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Assembly Summary: Embrace Your Trials

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 20 seconds.

Mr. Wallace Smith, the executive editor for Editorial, walked into the classroom with a homemade lightsaber hilt, a replica Star Wars lightsaber, and a samurai sword. A young man built the hilt for Mr. Smith last year as a gift. It consisted of various pipes and fixtures, along with some electrical tape and rubber bands. Mr. Smith borrowed the glowing green lightsaber—sans accompanying sound-effects—from one of his sons. While it looked deadly, the lightsaber was essentially a harmless prop—compared to the sword he pulled out next.

“Some swords are battle-ready, and some are not.”

“This is a katana, actually formed in Japan, according to the traditional methods.” These samurai swords have a single-edged blade, curving in the traditional Japanese style. The blade does not end at the handle but extends into it—a characteristic of well-built swords. Underneath the cloth binding of the handle, on the metal of the blade that lies within, the creator etches his signature. Mr. Smith explained a samurai warrior’s daily business was deeply connected to the concepts of life and death. The making of a katana was a work of passion, and the creator would purify himself before forging the sword—a process that took months to complete.

The Steel

The forge used to make a katana is kept extremely hot by containing and turning the fire in on itself. “A katana,” Mr. Smith noted, “is made up of multiple metals that are forged into one thing, but not necessarily mixed.” Iron ore, coal, sand, and sometimes other materials are added. The steel is hardened by adding carbon. But if too much carbon is used, the blade will turn brittle. Iron, which is a softer element, provides the necessary flexibility in the weapon. The metals are mixed at different stages and the swordsmith produces a material called tamahagane—translated, “steel jewel.” This material is broken into different-colored cubes, which contain varying amounts of carbon. The cubes are sorted depending on the level of carbon and hammered into sheets. “The real work,” Mr. Smith said, “goes into forging the blade.”

Forging the Sword

“If you take a piece of paper and fold it, it doesn’t take many folds, and it gets almost impossible to fold.” Some of the hammered sheets are selected to make the kawagane, “leather steel,” and the hagane, “blade steel.” The steel is layered, hammered, and folded several times over until a plank with thousands of layers is formed. At this point, the smith prepares the “heart-steel,” the shingane. The low-carbon shingane is more flexible and is placed inside the folded kawagane. “You need the edge to be extremely hard.” Mr. Smith said, “What is the hardest substance that we know of? Diamonds. The carbon bonds are capable of making it extremely hard.” The swordsmith fuses the steel, creating a blade with a “diamond-hard” exterior and a flexible core that can absorb the force of impacts.

The Blade

To temper the weapon, it is plunged into water or oil to drop the temperature of the metal. But before it is dipped in liquid, the spine of the sword is encased with a protective clay layer that allows it to be tempered differently across its width and leaves tell-tale markings on the edge of the blade—another sure sign of an authentic katana. Even at this final stage, the edge hardens as the metal changes molecularly. When a katana was completed, the quality of the sword was normally tested on prisoners. “How sharp is it? They say, made properly, you can throw a piece of silk in the air and a master would be able to slice right through the silk, not having to hold it taut—just allowing the silk to float in the air.”

Embrace Your Trials

“Of these three weapons I’ve shown you today,” Mr. Smith held up the katana, “this one has been through the toughest time.” The steel was heated up to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, hammered, fragmented, pounded, and tempered with a drastic drop in temperature. Mr. Smith explained Christians are forged into weapons of righteousness (Romans 6:13). “Too often, we think of trials as what God is supposed to deliver us from.” He pointed out that God is not like the “genie” from the Disney movie Aladdin. James 1:2-3 reads, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” The “testing of your faith,” Mr. Smith said, does not mean one’s faith causes the trial to end. Faith is developed and forged through hardship.

Mr. Smith concluded his Assembly with a lesson he had learned from another pastor. There are different levels to trials. He said, “We can go through the middle level where we begrudgingly go through them… But it’s not quite the same as embracing it, where, when you go to God, you can say, ‘Father, I don’t know why I’m going through this. But I do trust You are working the ‘long game’ in my life, not just for now but for eternity. If this is a burden I have to face for a month, a year, or a lifetime, I trust you.” Trials are the heat, hammering, and tempering God uses to forge His people into the perfectly balanced tools He desires.

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: The Best Laid Plans

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 29 seconds.

Mr. McNair introduced the manager of the Mail Processing Department at Headquarters, an elder in the Charlotte congregation, and a long-time member of God’s Church. “Mr. Gaylyn Bonjour, as you all know, is responsible for all of that major operation that happens downstairs—it’s the heart of the Work.”

