We Are Called to Be a Blessing

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

In his forum presentation, Mr. Laybeh gave the Living Education students a glimpse into the new developments in the Work in Thailand.

First, he gave a little background about himself to the students. He was born in Myanmar but forced to flee at a young age and spent much of his childhood in Thailand. Later on, he moved to the UK and worked there for over a decade. But God had a plan for him, and that plan involved him returning to Thailand once again–this time to serve God’s Work by preaching the Gospel and feeding the flock in Southeast Asia.

Preaching the Gospel

As Mr. Laybeh explained, the work began to register the Living Church of God  in Thailand as a nonprofit organization back in 2016. It wasn’t until 2018 that the Church received a Foundation Registration Certificate, and Mr. Laybeh was able to return to Thailand in the beginning of 2019 and spearhead the work there. Now, there are 36 booklets and 22 Children’s Bible Lessons translated into Thai, and the Facebook advertising efforts in Thailand have generated 1,383 subscribers. In 2021, they began to process literature requests for Thai-based subscribers, and now have sent over 1,881 pieces of literature!

Feeding the Flock

Mr. Laybeh also gave an update on the congregations in Thailand and Myanmar. There are two congregations in Thailand, as well as two main congregations and scattered brethren in four locations in Myanmar. Unfortunately, the congregations in Myanmar cannot be visited at present, because of the ongoing crisis in that country. On a brighter note, Mr. Laybeh reported that they have baptized four people since 2019, and will hopefully baptize more when Myanmar reopens its borders.

Current Situation in Myanmar

Mr. Laybeh explained the current crisis in Myanmar, which impacts the 80 brethren we have in that country. Hyperinflation and rising costs of living are threatening to drive the whole nation into poverty. Refugees continue to flee from Myanmar to Thailand, and many people live in fear daily. The brethren in northern Myanmar cannot connect to live-streamed services every week, but fortunately, those in the south can. Recently, the “Friendship Bridge” between Thailand and Myanmar over the Myawaddy River at the town of Maesot did reopen, but “there is no definitive indication of when the Military Junta will fully open the country.” Mr. Laybeh pointed out that problems like this will only persist until the Kingdom of God is established on the earth; we should all be praying and hoping that day comes soon.

LCG Thailand Foundation Education Project

There is reason to be excited about the work in Southeast Asia. Mr. Laybeh introduced the LCG Thailand Foundation Education Project, a project that reminds us that we are called to be a blessing to the world. Since 2018, the project has taught English at local schools, beginning with an online English class. In 2019, the Education Project began to provide education supplies to various schools in rural areas.

Also in 2019, the Foundation began organizing an in-person teaching effort with the Maeku Municipality School, assisting the Thai teachers in an English class. A pilot program was done in late 2019 with two ladies from Australia. In 2020, Mr. Weston visited the Maeku School and explored the idea of having Living Education students assist the project. COVID interfered with this at the time, but as of 2023, the idea is being reintroduced!

Community Development Project

Mr. Laybeh pointed out that, as members of God’s Church,  we are “called to be a blessing,” and this includes serving and helping in the community. He went through the Foundation’s community development efforts. They help local communities with youth and family issues, warning against drug use and other matters that come up. In addition, the foundation works with the Tak Provincial Administrative Organization to help rural communities in times of emergencies and with basic necessities. They even work with the Social Development and Human Security Office in that province, assisting with emergency relief and Corporate Social Responsibility projects. Mr. Laybeh also highlighted the gardening project, which aims to give experience to locals in tending a garden. This small project points to the Kingdom of God, when all of Earth will return to a more agrarian life.

He finally concluded that we are not called into the Church by mere chance or coincidence—we are called for a reason, and that is to be a blessing by striving to do our parts in serving and giving hope to a dying world. As long as we are devoted to our calling, stay on course, and do not give up, we will eventually become a great asset to God to be used in accomplishing His Work on this earth.

The Living Education students also heard a forum from Mr. Rajan Moses—a pastor in Malaysia—encouraging us to look at all brethren around the world as family. Read about that forum here: God is a Family!

