Assembly Summary: Why Are You Here?

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 13 seconds.

“Mr. Armstrong used to ask, especially before the Holy Days, Why are you here? So, why are you here—at Living-Ed and in the Church?” Mr. Dexter Wakefield, the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Headquarters and a Living-Ed instructor, said, “People have many different reasons for being in the Church, and they prioritize those within that. So, what are yours?” It’s important to know your motives, because “God tests weak motives.” People leave the Church because they lose their reason for being there—or their most important motive wasn’t prioritized. Mr. Wakefield gave the students ten common, but not good primary reasons people have for being in the Church.

Ten Low-Priority Reasons

“I grew up in the Church.”

Mr. Wakefield said, “Loyalty to family tradition is a good thing—it can carry you through a lot.”  But our faith in God’s truth is a higher priority. The danger of this convenient motive is clear from the apostasy of the Worldwide Church of God.

“To avoid the Tribulation.”

“Attendance goes up when the world gets scary.” If one simply wants to avoid the Tribulation, they may forget God’s ways when times are easy, thinking to return when things get serious. “And if you think it’s difficult to be in the Church now, it will be a whole lot harder in the end-times.”

“Being a Philadelphian.

” If being a Philadelphian is one’s major reason, Mr. Wakefield explained it becomes easy to see Laodiceans around you. “Watch out for Satan’s spiritual judo… A smaller person can throw a larger person off balance if they use their momentum in the direction in which they were already going.” Satan uses pride as a handle. Real Philadelphians are focused on the Work, not worrying about being labeled Philadelphian.

“To avoid the lake of fire.”

Should this fear be primary? While it is a “motivating psychological factor,” leaders can use it to manipulate people. Mr. Wakefield likened this to the Catholic Church in the Dark Ages, where many people purchased indulgences out of “a burning fear of hell.”

“To get salvation.”

God’s laws are not a burden—they are not a means to being saved. Mr. Wakefield noted the Church has been accused of legalism. But Christians keep the Sabbath and repent of breaking it because they want to. “It should be kept from the heart, which is the seat of the will.”

The social aspect.

Christ said, “These things I command you, that you love one another.” Church social life is important, but if members are here because their friends are here, Mr. Wakefield asked, “What happens when your friend leaves or you disagree?” Emotional fulfillment should not be a primary purpose.

It’s a loving environment.

The Church is a loving environment, but offenses still come. “God allows it to happen.” He allows brethren to learn to exercise, what Mr. Wakefield coined, “the go-to rule.” Go to God, go to the person, and be reconciled. “Don’t let it fester as a root of bitterness—because roots grow down.”

“Intellectual stimulation.”

The Greeks to whom Paul spoke in Acts 17:18-21 were “a society based on creating information by reasoning.” But the Church is to learn through God’s revelation. Mr. Wakefield said, “Intellectual stimulation and spiritual growth are not the same things… Knowledge is useful to the extent it helps us practice spiritual growth—not distract us from growth.”

There is a minister to whom you relate.

He asked, “What if that minister is transferred? What he leaves the Church?” Many congregations around the world don’t even have a pastor. Why do these people remain faithful? Mr. Wakefield advised the students, “Don’t lose sight of the offices through [focusing on] personalities.” While ministers occupy offices of service, Christ does the works.

“Church culture.”

Mr. Wakefield said, “You would be surprised at how important this is to some.” The comfort of our form of service, the hymnal, the music—many small traditions create a Church norm. But if a practice is changed, or another church’s culture is more attractive, why would those with this priority remain?

Stability.

“Historically, the Church has been through times of turmoil.” Luke 21:16-17 refers to the betrayal and persecution God’s people will continue to face till the end. Mr. Wakefield cited Acts 20:29, “savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” Turmoil is inevitable. “If your priority is comfort and stability, the end time Living Church of God may be a tough place for you. Things will get worse.”

The Primary Reasons We Should Have

“These reasons are okay, but they’re not the best. Why are you here? Why will you stay here? If you are here because of a weak reason, maybe you can change it.” Mr. Wakefield concluded by giving good primary reasons for being in the Church and attending Living-Ed. Christians are here because they have been called (Acts 2:37-38), and “because they have a commitment to the truth and to the Work” (Ephesians 6:14). Mr. Wakefield exhorted the students to prioritize their primary reasons—then, when God tests their convictions, they will know why they are here.

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Second Thoughts: A Walking Sermon

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 20 seconds. 

