reflection. When you read, you can visualize things in your mind in ways you can’t when watching TV. It helps you process and analyze information, enhances your imagination and cognitive ability, and broadens your perspective. When we read a book, we have the opportunity to “walk” with its author and learn from their experience. Of course, there are many useless books, but if we’re selective, we can get into the minds of people who have had an impact upon the whole world.

Dr. Winnail used the remaining time in his message to encourage the students to read other books in addition to their class textbooks and assigned reading materials and recommended a selection of books he found personally beneficial. In his conclusion, he shared a number of quotes on reading. One quote he shared by the English poet Joseph Addison summarized his point well: “Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body.”

Assembly Summary: Your Choice

/in

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

Estimated reading time: 3 min., 36 sec.

“What is involved in the choice you make?”

This was one of the thought-provoking questions that Mr. Peter Nathan asked. We students made a choice to follow God’s way of life and also to be part of the Living Education program. As Mr. Nathan spoke on the importance of making godly choices, he looked at the Second Commandment. God has commanded us not to make idols, yet people make the choice to do just that. Moses warned the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that  I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Mr. Nathan explained, “We are given a choice of life and death, and if we choose life, we get blessings rather than curses.” 

Two Paths

Mr. Nathan continued by saying that our choices will lead to one of two paths, which he termed as “Philosophy” and “Biblical.” He made a comparison between the two choices, and it can be expressed in the table below:

PhilosophicalBiblical
Rationality:
– Universal principles that supposedly guide human life		Revelation:
– God reveals truly universal principles to us, which are not based on what the human mind can deduce.
How to live the good life:
– Unity
– Completeness
– Abstract
– Mastery over our nature		How God wants us to live:
– God places limits on us.
– Particularity—the calling of God is not universal.
– Concrete
– Concerns eschatology—what happens after death
A closed universe where there is no spiritual input, provided mostly through evolutionary theoryAn open universe wherein we pray to a Spirit Being who transcends the physical universe

Abraham Maslow’s Self-Actualization Theory

Mr. Nathan then expanded upon the topic of the choices presented to us using the more widely known self-actualization theory. Mr. Abraham Maslow’s theory is focused on the self. Maslow’s beliefs are summarized by a pyramid, where the most basic human needs are on the bottom of the pyramid. The order for the pyramid, from bottom to top, is as follows: survival, security/safety, belonging, esteem/ego, and, finally, self-actualization. Maslow’s pyramid fits perfectly into the philosophical way of life. In contrast, we are taught in Jeremiah 10:23 that man cannot guide his steps and is in need of God to do so. A comparison between Maslow’s theory and the Bible’s teaching is summarized in the table below:

MaslowThe Bible
The spiritual is an afterthought.The spiritual is the greatest reality
Relationships are built on securityRelationships are built on God’s law
Security is our starting pointSecurity is our Father’s problem

Mr. Nathan admonished us that we should continue on the biblical path that leads to life by putting God at the center of our lives. A model illustrating the biblical way of life is a series of circles, the innermost circle being where God is. Following this innermost circle is one that is transpersonal, describing how we relate to God in terms of His laws. The third circle concerns our relationships and, finally, the fourth circle is based on practicality, dealing with business, social, and even survival needs. 

Three types of knowledge man needs

Mr. Nathan also reiterated that Mr. Armstrong spoke about the three types of knowledge that man should have:

  • How to relate to the God Family
  • How to relate to fellow humans
  • How to deal with the physical

God desires for us to have a relationship with Him so that we can share His Kingdom. Our first priority is to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, as shown in Matthew 6:33. “Righteousness is defined as a state of being right with God, and not something that we define for ourselves; we are to live in righteousness,” admonished Mr. Nathan. Matthew 5:6 tells us to be hungry and thirst for righteousness. We must be careful of the choices we make and place our trust in the Eternal.

Forum Summary: “Unlocking the Mystery of Life”

/in

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

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min., 34 sec.