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Come Fly with Me (JAARS Tour)

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

Recently, the Living Education students and faculty toured the JAARS center and the Alphabet Museum in Waxhaw, North Carolina. 

The Jungle Aviation and Radio Services organization was founded in 1948 to support Bible translation efforts in underdeveloped and difficult-to-reach parts of the world. The organization provides air, water, and land transportation support for translators as well as technology support, providing laptops, software, and energy sources (like batteries and solar panels). In 1961, the Belk family (yes, that Belk) gave JAARS 572 acres in Waxhaw, on which the organization established a training and support center. Today, this center has 68 buildings, one public-use runway, three grass runways, and over 500 volunteers and employees. 

Since JAARS is connected with expert translators, the JAARS campus features an award-winning Alphabet Museum, which covers the development and diversity of languages all around the world in a thorough and easy-to-understand way. 

The JAARS Campus Tour

Our tour began with a video explaining the essentials of JAARS—I put this information in the introduction—along with stories from our tour guide, who herself worked as a translator for 30 years in the Philippines and was supported by JAARS. 

We then walked to a building with boats and motorcycles inside. Our guide explained how JAARS provides translators and missionaries with motorcycle-driving courses—critical for many developing countries where cars are rare—and teaches how to maintain them, too. JAARS also provides water transport to translators working in regions where the only way in and out is by boat, and they make sure to keep it safe with water-safety kits that contain life-jackets, transponders, and other emergency equipment. 

We walked from the boat building to the hangar. Since its founding, our tour guide explained, JAARS has worked with airplanes. Air travel is the best way to get people and supplies into many hard-to-reach places, like the mountains and jungle hills in New Guinea—Yet this is not your typical flying. These locations often don’t have paved runways or mechanics to service your airplane. As a result, the JAARS center trains pilots to land on short grass strips and how to maintain their own planes. In addition to training, this hangar has a machine shop that can make custom parts for repairs or special missions. 

The Alphabet Museum 

Changing pace a bit, we went over to the Alphabet Museum for another guided tour. The building seems small, but it is filled with incredible information. Our tour went through the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and the Mesopotamian cuneiform, the assumed ancestors of all western alphabets.Then we moved into the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew alphabets, learning a multitude of facts about each. For example, some Greek texts are written in a form called boustrophedon. One would read from left to right, then the line below it would be written in right to left, and it would continue like this with each alternating line switching direction. I am glad that method of writing never got popular. 

The Museum delved into the Cyrillic Alphabet (Привет), and explored complicated languages like Chinese and Japanese, which are unique because they are completely unconnected to phonetic sounds! Our tour also explored the Korean language, which was meticulously developed and is considered easy to learn and “modern.” 

The Museum also has exhibits on the fascinating development of alphabets for Native American tribes. Some alphabets were created by outsiders for tribes to be able to write, and others were developed by Native Americans themselves, such as the Cherokee syllabary invented by Sequoyah.

Overall, the tour was fascinating. We learned that even today, there are languages with no written alphabet! People are working to develop alphabets so the Bible can be translated into every native tongue. 

Takeaways

The Living Education students left the JAARS campus with a lot, and not all of it came from the gift shop. We got to see the inner-workings of a great operation and see how the Bible is being made available to people around the whole world! 

Not too long ago, the Living Education students went on an exciting snow trip! Read about it here: Student Life: Snow Weekend: Peaceful and Action-Packed.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

The New Testament Canon

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To understand where the General Epistles fit into the New Testament Canon, it is helpful to review charts. Click below to find a helpful one!

Course Spotlight From The General Epistles: (Part 1) The Letters of James and Peter
Learn More!

Stand Up to the Woke Agenda

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 5 min.

Mr. Weston implored the Living Education students to develop the courage to stand up against the agendas of this world and follow God. 

Mr. Weston began with a famous quote from Earnest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. The passage involves a conversation between two people. One asks, “How’d you go bankrupt?” 

The other responds, “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” Mr. Weston pointed out that many younger adults, like the students in Living Education, have grown up in the “suddenly” part of our nation’s moral decline. The world was gradually moving toward moral bankruptcy, but now it’s in freefall. Mr. Weston warned that morals today are not just in decline; they are under attack. It is not enough to be a generally good person. It is going to take courage to hold godly values.