Mr. Alex Celan, a ministerial trainee at Charlotte, teaches Characters in the Bible at Living Education—a semester-long course focusing on select individuals from the Bible. This week, Mr. Celan asked us, “Have you ever heard of the saying, I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day?” I hadn’t heard of this saying, but the idea stuck with me as we were told the story of the Apostle John. In the words of Mr. Celan, “John was a walking sermon.”

Would I Drop My Net?

John and his older brother James were the sons of Zebedee. They were from a wealthy family that owned a fleet of fishing boats and employed servants (Mark 1:19-20). John was likely one of the two followers of John the Baptist who followed Christ after discovering who He was (John 1:35-40). Mr. Celan said, “As soon as Christ called them, they dropped their nets.” I have to wonder, Would I have dropped everything and followed Christ?

Later, as Christ was being crucified, He saw His mother watching and deliberately asked John to take care of her. Though Jesus had several brothers, He trusted John to take responsibility for Mary. Why?

A Son of Thunder

God called John when one of his defining traits was a streak of impetuousness. John boldly rebuked some who were performing miracles in Christ’s name—Christ even had to rebuke John and his brother for wanting to call down fire from heaven and destroy a Samaritan city (Luke 9:54). Mr. Celan reminded us that John’s mother presumptuously asked Christ if her sons could sit on either side of Him in the Kingdom. John’s impulsiveness seems to have been a family trait; perhaps our biggest weaknesses are “inherited” or facilitated by our parents and upbringing.

Whether John’s tendencies can be laid at his feet or his parents, God worked with him and his flaws—and if Christ was willing to train a son of thunder to do His Work, could He do the same for me and my failings?

John’s Legacy

When John’s mother asked Christ if her sons could sit by Him in the Kingdom, Christ asked John and his brother if they were able to drink the cup He was to drink. John said, I am, and Christ replied, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with” (Matthew 20:22). After Christ died, John remained committed to teaching true doctrine. He devoted His life to teaching the true love of God. He wrote in 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” The region of Asia Minor, where John worked, was one of the last regions to give in to the pressure to compromise from Rome. In the second century, Polycrates wrote to Pope Victor about the Passover:

We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming…. Among these are… John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord…. 

The Disciple Jesus Loved

John’s example inspired his followers to hold fast to God’s law. He was transformed from an impetuous son of thunder into the Apostle of love. John grew into a person Jesus could trust, not only to care for His mother but to protect His future wife, the Church. God refined John’s boldness into a trait that would help him to continue the Work and stand strong against pressure to compromise. He drank of the cup Christ drank by remaining unabashedly committed to the truth to the end.

John’s legacy lives on, not as a presumptuous son of thunder but as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John embodied the change that true conversion brings—he was indeed a walking sermon. As I examine the way I walk before Passover, maybe I should have some second thoughts on the traits that God might be trying to change and convert in me.

Juliette McNair headshot

Juliette McNair is a student at Living Education Charlotte. She works in the Editorial Department transcribing sermons and proofreading transcripts. She also assists Living Education by writing Second Thoughts essays and Forum/Assembly Summaries for the website. Juliette recently graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in Upstate New York with an A.A.S in Horticulture, a B.T in Plant Science, and a minor in English with a writing focus. She loves playing soccer on the beach, getting up early to watch the sunrise, and playing piano with the lights out.

Forum Summary: Mars and Beyond: God’s Awesome Universe

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 45 seconds.

Mars and Beyond: God’s Awesome Universe—A scale we cannot fathom yet

Dr. Roedolph Opperman was introduced for the Forum on March 2, 2021, 64 days before the Living-Ed graduation according to the students’ countdown. Dr. Opperman works for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is part of the team that landed the Mars rover, Perseverance, on Thursday, February 18, 2021. For the next 90 days, Dr. Opperman’s team will live with their clocks adjusted to “Mars time,” since Martian days are 40 minutes longer than Earth days.

Fault Protection

“Our job is to try to break the spacecraft—well, not really. It’s way too expensive for that.” Dr. Opperman is a Fault Protection systems engineer. His team was responsible to find out “what could potentially go wrong.” Whether software glitches or cable breaks, they trialed the rover and programmed the computer to detect issues and self-correct. The engineers use an identical testbed rover to simulate the Perseverance and gauge its performance before commands are sent out.