“Either good or bad, what happened this year is going to be a memory that you’ll build on all the way through your life.” Mr. Bonjour spoke to the students about planning their futures. At a time when many of the students are making decisions regarding their educations, careers, or even whether to remain in Charlotte, Mr. Bonjour reminded them that their lives would not unfold exactly according to plan. He joked, “I was going to be retired at thirty-five. I’m 77 and I’m still working. Sometimes, as we go through life, all the things that you plan and the direction you that you’re trying to go—it seems to go the other way…”

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry…”

– Robert Burns

“You have your plan, and God has His plan.” In 1971, Mr. Bonjour bought twenty-seven acres in Kingsburg, California on which to plant plum trees and raise a farm. Yet, the timing was not good—many other people had the same idea, and the market was competitive. There was little profit in their endeavor, Mr. Bonjour had to work as a masonry contractor to support the farm. Finally, years later, after his son finished high school, Mr. Bonjour and his wife decided to sell the ranch, and they began managing a mini-storage center. He was eventually ordained and hired by the Church. He said, “We may be frustrated that our plan is not working, but we can be assured His plan is.”

“Remember the time you were here.” Isaiah 46:9-10 reads, “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other… Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand….’” Mr. Bonjour advised the students to use the lessons they learned at Living Ed to seek God early in their lives. He said, “The most precious, tangible thing you have is your time. Every minute you spend is lost. You’re not getting it back.” As he read through Ecclesiastes 3, Mr. Bonjour reminded the students that now is the time for them to seek God, so they will have fewer opportunities to make mistakes in the future. “Every sin committed is a little scar on the brain.”

“Our character is built through adversity.” God allows His people—and their plans—to be tested. Mr. Bonjour explained, “God wants us to be able to stand upright before Him and to reflect Jesus Christ in our lives.” In his first year of being called into the truth, Mr. Bonjour was tested on the Sabbath. His boss needed him to work seven days a week, but Mr. Bonjour refused to do it and was let go. When he registered for the “out of work” list in the Piledrivers Union, his name was dropped to the bottom of the list, because he would not work on Saturday. For a year, he supported his family by working at a junkyard, earning two dollars an hour. “I’ve never been tested on the Sabbath after that.” God is interested in a Christian’s character, not their intelligence or wealth. “When you go through difficulties, you learn and then you can empathize.” Mr. Bonjour explained God uses a “hands-off” approach with His people to see what they will do. But if a Christian does not judge himself—if he fails to align his plan with God’s plan—God will step in and correct it.

“If you’ve got God, you’ve got everything. If you don’t have God, you have nothing.”

Mr. Bonjour concluded, “Looking back, I can see God very gently moved me in a direction where I can benefit not only me and my family but the Church. You don’t always get to go in the direction you want to go. You don’t always get to do the things you want to do. But you trust God, and you know that God is involved in your life.”

“And, as Mr. Armstrong said, ‘I read the book, and, in the end, we win.’”

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: Church Administration—The Story in Stats

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 57 seconds. 

“I would like to talk today a little about something I’ve been a part of for some years.” Mr. Rod McNair has worked as the Assistant Director of Church Administration (CAD) since 2005. He began, “I thought maybe the best way to do it is to tell the story in statistics.”

“What is our mission in CAD?”

The Church’s main goal is to preach the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:18-20). But the second primary aim is to feed the flock. In John 21:15-17, Christ commanded Peter three times to care for His flock. Mr. McNair pointed out two different words are used in this passage for “feed” and “tend.” The Greek word, bosko, means to pasture or feed,and poimaino, means to rule or govern. The mission of CAD is “to serve the ministry of God’s flock in fulfilling the second commission of the Church, feeding the flock by providing coordination, communication, and administrative support.”

0

Genesis 6:5-8 is the account of how Noah “found grace in the eyes of the LORD” in a wicked world. He was a “preacher of righteousness” (1 Peter 2:5), yet not one person was called and baptized through his ministry. Mr. McNair asked the students, “What was the first statistic? How many coworkers did Noah have?” He pointed to a single number projected on the whiteboard behind him. “Zero… We may get discouraged. But as we go through the statistics, I think it’s good to keep things in perspective.”

In an Assembly last semester, Mr. McNair discussed the Festival Office. Today, two other major components of CAD were covered: Tomorrow’s World presentations and local ministry and churches.

Tomorrow’s World Presentations

In years past, Mr. Armstrong went on preaching campaigns in cities all over the country, speaking at convention centers or large venues. These programs were advertised in advance, with titles such as, “A Voice Cries Out.” In 2006, in LCG, several ministers proposed having pastors speak at local presentations. Since then, a system was developed for planning TWPs. Mr. McNair showed the students the chart that displays the process. At least eight weeks are required to coordinate the topic, time, venue, brochures, and invites for the meetings.

2.0%

To date, 30,164 people have attended 1,195 presentations in the U.S and around the world. In the U.S.A, about two percent of invitees attend. Outside America, 4.2 % of invited people attend. “It does seem to be that our people in this country are less interested in the message than people overseas.” The top two topics requested from attendee surveys are prophetic topics (40-50% of requests) and the Holy Days (30%). Many who call and write Headquarters believe Tomorrow’s World is purely a media effort. “The presentations show we are friendly, warm, and welcoming. They show we are a Church.”