Why Is Courage Necessary?

Courage is critical for true Christians today, Mr. Weston explained, because this country’s institutions are rapidly falling to radical leftism. All human politics is flawed, but modern leftism leaves no room for disagreement. Thus, a true Christian is destined for a collision with this movement. 

Mr. Weston briefly mentioned the root of modern radical leftism, which is the Frankfurt School of social theory and critical philosophy. This ideology claims liberty and freedom but really just seeks to remove any trace of biblical values. The new values are rooted in Marxism, with no space for compromise or debate. Already, people go to a type of corporate gulag for retraining if they disagree with critical theories. Ironically, Mr. Weston pointed out, many communist armies in the past have labeled themselves as liberators and liberation forces, but Paul warns us to examine those who propose liberty but bring nothing but captivity. 

“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.”

2 Peter 2:19 NKJV

Mr. Weston warned that the social engineers today want to remove the fetters of biblical restraint, the commandments and laws of God. He turned to Psalm 2, which is a prophecy of the end time, and highlighted the second and third verses. 

“The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,

“Let us break Their bonds in pieces

And cast away Their cords from us.”

Psalm 2:2-3 NKJV

Society today is moving away from the Ten Commandments and the Laws of God, labeling them oppressive.”

Mr. Weston emphatically stated, “It takes courage to stand up to the woke agenda bullies.” They are pushing abortion, LGBT ideals, and even euthanization on anyone and everyone today, and we must stand up for God and for truth. But standing up for God’s truth, Mr. Weston explained, puts a target on our backs. He quoted Isaiah to demonstrate. 

“Justice is turned back,

And righteousness stands afar off;

For truth is fallen in the street,

And equity cannot enter.

So truth fails,

And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.”

Isaiah 59:14-15 NKJV

We are making ourselves prey for radicals today simply by obeying God. That takes courage.

Two Ways to Have Moral Courage

“How and when is moral courage needed?” Mr. Weston asked. He gave two critical keys. 

1) Fear God. Mr. Weston used the story of the Egyptian midwives to demonstrate. These women feared God more than Pharoah and had the courage to defy the order to kill newborn babies. We must fear God more than any professor, boss, or figure in our lives, and that will give us courage to follow Him. Having a true fear of God is not bad. Rather, “[the] Fear of God is a liberating emotion, freeing one from a disabling fear of evil, powerful people,” Mr. Weston declared, quoting Dennis Prager. 

2) Live by Values. When our decisions are guided by godly values like the Ten Commandments, Mr. Weston emphasized, we see right from wrong much more clearly. If we allow money, greed, or lust to influence our path, we may end up compromising on God’s ideals. Mr. Weston pointed to the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the account of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. These men did not justify bowing down to an idol. They did not say, Well, it’s not real anyway. I’ll just worship God in my heart and only do this outwardly. Rather, they lived by their values, willing to be thrown into a fiery furnace before compromising. 

Fear God, Not the Bullies

Mr. Weston admonished the students to learn to fear God in a real, genuine way and to practice making decisions based on values. God expects us to be examples and lights in the world, which means we cannot be afraid to be noticed, and that takes courage in our society today. We should not be reckless and pursue conflicts, but when the time comes, we will have to stand up for God’s truth and give the right answer. Mr. Weston concluded with a simple instruction: “Fear God over the bullies.”
Mr. Kearns also addressed the dangers of political movements in New Zealand and around the world in his forum: The Battle for the Planet.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Read Good Books!

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Author: Nathan Kroon | Student Leader, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 4 min.

Mr. Gerald E. Weston began this forum by presenting the students of Living Education with a question: “How accurate is the statement ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’?”

