Delve Into History

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

Estimated Reading Time: 9 min.

How seriously do we take the topic of history? Mr. Bob Rodzaj discussed this with the students of Living Education in this forum.

He recalled a trip that he took to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in his youth. He said that, like most children on trips to historical places, he only remembered monuments and grass, neglecting to appreciate why the town is famous in the first place: the Battle of Gettysburg. After revisiting it 30 years later and learning about what happened there, his eyes were opened. It expanded his worldview exponentially, and he then realized what he was missing, how much he was missing, and the difference it could make. History can enrich our lives and increase our potential in so many ways. Mr. Rodzaj encouraged us to delve into history—whatever strikes our fancy or satisfies our curiosity—to do just that.

A Modern Disinterest in History

Many people today have no interest in history. True history is not really being taught in our schools. Some young people do not even know who won the American Civil War, let alone that there even was one! Historical movies can seem long and boring when we don’t appreciate the background and context—and the life lessons that can be learned. But everyone loves a good story, and history is all about stories—stories that can benefit us in so many ways.

History is Everywhere!

The Bible is full of doctrine, prophecy, and examples of Christian living—AND history, from beginning to end. Many of the books found in the Bible are full of history. The book of Revelation itself is history written in advance! Many geographic locations can also be a great source of history. Mr. Rodzaj attended Virginia Tech for five years, but failed to appreciate at the time that the state of Virginia is saturated with early American and Civil War history. As a result, he missed out on a lot of potential learning! Modern Church history is also wholly interesting and beneficial. Many helpful lessons can be learned from the history of the Worldwide Church of God: stories of zeal, healings, massive growth, getting off track, getting back on track, the times surrounding the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, apostasies, and splits. Mr. Rodzaj recalled that he came into the Church in 1979, later attended Ambassador College, and eventually had to make difficult decisions when the great split came about. He was grateful to be surrounded by dedicated individuals who had experienced those earlier days—individuals who provided good examples to follow—which helped him to navigate the challenges, and to end up in the Living Church of God.

What History Teaches Us

Mr. Rodzaj gave examples of lessons history can teach us:

  1. A Lesson in Remaining Strong in the Faith

Revelation 2 and 3 tell us all about the eras of God’s Church. The Sardis era is known as the “dead church”, yet not all people’s faith were completely dead during this time. In Revelation 3:4, Christ said “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” Mr. Rodzaj also read from The Incredible History of God’s True Church, by Ivor C. Fletcher, which listed a few inspiring figures that persevered in their faith during the Sardis era, despite the Church of that era being religiously dead for the most part. Accounts like these can help encourage us to stay faithful in the hardest times, as well as to understand what we may face today or in the future.

  1. A Lesson in Leadership

During the American Civil War, Union General George B. McClellan and Confederate General Robert E. Lee provided a contrast in leadership styles. In the deadliest day-long battle in America’s military history, the battle of Antietam, McClellan led his army from a mile away, receiving reports and giving orders, distant and detached from what was really going on in the heat of battle. Meanwhile, Lee, engaged and involved, rode on horseback up and down his lines for hours to command his men. Though the Union had nearly twice as many soldiers than the Confederates, the battle ultimately ended in a draw because of the leadership of Lee. Lee’s example emphasizes how important it is to be engaged and involved as leaders.

  1. A Lesson in Communication

Abraham Lincoln was an amazing communicator whose use of figurative speech and metaphor—clear, forceful, and logical—helped America through the greatest test of its history. Lincoln’s famous “house divided” speech on the issue of slavery in America convinced many that slavery tolerated and expanded would indeed cause the nation to collapse. In the famous Gettysburg Address, likely the most well-known speech in history, Lincoln framed in two minutes the great significance of the struggle to preserve the nation. Edward Everett, who spoke for two hours prior to Lincoln’s short address, wrote, “I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes.” Lincoln was a gifted communicator; studying his example can help us to grow as communicators as well.

  1. A Lesson in Virtues to Emulate

History provides examples of great and unselfish leaders that can help us to emulate them. The book Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, describes the political genius and magnanimity of Abraham Lincoln, who placed in his own Cabinet political rivals he had run against in his presidential campaign. He had to continually deal with men who believed he was moronic, men who criticized his decisions and actions were utterly foolish. Yet he dealt with these men respectfully, recognizing their value and counsel. Because of Lincoln’s gracious and respectful treatment, these men became his greatest admirers and devotees.