The Challenge of Getting to Mars

One key challenge to the mission was landing the rover safely. Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) is known as the “seven minutes of terror” to NASA engineers. On average, it takes about 10minutes for a message from the Mars rover to reach the earth—during this time, the engineers have no idea if it has landed or crashed. Dr. Opperman explained the vehicle has to enter, descend, and land on its own. When the spacecraft reached Mars’ atmosphere, a heatshield—heating to 1600 degrees under friction—protected it as it hurtled to the planet. Then, a 70-foot diameter supersonic parachute that could withstand over 65,000 pounds of force deployed and slowed the vehicle’s descent. The heat shield was dropped, and the spacecraft secured a radar lock on the ground. To slow it even more, a powered descent was performed using rockets. The chute was cut, and rockets diverted the vehicle away from the parachute. At 20 meters above the surface, using the “sky crane” maneuver, cables lowered the rover to the ground. Every step of EDL had to occur autonomously, in perfect coordination.

Mission Objectives

“I’ve been working on this project for three years—some have been working on it for eight years or more. For some people, this is what life is all about.” One objective of the mission is to find out if there was ancient life on Mars. For this purpose, the rover was equipped with different tools, like a ground-penetrating radar, UV and X-ray spectrometers, a laser, several cameras, and a drill for taking soil samples. Another objective is to test MOXIE, a system that can convert carbon dioxide from the Mars atmosphere to produce oxygen for humans to breath on Mars. NASA aims to land humans on Mars by the 2030s, and private companies like SpaceX are also racing to establish colonies on the planet. Yet, Dr. Opperman stated, “Humans aren’t designed for space.” The weightlessness of space—without the gravity earth exerts on a body—causes bones to demineralize and muscles to atrophy without at least 90 minutes of daily exercise. Also, without the earth’s protective atmosphere and magnetic field, space radiation poses the major threat to human exploration of space.

“A Speck of Dust in the Universe: Earth”

Dr. Opperman said, “Let’s take a step back. We’ve gotten a glimpse of how hard it is just to get to the closest planet next to us.” But “God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). He created everything we see and don’t see, like dark matter, the entire spectrum of light, and the spiritual realm. The Voyager space probes, launched in the 70s, have traveled over 14 billion miles and are the most distant human-made objects from Earth. They have since exited our solar system and are still in communication with Earth today. Yet, the extent of mankind’s exploration of the universe is minuscule in cosmological terms. Our planet could fit into the Sun 1.3 million times. Dr. Opperman put this into perspective: If the Earth was the size of a golf ball, the Sun would be a 15-foot diameter sphere such that one could fill a school bus full of golf balls inside it. But our Sun is dwarfed by the size of many other stars: The Pistol Star, a blue hypergiant, is 100 times the size of the Sun, and the Red Supergiants are up to 1,000 times the size of the Sun. Even our Milky Way Galaxy, which contains roughly 200 billion stars is an average galaxy. The largest galaxy, IC 1101, is 50 times its size. The Laniakea Supercluster that contains the Milky Way is also home to about 100,000 other galaxies—and larger superclusters than Laniakea have been discovered. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth. That’s at least a billion trillion and probably much more. Studies seem to indicate that there are even far more planets than stars!

Building Planets

Even as a speck of dust in the vast universe, Dr. Opperman reminded the students that Earth will be where “the headquarters of the universe, New Jerusalem, is established.” He quoted Paul, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Dr. Opperman said, “The Mars rover is so minute compared to what God can create… As humans, we have this desire to explore—but as spirit beings, we can be on the other side of the galaxy and not just build rovers, but build planets.”

When asked what his plans were for after the Mars rover project, Dr. Opperman replied, “Get some sleep. I have a toddler—I’m not really on Mars time.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Assembly Summary: Be Patient and Trust in God

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 44 seconds.

Mr. Weston began his Living-Ed Assembly with a personal story. In his fourth year of marriage, he and his wife were using handed-down furniture. They were given a chair which they decided to re-cover rather than buy a new one. After a few months of saving, they chose material for their chair. But, looking around their living room, they realized their re-covered chair would clash with the curtains. They really needed to replace their dining room chairs and table, and even the furniture in the other rooms was not really what they had wanted. Mr. Weston said, “We started thinking about all the things we didn’t have. We were thinking, It will be forever before we have everything we want.”

“Most of life is still ahead!”

