Humans’ Automatic Warning System – the Conscience

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

Estimated reading time: 5 mins.

The students in the Living Ed program had a forum presentation from an elder in South Africa who runs the Church’s office there, Mr. Botha.

He began with the story of a plane crash in Spain. In this instance, the pilots had clearly heard the automatic warning system telling them in English, “PULL UP.” The pilot responded with “shut up, gringo!” They ignored the warning—with catastrophic consequences. Do we act the same way with our automatic warning systems? Do we ignore our consciences?

Should We Trust Our Conscience?

Mr. Botha warned that many people today consider the conscience to be “a defect that robs people of their self-esteem.” But in actuality, the conscience is a gift from God that can tell us, “PULL UP!” when we are in danger. Even people in the world (Romans 2:15) can make use of this gift. 

“Our conscience entreats us to do what we believe is right.”

Mr. Botha

Mr. Botha clarified that our conscience is not the same as the word or law of God, but is concerned with our inner motives and true thoughts, something above intellect and reason. If we act contrary to our authentic motives and beliefs, we contradict our conscience, and “a violated conscience is not easily convinced.”

Conscience in the Bible

In the Old Testament, Mr. Botha explained, the word translated “heart” is the closest in meaning to the Greek word translated “conscience.” Through the Old Testament, we see consciences, or hearts, set against God (Exodus 8:15) and directing men to follow God (2 Chronicles 34:27). Our conscience can be abused by wrong beliefs or silenced by being ignored (Titus 1:15). Yet at one point, all will experience their conscience testifying against them.

Conscience versus Doctrine

Do we always follow our conscience? Mr. Botha pointed out that there is a difference between what our conscience thinks and what God thinks. But as we spiritually grow, our conscience becomes more in harmony with God’s will. Mr. Botha illustrated this by comparing our conscience to a skylight—it is not a light source on its own, but rather it needs a strong light source to shine through it. When in harmony with God, our conscience grows to be a powerful tool to keep us on track by accusing us when we do wrong things, like David’s conscience after he had cut the robe of Saul (1 Samuel 24:5). And a pure conscience can grow to be a testimony to others. 

“For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.”

2 Corinthians 1:12

Overcoming a Weak Conscience

Mr. Botha addressed the difficulties that come from having an oversensitive, weak conscience. He pointed to clean and unclean meats. A weak conscience leads to a legalistic, overscrupulous approach fueled by disputing (Romans 14:1-2). It comes from an immature spiritual state, a mind that has not been saturated in the word of God. The answer is to study the Bible and prove God’s will through prayer and fasting. Mr. Botha clarified that, if we have a weak conscience, we still should not violate it. Those with stronger consciences should defer to the weak (1 Corinthians 8:13), and we should not be in the habit of going against our conscience. 

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

Romans 14:23

How to Keep Your Conscience Clean

Mr. Botha explained that having a right conscience before involves having a clean conscience, and he gave the students three ways to keep our consciences clean.

1) Confess and forsake known sins. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). If we know we have sinned, and we confess and forsake our sin, God is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). 

2) Seek forgiveness from those you have wronged. We should be sure to reconcile with others (Matthew 5:23-24). Mr. Botha pointed out that we should make restoration for our wrongs, going above and beyond (Luke 19:8). 

3) Do not procrastinate in clearing your wounded conscience. “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16). Mr. Botha emphasized that letting guilt fester leads to depression. 

Final Thoughts

As his last part of the presentation, Mr. Botha reiterated the importance of strengthening our conscience by saturating our minds in God’s word and warned against violating our own conscience. He also showed how the world views our conscience as useless and tells us to ignore it. In reality, “a pure conscience is more to be pursued than the world’s approval.” We should be able to stand ourselves, to not feel guilty about actions. We need to have faith and a good conscience (1 Timothy 1:19). We should not ignore our automatic warning system, because “the cost of switching it off is dangerously high; it will inevitably result in spiritual catastrophe.”

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.