Local Ministry and Churches

There are 398 congregations worldwide. Over 160 of these are in the U.S.A. Last year, there were about 2,600 people under the age of seventeen in the Church—out of an average total of 12,000 members. “We do have a lot of older people, but we also have an awful lot of young people—about 20%.” Since 1999, 5,950 people have been baptized. Mr. McNair mentioned, “Those are not all people who have grown up in the Church… There are still people being called today. There is still Work to be done.”

5,986    

There are 5,986 prospective members, baptized members, and Church youth in the U.S, compared with 6,417 in ninety-one other countries. “Does this tell you anything about how God has blessed the U.S. materially—with the freedom of religion, the freedom of expression, and the ability to do the Work—with the ability to be the engine of the Work? What a blessing that God has allowed us to do the Work in this country… And it shows that we have a responsibility.” 116 brethren are “scattered members.” These are brave members who stand alone in their countries as pillars for the truth.

“… providing for the needs.”

Since 2004, the Personal Correspondence Department has responded to 56,000 emails, calls, or letters. There are twenty volunteers who transcribe sermons for the hard of hearing—thirty-six deaf members receive these transcriptions. The transcriptions are translated into nine languages.

Feeding the Flock

Matthew 24:45-47 is the account of the “faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season….” God commissioned the Church, like that servant, to feed and care for His household. Mr. McNair concluded, “If we put our focus and our attention on being a part of preaching the Gospel to the world and also supporting the back-end of what happens to people once they do come, God is going to give us so many more opportunities in the future, because we’ve been faithful with these very tiny opportunities.”

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: Develop the Superpower of Deep Work

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.

Mr. Josh Lyons is the assistant pastor for three congregations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mr. Lyons grew up in South Carolina and went to the College of Charleston. He graduated with a Master’s degree in accounting in 2010. Growing up in the Church, he attended Living Youth Camp for several summers as a camper, counselor, and staff member.

“Decisions you make in early adulthood cast this long shadow… And they’re not easy to change.”

Mr. Lyons described “an early life crisis” he experienced in his senior year of college. He was rethinking pursuing a career in accounting. “I knew I had invested a good bit of time and money, and I was thinking, Is accounting really for me?” He prayed about it and considered going into counseling. He applied and was accepted to a college program for counseling when he happened to speak with Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden, who advised him to apply for the accounting position at Headquarters. After an interview, he was hired directly after graduating. “Looking back, it was so clear that God showed me what path to take… When you’re in these moments, sometimes, you sincerely just don’t know where to go.” Mr. Lyons studied to get his Certified Public Accountant degree and had only just taken the exam in 2017 when Mr. Weston asked him to work in the ministry.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

– Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

“I’d like to transition and talk about a skill—something I’ve tried to implement. I’ve come to think it’s almost like a superpower.” In his book, Deep Work, Cal Newport explains how society is losing its ability to work, study, think, and read deeply. Newport wrote, “The ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. As a consequence, the few who cultivate this skill, and then make it the core of their working life, will thrive.” Using Deep Work as a reference, Mr. Lyons gave the students six practical steps that would help them develop the skill of doing deep work in their lives.

“Do as little shallow work as possible.”

Shallow work is defined as logistical, easy-to-replicate tasks. Writing emails, setting up a printer, or getting office supplies fall into this category. Mr. Lyons told the students to recognize that shallow tasks, while necessary, do not add value. Shallow work should be limited or batched together to be taken care of all at once.

“Ruthlessly block distractions.”

At one point in his talk, Mr. Lyons admitted, “While I was here [writing] my speech notes, I went and checked my email… I forced myself to put a confession here… I wrote, ‘Literally, while my cursor was here in my notes, I checked my email and totally didn’t need to. Bad.’” To do deep work, phones should be silenced, email alerts turned off, and any distractions removed.

“Block out chunks of time.”

The mind must focus for a substantial period of time to really do deep work. Ideally, up to three or four hours should be set aside to concentrate on a task. Mr. Lyons explains he likes to use the morning to write commentaries and prepare sermons without interruption. Devoting a substantial chunk of time to a task allows the mind to dive deep into one’s work.

“Go to a good location.”

Mr. Lyons mentioned the library at his college was an exceptional place to study and focus. “The library was so nice it almost made you want to study. Almost.” Libraries are quiet, and convenient corners scattered around can provide an ideal environment to focus on a task. A good location promotes deep work.

“Learn to love deep work.”

“It’s satisfying to reach our potential.” Deep work is valuable, meaningful, and rare—it is rewarding to produce quality work that others can’t necessarily replicate. “Adding value is satisfying.” Mr. Lyons encouraged the students to learn to love doing difficult, deep work because it is rewarding.

“Be intentional to improve your ability to do deep work.”

Deep work isn’t a habit, it is a skill. Newport wrote, “The ability to concentrate intensely is a skill that must be trained.” This ability isn’t picked up overnight. It is like a conditioned mental muscle that must be purposefully developed.