Mr. Richard Ames used this week’s LivingEd forum to share Unlocking the Mystery of Life,

an insightful documentary in which scientists showcase the undeniable evidence of intelligent design in nature. Mr. Ames only had time to showcase a portion of the documentary, but encouraged the students to watch the rest when they could.

Irreducible Complexity

Charles Darwin, the most renowned mind behind evolution, said that even complex organs such as eyes and hearts can develop through small, gradual steps through a process called natural selection. But consider the tail-like organ of a bacteria cell, called a flagellum, which bacteria use to move around. Every part of the flagellum—the propeller, driveshaft, and others—must be there for the flagellum to work; but how could all the parts of this organ develop at once? The problem with natural selection, then, is that it only selects features that serve the organism in a functional, advantageous way. Without having fully developed its parts, a flagellum would just be a tail. That would serve no advantage—and, as such, be rejected by natural selection in the evolutionary process of the bacteria. This concept is known as irreducible complexity; the organ cannot be simplified without ceasing to function at all.

Where does information come from?

Another factor is that all these parts are not only essential to a working flagellum, but also must develop at the right time and in the right place. All the information required to build the flagellum is stored in a bacterium’s DNA and RNA; but how did that information come to be there in the first place? Observation tells us that information only comes from intelligence. Consider the improbability of coherent information being constructed by accident. The documentary uses an example of dropping Scrabble letters on a tabletop and expecting two lines of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to form from them. Clearly, this is impossible! Now consider that the specific instructions required to build a single protein in even the simplest one-celled organism would fill hundreds of pages of printed text. 

Of course, biologists who are genuinely interested in the origin of life do not believe that life has come about by chance alone; instead, they theorize that natural selection used random variations among chemicals to produce the first life. The problem with this is that, by definition, natural selection could not have operated before the existence of the first living cell. It can only operate on organisms that can replicate themselves—cells that pass on their DNA to future generations.Along with these, the documentary highlighted many more examples to prove that the concept of intelligent design should play a vital part in scientific research. One can’t reasonably deny the evidence for the intelligent design of life, and Unlocking the Mystery of Life powerfully showcases this fact.

Assembly Summary: Your Next Opportunity

/in

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

Estimated reading time: 3 min. 33 sec.

Mr. DeJager’s opening comment to the students was, “There is something that we all experience from time to time in our lives, whether we are looking for it or not.”

He then went on to explain that we have opportunities that come to us and there is a consistent framework in which to approach these opportunities. He divided this framework into four categories: where you start, what to do when you face the opportunity, what is needed in every step of the opportunity, and finally, staying committed.

Where do you start?

  • Always bring your hopes and wishes to God. Mr. DeJager stressed this as the first and most important thing that we can do when faced with an opportunity. We are to also ask God for opportunities; He will provide them. He cautioned us that not all opportunities will work out the way we hope, but the more we practice asking God, the more things will start to fall into place.
  • God knows our wishes and desires before we ask, because He knows us. Christ has explained this in Matthew 6:8, saying that “your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” We were admonished that though God knows our desires before we ask them, this does not mean that we should not ask. God wants us to come to Him and express what is in our hearts.
  • We are to have confidence in our prayers, as we read in 1 John 5:14-15: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
  • Asking to be given the right opportunity according to God’s will is crucial (James 4:3; Proverbs 3:5).

What do you do when faced with the opportunity?

  • Count the cost. It does not matter what we are looking into doing; whether it’s big or small, we must consider what we need to put into it before we commit (Luke 14:28).
  • Seek counsel. Mr. DeJager advised that we should consider not only seeking the opinions of our close friends, who might tell us what we want to hear, but also seeking counsel from other individuals who can provide sound advice (Proverbs 15:22).

What is needed in every step of the opportunity?

  • Be diligent and faithful. Our daily routine and accomplishments influence and help develop our character. If we do it for God, we will develop our character in a way that pleases Him (Colossians 3:23). 
  • Take care of the small things in life and the big things will fall into place. Mr. DeJager stated, “I was told not to worry about the small things, it’s the big things that count; but as I go through life, I realize that that is not so.” 
  • Be willing to do hard things. By challenging ourselves, we gain experience, and with more experience, we grow and develop our abilities.