He explained that, in reality, a picture is limited in scope and in size, and is therefore limited in what it is able to teach you. It does not tell you what went before and after, or what is outside of its limits. This was a revelation he learned from Neil Postman’s, Amusing Ourselves to Death. Another lesson from that book is how we define intelligence in different generations. An intellectual was once defined as someone who could both read and write, but today “we are living in an age of trivial pursuit.” Now people are considered smart for knowing little things about seemingly nothing. Ken Jennings, who is famous for holding the record of 74 consecutive wins on Jeopardy!, may know a lot of little facts, but people who only rely on these facts may be led astray by having a lack of context behind them. For instance, we know that people will often call us “uneducated” in our religious practices, because we are seemingly “out of step” with the practices of the rest of the world; however, we practice them anyway, because we know that they are found in God’s word. Mr. Weston instructed the students to therefore read good books in order to build on their knowledge, and learn to think about and analyze what is happening around them.

Fiction and Nonfiction

There are a number of good books in the world, and we need to know which ones will be the most beneficial reads. Certain fiction can even be edifying for us. For example Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, shows us a future where artificial birthing replaces human parents, which speaks to how nuclear families are more and more being done away with now. Animal Farm, by George Orwell, shows the reader the effects of widespread socialism around the world, which seems to be happening among the youth of today’s world. Some fiction, of course, may not be good for us. Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger, is often praised for its “genuine” main character and portrayal of very “human” behavior, and has long been read by adolescents in school, even though it promotes the use of a number of foul words. Our nation’s education systems also teach many exaggerations in their history classes, such as the role that Sacagawea played in the Lewis and Clark expedition and when World War II really began (it wasn’t with Pearl Harbor!). But some history books can show us the reality of our world’s history, and are highly educational.

A Look Into Our World

Social books can point out trends in the “androgynous culture” that is being promoted today, and why people are the way they are. They can be somewhat edifying, even when they may be actively promoting the wrong ideas. For example, After the Ball, by Madsen and Kirk, promotes homosexuality, but also clearly shows us how activists have come to successfully promote it as acceptable ever since the 1990s. Even though it actively encourages homosexuality, it also acknowledges the pitfalls found within same-sex relationships and understands that heterosexual marriages are more stable. If we read these kinds of books, we must, of course, realize the way that the authors contradict both themselves and the teachings of God. Books that speak on our society can tell us about all the damages that have been done to society since the popularization of the false ideas of dating, sex, and gender.

Reading good books will broaden our horizons and can teach us about the world we currently live in, as well as the one that we may come to live in. It gives us more credibility in our personal knowledge, and teaches us how to better think and analyze. Mr. Weston concluded by telling the students to give themselves a minimum of fifteen minutes of reading a day, and to develop it into a habit. Reading is enriching and greatly profitable!

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Snow Weekend: Peaceful and Action-Packed

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

The students headed to the hills of North Carolina for a serene Sabbath as well as an exciting new experience!

Halfway through a semester, what is the best kind of weekend? Maybe some relaxing days in a peaceful place with lots of walking trails and views, along with cozy nights in a cabin. Or maybe you think the best weekend is an action-packed adventure, exploring new territory and making timeless memories. Why not both? The Living Education students did both on their recent Snow Trip weekend!

Inspiring Landscapes, a Cozy Cabin, and Tantalizing Trails

Midday Friday, the caravan of Living Education students and faculty left for Newland, North Carolina, and within a few short hours, they arrived at their caravanserai: a cozy house that I call a cabin because that seems more fitting to me. The cabin has two stories, each with a kitchen and living area. The basement contains six bunk beds in a large room, while the upstairs has three rooms with two bunk beds in each. All in all, the cabin has beds for 24 people. Quite Impressive! But that is not the best part. 

The cabin commands an excellent view, overlooking rolling hills right next door. These hills are covered in small, evergreen trees, and with paths that make terraces all along the hillside. It is a fascinating landscape. 

The students made excellent use of the paths that crisscrossed the hillside. They walked all over it, taking in the wonderful sites and enjoying the fresh, cool air. It was an amazing escape from the routine days that can begin to blend together.

A Serene Sabbath

As the sun set and the Sabbath settled in, the students piled into the dining room and enjoyed a dinner fit for kings, with a blazing fire and cheery conversation keeping everyone warm, even as the outside grew chilly as the evening wore on. The students then gathered by the fireplace. Mr. McNair gave them a unique challenge: find a Bible story and read it aloud. They needed to bring it alive, capturing the passion and personality of the story. The students took up the challenge. There was some shouting, and I am pretty sure there was some singing at one point. There were funny stories and serious passages. Sometimes the students rolled on the floor in laughter, and other times they felt their hair raise at the power and meaning of a passage.