 Mr. Weston said that what he and his wife hadn’t understood was that most of life was still ahead of them. “When I go back and look at my life, the greatest aspiration I had after being sent into the field ministry was to become a minister pastoring a couple of churches… I never thought I would be anything beyond that.” He said, “Right now, you are in the preparatory phase for what comes after.” Decades of marriage, kids, homes, and successful careers are still ahead for most young people. “In the Assembly today, I’m going to discuss patience and the need to trust God in directing your life.”

Joseph distinguished himself.

Joseph’s brothers, antagonized by their father’s favoritism and Joseph’s dreams, sold him into slavery when he was only seventeen. While God was with Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 39:2), Joseph was proactive. When he was falsely accused and thrown into prison, “he didn’t allow himself to wallow, but he did what he had to do.” Joseph didn’t focus on what he didn’t have—Mr. Weston reminded the students that having everything does not bring happiness. He quoted Dennis Prager from The Rational Bible: Exodus:

In many ways, gratitude is the most important of all the good character traits. It is the most indispensable trait to both happiness and goodness. One can neither be a happy person nor a good person without gratitude. The less gratitude one has, the more one sees oneself as a victim… As for happiness, if you think of all the people you know, you will not be able to name one who is ungrateful and happy. The two are mutually exclusive.

– DENNIS PRAGER

Joseph distinguished himself for thirteen years. Rather than worry about what he couldn’t accomplish, he focused on what he could do. Eventually, he achieved success and his power was second only to the Pharaoh.

“Joseph had no idea what God planned for him.”

“God exalted Joseph, but He did so on His schedule.” Joseph’s journey from slavery to leadership in Egypt was rocky. Yet, Mr. Weston explained, “God had a long-term plan for Joseph, the sons of Israel, and for all mankind.” God used Joseph to prepare for the institution of the Passover, providing for Ancient Israel and foreshadowing the sacrifice that would cover every human being’s sins. “You have no idea how God is going to use you in the future.”

“Joseph was a big picture person.”

Genesis 45:1-5 recounts the emotional confrontation between Joseph and his brothers. Mr. Weston said, “They must have been terrified, knowing what they had done.” While Joseph reminds them of what they had done to him, he also understood God’s larger purpose. Joseph said, “Do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” Mr. Weston explained, “God allows some things to happen for a period of time to give people a chance to repent and change.”

A Matter of Trusting God

In Mark 10:29-30, Christ explained that those who leave their possessions, families, and previous lives for His sake would “receive a hundredfold now in this time… and in the age to come, eternal life.” Mr. Weston finished reading the scripture and said, “I can stand here and say that I can see this in my life. We must learn to trust that God will prosper us if we do what we should do.” He said specifically to the students, “This is an educational phase for you—you’re doing what you should be doing. There’s a lot of life ahead of you. Don’t become impatient and think you have to have it right now.” Mr. Weston inspired the students to be thankful and to do their part as Joseph did. “Be patient and trust in God.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Forum Summary: We’ve Got to Own It

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 23 seconds.

Dr. Scott Winnail, the pastor of several congregations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, spoke to the Living-Ed students over WebEx. Dr. Winnail was the Dean of Faculty and Executive Vice President of Living University. He assisted in the transition of LU into Living Education and taught the Living-Ed Christian Living course for the first few semesters. He said, “It’s a treat to talk to you. I chose to talk about a subject I hope I can make relatable to you at this stage in your life.” He asked the students how they had been leaders in the past and what leadership roles they aspire to have. Leadership is a fundamental component of life—even for young people. Dr. Winnail explained, “God is looking to us to be leaders so He can use us.”

“Leaders must own everything in their world.”

Dr. Winnail referenced the book Extreme Ownership How U.S. Navy SEALS Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. The book shows leaders and aspiring leaders how to have a positive influence on everyone around them. Willink wrote, “Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.” Dr. Winnail asked the students, “Does that sound extreme? We can’t control everything and everyone else, but we have way more sway than we might think.” In his forum, Dr. Winnail pulled two principles from Extreme Ownership about how Christians can take ownership in their lives.

“There are no bad teams, only bad leaders.”