Walking on the Trail of Faith

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

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

In Valdese, North Carolina, lies a treasure trove of history hiding in plain sight: the Waldensian Trail of Faith.

This outdoor museum brings the Piedmont valleys of north Italy across the sea to Valdese and makes Waldensian history come to life with life-size recreation of critical monuments and buildings. The Living Education students walked on this Trail of Faith to learn more about the Thyatira era of the Church of God, hearing about the zeal and persecutions of the Waldensians and also seeing their slip into Protestantism that ended their era of God’s church. 

Arriving at the Trail

As the Living Ed students and faculty pulled in, they glimpsed the outdoor exhibits on the trail, and noticed there were Christmas decorations and crosses strewn about the outdoor museum in preparation for the holiday season. Mr. McNair was quick to comment on this. “You may be thinking,” he said, “What’s the deal with this? I thought the Waldensians were our Christian forerunners.” Well, as we were to find out, a lot happened on the Trail of Faith that the Waldensians walked, and not all of it was good. 

The group walking to the Barberi College Exhibit
Mr. Tlumak talking after the Student Leader’s Presentation

Beginning the Trail of Faith

The tour began with a replica barberi college. The Waldensian students of the thirteenth century studied in unimposing, cozy cottages that would not stand out, and this was intentional. Kezia, one of the Living Education student leaders, explained that these colleges served as secret sanctuaries for education where faithful students would memorize the whole new testament and the psalms (thankfully, we don’t have to do that). These colleges avoided attracting the attention of Catholic inquisitors at all costs. Often, they could not even risk having fires in the winter to stay warm. Kezia related the end result of a student’s studying at this college. Once that student left, equipped to preach the word of God, he had about a three-year life expectancy. Yet the Waldensians still studied through miserable conditions and trained to spread the true word of God. That’s true zeal. 

The students continued to the Church in the Cave exhibit. The cave in Valdese is a man-made duplicate of a grotto in the Piedmont valleys that features in a harrowing story. Nathan—another student leader—recounted how faithful Waldensians once hid in this cave for church services. It was small and cramped, and they had to crawl inside it; the only light inside came through a small crack at the top of the cave. The Waldensians could not even sing hymns for fear of being heard by Catholic inquisitors. Despite all this, they were discovered one day. The Catholic inquisitors did not want to crawl in, so they started a fire and cunningly directed the smoke into the small gap in the cave’s roof. Slowly the cave filled with smoke until it was unbearable for those inside. One by one, the Waldensians crawled out—and, one by one, they were killed. What else did these Waldensians endure on their Trail of Faith? We continued on to find out. 

A student leader gives his presentation on the Church in the Cave
A student peers through the tiny entrance of the grotto

Leaving the Trail of Faith

The students came to a memorial commemorating the Waldensians’ entrance into the Reformation. They conformed their doctrines to match the greater Protestant movement, but they would pay the price. The students continued on the Trail of Faith, but the Waldensians had fallen off. The next exhibits recounted the persecutions they faced, and, in a replica church, Ellie shared with us the intense wars and struggles the Waldensians faced in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries. The Waldensians were captured and removed from their villages in the Piedmont valleys, with little help from any Protestant countries. Though the Waldensians did fight their way back in their “Glorious Return,” they were no longer the same Waldensians who had put God and His Gospel above fighting and “homelands.”

The group piles into the church exhibit
The Waldensian War Memorial near the end of the trail

The later exhibits on the Trail of Faith show us the early Waldensian colony in Valdese, and relate the stories of those who left the then-overcrowded Piedmont valleys to come to America. One of the last exhibits is a war memorial that commemorates all the Waldensians who have served in the United States’ armed services. Mr. McNair noted the irony. The Waldensians were once Christians completely unconcerned with war and politics and focused on spreading God’s word, but they came to embrace war with pride.

Takeaways

The students left the tour filled with good memories, powerful stories, and a little deeper knowledge of God’s Church through the ages. The story of the Waldensian Trail of Faith is fascinating. It is full of zeal but also tragedy, especially after the majority of those in that Church era fell from the faith and faced horrible persecution. Despite the heaviness of the topics, we all enjoyed the tour immensely and shared many laughs and smiles throughout the day.