The morning was calm and relaxed. The breakfast was continental style, allowing everyone to get up at their own time and eat. The students got the chance to lead  songs during the services and the sermon and sermonette were given in person by faculty there. Saturday evening featured a fun game involving guessing the meaning of an obscure dictionary word, which is where the word caravanserai that I used at the beginning came from. Also, apparently a lot of people think the word triskaidekaphobia is a fear of Triscuits . . . or maybe that was just us. The evening also consisted of some unique board games and very aggressive foosball playing, of which I was a part. It was a great time for the students to relax together and even try some new games they may have never played before.

The Adventure Part

As promised, there was also adventure. On Sunday morning, the caravan—by which I mean the Dodge Grand Caravan—rode off once more, heading to the neighboring Beech mountain. Traversing the winding mountain roads with tremendous views of the wooded valleys below, the group arrived at Beech Mountain, a town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In this picturesque mountain village is a ski slope and resort, but the Living Ed Students were not there to ski. They were there to go snow tubing. 

Most of the students had never been snow tubing before, but that didn’t slow anyone down. The snow tubing frequently consisted of competitions, trying unique body positions in the tube, and inventing new (and a little bit cringey) dances on the magic carpet that carried the students back to the top. After a day and a half of relaxing, all the students were ready to compete with each other and fully experience their day’s adventure.

Why Not Both?

The best weekends are relaxing ones. Or are they the exciting ones? Well, I think they are the ones with a healthy combination of relaxation and adventure. The Living Education students had what I consider the best kind of weekend. Now that everyone is recharged and armed with fantastic new memories, it is time to get back to learning, working, and making the most of every day.

Not too long ago, the Living Education students had another exciting adventure that took them back in times to the 1920s! Well, maybe not literally. Read about the 1920s themed dance the Living Education students hosted: It’s the Roaring ’20s Again!

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Be Grateful and Content with What You Have

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 5 min.

In a recent forum, the students heard from Mr. Lawdi Ferreira, a minister in Cape Town, South Africa.

Mr. Ferreira opened with a profound perspective: “We, as ministers, learn so much and are encouraged by many of God’s people.” He explained that he travels to several countries near South Africa and recently visited Malawi, a small nation by Zambia and Mozambique. Mr. Ferreira shared the inspiring and profound lesson he experienced from the time he spent with God’s people there.  

Lessons from Malawi

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A picture of a house in Malawi

Malawi, he explained, is a beautiful country, though very poor. But unlike South Africa, there is not much violence and crime. As one of the brethren in Malawi said, “People don’t steal from each other because they know their neighbors don’t have much either.” Instead, people look out for each other, doing things like sharing the extra bread they have after baking. 

The brethren in Malawi struggle financially, yet they are still content. Their homes are built from self-made bricks, or they are tin houses. But they make them happy places, places for family to gather and where God is the number-one priority. Some members have to walk for hours to get to services, but at services, they all praise God wholeheartedly. Mr. Ferreira recalled that the service of about 30 members seemed like some of the loudest singing that he had heard. It brought to mind Psalm 95:1-2.

“Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” 

Psalm 95:1-2 NKJV

At services, he saw lots of smiles and lots of happiness—and no complaining! They are just happy to be a part of God’s end-time work and look forward to the coming Kingdom of God. Some of these brethren do not have a bed to sleep on or transportation to take them to church and yet they are still grateful and content! What about us in first world countries? “Perhaps,” Mr. Ferreira said, “the biggest sin we have is a lack of thankfulness.” 

Learn to Be Content

Mr. Ferreira reminded the students that happiness is a choice, and we have the power—and the responsibility—to choose to be happy and thankful always. He turned to Philippians and read the passage where Paul said that he learned to be both abundant and abased, to suffer need and still be thankful, “for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content” (Philippians 4:10-13). Ultimately, God will provide us with our needs (Philippians 4:19-20). We should always be thankful, putting God above the cares of this world. 