Stay committed.

  • “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” We were advised to commit to the Lord, as we read in Proverbs 16:3 and Psalm 37:5.
  • Keep your eyes on the goal and do not give up.

Mr. DeJager expressed that though every opportunity is uniquely different, this framework is applicable for each opportunity. We must remember that it is not by our own strength that we get things done, but by God’s (Philippians 4:13). We were also reminded that in every opportunity we are to give thanks to God through Jesus Christ. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

Forum Summary: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Festival Planning

/in

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

Estimated reading time: 2 min. 31 sec.

A few days before this year’s Feast of Tabernacles, Mr. Rod McNair, the Assistant Director of Church Administration who has worked in the Festival Office at Headquarters for around sixteen years, gave the LivingEd students an in-depth overview of the details that go into planning for a Feast site,  encouraging them to keep the right priorities when going to the Feast.

Festival planning takes place years before the Feast. 

Before the Feast of 2021 even began, the Festival Office had been setting things into motion for 2022, and many of the sites had been selected. For some, contracts had been signed for rooms and venues, which is important, because a lot of venues are booking two to three years in advance. Many things need to be considered when picking a venue itself: Is it affordable? Does it have places in which to fellowship and opportunities for activities? Is it set in a Millennial atmosphere? It can be challenging to find places that meet all these criteria, but God always causes it to work out. Right after the Feast, once Mr. McNair gets home and files his reports for the year, he and other planners in the Festival Office begin assigning coordinators and having write-ups created for next year’s sites.

Registration is a very complex and detailed process. 

This year, a tentative cap was set to keep the number of people per Feast site at around 400. However, keeping track of that can be difficult, especially when you have 90 different Feast sites in 50 different countries. To simplify the process, they use an administration system to know where everyone is going, who is transferring where, each site’s demographics, and who will not be attending. This is why it is so important to register for the Feast—it’s nearly impossible for the coordinators to plan if they don’t know who’s coming to their site.

Remember why you’re going. 

After explaining the Festival planning process, Mr. McNair took the remaining time he had to ask the students a question: “What’s important at the Feast?” It’s not about the location, accommodations, or whether our friends are there; it’s about worshiping God and growing together. He asked the students to think about this as they got ready to go to the Feast, and left us with a challenge. “So often, we tend to socialize with those that we know, and other people can be left out…. When you go to the Feast, get to know new people. Include others in your group; maybe reach out beyond your age group. Think about the widows, and look for people who might be alone this Feast, or for people for whom it might be their first Feast. What will their impression be?”

Forum Summary: The Work in Southeast Asia

/in ,

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

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes, 24 seconds.

Mr. Rajan Moses is the regional pastor for Southeast Asia.

He used his Forum to talk about the congregations in seven different countries he oversees: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, and Sri Lanka. Each country has its own set of challenges, but Mr. Moses does not let this discourage him. He explained to the LE students the many ways God has opened doors for the Church and gave them a unique look into the Southeast Asian Work.

Malaysia

Mr. Moses lives in Malaysia, an Islamic-majority country. With only approximately 10% of the country identifying as Christian, the Church in Malaysia faces many difficulties in preaching the gospel. Christianity is not illegal, but it is illegal for Malays to convert to Christianity, and for Christians to proselytize. As a result, we cannot broadcast the telecasts or promote our magazine through normal channels. Still, God has provided a way to spread His word through the internet—He has opened a fantastic door in the form of a Malaysian Church Facebook page. Starting in October last year, we began to advertise the booklets and magazines on the page and the response has been very good. The subscription rate has gone up to over 2000 subscribers in the last two years. Before then the page had only around 100 subscribers. This has brought many potential members in contact with the Church, and God willing, will continue to yield fruit.