Students, guests, and Faculty at the Waldensian Trail of Faith

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 Path to Achieving Your Goals

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Estimated Read Time: 6 min.

Don’t End Up in a Hole

Dr. Douglas Winnail addressed the students of the Living Education program in Charlotte in a forum presentation. He advised the students to consider the decisions they make, because those choices will determine where they end up in life and bad decisions could land them in bad circumstances.   

“Some people dig such deep holes for themselves that they never get out.” – Dr. Douglas Winnail

Dr. Winnail illustrated with a simple story. He was riding with a young man and commented, “You should probably slow down; you’re driving pretty fast.” 

And he got this answer: “I know what I’m doing.” Within the next couple of weeks, that driver was in an accident. Consequences come from choices. But this is not always negative. If we want to be successful in life, we can make the right choices and achieve success. That’s a simple concept, but how do we find these right decisions? 

Seek Advice

Do we really need to listen to other people’s advice? Everyone wants to tell us how to live our lives, and usually, it’s just annoying. However, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Dr. Winnail explained that following your first instinct is sometimes a disaster. It is absolutely necessary to seek counsel (Proverbs 12:15) and follow the examples of successful people who achieve successful results through their lives. 

“The path to success is not a big secret.”

Dr. Winnail

There are countless books, stories, and lectures that address the age old question, “How can I be successful?” No doubt we have heard and read advice, but how much of it do we remember? It is not a secret; it is not hidden. We just don’t remember to seek out good advice and live it. 

To aid the students in their lives, Dr. Winnail presented 30 powerful principles to have a successful and fulfilled life. These principles come from Herbet W. Armstrong’s The Seven Laws of Success, Cameron C. Taylor’s Eight attributes of great achievers and that book’s sequel, and Coach Wooden’s Seven Point Creed. 

The Seven Laws of Success

Dr. Winnail began with a system that many people in the Church have used for decades to guide their lives. 

  1. Set the right goal. Is the goal really worth it? Is it going to bring the result that you think it will? (e.g., people often think a certain job with a large paycheck will bring happiness, but then it doesn’t). These questions must be considered!
  2. Prepare yourself. Once you know your goal, get the information, skills, and connections needed. The hard part here is figuring out what those skills are. Spend time thinking and researching this. 
  3. Maintain good health. This is fairly easy when you’re young, but more difficult as you age. Simply put, don’t compromise on sleep, exercise, diet, and stress management. 
  4. Drive yourself. “Let your eyes look straight ahead…. Do not turn to the right or the left” (Proverbs 4:25,27). Always keep pushing toward your goals. 
  5. Be resourceful. If you run into obstacles and difficulties, look for different paths, know what all your resources are, and seek guidance from others.
  6. Persevere toward your goal. Often, the hardest aspect of achieving a goal is sticking to it through the difficult moments, maintaining the will to be driven and resourceful. 
  7. Seek God’s guidance. This principle is often overlooked, but it is more ubiquitous in success stories than many realize! Even individuals like George Washington and Christopher Columbus prayed and asked God to guide them. 

Dr. Winnail encouraged the students to put these laws into action in their lives, and to learn from the stories of great achievers in history. He pointed to two books by Cameron C. Taylor that provide short stories and highlight characteristics shown by various successful individuals: 8 Attributes of Great Achievers and 8 Attributes of Great Achievers II

Sixteen Attributes of Great Achievers

Dr. Winnail provided a handout with the 16 attributes for our reference, and then expounded on particular points. 

8 Attributes of Great Achievers – Cameron C. Taylor, 2010

In reference to attribute 6 – Be Optimistic, Dr. Winnail quoted the motto of the Seabees in World War II, who built airstrips and infrastructure to support the military.

“The difficult we do at once. The impossible takes a bit longer!”