Avoid the Love of Money

Specifically, Mr. Ferreira told the students to avoid seeking money, “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). He encouraged us to be content with our calling and our blessings, and he reminded us not to chase after material possessions. We must seek first the Kingdom of God and not waste time chasing mammon like so many people in the world today. “They,” Mr. Ferriera said, speaking of those caught up in the world, “compromise for physical goals and end up exactly where they started: unhappy and dissatisfied.”

Count Your Blessings

Mr. Ferreira pointed out that our weakness as humans is that we often look straight past our blessings and only see what we don’t have. This ungratefulness is extremely common. He pointed to the account of Christ healing ten lepers and only one turning back and thanking Him (Luke 17:11-19). We do the same thing when we forget our blessings. We must pray and thank God for all our blessings.

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV

Mr. Ferreira recalled a trip to Zambia. The brethren there are scattered all over the country and only meet together on special occasions. One of the Zambian brethren said, “It would be wonderful to meet together like this every Sabbath.” Do we take blessings—like having a local congregation to meet with at services every week—for granted? All too often, we do. To combat ungratefulness, Mr. Ferreira encouraged the students to make a list of everything they are thankful for, including the small details. 

Be Satisfied with What You Already Have

Mr. Ferreira warned the students not to chase after what we already have. We are blessed in countless ways, but most of all we are blessed to be called by God. God will provide for our needs no matter what.

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5, ESV

Mr. Ferreira admonished the students to be content like our brethren in Malawi, and to thank God always for our blessings. 
In 2020, Mr. Ferreira gave another excellent forum on building our lives on the right foundation, not on greed and love of money: Assembly Summary: Build Your House.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

The Benefits of Marriage

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Author: Nathan Kroon | Student Leader, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Mr. Wallace Smith spoke to the students of Living Education about marriage and its purpose.

He stated that, if we’re not careful, we may only speak of marriage as an escape from bad things. After all, God did not only create marriage to simply prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. He made it to be much more than that—a symbol of the kind of love that He shares with His Church. While marriage is not necessary for someone to be connected to God, that doesn’t mean it is not an incredible blessing! What, then, are some of the benefits of marriage?

Benefit 1: Sex

God specifically designed marriage to be the only environment in which sex was meant to be experienced. Aside from being part of the process of creating offspring, sex greatly strengthens the relationship between two people who are truly committed to each other. Unfortunately, the world has actively encouraged sex to be performed outside of the sacrament of marriage. “We have a lot of unlearning to do,” said Mr. Smith, because the media constantly bombards us with false, carnal ideas surrounding sex and physical attraction. Mr. Smith pointed out that chemistry is not a bad thing to have in a relationship by going to Proverbs 30:19, which speaks of the wonderful “way of a man with a virgin”; what is wrong is choosing a spouse based entirely on physical attributes, which fade over time.

Benefit 2: Commitment

Marriage is capable of providing a kind of deep commitment that is not found in other relationships, as well as a unique peace of mind. In marriage, we need to be willing to be committed to our spouse in a way that defies  human nature. We should not only be there for them at all times, but want to be there. Today, many have the idea that commitment is just cohabitation, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you are living with your partner while not being committed to them enough to celebrate your love before God or even before a court officiator through a wedding, you are basically telling them, “I like you very much, but if a better opportunity presents itself to me at any point, I’m walking out the door.” Those are not very romantic vows to make to each other! True commitment is what makes marriages work, and it helps establish the most important human relationship you will have in your life.

Benefit 3: Companionship

Marriage is a journey in becoming each other’s perfect companion. The act of marriage creates two companions, and if they put the right effort into it, they become “custom-made” for each other as time passes. The idea of having one true “soulmate” is not rooted in any sort of reality. If it was true that there really was only one perfect person in the entire world made specifically for you, most people’s soulmates would likely live on entirely different continents! As a husband or wife, you will learn to sacrifice parts of yourself or your life for the other person. Marriage requires sacrifice. You won’t know yourself as well as you’ll think you do going into marriage, and you will face challenges. However, part of the beauty within the marital relationship is that you are able to face challenges together. Learning to get past hardships as a team will make you more conformed to each other. After all, your spouse should be your best friend.