“If there is any one ‘secret’ to effectiveness, it is concentration.”

– Peter Drucker

Whether in one’s profession, education, or Bible study, concentration brings success. “Deep work,” Mr. Lyons pointed out, “is really about doing something to a depth of difficulty that stretches us to push us out of our comfort zone to make progress.” In a world full of distractions, Mr. Lyons inspired the students to develop the superpower of deep work.

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: Three Life Principles for Success

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 9 seconds.

Mr. McNair introduced Mr. John Strain to the students, “Please help me welcome Mr. John Strain, the pastor of the Charlotte congregation.” Mr. Strain began, “It occurred to me last evening that I got to speak with you at the beginning of the school term… I mentioned at the very beginning that your time here would go rapidly. I would like to talk a little about what you are going to do now when this nine-month program is ended.”

Richard Driehaus was a businessman and philanthropist who became a leader in the investment management industry. He built an extremely successful investment advisory firm, which currently manages 13.5 billion dollars in assets. He also created the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Trust. On March 9, Driehaus died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 78.

Three Keys for Success

When Mr. Strain read Driehaus’s obituary, he appreciated the three principles Driehaus told the magazine, Chicago, he had learned early in life: “You have to continue to learn your whole life, you have to be responsible for your own actions, and you have to give back.” In his assembly, Mr. Strain encouraged the students to practice these three keys in their lives as they move forward after Living Ed.

Life-Long Learning

Continue to learn. First, Mr. Strain advised the students to continue learning in their chosen, specialized vocation. Many professional positions today have options for Continuing Education and/or requirements for current certification of skills every year or two.  As a marketing specialist with IBM, Mr. Strain had to regularly renew certifications to verify his knowledge in his developing industry. “We should all strive to be good at what we do for a living.” Those who are masters at their job become what Mr. Strain’s son calls, “Untouchables.” These are the people who can pick their assignments or who are assigned tasks that solve problems on specific projects. Mr. Strain quoted his brother: “You shouldn’t want to be average. Being average means you’re the best of the worst and the worst of the best.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 reflects this value. Homemaking is a multi-faceted vocation—a homemaker is a cook, teacher, money manager, hostess, and much more. “In my opinion,” Mr. Strain said, “that should be considered a profession.” Another area of learning is general education. Reading is one of the best methods of life-long learning—historical accounts and biographies of notable people in history can teach readers valuable lessons.

“As young adults, it’s pretty much a given that you are going to have to make big decisions. Quite frankly, it was probably a big decision to come here.”

Be responsible for your own actions. “All too many people go through life viewing themselves as victims. All people are victimized to some degree by the world into which they are born but being a victim of an unfortunate circumstance doesn’t negate one’s responsibilities, actions, reactions, and choices. Mr. Strain noted, “We should all be evaluating what might be the results and consequences of our decisions.” He recommended the students use a “T-chart” when making decisions. The pros and the cons of an action are placed on both arms of the T, and each factor is weighted. Then, the advantages and disadvantages of the decision can be more objectively examined. With decisions that are not clear-cut in terms of right or wrong, Mr. Strain advised the students not to ask the wrong question: Is this okay? Instead, he told them to ask themselves, Is this wise? Consider 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful [expedient]….” Christians should accept responsibility for their choices.

“Use your opportunities to give back….” 

Give back. “Giving back is not limited to those who are wealthy.” God’s firstfruits will have great opportunities to serve in the Kingdom, but Mr. Strain encouraged the students to give back now in three specific ways. First, he told the students to conduct themselves as Christians. “Wherever we go, we all have the responsibility to be a light and an example.” Secondly, “Serve the local congregation.” Finally, “Continue to support the Work.” At Living Ed, the students have done this directly, working in the different departments at Headquarters. As the students move on, Mr. Strain said, “You can pray, tithe, and serve based on your knowledge of what is being done here.”

Mr. Strain concluded his talk on Richard Driehaus’s three principles for success: “Looking back, things are much more condensed, because time passes rapidly… You have had a nine-month taste of true Christian culture—a streamlined education in theology and truth. As you go forward, think about how things are done at headquarters. Headquarters is not perfect, but it is where Christ is working and leading.” With just four weeks of classes left, the students are near the end of the Living Ed program. “I wish you, in your last few weeks, great success in what always turns out to be a busy few weeks—but not too busy to have fun.”

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: The Habit Way

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 50 seconds

Mr. Brandon Fall pastors six congregations in Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington. “It’s good to be here with you. I pastor the American Northwest, but we’re right in transition to move to the Mountain States—Wyoming—later this month.” After this move, Mr. Fall will be responsible for ten congregations across Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Alaska.

“Parlez-vous Anglais?”