The first point was illustrated in a story from Willink and Babin’s book. In a SEAL training exercise during Hell Week, groups of men were assigned to inflatable boats and went through a series of races. A crew-leader directed each group. After a few rounds of these races, one team continued to place first while another team regularly placed last. The head instructors then switched the leaders of these teams. The originally winning team maintained relative success—the team had learned how to work together, even under the poor leader. The former losing team with the good leader placed first consistently. Dr. Winnail used the account of David’s census of Israel as an example of ownership in leadership. David admitted he had sinned, took responsibility for his mistake, and didn’t blame Joab or his team for his failure (1 Chronicles 21:8). Dr Winnail said, “Effective Godly leaders own up to their mistakes.” Good leaders don’t blame their team but lead their team to be better.

“Good leaders check their ego.”

The authors of the book wrote, “Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility.” Good leaders don’t feel threatened by those under them and are willing to listen to advice. According to Josephus, Moses was a general and powerful political figure in Egypt. Yet Moses listened and took Jethro’s advice on governing Israel (Exodus 18:24). He was “very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Dr. Winnail said, “He was meek, teachable, and approachable. He was willing to check his ego and not pull rank.” Romans 12:3 reads, “For I say… to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think… as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Dr. Winnail pointed out that God gives gifts to each person differently—we are not God’s gift to mankind.

We’ve Got to Own It

“We don’t know all the future leadership roles we might have, and, frankly, we don’t even know all the roles we are in now.” Dr. Winnail said, “We have to own the truth. We have to own the Work.” God is watching for young leaders who will step up and take ownership of everything within their world. Christian leaders now are part of something far greater—in the millennium, Dr. Winnail reminded, they will teach leadership and ownership to those who will be leaders later during the Great White Throne Judgement. “In a world in which so many people want to blame others,” Dr. Winnail concluded, “we’ve got to own it.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Forum Summary: Understanding Ourselves and Others

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes, 43 seconds.

Mr. Bob Rodzaj joined the Living Education students and staff from wintry Racine, Wisconsin via Webex. As he spoke, snow was falling, adding to the 2 feet already on the ground. Mr. Rodzaj grew up in Rochester, New York. He was introduced to the Church while he was studying architecture at Virginia Tech. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Mr. Rodzaj attended Ambassador College. He was ordained into the ministry over 30 years ago and currently pastors five congregations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.

Mr. Rodzaj said, “Many years ago, I remember Dr. Meredith telling us to become students of human nature—why people do what they do, what makes them the way they are… I’d like to talk about that very subject: the need to better understand ourselves and others.”

“You bring with you what makes you—you.”

As a latchkey child, Mr. Rodzaj grew up with both his parents working full time. Outside of school, he was essentially alone. “By the time God called me at age 21, I was a deeply troubled, angry young man with a lot to overcome… But God helped me grow past the past.” Mr. Rodzaj said, “I speak to you at the beginning of your adult lives.” He asked the students how well they understood what they want out of life, why they want it, what’s important to them at the very core of their being—and how their past has shaped them. Mr. Rodzaj explained, “As a pastor, I’ve dealt with people who struggle with the effects of their past—particularly their formative years.” If people could understand themselves and others, they would improve the quality of their relationships and develop the ability to make a real difference in the lives of others now and in the millennium.

“The story of Job is the story of each one of us…”

Job thought he understood himself and God. He did what was right and thought he understood what God expected of him. Yet, Mr. Rodzaj explained, “Job’s relationship with God was based on fear.” Job said, after God allowed Satan to persecute him, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me” (Job 3:25). Job was motivated by terror: “He is unique, and who can make Him change… Therefore I am terrified at His presence” (Job 23:13-16). Mr. Rodzaj asked, “Does this describe a trusting relationship? Is this the kind of relationship God wants us to have with Him?” Eventually, Elihu told Job, “For has anyone said to God… ‘Teach me what I do not see…’?” (Job 34:31-32). Job hadn’t asked God for this understanding. Mr. Rodzaj explained that Job hadn’t understood what motivated him and the relationship that God expected of him. But Job came to understand himself and God correctly.

Do we understand our motives?

Mr. Rodzaj gave other examples in the Bible of individuals who needed to better understand themselves. One was the rich young man of Matthew 19:16-22. Mr. Rodzaj compared him to a young person in the Church. “The young man was very diligent, but there was something buried deep in his heart that he couldn’t see. Christ pierced right through to the core of the young man’s desire and ambition.” When Christ told him to go and sell all that he had, “he wasn’t willing to go there. But sooner or later, he would have to if he really wanted to inherit eternal life.” Mr. Rodzaj mentioned other individuals who needed to understand themselves. Adam and Eve didn’t understand their gullibility. Moses struggled with his fierce anger. And even Peter had to reckon with a cowardly side.