Benefit 4: Vulnerability

Marriage allows a couple to be completely open with each other. A husband and wife should not hold their secrets away from each other. At points, you may hurt each other’s feelings, and because you are more vulnerable with them than with anyone else, it naturally may feel like it hurts more than usual. Nonetheless, persevering through the rough patches and developing an almost psychic pattern of communication with each other makes couples stronger and more comfortable in their marriage and in their mentality.

Benefit 5: Children

A happy and stable marriage between a man and a woman is the optimal environment in which to raise children. One of the most wonderful commissions that God gave to mankind was to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), because “He seeks godly offspring” (Malachi 2:15). Mr. Smith explained that his experiences as a father have been some of the most rewarding parts of his life. “As a parent,” he said, “you take delight in your children’s delight.”

Benefit 6: Design Fulfillment

God seeks to develop men and women into better human beings. Through marriage, we are essentially working as God’s assistant in developing our spouse. It is a great privilege to have parts of God’s work delegated to us through a sacrament that He created for us.


There’s more to marriage than most people think, and not many of these people recognize these benefits as benefits, because they don’t go into marriage with the right state of mind. If we view marriage the way that God intended humanity to view it, we can take full advantage of its joys and benefits.

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

True Values of Abundant Living

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Author: Nathan Kroon | Student Leader, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Ames began this forum by posing a question to the Living Education students: “What is true success? It’s serving!”

We are issued to be servants of God. Many people believe that true success is found in knowledge, but many people don’t know what kind of knowledge they need to seek. Following seven laws of success allows each of us to grow in spiritual knowledge through both study and experience. This, in turn, allows us to be able to better serve God, as well as each other. If we follow these seven laws of success, we will live an abundant and full life!

The Way to Success

These seven laws of success, originally written by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, are as follows:

  1. Set the Right Goal
  2. Educate (or Prepare) Yourself
  3. Maintain Good Health
  4. Drive Yourself
  5. Apply Resourcefulness
  6. Persevere Toward Your Goal
  7. Seek God’s Continual Guidance

Mr. Ames recounted the first youth camp that he was a part of, in Minnesota, 1980. He stated that the year prior, there had been some questionable activities among those who had attended. To solve this, they decided to have the staff and campers participate in nineteen different activities at the beginning of camp, to which they applied lessons about these seven laws. Afterward, that camp year went much smoother than the last!

The Importance of Discipline

Mr. Ames stated that, in his childhood, he was not disciplined enough. In his senior year of high school, he ended up flunking two of his classes, and did not end up graduating until the next year, with a 2.1 GPA. He had to learn to apply the first law in order to succeed in the second law. Later, he took a total of ten-and-a-half years of college, all while working full time. He said that Ecclesiastes 9:10 helped him to stay motivated through this: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” No matter what it was, he always tried to put his whole heart into what he was working on, and it got him through much. When he began following principles that can be found within the seven laws, even before being called into the Church, his life became more fulfilling for him.

In order to live the life that we should want to live, we need to be applying these seven laws of success. They can apply to all areas of life, and will help us to become better people if we sincerely follow them.

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Your Life’s Story

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Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 6 min.

The Presiding Evangelist of the Living Church of God, Mr. Gerald Weston, spoke to the Living Education students for a forum presentation.

 He prompted us to consider what our life’s story will be and how we want it to turn out, and he urged the students to make the most of every opportunity and to avoid regrets. 

God Directs Our Lives 

Mr. Weston introduced this topic with a song, literally. He read the words of the song My Way, popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra. This song is written from the perspective of someone looking back on his life, and he is proud that he lived it his way. Mr. Weston said that our way is actually the worst way, and pointed to Proverbs 16:9 to show that it is really God who directs our life. 

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9 NKJV

Our Story

Much of our life is already determined by things we do not have control over. Our parents, family, and upbringing leave lasting effects on our life, even if we do not see it immediately. Mr. Weston illustrated this by recounting how he never thought he was like his dad, until he got to be his dad’s age. Then, he began to catch himself saying and doing things like his dad. But we should not feel bad about our upbringing, even if it was flawed—and everybody’s was, in some way. Rather, Mr. Weston exhorted us to embrace it—you can’t change it now—and understand it. 