Several years back, Mr. Fall and his wife flew from Los Angelos to Paris to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in France. They had made plans to meet friends in Paris with whom they could drive to the Feast site. Mr. Fall was following behind their car on a freeway when their friends ahead suddenly merged onto an offramp towards a different freeway. Mr. Fall managed to merge right also, but at the last second, their friends switched lanes again, back onto the highway. There was a car in the lane to the left of him, and it was too late for Mr. Fall to get over. They had no choice but to take the exit. They were on their own in a foreign city, and Mr. Fall said the extent of his French was, “Parlez-vous anglais?”  Do you speak English?

“It’s so easy to get off the path if you haven’t systematically planned.”

The Church, beginning with the time of the Apostles (Acts 19:9,23), has served as the center for learning the Christian way of life. The purpose of Living Ed, outlined on lcgeducation.org, reflects this: “Systematic training in the knowledge and understanding of the Way of God.” Using the book Atomic Habits by James Clear as a reference, Mr. Fall spoke to the students about establishing a deliberate way of life by harnessing the power of tiny, daily habits.

Daily habits make up one’s way of life. “Every action you take,” Mr. Fall said, “is a vote for the type of person you become.” In Matthew 6:33-34, Christ defined a Christian’s ultimate goal—to be in the Kingdom of God. But He then said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Mr. Fall said, “You focus on the Kingdom of God by focusing on the here and now.” Small habits are like compounding interest over time—their value builds. “Let’s zero in on three practical steps to implement the way of small habits.”

The Way of Small Habits

Don’t focus on motivation. Focus on changing habits. “If we’re at the mercy of how we feel, and if we don’t feel motivated, what are we going to do then?” Rather than depend on motivation, Mr. Fall encouraged the students to install habits that become part of their identity. “What we do reinforces our identity and our path.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 reads, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Daily habits, like prayer or Bible study, renew a Christian’s identity and keeps them in God’s way. “When we install a habit, we no longer need willpower to continue, so our limited willpower can be used to install a new one.”

Establish the pattern. Clear wrote, “A habit must be established before it’s improved.” People who want to change their lives often envision a complete transformation. But to install a habit, Mr. Fall explained, one must set a pattern first—even if it means starting small. Atomic Habits contains an example of a man who wanted to lose 100 pounds. For two months, he went to the gym and exercised for five minutes. The pattern was established after a few weeks, and he began to stay longer and exercise. He accomplished his goal by establishing a rock-solid pattern.

Track your progress. “A habit tracker provides psychologic feedback of accomplishment.” Mr. Fall recommended the students build a habit tracker, with which they can check off the habits accomplished every day over a month. He explained tracking one’s progress brings satisfaction and builds momentum. Moses wrote, “The days of our lives are seventy years… for it is soon cut off, and we fly away… So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:10-12). Habit tracking also instills awareness of the passage of time and the value of every day.

“Living Ed students, you have a path in your life. You’re learning the way of God.” Mr. Fall concluded his talk, “You can have great intentions, but if you don’t have intentional habits, it’s so easy to get lost in Paris.” Daily, atomic habits can establish a Christian’s way of life and keep them from accidentally merging off the right highway.

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: Five Ways to Manage Stress

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.

Mr. Ron Poole is the area pastor for several congregations in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. Mr. Frank introduced him to the students, “Mr. Poole lives not too far from us here, but he’s a busy man. Mr. Poole, it’s all yours.”

“How many of you have had an encounter with a snake?” Most of the students raised their hands, and Mr. Poole recounted an experience. He and some other young men were paddling down the Saluda River. With three adults weighing down their canoe, the water level was only three or four inches below the edge of the boat. He said, “I look over to the right, and here comes a snake swimming towards the canoe.” The young guys yelled and slapped the water, trying to scare it away, but it kept racing closer. Mr. Poole considered leaping out the other side and letting the snake have the boat it so badly wanted, but they finally frightened it away with their paddles.

Fight or Flee?

The human body is equipped with a chemical “alarm system” designed to deal with short-term emergencies. Mr. Poole explained how a hormonal surge in the brain’s hypothalamus increases the heart rate and blood circulation, mobilizing energy in the body and enabling a person to react quickly to danger. He said, “But when that same stress response keeps firing day after day, it can put the body at risk.” The constant influx of these stress hormones in the body weakens the immunes system and degrades one’s psychological state. Mr. Poole pointed out short term stress is not the problem. Prolonged stress—distress—is the issue. While college life may be considered a great time of life, Mr. Poole said, “We tend to ignore the pressure during this period.” Missed due dates, incomplete work, and lack of engagement in class are all signs of stress that need to be relieved.

How to Reduce Stress

The motto of Living Education is “Building a Godly Foundation.” Mr. Poole said, “I want to encourage you to build on that foundation to help you relieve the stress in your life.” The students received five keys to reducing stress.

“Read more.” In a study done at Seton Hall University in 2009, researchers found that just thirty minutes of reading lowered a stressed student’s blood pressure as effectively as yoga or humor. Another study found the habit of reading lowers one’s mortality risk by twenty percent. He advised the students to take time to search out positive reading material. “Reading gives muscle to the memory and keeps the mind young.”