Inscription on the Seabees Memorial in Fort Meyers, VA

8 Attributes of Great Achievers II – Cameron C. Taylor, 2014

To illustrate attribute 11-Master the Fundamentals, Dr. Winnail delved into the story of John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach who won ten NCAA championships and coached famous players like Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. But John Wooden taught his players about more than just basketball; he taught them about life. 

John Wooden’s Seven Point Creed

These points were given to John Wooden by his father. Dr. Winnail encouraged us to listen, remember, and apply these to our lives, too. 

  1. Be true to yourself. Care more about building character than reputation. “Your character is what you are. Your reputation is what others think of you.”
  2. Help others. Philo Farnsworth, when he invented the television, did so to help others, not himself. Even in your goals, seek to benefit more people than just yourself.
  3. Make each day your masterpiece. Don’t put anything off to tomorrow that you can do today.
  4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible. You need advice. You need guidance, and quality books provide that.
  5. Make friendship an art. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly” (Proverbs 18:24). Put the effort in! 
  6. Build a shelter against a rainy day. This combines helping others, having friends, and making the most of your days. Build security and solidity in your life. 
  7. Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day.

Do we remember the blessings we have? The guidance we have been given? Dr. Winnail reminded the students to consider the valuable advice they get through these forums, to take the time to review their notes, to commit wisdom to memory and live it. 

Fill the Need

Dr. Winnail concluded his forum presentation with advice on setting goals. He told the students to look around and see what needs there are in the world. Christopher Colombus saw a need in his life: to reduce the time to get spices from India. Philo Farnsworth saw a need: displaying a scanned image on a screen. What needs do we see in the world around us today?

As Christians, we should see what we want to change in the world around us, because, as Dr. Winnail reminded the students, we will have the chance to make those changes when Christ returns. 

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 Need for Speed II [NASCAR Hall of Fame]

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Estimated reading time: 3 min.

In December of 2020, Living Education students visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame and published a compelling student life post: A Need for Speed. Two years later, the sequel is finally here.

A Need for Speed II races through the 2022 student’s experience at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Buckle up. 

This year the students, and faculty, strapped into their seats—in some highly aerodynamic minivans and SUVs—and motored to downtown Charlotte, to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The group was directed by Mr. Ruddlesden, joined by his wife. Other faculty and guests were also there including Miss Ross, Mr. Braddock—who brought his family to add to the fun—and Mr. and Mrs. Tlumak. 

Walking on Legendary Lane

The academic associates formed a pack as they funneled into the NASCAR museum and checked in. They moved up Glory Road, which features 18 cars, hand picked by Dale Earnhardt Jr, and saw iconic cars like Herb Thomas’ Hudson Hornet and Dale Earnhardt’s Chevy Lumina, the car he won his last championship with in 1994 (read about this car here). 

Living Education Students walking up the Glory Road

In retrospect, the drift up “Glory Road” is one of the most impressive for any sport: these 18 cars tell the tale of 15 drivers who won 46 of the first 72 premier series championships. It is a dense display of the most dominant drivers, and rivals any sport with its concentration of greatness. 

Pit Stop Competition 

After crossing the finish line there, we analyzed the complex designs of racing stock cars exhibited and dived into aerodynamics and chassis design. But things really got fun at the Pit Crew challenge. The students and faculty went head to head in competition for the fastest time. The old people, I mean the faculty, found their groove and flew through the pit stop. Mr. Braddock flexed his familiarity with an impact wrench, and the students just couldn’t keep up. 

Living Ed students do the Pit Stop Challenge
The Braddock family prepares for battle

Simulating a NASCAR Race

We moved onto the simulator section (NASCAR HoF Simulators) after being embarrassed, and slipped into the advanced racing simulators—a screen, steering wheel, pedals, and paddle shifters set up in a full-sized stock car—and raced each other repeatedly. Chaos ensued. On the first run, several drivers, including me, passed the pace car on the first lap. In almost every race, some disastrous crash in the last few laps completely changed the race leaders, much to the chagrin of those who were in first or second place. 