The Little Things 

A central theme of Mr. Weston’s forum presentation was the small opportunities that changed his life—things that, at the time, he never would have guessed would be impactful. He recalled his mother introducing him to baseball and swimming as a kid. He developed a habit of running during lunch hour at school, and this small habit propelled him to keep exercising his whole life. Even his early experience hunting and fishing had an unforeseen value. When he pastored in Mississippi, he visited church members whose husbands were not in the church. Being able to talk to these men about their hunting and fishing adventures helped “show them this minister was halfway normal.” 

Those Little Things Become Big

Mr. Weston continued showing the big effects of small things in his life. He recalled how his time as a kid in South Dakota ended up paying dividends, almost literally, through his later years. It was there that he had his first job—kind of. He started shoveling snow off of people’s sidewalks and driveways with all the other local kids. As insignificant as this seemed, it taught him that there is value in work, no matter how menial. This realization led him to work hard in a variety of jobs, whenever he could, earning money and gaining experience and character. This desire to work hard carried into Ambassador College, where he worked for two years on the custodial crew setting up chairs. This job did not seem significant, but it proved invaluable. Later in his life, he was in charge of an auditorium in Chattanooga that needed thousands of chairs set up, and the contracted people were not getting it done on time. Mr. Weston used his experience to manage over 100 ushers and get the job done! Even the smallest, most menial experiences can make a major impact later in your life. 

Smallest to Biggest

Mr. Weston continued to emphasize the small things, little opportunities that could pop up today or tomorrow—opportunities that may seem inconsequential, but can have lasting impacts if we are diligent and make the most of them. In 1983, Mr. Weston’s wife asked the wife of the director of the summer education program (camp), “What do you have to do to go to camp?” It turned out that Mr. Weston’s ticket to camp was that he swam. This went all the way back to the swim lessons his mom took him to. He was not the fastest or the best, but he had gotten his lifeguarding certification and others, and that had unexpected results: Mr. Weston went to camp as lifeguarding staff. And year after year, Mr. Weston got the chance to go back. This had a massive impact on his life and experience. Mr. Weston then said, “I’ve often made the statement: everything I know, I learned at camp. And this applies to organization, to delegation, and to working with situations [. . .].” 

“The opportunity to go to summer camp taught me skills and lessons that I would never have learned any place else. And it really was just because of my wife asking that question and the fact that I knew a little bit about swimming.”

Mr. Weston

God opened a door that changed Mr. Weston’s life with a simple question and a little knowledge. The smallest things can have the biggest impacts. 

Avoid the Small Regrets Too

Mr. Weston expanded the topic of small opportunities to share some insight about common, seemingly small actions that we will regret, and gave us tips to avoid them. First, he said, “Do not overreact.” We should take time in our responses and not be hasty. Second, he said, “Learn as much as you can from your parents.” He looked back on his own life and realized the things he wished he could have asked his father and the time he could have spent with his mother. Third, he said, “Do not be critical of others.” It damages friendships and seldom helps people. Lastly, he said, “Do not waste time.” This does not mean we always have to be productive. It means we should spend more time meditating, doing things like hunting or fishing or just getting outdoors more. Otherwise, we will regret how we spent our time when we look back.

“It is our nature to waste and throw away our lives, because time is life.”

Mr. Weston

What Is Your Story Going to Be?

Are we going to look back on our life and be satisfied, or are we going to regret those small mistakes and missed opportunities? Concluding, Mr. Weston reminded the students to consider their actions today. 

“The things that happen today may have far greater impact on your overall life, on your whole story, than you could ever imagine. Take advantage of every opportunity you have.”

There are opportunities that come up every day that may be once-in-a-lifetime chances. We should take them; we should create that life story with no regrets, full of success. 
For tips on maximizing and even creating small opportunities, read a Summary of Dr. Winnail’s Forum on The Path to Achieving Your Goals.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.