Thailand

There is a big job to do in Thailand. Being a Buddhist country, many of the restrictions in Malaysia apply here as well. We can’t broadcast on radio or TV, but we still are able to distribute booklets and magazines. We’ve also started another Facebook group and have gained over 400 subscribers so far. The Church is able to function in an official capacity with the recent government approval of a foundation that helps in community service, and we have created an online curriculum for the members in Thailand, teaching them English and computer courses, among other things.

Singapore

In Singapore, we only have two members in the country. Mr. Moses keeps in contact with them and serves them as he can.

Indonesia

Indonesia is the most religiously tolerant of the Southeast Asian countries, and is home to about 28 members, with whom Mr. Moses conducts weekly Bible studies. Unlike the afore mentioned countries, Indonesia’s culture of religious tolerance is reflected in mainstream church buildings standing right beside Muslim mosques. On the other hand, Indonesian schools require all students to attend a half day of classes on Saturdays, which has caused difficulties for the children of some of our members. To make up for this, the congregation has started a homeschool program to help the children study.

India

We have two congregations in India, and there is a small work being done there. Expansion is in the works in the form of a new Indian website and the beginnings of an effort to translate the magazines, booklets, and telecasts into Hindi—the native language of India. So far, the magazine in India has a sizeable readership. Mr. Moses put it this way, “We are sowing the seeds, and God is the one who’s going to do the harvesting.”

Myanmar

There are two congregations in Myanmar. Unfortunately, the pandemic lockdown has been hard on the country, restricting travel to and from it, but thankfully the members haven’t let the restrictions get them down. The brethren continue to hold online services every week and also conduct online Bible studies. Many of the brethren in Thailand originally came from Myanmar. In the ’80s, when Myanmar was taken over by its military, many of the brethren fled to Thailand as refugees. The Church helped them get settled in Thailand where they reside today.

Sri Lanka

So far, we only have seven members in Sri Lanka. Not much work is being done there for the time being, but we continue to fill the literature orders for the brethren. Like Thailand, Sri Lanka is also a Buddhist country. The people of Sri Lanka don’t want any other religion there. The government constantly wants to know what the church is doing. When we were registering the church there, they got the idea from Deuteronomy that we would try to destroy their idols and at first would not let us register. Eventually, God worked it out. We have been struggling with the government for a while now. Fortunately, things have calmed down a bit recently, but after this pandemic, we don’t know what might happen.

There have been many challenges, but the Work continues. With the Indian website in the works and the success of the Facebook groups in advertising the booklets and magazines, God willing, there will be continued growth in Southeast Asia.

This post is part of our 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: Two Laws of Success

/in

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

In his forum addressed to the Living Education students,

Mr. Greer opened by giving a brief description about his initial contact with the church, and that he would like to share with us what he wished he knew earlier in life. He then reminds us of the first two laws of success from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong’s booklet “The Seven Laws of Success”; namely set the right goals and education for preparation.

Set the right goals

Mr. Greer mentioned from Mr. Armstrong’s booklet that most people never plan their career goals and “allow themselves to drift. They make no effort to master or control their circumstances”. He mentioned that there are things we can do to control our success.

God has goals– The Bible mentioned that Jesus Christ was slain before the foundation of the world, and therefore God has plans. Even in the physical creation, God did not create everything all at once, but He did it in sequence. Christ planned to complete the work of His Father as seen in John 4:34” My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work”.

Education for preparation

“We did not come equipped with instinct. We need to learn, that we need to learn” Mr. Greer mentioned.  When we set goals, we need to follow through. Preparation provides a path as it gives a step to take. We must also realize that our goals can change. Mr. Greer stated that based on surveys taken by university students, that paths to being successful lies in four steps:

  1. Write down your goal.
  2. Plan how to achieve your goal (and write it down as well).
  3. Share your goals with family or friends.
  4. Update your family or friends on your goals.

Goal setting has no real boundaries. We may not always get the goal right, but the process will help us succeed. We must always involve God in our goals as seen in Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” The process of achieving our goals is a blessing.