Inside the advanced simulators at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Go Faster

We learned that we weren’t Chase Elliots or Danica Patricks. Our NASCAR results put us closer to taxi drivers than professional racers. Even compared to 2020, our numbers don’t measure up. The 2020 top speeds were around 194 mph, and ours were only 184 mph. But this fueled in us an even stronger, deeper need for speed. The students and faculty relentlessly played those simulators, perfecting their passing and side drafting, seeking to go ever faster.

Eventually, some migrated to the displays and trophy cases further along in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, but most kept at it on the simulators. I can only say this: a stock car experiences a lot of drag at 184 mph. That must have affected us because we had to drag a few of the students out of those simulators. 

Living Ed students giving two thumbs up
Living Ed students….reading I guess

Go Big or Go Home [we went home]

The drive back to the dorms was  suspiciously shorter than the drive there. The NASCAR Hall of Fame was only a short pit for the students, and they slingshotted straight into their assignments. It turns out, the students from 2020 had similar feelings as us it seems. 

“Deadlines are approaching and soon,” one of the 2020 students writes in A Need for Speed, “unless the students shift into high gear, they will find themselves with a need for speed.” That’s truth right there.

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.

How Do Students Fare at the Faire?

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Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Vibrant colors, costumes, and teeming crowds—the Living Ed students visited the Carolina Renaissance Festival and had a medieval time!

In Huntersville, NC, is one of the largest Renaissance Faires in America. This 25-acre Faire draws a yearly crowd of around 200,000 people, and the students set out to explore the festival. With 140 different vendors, stage shows, and even jousting three times a day, the Faire offers more than enough to keep one exploring for a full day, if not multiple days.

A Student’s Experience

Ever wonder what it would have been like to live in Europe 600 years ago? Well, a Renaissance Faire may not be the most realistic example (I’m pretty sure Darth Vader wasn’t in the real renaissance), but it is its own unique experience! This year’s Living Ed students adventured into new memories—for many of them it was their first time—and enjoyed the shows, the activities, and the unique shops, boasting an assortment of perfect gifts and trinkets.

Fowl Shows

The Festival held a fowl show, and it was anything but poultry (OK, I’ll stop now). The falconry exhibited was marvelous and involved both a hawk and an owl. But that wasn’t it. There was juggling in shows, magic tricks, knife throwing, acrobatics, and kids doing something with plates and broom handles (I wasn’t present for that show). Not to mention the jousting. Nothing like watching knights in full armor horse around a little.

Camels, Throwing Knives, and Paintball

Ever wanted to ride a camel, go throw knives at a wooden target, and then go shoot a paintball gun? If yes, you have oddly specific plans in life and you’re probably going somewhere big with that. But if you thought no, then you’re like me and see no connection between any of those things. However, Living Ed students did all of those things (hopefully not at the same time). Now that’s having some new experiences!

An Apish, Bald-Pated Dissambler

In case you’re wondering, that is an insult I received, and it’s absolutely marvelous. Would you like to be insulted and/or insult others in Shakespearean English? Of course you do; it’s an absurd question. You need a Shakespeare Insult Generator book. And one fellow found this book at the fair and gifted it to one of the Living Ed students. This is a perfect example of the trinkets and novelties the Living Ed students found exploring the diverse shops, peddling products ranging from homemade, everlasting candles to swords crafted with a not-accurate-to-medieval-or-renaissance-time-period smelter and forge system (still mildly upset about that). But still, these are shops you won’t find anywhere else.

What Did We Get Out of All This?

The students got more than just a handy insult generator out of this visit: they got a whole new memory. They also saw outlandish shows, rode camels and threw knives, and got a few nice gifts along the way. It was a p(l)easant day!

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.

How to Host a Dinner

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Estimated Ready Time: 3 min.

While certainly stemming from contemporary nihilism, “Why bother?” can be a justified question to ask. So, why do we bother hosting events like dinners, barbecues, or activities?

Because, somehow, they are worth it every time! This week, one of the LivingEd students—not me, that’s for sure—organized a “welcome back from the feast” dinner for everyone, and though it faced challenges, it was spectacular in the end. 