God Can Help

“People’s tendencies have an impact on their well-being and the well-being of others. It affects how we function, how we deal with life, and how we deal with others.” Mr. Rodzaj admitted that when he was the students’ age, he hadn’t understood himself. “I wish I had understood these things sooner. It would have made a world of difference—in my life, in my marriage, in my parenting, in my role as a minister and member, as an employee, as a boss, and as a friend.” Understanding yourself helps you to better understand others. But only God can search a Christian’s heart and mind (Jeremiah 17:10). God can help if we take Elihu’s advice and ask Him to “teach me what I do not see” (Job 34:32). Mr. Rodzaj concluded, “My hope and prayer is that you can learn this sooner and enjoy its fruit in your life and in all your relationships.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Student Life: A Ladies Weekend

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021

On February 13, at 1:00 p.m., Mrs. Christy McNair, Mrs. Carol Weston, Miss Rebekah Ross, and the female Living Ed students joined the Walterboro congregation for services. Later that evening, after an adventure of several wrong turns, U-turns, and GPS malfunctions, they happily arrived at their booked Airbnb outside the Historic District of Charleston, South Carolina.

The ladies spent a rainy Sunday morning on a “Charleston’s Alleys & Hidden Passages” tour. They followed their guide through romantic city alleys sandwiched between historic brick pubs, meeting houses, and homes. Magnolias, ferns, and camellias sprawled in the tiny spaces around intricately wrought iron gates, red brick walls, and cobblestone pathways. They walked “Rainbow Road,” where old merchant buildings that originally stood on the riverfront were restored in the 1900s into today’s most-photographed section of Charleston. The ladies stood on the Battery promenade—a civil war defensive artillery site—where the Ashley and Cooper rivers pour into the Charleston Harbor. Through the rain, they could just glimpse Fort Sumter, Fort Johnson, and Fort Sullivan across the water.

That afternoon, they walked and shopped the Charleston City Market, only slightly chilled by the cold rain. The girls warmed up that evening with cups of hot chocolate and cheerful conversation They asked Mrs. Weston and Mrs. McNair about their experiences and shared their own. The next day, they rounded off the trip by visiting the Charleston Tea Garden Angel Oak, a huge 1400-year-old southern live oak.

When asked what she enjoyed most about the Charleston weekend, Meredith Hodges replied, “I really enjoyed the car ride. Getting to know Mrs. Weston was really fun… Also, the tour—all those little alleys and plants were really cool. And dancing in the rain.”

The ladies drove back to Charlotte in more stormy weather—but not even a little rain could dampen their fun this weekend.

Juliette McNair headshot

Juliette McNair is a student at Living Education Charlotte. She works in the Editorial Department transcribing sermons and proofreading transcripts. She also assists Living Education by writing Second Thoughts essays and Forum/Assembly Summaries for the website. Juliette recently graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in Upstate New York with an A.A.S in Horticulture, a B.T in Plant Science, and a minor in English with a writing focus. She loves playing soccer on the beach, getting up early to watch the sunrise, and playing piano with the lights out.

Assembly Summary: Don’t Despise the Day of Small Things

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 55 seconds.

Mr. Rod McNair walked into the Living Ed classroom and hung a large picture frame on the whiteboard. It was a portrait of a regal couple standing in a throne room. He said, “Have you ever thought as you’re going through the day, How does this relate to me ruling over cities?” It’s easy to think that the little things of today are trivial and don’t affect our future kingships. But Mr. McNair pointed out that the knowledge and skills learned today may be exactly what is needed in the future. He began, “I’d like to tell the story of a real-life king.”

“We shall reign with righteousness for the benefits and happiness of the Siamese people.”

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, swore this traditional oath when he ascended the throne in 1950. He planned a career in engineering and science, but when his brother was killed unexpectedly, he became king, and duties of state took precedence over his personal interests. Yet, King Bhumibol was more than just a royal figurehead in Thailand’s constitutional monarchy. Because of his training in engineering, conservation, forestry, and irrigation, he had the ability to begin 43,000 development projects in his lifetime. That training started when he was very young. The king said once, “Some people wonder why I became interested in irrigation or forestry… When I was 10 years old, a science teacher who is now dead taught me about soil conservation.”

Apply yourself to dead-end situations.