  1. Lessons in What to Do and What Not to Do

History can teach us what to do and what not to do. In the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant was highly regarded as a general, but his early overconfidence almost cost him dearly in some of his initial battles. General McClellan, who struggled with fear and insecurity, squandered many opportunities to end the Civil War early on as a result. History also shows us how temperament and personality can affect people’s choices and decisions. Studying historical figures’ great successes and failures, and why they occurred, can help us to analyze our own behaviors, and steer us away from making similar mistakes.

  1. A Lesson in the Complexities of Human Nature

Learning about the backgrounds of historical figures can show us how human nature develops and operates within people, and how they affect a person’s motives and behavior. The book Crucible of Command analyzes how the upbringings of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee affected their leadership later in life. Grant, in his early life, was not the brightest boy, but he had grown up in a family with a father present to mentor him. He became very patient, understanding, and successful in leading and dealing with people because of this. Confederate General Robert E. Lee, on the other hand, grew up with an absentee father, leaving him a product of paternal neglect. He grew up having to take care of a mother who struggled with depression and needed constant care. As a result, Lee struggled with melancholy, and did not deal with those he commanded head-on, but indirectly, which at times was problematic. We all have different backgrounds, so understanding what factors into our mindsets early on can help us to better analyze our own behavior and be better prepared to deal with people in this life and in the next age.

Caution: There’s Always A Narrative!

In studying history, be aware that there’s always a narrative that can impact our point of view and what we can learn from historical accounts. Bible translations and commentaries provide examples for us. Mr. Rodzaj explained that Bible translations often depend on the agenda of the translators. That’s why it’s important for us to become familiar with the authors of the translation, their reasons for creating the translation, and how they interpreted the original texts. Likewise, Bible commentaries tend to reflect the belief system of their authors and their own understanding of the Bible. History too has its narratives, and we need to understand the point of view of the historians who relate it, to gain a proper perspective on what really happened and those who were involved.

Much to Gain

There are important lessons to be learned in both worldly and biblical history. History can:

  • Help you have an outward mindset and outlook on life.
  • Help you make better choices and decisions.
  • Help you better understand and deal with other people.
  • Help you develop traits and habits that will enhance your personality and character.
  • Help you become better qualified to assist Christ in the next age.

So delve into history, and let history enrich your life and increase your potential!

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.

Paths of Success

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

Estimated reading time: 5 min.

The Living Educations students received a forum presentation from Dr. John Cole discussing the paths of success. 

To begin, Dr. Cole admonished the students to consider the path they take, researching jobs and opportunities qualitatively and quantitatively. We must avoid applying for a position in just any company or embarking on the first endeavor that crosses our path. Instead, we should take the time to investigate. If we are considering applying to a company, Dr. Cole admonished the students to spend some time on its website, learn its mission statement, observe the competition, and find the causes it supports, like its diversity and sustainability policies. He introduced an effective qualitative method for evaluating jobs, opportunities, or even yourself!

SWOT Analysis

Dr. Cole elaborated on a method of analysis that involves listing strengths and weaknesses, followed by opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses are internal attributes. Dr. Cole gave the example of analyzing a company. First, we consider what the company does well: Does it have a strong brand name or proprietary technology that gives it an advantage over its competitors? Then, we investigate weaknesses, finding out what causes problems and bottlenecks or ways the competitors are stronger than the company in question. After this, Dr. Cole explained the external considerations; we look for opportunities that may benefit the company. Are trade tariffs going to be lowered, improving profits? We also pinpoint threats. What are major events that could occur that would damage the company’s sales or assets? Dr. Cole explained that this method is widely used, even at the highest level of management. This research is invaluable for a job interview. Having a detailed understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of a company will absolutely impress its hiring manager. 

Tips for Success 

Dr. Cole encouraged the students to market their skills well. We can change our mindset from “I get to meet this person” to “This person gets to meet me.” It is important to remember our value! We can present our life and experience as a narrative, engaging the listener and compelling them. 

Another path for success, as Dr. Cole explained, is to build your network. It is immensely valuable to create a list of professional contacts that we accumulate over the years. This will make it easy to stay in steady communication over time. For expanding your network, he recommended getting introductions from existing contacts. It is also helpful to use sites like LinkedIn, join forums, and even make a website showcasing samples of our work. 

Be prepared for ethical challenges. Dr. Cole reminded the students that most people do not prioritize morality; out in the workforce we will see unethical decisions, and we may even be pressured to perform some ourselves. We must be prepared to counter such influences.