Life Is Challenging 

To the uninitiated, hosting a dinner may seem easy. You cook some food, people show up, and, voilà, there’s a dinner party! Somehow, though, it gets complicated. “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong,” according to Murphy’s General Law.

The plan for this particular party was to grill lamb chops—not just because lamb chops are amazing, but also because it should have been easy. The hosting student had brought some back from the Feast, so they were already purchased, waiting—even begging—to be cooked. Easy money! Well, not quite. The number of invitees was beginning to outnumber the lamb chops. So, in the midst of classes, essays, and assignments, the host had to go get more, and lamb chops aren’t exactly available at the Dollar General up the street. 

Propane’s a Pain

Gas grills are fantastic. But highly compressed molecules in the gaseous phase have a tendency to seek a lower energy state by migration to a lower pressure system. Such a physical phenomena sounds fun on paper, but is annoying when it happens to your propane; thus, we found our grill’s gas tank empty after the Feast. Murphy strikes again. Yet our host was not to be deterred and refilled the tank.

Asparagus Evades Us

Asparagus—some people hate them. Some people love them. Some people insist they must be “prepared right” or some cryptic nonsense like that. Regardless, it is apparently hard to find them in stores. Fortunately, the girls’ RA managed to obtain some before the night of the dinner. Thus, we had asparagus. 

So, why bother? When Murphy throws challenges at you, it is tempting just to let it all go and not bother. Yet if you can survive getting the lamb chops, refilling the propane, and finding the asparagus, you may just find yourself having a pretty good time, and a great dinner. 

Work Hard, Eat Hard

Somehow, when the day of the dinner showed up, it felt like the hard part had been done, at least to me—and I didn’t do anything but stress vicariously. The actual host had a lot left to do, but now that he had overcome these other obstacles, like the whole asparagus ordeal, he was not to be stopped by a little cooking and food preparation. It all came together marvelously, and with help from a few of the girls cooking and procuring drinks, everyone had a fantastic dinner. There is an odd lesson to be learned from this: Hosting a dinner is actually quite challenging! Yet the best things in life are often the hardest to get. How do you host a good dinner? You do the hard things, like getting the lamb chops, propane, drinks, and, of course, that essential asparagus.

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.

Unlocking the Mystery of Life

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

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

In today’s world, many acclaimed scientists try to tell people that life is simply a composition of matter and energy, but deny the fact that composition needs a composer.

Mr. Richard Ames explained that even science makes it evident that intelligence is the only answer to the mystery of creation. He then played Unlocking the Mystery of Life, a documentary with the purpose of explaining that all cells, atoms, and molecules are too complicated to be simply the product of an accident.

Disproving Evolution

Mr. Ames pointed to the structure of the flagellum, a tail-like appendage that allows bacteria to move around quickly, similarly to a propeller. These flagellums are essentially microscopic motors in design and function, which evolution could not simply conjure up without first having each individual part created and put in its proper place. This structure alone should, in theory, be enough proof to atheists and evolutionists that all creation is the product of intelligent design, but many people still irrationally subscribe to evolutionism. 

Charles Darwin is known as the father of evolutionism, but even he left the possibility of intelligent creation open in the reasoning of his theory, stating, “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” If Darwin were alive today, he would have likely discarded his own theory in lieu of the advancement of scientific research!

Irreducible Complexity

In the documentary, biologist Jonathan Wells explained irreducible complexity. This scientific term is used to explain how certain biological systems would not be able to evolve through slight modifications, because they are already so complex that simplifying them any more would cause them to stop functioning. If a flagellum, for example, were to be reduced in design any more, it would no longer work as a propeller; it would become nothing more than a crude protrusion on the bacterium, which would soon become a victim of natural selection!

Intelligent Design

The documentary correctly asserts that all people are capable of recognizing true design, using Mount Rushmore as an example; when people look at it, they do not wonder how wind, rain, and the other forces of nature could have possibly eroded the mountain to perfectly present the appearance of four human faces, or why those faces ended up belonging to former presidents of the United States! We know intelligent design when we see it, yet many people still fail to recognize how deliberate every bit of creation actually is. Unlocking the Mystery of Life helps show that even science alone can prove the existence of our Creator!