Joseph is another example of a ruler whose earlier experiences prepared him for leadership. He eventually recognized that his past prepared him for a specific role. He said to his brothers, “God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). Mr. McNair said, “He applied himself in dead-end situations. Joseph asked himself, What can I learn from this?” Mr. McNair gave seven pointers to the students.

“Take advantage of what’s in front of you.”

Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Mr. McNair told the students to not miss out on the three months they have left in Living Ed. “It’s easy to think the big, valuable stuff is somewhere else and miss the goldmine right in front of us.”

“Look beyond what you can see.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 states that Christians walk by faith and not sight. Just like children playing with Legos and dolls, they have no concept of what they will be as adults. “Whatever stage we’re at, we can’t foresee the whole future.”

“Learn how to relate to different types of people.”

One of the biggest lessons a young person learns is that not everybody thinks like them. Mr. McNair said, “You didn’t choose the other people in this program.” Clashes between differing personalities are inevitable. “But you learn that conflict is not the end of the world… Don’t run from it.” The skill to relate to people and work together as a team lasts forever.

“Learn the habit of learning.”

Education does not stop with formal instruction—most of it occurs outside of the classroom. God inspired the workmen who built the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-7). “God can download knowledge into you… But probably, God used people who had some ability in that direction.” Establish the habit of learning.

“Keep God at the center.”

“For some, life centers around experience—but if we’re not keeping God at the center, that experience is empty.” Even Christ did nothing apart from God and His will (John 5:30). Mr. McNair related how, as a freshman at Ambassador College, he was offered advice from a vastly more experienced sophomore: “You’re going to have too much to do. When you do, make sure you make time to pray.”

“Go all out.”

“That doesn’t mean burn out.” Living-Ed requires the male students to be in Spokesman’s Club and the ladies to do the Women’s Enrichment Program. From cooking for Friday night dinners to participating in the scheduled activities, Mr. McNair said, “Throw yourself into it.” As Dr. Meredith said after his stroke: “I want to learn every lesson God has for me from this.”

“Don’t despise the day of the small things.”

King Bhumibol died in 2016, but his legacy lives on in the Royal Projects scattered around the nation. The small things he learned early in life laid the foundation for his reign. Zechariah 4:9-10 reads, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?” Mr. McNair said, “We’re going to have way more responsibility and opportunities than King Bhumibol… Don’t take it lightly when things start small.”

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.

Assembly Summary: Actions We Take Now for Our Future

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 15 seconds.

“How many of you have heard the phrase, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Mr. Mike DeSimone joined the students in the Living-Ed classroom and gave an interactive Assembly. He said that this saying doesn’t only apply to preventing future disasters. “I want to talk about the actions we take now and the impact they have on the future.”

An Ounce of Effort Now—Or a Pound Later?

Using the newly-installed whiteboard on the wall behind him, Mr. DeSimone drew a diagram of a lever with a tiny weight on one side, labeled “Now,” and a large weight leveraged on the other side, labeled “Future.” Small actions today, with just an ounce of energy, can accomplish things worth a pound of energy later in life.

Christ Prepared for the Church of God

Luke 2:41-52 gives the account of Christ lingering in Jerusalem and His parents returning to find Him. They found him asking questions and listening to the teachers in the temple. He told His parents, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”  Mr. DeSimone explained that, at twelve years old, “He was preparing Himself to begin the very Church of God and train the apostles to continue the Church and preach the Gospel for the next thousands of years.”

Ezra Prepared His Heart

Ezra was given the opportunity to lead his people back to Jerusalem. But only after he “had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD” [Ezra 7:10]. Ezra prepared himself but didn’t necessarily know that he would be called to lead the return. Mr. DeSimone stated, “What you do now may even provide opportunities in the future that will not be there if you don’t prepare.”

Fix the Issue in Stage 1

Mr. DeSimone used the example of the cost to fix an issue with an iPhone. During the assembling stage—Stage 1—it might cost one hundred dollars. At Stage 2, when it is a finished product, that same issue costs 1,000 dollars to fix. And at Stage 3, when it’s shipped, the cost is 10,000 dollars. “This is the value of fixing a problem early… If this was life pain, issues, or troubles, how much would you rather spend taking care of that?”