“Unplug from technology.” While modern technology can make life easier, Mr. Poole said, “Too often, it creates more stress.” Teens who are addicted to the internet are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. At Hasselt University, researchers found that a three percent increase in neighborhood “greenness” increased children’s IQ score by an average of 2.6 points. Mr. Poole recommended the students unplug from their devices and spend time in the natural world.

“Stay positive and forgive others.” Mr. Poole said the major cause of stress is relationships. Even in extremely stressful situations, Paul kept his focus on God and helping others (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). Mr. Poole said, “Christ taught us to forgive others even as He was being crucified.” A positive and forgiving person manages their stress more effectively.

“Plan your routine.” Another simple way to prevent stress is to plan your day the night before. Mr. Poole used the Sabbath as an example. When small decisions—like what you will wear and what you need to bring to services—are made beforehand, many little stresses are eliminated and the Sabbath becomes more rewarding. “Preparation helps you to be ready for life’s daily opportunities.”

“Don’t be pulled in by the world.” “It seems we can’t escape from stress… Forty million adults [in the U.S.] have an anxiety disorder.” Mr. Poole reminded the students that Christians should go to God with their stresses. “We recognize the way of life God affords us brings a tremendous level of peace.” 1 John 2:15-17 contains the “world’s advertisements” that keep Christians from focusing on their primary goals in life. While Christ said the hearts of men would fail them at the end of the age (Luke 21:25-26), Mr. Poole warned the students not to be pulled in by the world—so they can face the difficult future with faith, not failing hearts.

Manage Your Stress

“You, young people, will move on to help lead the Church in the future… We need you to have cool heads. We need you to keep your feet firmly on the ground, on the firm foundation you’re building on. It is up to you. You must manage your stress level. As you do, you’ll reserve the hormones for the next time you walk upon a snake.”

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: Hollywood’s Marxist Propaganda

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 3 seconds.

Mr. Michael Brown pastors two congregations in Saskatchewan, Canada. He spoke to the students about communism and the influence of Marx’s ideologies on modern society. Mr. Armstrong called communism “worldwide psychological warfare.” In 1956, he wrote, “We are not fighting a single nation in a military war, but a gigantic worldwide, plain-clothes army, masquerading as a political party… [It will] weaken us from within… destroying our spiritual and religious life…” After World War II, Mr. Armstrong believed Russia would not attack the West militarily, but psychologically. Communism—or leftism—did not disappear with the dismantling of many communist governments in the twentieth century. As Mr. Armstrong predicted, communism simply took a new form.

What is Neo-Marxism?

Mr. Brown asked, “But what is Neo-Marxism—or leftism—and what is it we can do to protect ourselves?” He gave seven short points on Marxism, taken directly from the leftist “bible,” The Communist Manifesto—the third most assigned textbook in American universities.

First, communism “promotes change through radical action.” Marx believed the solution to historic class struggles in society was the violent overthrow of the rich. Another core goal of Marxism is the “doing away of private property.” Marx claimed that if the working man rebelled against the rich, all wealth would be handed over to the state, ushering in the dictatorship of the working man. Third, communism reflects Marx’s hate for families. Marx wrote about removing “the two bases of traditional marriage—the dependence rooted in private property, of the women on the man, and of the children on the parents.” He believed the traditional family model treated women and children like “oppressed factory workers.” Mr. Brown that communism dissolves distinct nationalities. “Marx believed the working man had no country.” Fifth, communism brings the destruction of all religion, truth, morality, and tradition. Marx wrote, “Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality… [It] acts in contradiction to all past historical experience.” Finally, Marx aimed to bring world peace by establishing a utopian world via government. He believed revolution was justified by its results.

“Of all the arts, cinema is most important to us.”

– Vladimir Lenin

During Russia’s Bolshevik rule, Vladimir Lenin promoted his revolutionary agenda by equipping trains with propaganda movies, sending them throughout the country. Joseph Goebbels was Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to 1945. He controlled the German film industry during the Nazi period. In 1941, Goebbels commissioned the film I Accuse, in which a woman convinces her husband to poison her to end her suffering from multiple sclerosis. This film was designed to inspire sympathy for Aktion T4—a program that authorized certain physicians to euthanize patients. Hundreds of thousands of injured or sick people were murdered as a result.

“We all know who the first revolutionary was—an angel named Lucifer.” Today, Satan uses Marx’s ideas to tear down a nation’s belief structure, including the tradition of the family and a belief in God. Mr. Brown emphasized one of the major avenues for this psychological attack is the entertainment industry. Hollywood has weaponized Marx’s ideas to reshape people’s attitudes and pervert their morals. Genesis 19:1 describes the gates of Sodom. Mr. Brown asked, “What types of things do you think you would see at these gates? Today, those gates live in our pockets, our bedrooms, and our living rooms.”