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.

A Day in the Living Education-Charlotte Program

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Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Are you curious what a day in the Living Education-Charlotte program is really like?

This post is going to explore an “average” day—not a day with an activity or something exceptional going on. Why? Because a lot of thought has gone into creating a routine that encourages students to take care of themselves, learn, work, and even to have fun—and, to do this even on a “boring” and “average” day. Even if the program doesn’t interest you or is not practical for you to attend, this post is still useful as it highlights principles and actions that can be applied in anyone’s lives.

Wake Up and Go!

No day really begins until you wake up, even in the LivingEd program—although word is that Mr. McNair is coming up with some assignments for the students to do while sleeping. The students have to be at the classroom (about a 15 minute drive away) by 8:15, but a lot of preparation needs to happen before they leave, so they have to get up early! The students are encouraged to keep their beds made and their room clean—there are dorm inspections once a week to ensure the houses are in tip-top shape—and they have to be well-groomed and in dressy casual clothes for classes and work. On top of this, preparing breakfast and lunch is encouraged to save money and improve the quality of meals. Students get up at the latest of 7 am (unless they forget to set their alarms), and many are up earlier than this. While this time of the day is not exactly anyone’s favorite, making a routine that promotes good habits is critical for being productive. 

Classes Every Day 

Every day, our classes begin at 8:30 and go all the way to 12:30. Each class period is 55 minutes, allowing for four class periods every morning. With classes on all five days of the week, the 9-month program gets as much quality class time in as possible without being overwhelming. Three days a week—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays—the program features fundamental classes on doctrine, surveying the Bible, and Christian living. On Tuesday, there is a music class (from a Christian perspective) and a writing workshop to help students develop writing and musical ability. On Thursday, the students have a class on personal finance, speech, and applying the fruit of the spirit in life. On both Tuesday and Thursday, the curriculum has one class period devoted to presentations from ministers at Charlotte and in the field. With this structure, we learn the fundamentals of biblical truth, develop musical and public speaking skills, and even get practical life advice from true followers of God’s way of life. 

Work-Study Program 

The students have the chance to work for the Church from 1:30 to 5:30. We get to work in a positive and Christian environment, allowing us to get to know the people behind the work a little bit better and to help out ourselves. The students can also get some unique job experiences. For instance, the Living Education department has students write forum summaries and Student Life posts (like this one) in addition to other intricate tasks. The Editorial department even lets some transcribe sermons. And there are more positions with more possibilities than just these available, but I am too lazy to talk to people about the details (and it’s not part of my average day anyway). 

Evening 

The “average day” so far has included four hours of class and four hours of work. But our day is not over yet. Once the students head home, we are encouraged to cook ourselves dinner to save money and to be healthy—some of us (me) don’t always do that, though. But it is not all work and grinding. After class on some days, we get together in the evening and watch a movie, play games, and do homework together. Other days, we simply collapse into a blob of animate matter and sleep. But even being exhausted is good because it means we had a productive and long day, and the average evening is quite eventful with some studying or fun going on for whomever wants to join in. 

Takeaways

The LivingEd program gives four hours of instruction, four hours building experience working and applying God’s word in a workspace, and free-time to build quality habits and have fun. And this is just an average day! This everyday flow is meant to reinforce a foundation of godly knowledge and habits that will serve the graduates for the rest of their lives. And, it’s also just pretty fun to be in.

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.

Choose Your Own Adventure…Carefully

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

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

Mr. Argus Wiley began his forum by reading from The Power of the Success Sequence for Disadvantaged Young Adults.

This report explores the financial success of married adults who followed the success sequence in their younger days, and compares it to those who have not. Studies show that 97 percent of adults who followed this sequence found relative financial success by their mid-30s. You may ask, “What is this special sequence?” It’s simple: get an education, get a career, and get married—in that order.