He also said to consider the details of a company or agency if we are considering working for them. Fortune 500 companies will open doors for the future. A publicly traded company is going to be different from a private company. Working for a state agency will differ from having a federal position. Also, a prospective company may be owned by a parent corporation, which means it could be sold. These are areas he gave to consider when looking at a job, but this analysis can be useful when considering starting a business or when planning a different endeavor. 

Dr. Cole told us that there are three topics to avoid in a professional environment: sex, religion, and politics. People may try to pull us into a conversation on one of these, but it is a bad idea. He also said that people will even try to start arguments with us; it is prudentto keep our guard up on these topics. 

He addressed choosing the trade or academic path. Either is fine, but Dr. Cole said to always treat everyone with respect. We cannot assume people from either path are stupid. How they make the world a better place is the only thing that matters.

Dress for success. Dr. Cole told the students that this principle is as true now as it has ever been. If we interview for a more casual type of job, we can still dress up—just make it clear that we are doing it out of respect for the interviewer and company, and not only to make ourselves look good. 

Dr. Cole gave another key piece of advice: always send thank-you notes after interviews or other meetings. This is a crucial step many people miss.

For his last tip, Dr. Cole mentioned the value of apprenticeships and internships. These are great opportunities to test a field and learn from experienced professionals. Even outside of formal positions, the attitude of looking to test out a field and get experience from professionals can help many types of endeavors to succeed. 

Envision Your Success

Dr. Cole told the students to envision their success. This involves developing a clear goal, identifying all the prerequisites needed, and making a plan to develop them. It is critical to train in the skills we need. Our ultimate goal is the Kingdom of God, and we must apply even more energy and strategy into pursuing this goal. Concluding, Dr. Cole admonished the students to learn these strategies and apply these tips on their path to success. 


Mr. Tyler Wayne gave a forum recently on analyzing risks and planning small business projects. This forum is available here: Take a Risk and Do Something.

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.

Working in the Accounting Department

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

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

Accounting is a complex sector of business operations. Here is a look at the students who work there for their work/study position.

The Living Education program aims to provide students with valuable work experience and also assist the Church in doing God’s Work. Part of doing God’s Work involves accounting, which is very complex in modern times. Thus, having students work part-time is a great benefit to the Accounting Department, and it also gives students valuable experience that is in high-demand in the working world. This year, Kezia Ciesielka and Rachel Price are working in the Accounting Department!

Kezia Ciesielka is an Accounting Clerk and processes invoices and reimbursements.

Kezia is a Student Leader in her second year at Living Education. She works both as an Accounting Clerk and as a Resident Assistant, but this article focuses on her work in the Accounting Department. Due to her class schedule, she works 30 hours a week—the typical first year student only works 20 hours a week. She is considering studying accounting and is using this opportunity to experience the field, learning the ins and outs of businesses and accounting systems and using software like Great Plains and Kwiktag. 

Kezia’s Main Roles in the Accounting Department

  • Processing invoices 
  • Ensuring expenditures come from correct accounts
  • Reviewing reimbursement requests
  • Classifying expenses

Most fun part of the job? “Getting to sit down, with a good bit of things to go through, when you’re not super-stressed out because it needs to be done super-quick, with your cup of tea, and make sure everything is in the right spot. It is very satisfying because everything goes where it belongs.” 

Most challenging part of the job? “When we are coming up on a deadline and you think, There is no way I can do this all, and it all has to be done exactly correctly, because if I mess up, this is money we’re talking about; I can’t mess up. But then I just tell myself, I can only do what I can do.”

Rachel Price works as an Archivist, primarily creating digital copies of legal documents. 

Rachel Price is a first year student who works almost entirely in the Accounting Department, though she does assist in the Mail Processing Department when they are busy. In Accounting, she is currently  working on a multi-year project that involves taking old paper documents and scanning them and organizing them so they can be readily accessed. She works primarily in her office with Scanly—that’s what she named the scanner—and Patrick, who once was a possum but now is only a possum hide (she got him for the Renaissance fair; it’s a whole thing). 

Rachel Price’s Main Roles in the Accounting Department

  • Scanning documents 
  • Sorting paper documents
  • Organizing digital copies
  • Cleaning the count room 

Most fun part of the job? “Cleaning the count room! It’s nice because you get up and move around, polish that table, and make it shiny.”

Most challenging part of the job? “Not shutting your brain off, because you are scanning and that’s a very mundane activity, but you really can’t just shut off your brain while you’re doing it, because you are naming these files, and if you name it wrong, it’ll be really hard to find; that’ll just bring issues in the future if it’s ever needed.”