Modern Gates of Sodom and Gomorrah

Christians are to “have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:23-24). Mr. Brown encouraged the students to analyze the entertainment they absorb for subtle narratives. For example, Rudy, “one of the ultimate underdog films of all time,” falsely portrays the authority figures in Rudy’s life as harsh and unmerciful. In Star Wars, the villains are authoritative and ordered, an evil father tries to destroy his son, and Luke is advised to trust in his feelings—not guidance from wise mentors. “So often in movies,” Mr. Brown said, “good qualities are given to the bad guys and bad qualities are given to the good guys.” Even seemingly innocent children’s movies, like Finding Nemo or Happy Feet, contain subtle, ungodly propaganda. “The audience begins to reshape their personal reality to reflect the reality of the characters and the narrative of the film. As we develop affection for the characters, it can lead to us being accepting of their wrong behaviors.”

What can we do to protect ourselves?

2 Corinthians 6:14 reads, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” Christians can accidentally fellowship with characters on a screen. Mr. Brown explained even virtual, evil company will corrupt good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). “Hollywood and the entertainment industry are the biggest propaganda tools in the world.” While God teaches blessings follow obedience and curses follow disobedience, the entertainment industry lies, showing curses for obedience and blessings for disobedience. Mr. Brown encouraged the students to replace the Hollywood propaganda in their life with wholesome pastimes that impart wisdom and knowledge.

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: Build Your House

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 38 seconds.

Mr. Lawdi Ferreira spoke to Living Ed students over a Webex video conference. Table Mountain—one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World—towered above Cape Town in Mr. Ferreira’s virtual background. “I’m using this to attract you to come to Cape Town for the Feast.” Mr. Ferreira has three kids, and he pastors congregations in South Africa and Zimbabwe. He began, “I want to start off by telling a story of a builder.”

There was a master builder who decided to retire to enjoy a more relaxed life. But when he approached his boss about retiring, he was asked to build one more house as a personal favor. He agreed, and he began to build one last home. Yet his heart was not in his work, and he constructed the house poorly. When he finished, to his surprise, his boss handed him the keys to the house—it was a final gift to the builder.

“There is so much meaning in that story for you and me. You and I are building our spiritual houses right now.” Yet, Mr. Ferreira explained, God offers the help the students will need to build a strong spiritual life. 1 Corinthians 3:9-10 reads, “… you are God’s building… But let each one take heed how he builds on it.” Mr. Ferreira said, “I would like to give you three keys to help you build a strong spiritual house.”

Build on the Right Foundation

Young people can be full of exciting dreams of what they want to do in their future. Mr. Ferreira called it “a wonderful time of life.” He advised the students to recognize this period as crucial—their future decisions hinge on the choices they make now. A Christian’s foundation should be Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). Mr. Ferreira asked, “How do you ensure that you build on Christ?” He turned to Luke 6:46-48, where Christ defined the man who built his house on a rock as the man who heard and lived by His sayings. Mr. Ferreira encouraged the students to build their foundation by examining their choice of movies, music, games, social media, friends, conversation, and career choices and ask, Would Christ approve?

Don’t Compromise

When Mr. Ferreira was nineteen, he and a friend went to the U.K. to work and save for college. Yet every job he applied to required him to work on the Sabbath. His friend pushed him to compromise, and on their third day in London, he had only seven dollars left. That day, he found a job that would accommodate the Sabbath. “God was testing me to the end—but, interestingly, I never had that trial again there.” Learning not to compromise can be “an expensive lesson to learn.” Matthew 6:33 contains a Christian’s foremost mission—to seek the Kingdom—and nothing should compromise that goal. But, Mr. Ferreira emphasized, “God will give the outcome, just don’t compromise.”

Look Ahead to Your Future

The marshmallow test famously assesses a child’s ability to delay gratification: a child is told he can have one marshmallow now, or two later if he waits. Mr. Ferreira’s son was given this test. The teacher told him he could have two marshmallows if he waited until after a conversation. Later, Mr. Ferreira was told his son—while he didn’t hear a word of the conversation—waited and passed the test. “Our ability to sacrifice the present for the future is very crucial.” Human nature makes people “want what they want and want it now.” Just as Esau sold his birthright for some stew (Genesis 25:29-34), Christians can lose sight of what is truly valuable. “The world that Satan creates is very attractive,” like a cardboard box iced with frosting to appear like a cake. 2 Peter 2:15-21 speaks of Christians who return and entangle themselves with the sins of the world. “We shouldn’t pass by our eternal reward for a short-term reward Satan offers.”

“Make sure you build without regret.”

Mr. Ferreira quoted Annie Dillard: “The way you live your days is the way you live your life.” He exhorted the students to use the opportunity they have in the Church of God now to build a foundation, to stand up in obedience to God without compromise, and to keep their eyes focused on the future. “Yours and my life in God’s Kingdom will be a result of our decisions and attitudes today—it will be a result of how we build our house.”

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: Africa

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 45 seconds.