The Importance of Insight

Before the day of his forum, Mr. Wiley had us fill out a professional “career insights” test, and later handed out the students’ individual results to them. He remarked that we “may be both delighted and frustrated”  with our results, because they tend to be very accurate. He made a point of how important it is to learn about what we are all good at in our work, and how it should affect how we select our careers. He noted that no job will ever be 100-percent tailored to a specific person, but that the students can use their insights to help make it more so.

Workplace Etiquette

As someone in a leadership position in his work, Mr. Wiley described the most important aspects that he looks for in hiring a new employee. First, can they be at work, on time, with a smile, in a proper uniform? Second, can they be nice to people who are not being nice to them? Third, can they provide a good experience to customers and keep them safe? General managers are responsible for building winning teams of employees, so they are not looking for slackers. Once you move into a management position, you answer to the district manager, who looks to build a bench of great leaders who are capable of teaching others the standards around the workplace. Up and up the promotion ladder climbs, and yet workers will never be in any sort of position where they will not have to answer to anybody. It is therefore important to always maintain proper working etiquette, and never lower your professional standards.

Furthering Your Success

Mr. Wiley assured the students that if they stick to following the success sequence, they will all have easier lives in terms of finances. He then gave the students a number of helpful tips that he guaranteed would allow them to achieve further success. He instructed them to wake up early, not stay up too late at night, work out/go for a run daily, read daily, be a coachable and dependable person, persevere, own up to everything (sometimes even when it’s not their fault), never stop learning, help others along the way, learn to control their emotions (even facial expressions), and, most importantly, to smile along the way. Mr. Wiley conveyed through his forum how important it is to work towards success and to plan ahead— carefully.

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.

Forum Summary: The Value of Being Skilled

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

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

“He who has not taught his son a trade by 12 has taught him to steal.” – Old Jewish Proverb

In the latest forum, Mr. Stafford spoke to the Living Ed students about the importance of developing skills and choosing an impactful career. He pointed out that most people fail to succeed at life because they never developed useful skills. But the people who did put the work into learning a trade or getting an education end up with all the options and success. 

How to Become Skilled

Apply the seven laws of success. These are a powerful tool, and Mr. Stafford encouraged the students to look over these and see where they can develop them in their lives. 

Have a diligent hand. We must learn to be diligent independent of reward, and from this, we will gain profit (Proverbs 10:4). 

Prepare your livelihood before marriage. Those of us who are men should establish a career and have security in our profession before choosing to get married. Mr. Stafford pointed out how failure to follow this is the cause of a lot of problems in marriages. 

Leave nothing to chance. “Time and chance happens to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Mr. Stafford pointed out that this verse refers to “them.” But for true Christians, nothing is from chance but all is from God, meant to teach us (Romans 8:28). We will get what we sow (Galatians 6:7). 

Pick the Right Career 

What career we are going to develop our skills for is a major decision, and Mr. Stafford gave three areas of self-examination everyone must consider before picking their career. 

  1. Your needs and your values—find out what suits your personality and ability. Are you someone who needs a creative and independent work environment? Maybe you prefer a job that deals mainly with information, knowledge, and data. How important is job security to you? These and more are all questions to consider before choosing a career. Find your values and needs and find the career that aligns with them. 
  1. Career interests—what career interests you? Maybe you want to have a job where you deal with others socially. Or perhaps you like to fix things, work with your hands, or work outdoors. Consider all of these questions carefully before embarking on your career!
  1. Job characteristics—what about the job is important to you? Location can be a big one. Do you need to be challenged by your job? Some jobs have lots of travelling. Is that desirable or undesirable for you? These questions need to be considered before such a big decision!

Final Thoughts 

Mr. Stafford highlighted basic skills that apply to any career: people skills, being a hard worker, social skills, and reading skills (reading can be quite difficult to make yourself do). There are a lot of jobs that will become available in the near future in a wide range of careers. Mr. Stafford encouraged the students to develop skills now to anticipate this demand, so we can have productive lives with lots of choices and options. 

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.