Archive for year: 2025

This past Thursday, Mr. Michael Heykoop shared a forum on the identity of modern-day Israel. He explained that this church doctrine is strongly frowned upon by many outside of the church and potentially misunderstood by those inside. This doctrine can and has been misused throughout history. People can take it to argue their superiority over others if they are descendants of the ancient tribes. Mr. Heykoop encouraged us to see the importance of this doctrine and how it dramatically impacts our job as Christians, but does not determine our salvation. 

Mr. Heykoop said learning Israel’s modern-day identity is crucial to understanding prophecy. Jeremiah 30 calls the last days the time of Jacob’s trouble. Understanding who these people are helps us prepare for the approaching times. The second key is that it assists us as we preach the Ezekiel warning. This understanding is vital to doing the work and mission God has commissioned us to do. 

Mr. Heykoop came to a close by reminding us that God does not judge our salvation on nationality but on character. Acts 10 shows that God gave the Gentiles His Spirit before baptism, showing how He works with all people. We have been covering this topic in our Biblical Doctrines class for the past few weeks, allowing us to appreciate Mr. Heykoop’s lesson. He said that learning the identity of Israel is of utmost importance, but whether we are direct descendants does not. What matters is that we are citizens of Christ through our baptism. 

Author: Caleb Loy| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2024-25

---

How to do slide decks and better… and why

Mr. Jonathan McNair talked with us about the skill of making PowerPoint Presentations, which he argued we need to develop to succeed in today’s world. He encouraged us to use these skills to grow and thrive in our professional and educational futures.

He clarified that this was not a discussion of PowerPoint alone but all slide decks. Mr. McNair effectively introduced why becoming capable in this area is so important by highlighting various books written on terrible slide decks and how to fix them. What drove the point home was the comic with the punchline “Death by PowerPoint.” 

Mr. McNair broke down his talk into two major components: the basics and the finer points. He told us that we needed to think about our slides last. We should first develop what we want to say, then build the slides to assist us, not make them our notes. When we read off the slides, it creates a disconnect with those who are listening to us. This is not a new concept, however. He compared it to a teacher in college who would write on the blackboard the entire time and seldom pay any attention to the class. Slides should be something we use to leverage attention to ourselves, not something to hide in. 

Mr. McNair also taught that it is essential to create a consistent look and feel with the text; less is more. Individuals often put too much information that the viewer cannot take in. All this does is create confusion and distract the audience. Along with the amount of text, the size is equally important. There is no point in putting any text on the slides if the audience cannot read it. The same is true with photos. They should enhance the meaning of what is being conveyed instead of having them just because you think it would make your presentation more “colorful.” 

Digging deeper, Mr. McNair discussed effects and transitions from slide to slide. He said that they should be simple, as, in most cases, the audience does not need fancy swirling transitions to keep them entertained. It would generally undermine our credibility. Instead of taking the time to add intricate transitions and effects, he recommended focusing on the “meat” of the presentation. 

Mr. McNair reminded us that slide decks should only be a launching point for us to explore our topic. While notorious for detracting from a presentation, they can significantly enhance its effectiveness. While we do not use slides daily, we are excited to apply this knowledge to future projects. We were encouraged to develop excellence both in building slide decks and throughout our lives.

Author: Katelyn Wissinger| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2024-25

---

Young people have a lot of decisions ahead, big and small, all of which can significantly affect us. When Mr. Michael Elliott was our age, he was also trying to figure out what to do with his life, what kind of education to get, and what job to pursue. In his recent forum, Mr. Elliott went through one book, Ecclesiastes, which gives advice on finding happiness and the secret to life. 

The twenty-first book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, was written by King Solomon as “He was trying to find things that made him happy, and he thought that this would give him happiness and give him meaning in his life.” As Solomon did, we wrestle with questions such as “What am I spending my time on? What have I achieved in my life? What’s the value in life?” This thought comes naturally once we realize life is fleeting. Life is more than material wealth, which never fulfills us, as Ecclesiastes 2:1 and 5:13 both point out. Life can be fulfilling and enjoyable if we look to God and have the proper perspective. 