“Today, I’d like to enlarge your view of the world.” Mr. Peter Nathan, the Regional Director of Europe, Africa, and the U.K gave a Forum on the Work in Africa. Some may think of exotic wildlife or the Sahara when they think of this continent. But Mr. Nathan said, “Let me present to you a different view.” Africa represents twenty percent of the land area of the earth. “What does that mean to you and me?” This “continent of extremes” can fit the U.S.A, Japan, China, India, Mexico, and several European countries inside its borders. Mr. Nathan covered the three major spheres of operation for the Church in Africa.

Southern Africa

Mr. Nathan explained that southern Africa “can make you can feel like you’ve experienced the Kingdom of God ahead of time,” as some who have kept the Feast there can confirm. But it is also a region where an entire congregation can be incarcerated on the way home from services. Bordered by Zambia and Malawi in the north and the Cape in the south, this region was introduced to the World Tomorrow in the 60s, when it aired from stations in the Congo and Mozambique. The first baptizing tour in the region occurred in 1961, and an office in Johannesburg was set up in 1963. By the time Mr. Nathan was sent to the region in 1973, there were four congregations in Zimbabwe and six in South Africa, with members scattered around the region. Today, there are 190 members, eleven congregations, three regular Feast sites, and a summer Living Youth Program.

Eastern Africa

“We can focus on the center point: Lake Victoria.” Lake Victoria is the third largest body of freshwater in the world and is a major source of water for Egypt and eastern Africa. In 1975, Mr. Armstrong visited President Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya. From 1975 to the present, the Church has grown in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. There are now 300-600 attendees, 29 congregations, and sixteen elders, with four Feast sites and an annual Living Youth Program in Kenya.

Central and Western Africa

In 1960, two radio stations in Sierra Leone and Nigeria projected Mr. Armstrong’s voice across central and western Africa. While the station in Nigeria brought a healthy response, the broadcast from Sierra Leone did not. Mr. Nathan shared a story: In 1961, a wealthy magistrate in Nigeria wrote to Pasadena asking, Please, come and baptize me and my nineteen wives. Several years later, this man was baptized. Ghana saw its first baptizing tour in 1971, and, two years later, after a civil war, a baptizing tour was conducted in Nigeria. In 1969, a man from eastern Ghana, after listening to the broadcast and studying the Church’s literature, started a congregation following the teachings of Mr. Armstrong. Today, this association has grown to include congregations in Togo, Benin, and Ghana, with an attendance of around 1,700. In 2019, LCG became aware of the group as it uses an identical name in the French language—Mr. Nathan said, “We’ll see what happens.”

Elders

Mr. Juvenal Karibwami speaks French, English, Romanian, and Swahili and serves as an elder in Burundi. In western Africa, Dr. Akin-Ogudeji serves as the area pastor. Mr. Urbain Hazoume, another non-employed elder, was educated in France. He runs a private school he established in Gabon, and his uncle is a king in Badagry, on the border of Nigeria and Benin. Mr. Jackstone Abok is retired and lives in Kenya on the shores of Lake Victoria. Mr. Nathan introduced two farmers from Tanzania who serve the Church: Mr. Ezekiel Mkama and Mr. Adonias Kando. In Nairobi, Mr. Peter Mutula serves as an elder. Mr. Ephraim Abok is the area pastor for western Kenya, while Mr. Simon Muthama is the area pastor for the rest of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Opportunities and Challenges

In the 1950s, Andrew Dugger, “driven by the need to preach the Gospel throughout the world,” began teaching in Africa. Various Church of God Seventh Day Jerusalem congregations were established. Some of these congregations stayed faithful, not only to the Sabbath but to the Holy Days and other true doctrines. After the death of Andrew Dugger, many congregations, including Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi were left without leadership. In the 90s, one of these congregations in Kenya contacted LCG. Mr. Nathan said, “Increasingly, we find people associated with Worldwide coming to us, because we are continuing to teach the truth they were once taught.”

A significant challenge to the Work in Africa is “the elephant in the room: Islam.” Mr. Nathan drew attention to the fact that he had not mentioned northern Africa. He explained there is little opportunity for the truth in this heavily Muslim region. This is why the Sierra Leone radio station broadcasting the World Tomorrow in the 60s didn’t bring much response. Islam dominates in the north, but, as the fastest-growing religion in Africa, it is fast spreading to the rest of the continent. “Islam is going to create a challenge as we go forward… We need to recognize that the time is short with some of these areas.” Other challenges for the Church in Africa include language translation, religion, travel dangers, and inconsistent technology infrastructure.

God Is Doing a Work

“We have lots of challenges, but God is doing a Work here.” Going forward, Mr. Nathan said Church literature could be translated into Swahili—there are 150 million Swahili speakers who can benefit from this project. The Work and the Church are alive and active in Africa, with hundreds of members spread across the southern, eastern, western, and central regions of the country. Mr. Nathan, with a long history of serving the Church in Africa, concluded, “Having been sent to Africa, I don’t seem to be able to get it out of my blood.”

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.