Areas of Preparation

Mr. DeSimone covered five areas of preparation by posing questions and discussing various answers. “What can you do now to prepare for your future spiritually?” One student answered, “Fasting.” Through the right actions, like fasting, the right trajectory is set. He asked, “What are some ways you can prepare for a family?” A student raised his hand and replied, “For men, learning leadership.” Next was, “How can you prepare to be loyal to the Work and the Church?” Someone volunteered, “By learning how to explain the truth to non-Church members.” One answer to, “How can you prepare for your future career or life-work?” was, “By staying educated in your career.” Mr. DeSimone nodded, “Whatever you’re doing, you need to continually educate yourself—relentlessly.” Finally, Mr. DeSimone asked, “How can you prepare for your future financially?” One young lady raised her hand and said that you must, as she learned from Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden’s Christian Finance course, live below your means. 

“Everything we do now is leverage for the future—every life-choice and every habit… The way you spend your time now influences the way, when opportunities come, you are prepared.”

The nobleman’s servants, in Christ’s parable (Luke 19:11-17), didn’t know what their reward was. But when they realized that their small minas could bring entire cities as rewards, they must have thought, as Mr. DeSimone interpreted, “I should’ve put in more—all I needed to do was do it right then.” The minas represent “all the things we have control over now.” Our actions now determine our future. Mr. DeSimone concluded, “As much as you prepare yourself now for the future, you will reap greater rewards.”

Assembly Summary: Unlocking the Mystery of Life

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Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes, 16 seconds.

Modern science claims matter and energy are the two fundamental elements of life. “But,” Mr. Richard Ames said, “there’s another factor: intelligence.” Mr. Ames played the documentary Unlocking the Mystery of Life for his Assembly. In this documentary, scientists argue that intelligent design is undeniably present in nature. Mr. Ames asked the students to consider this question as they watched the video: “Why should intelligence be a foundational element of science?”

“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.”

– Charles Darwin

Irreducible Complexity

Irreducible complexity is the idea that a biological system could not have evolved through tiny, incremental developments because the system itself cannot be any less complex to operate. This concept is clearly seen in the functioning of the tail-like organ called a flagellum on a bacterium. Flagella can spin at speeds up to 100,000 rpm. Just like an outboard motor on a boat, these natural propellors have gears, a stator, rotor, u-joint, driveshaft, and propellor—in total, they have 40 different parts. Evolution must explain how this system can be built gradually when the system only works when each part is functioning. The biologist Jonathan Wells explains that natural selection “selects only for a functional advantage… so if you had a bacterium with a tail that didn’t function as a flagellum, chances are natural selection would eliminate it. The only way you can select for a flagellum is if you have… all the pieces of the motor in place to begin with.”

Life Requires Instructions

The video introduced Dr. Dean Kenyon, who wanted to answer the question: “How did life begin in the first place?” He theorized that amino acids assembled themselves into proteins millions of years ago through chemical attraction. A student challenged him on how amino acids could assemble without instructions from DNA. DNA regulates the sequences and shapes amino acids need to form to create proteins. Dr. Kenyon found he couldn’t explain how amino acids had formed proteins without any instruction from pre-existing DNA. Furthermore, natural selection, by definition, needs existing organisms to operate. The issue of the origin of DNA is a major challenge to evolutionary theory.

“Science ought to be a search for the truth about the world… when we come to a puzzle in nature, we ought to bring to that puzzle every possible cause that might explain it. One of the problems I have with evolutionary theory is that it artificially rules out a kind of cause even before the evidence has a chance to speak, and the cause that’s ruled out is intelligence.”

– Paul Nelson

Design Reasoning

When archeologists discover ruins or when tourists see Mount Rushmore, they assume an intelligent mind was responsible. William Dembski wondered why. He established two reliable criteria for determining whether something was designed or not: small probability and specification. It’s highly improbable erosion carved faces into Mount Rushmore. The specific patterns of the faces are also recognizable. This speaks to design. From computer software to words scratched in the sand on the beach, people take intelligent design for granted all the time—without needing to be present when it was done. Scientists even monitor outer space for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence. If a highly improbable, specifically patterned signal was intercepted from space, researchers would declare extraterrestrial intelligence existed. Yet, the microscopic world of a single cell exhibits these same signs of intelligence and the possibility of intelligent design is rejected out of hand.

Mr. Ames stopped the documentary when the assembly time ran out. He encouraged the students to finish the documentary in their own time. The visible world may consist of matter and energy, but every component—from Mount Rushmore to bacteria flagella to the genetic code in living cells—reflects intelligence in its functioning and origin. The documentary Mr. Ames played proved that intelligence is as elemental to science as DNA is to the natural world.

This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.