King Solomon realized that life is short. We must make the most of it now because every day is a gift from God. We need to live our lives enjoying it in the present and obeying God because our eternal salvation, our future, depends on it. The day of our death will be better than the day of our birth because our next waking moment will be in the kingdom of God if we have been faithful (Ecc 7:1). We want to be remembered as a person who walked according to His ways and stayed strong even amid trials that He might allow us to go through.

God intended for our short time on earth to be enjoyable, and He provided the Bible to help us avoid the pitfalls that hinder this. We need to learn the Bible and live by what it says.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

This past Thursday, Mr. Alex Pomicter shared aspects of life he researched and tried himself. In this forum, he presented the importance and value of hobbies and the ideology of living a “T-shaped” life. 

Mr. Pomicter informed us of the benefits of having a wide array of hobbies. Taking the time to do things we like can help reduce stress, foster social connections, boost self-esteem, enhance creativity, and lead a healthier lifestyle. Hobbies can drastically impact our lives by allowing us to learn more skills, bringing us in contact with new people, and keeping us physically active.

Mr. Pomicter introduced the idea of living in the shape of a T by showing us inspirational people from history and how they can fit this lifestyle. The “T-shape” is based upon “Breadth of Knowledge,” making up the cross-section, and “Depth of Mastery,” making up for the post. It is essential to have a wide range from which to gather knowledge to live this way of life, not simply to be a jack of all trades and master of none but master of one. He used Ernest Hemingway, Leonardo da Vinci, and Thomas Jefferson to help us better understand the importance of having an extensive collection of interests. Hemingway was an author, outdoorsman, and war reporter. Da Vinci was an artist, architect, and engineer. Jefferson was the third president, botanist, and scholar.  We need to be rooted in one specific area; we should become a master in one particular thing while branching out and gaining experience to better ourselves. 

Certain benefits can come from living this way, such as being ready for future jobs, gaining new insight into your area of expertise, and making life more interesting. There are also perks regarding hiring, which include flexibility, better communication and collaboration skills, and hard and soft skills. This may seem like a new ideology, but the principles and effects have been tried and tested, as he brought out with examples of Thomas Jefferson. 

Mr. Pomicter listed some helpful keys to developing a “T-shaped” life. Start with mastering one skill, always remaining curious, reading broadly, actively dabbling in what we see and learn, and finally, increasing empathy. Empathy allows us to see a problem from a different point of view and find new ways to solve it. We must adapt and overcome difficulties, whether in academics, work, or even everyday life. As we end our time here at Living-Ed, we will be putting in the effort to expand our breadth of knowledge while continuing to grow our depth of mastery. 

Living a way of life opposite to this world is challenging, yet this is precisely what the Living Education students have decided to do. They have chosen to buy into the way of life—the Truth from the Bible—that the Church is selling them.  

At Living Education, the students experience many opportunities that help them internalize and promote the values and way of life the Church teaches. The students learn to serve during Friday-night dinners, cooperate as they live in dorms, and have opportunities to volunteer at youth camps during the summer as well. As the students buy into and internalize God’s truth, they become a mechanism for spreading these values back in their home congregations. Mr. Weston encouraged them to live God’s way of life for their whole life, not just while in the Living Education program. The students are not just to learn the Truth for themselves but to be ambassadors for Christ wherever they go.  

Mr. Weston gave several examples of how students living the way of life the Church promotes always matters. Students develop a strong work ethic, show outgoing concern by taking others on dates, and build trust by consistently acting according to their values. Even female-male relationships and how we behave towards those of the opposite sex matter—the students’ conduct determines their reputation and the Living Education program’s reputation.   

Living Education is a tool the Church uses to promote the biblical way of life to young adults. The students participating in the program can immerse themselves in true values and the responsibility to promote them through how they live the rest of their lives. The students have decided to buy into the Truth—what about you?