Final Details Before We Wrap Up

In going through all these departments, I find it remarkable how the Church integrates a fluctuating number of students every year so fluidly. No one is sitting around; no one is unused. Every department has basic work that able-bodied and minded students are able to accomplish, freeing up the more experienced employees to work on longer-term improvement projects. The Accounting Department typifies this exquisitely. Here there are two students, collectively working 50 man-hours a week, who enable the Accounting Department to improve its archival system and handle invoices quicker, and the students get valuable work-experience at the same time. The work/study system is quite remarkable! 

We posted a similar article highlighting the students who work in the following departments: Mail Processing, Maintenance, and Living Education. Check those out if you are interested in learning more!

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.

More Reasons We Pray

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This excerpt highlights key elements answering “why pray?” from Mr. Richard Ames’ article, “Prayer: Our Lifeline to God”.

Course Spotlight from Tools for Christian Growth: Prayer
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Working in the Mail Processing Department

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

Estimated reading time: 3 min.

Here’s a look at the students who work in the Mail Processing Department for the Living Education work/study program. 

The Mail Processing Department (MPD) forms a critical part of the Work. MPD sends out booklets, semi-annual letters, Bible Study Course lessons, and Tomorrow’s World magazines to thousands of people worldwide. The department ensures that everyone receives their literature in a timely manner and reduces cost wherever possible to help God’s Work be efficient and effective. This year, two students work in the MPD: Dawn Rude and Jontavius Mincey.

Jontavius Mincey works as a Mail Clerk Assistant, assisting the Mail Processing Department to meet their daily goals. 

Jon’s tasks include stuffing envelopes by hand, operating a mail-inserter machine, and delivering mail to employees in the office. Recently, the MPD worked tirelessly on the project of sending out as many semi-annual letters themselves as possible to defray costs. While he had experience in similar events already, Jon has learned some unique skills, like how to operate a mail-inserter, which apparently involves a lot of unjamming. 

Jontavius’ Main Roles in the Mail Processing Department:

  • Insert certain mail by hand
  • Organize pallets of outgoing mail
  • Operate Mail-Inserter
  • Sort and deliver incoming mail
  • Assist with loading/unloading deliveries

Most fun part of the job? “Probably being around Mr. Bonjour (the MPD director). He makes everything a lot more funny and enjoyable to be around.”

Most challenging part of the job? “If you make a mistake with the mail, you have to go back and redo them all. That is a lot of extra-work and irritating.”

Dawn Rude works as a Mail Assistant in the Mail Processing Department, helping to perform labor-intensive tasks. 

Dawn also works at stuffing envelopes and packaging literature. At the beginning of the year, she worked two days a week doing landscaping at the dorms. However, the MPD decided they could use her all five days a week to help out. She takes care of many labor-intensive tasks like wrapping books and sorting literature requests, which allows the department to run smoothly. She briefly operated the mail-inserter but “didn’t like the fact that it jammed so much.” 

Dawn Rude’s Main Roles in the Mail Processing Department:

  • Insert certain mail by hand
  • Sort literature requests 
  • Burn DVDs for delivery
  • Assist with the labeling machine

Most fun part of the job? “Oh, definitely getting to talk to people during work. Sometimes, you’ll just be sitting there, stuffing envelopes with booklets or DVDs with someone next to you, and we’ll just have some pretty crazy conversations. It’s nice.”

Most challenging part of the job? “Probably staying focused when you don’t have anyone to talk to or headphones to listen to something. It can be a little repetitive and that can get to you.” 

Opportunities in the Mail Processing Department

The Mail Processing Department defrays costs of sending literature by handling as much of the printing, inserting, and labeling process as they can. This department operates just like a high-functioning business: it is about getting results in a cost-effective and fast way. Students get experience working in a fast-paced environment, operating machinery, meeting deadlines, and just manual labor like inserting envelopes. All of this experience can directly translate into countless warehouse and production-related jobs. More importantly, the Mail Processing Department saves the Church money by handling much of the necessary printing and mailing. There is, essentially, an endless amount of work they could do, and every bit of it would be valuable. The more students help and contribute, the more God’s Work can do!

We have done two other work/study related Student Life posts before. One is about working in the Maintenance Department. The other is about working in the Living Education department. Check them out if you are interested!

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.

A Future Blowing of Trumpets

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The most awesome series of events in human history will be ushered in by the blast of angelic trumpets. Check out an excerpt from our Bible Study Course to learn more!

Course Spotlight from Feast Days: The Feast of Trumpets
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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
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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.