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Mind Upload – AI, Consciousness, and what the Bible says about the human mind

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Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka was excited to share with the students what he expressed as, “Something that shouldn’t scare them, but to which they should pay attention, in the soon coming future.” He wanted to highlight some of the technologies which he believed most students were aware of on a superficial level, yet had not done an in-depth study on the technology itself, the advancements made, as well as what to expect for the future. He began by asking the students to consider the question, “what is consciousness? He pointed out that there is a depth that can be achieved with the human mind, that sets us apart from animals. The way that man can understand his presence about other things is a base for understanding what consciousness and the human mind is all about. Along with what scientists and technological experts were finding on the subject of the human mind.

“Philosophers want to understand the human mind… while scientists want to integrate with the human mind,” explained Mr. Ciesielka. He emphasized that there is so much intermingling between the technological advancements achieved with the mind and the medical field. He proved this with several examples beginning with that of Jan Scheuermann as far back as 2012! Jan, a paralyzed individual, underwent a procedure that allowed her to control a robotic arm through an implant in her brain. This great advancement provided her with the use of being more self-sufficient and feeding herself chocolate. Even as recently as September 18th, there have been more advances in the field, such as the Neurolink brain implant that received FDA approval. The implications of this being passed have yet to be seen, but it is likely to have a large impact on the medical field. A more shocking report was that AI has gotten so advanced, that it can accurately tell what someone is thinking solely based on their brain waves. These examples provided the students with a more firm realization of the increasing connection between the mind and technology, and how technological advancements may develop in the coming years.

The speaker moved on to say, “We live in a world where we should understand some basic truths.” There may be questions raised about whether machines can gain consciousness, or if a man can upload his mind to the cloud and live forever? With these questions on the rise, the students should give it some thought and be able to provide an answer based on the Bible. Touching back on the question he posed at the beginning, Mr. Ciesielka developed the idea of what the human mind is. He answered questions such as: Why wouldn’t people be able to upload all of their memories and minds to the rapidly progressing virtual world? Would this create a copy of that person, would there be two of them, or does uploading not work at all in that way?

Mr. Ciesielka was glad to explain that the answers to these questions are found readily in the Bible and that these fundamental truths have been understood by God’s church for many years, being written about by Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Weston, and many others!  The first important thing that one must consider is what is human consciousness and the mind. Mr. Ciesielka said that consciousness is a combination of the physical brain and the spirit in man. Job 32 says; “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.” This shows that it is the spirit God puts in man that mankind gains its knowledge. In Ecclesiastes 12, it shows that the soul in man, which can also be called the spirit in man, belongs to God, and will go back to him upon death. He explained it simply as John 3:6 notes, the mind has a spiritual aspect that cannot be made physical, nor can the physical be made spiritual. Even if one were to upload all of their memories and their mind to the web, they still wouldn’t be able to upload the spirit. There is no way in which man can be himself out of the physical life. With that being proven, that provides the answer to any question of man’s immortality within machines.

Mr. Ciesielka left the students with the call to take away everything they could from the lessons during class, forum, and even those that can be learned from each other in the dorms. He hoped that his message of being prepared for the future and being well-versed in current technology was able to sink in and that the students were able to take it with them. He wanted them to find things like the fascinating advancements in AI, and machines that interest them, while at the same time holding fast to the trunk of the tree of God’s truth he has revealed to them!

Noise and Relationships

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“What does your life sound like?”

Mr. Bueno began his forum by asking us, the students, what the level of noise in our daily lives looks like. Mr. Bueno clarified that “noise” is the unwanted sound around us and affects our concentration, health and relationships, versus “sound”, which is what God made for communication purposes. Whether it be during breakfast, going to work, or trying to study, he wanted us to imagine the noise of everyday life. He asked us just how much control we have over noise in our lives, and if we are using wisdom about what we are hearing.

How Noise Affects Us

Concentration: Noise reduces our productivity and acts as a distraction. Mr. Bueno cited the example of how open plan offices have been found to greatly decrease productivity because of unwanted conversations between colleagues–noise. 

Health: Noise pollution can cause; heart disease, less sleep, and purely be an annoyance.

Relationships: Noise affects our relationship with others and God. Amos 5:21-24 shows an example of its effect on our relationship with God; people were singing songs of praise to God despite disobedience.God even classifies their praises as “noise.”

4 Ways To Remove Noise From our Lives

  1. When listening to yourself: The meditation described in Genesis 24:62 has the connotation of speaking to yourself. To have quality time by yourself, learn to deal with the noise. This can be done by moving to another location, blocking the noise, or choosing to accept the noise when out of your control. Mr Bueno labeled this as “redeeming our eardrums.” 
  2. When listening to other people: Make the conversation a priority by going somewhere quiet to talk. If you have something in your hands, put it down so that you can focus on hearing and listening to the other person. Luke 10:38 shows how Martha in the Bible was distracted with the mental noise of serving when Christ visited her and her sister.
  3. Stop speech writing: Speech writing occurs when a person is so focused on what they are going to say next or how they will respond that they don’t focus on what the person is saying. James 1:19 states, “Let every man be swift to hear, [and] slow to speak.” Showing that we need to prioritize others over ourselves, not creating mental noise while having conversations.
  4. Fear of missing out (FOMO): Don’t let your fear of missing out on the latest news or gossip distract you; remove this unwanted background noise from your life by unplugging from technology.

Noise in Our Relationship With God

Mr. Bueno posed the question, “What type of noise can keep us from hearing God through the Bible?” He went on to describe two ways in which we can remove noise when listening to God. 

First, remove noise when listening to God through the Bible. Deuteronomy 6:3 tells Israel to ‘hear’ what He commanded them. In order to hear what God has to say through the Bible, we need to remove distractions and control our environment. Mr. Bueno mentioned how he wakes up early to do his Bible Study when it is quiet in the house. He explained that, “Approaching God, and removing the noise means actual physical noise but also, just drawing near to, to listen and have a heart that is open to receiving what God has to say through his word.”

Second, remove noise when listening to God through His Holy Spirit. “When we begin talking about removing noise in order to listen to God, we’re getting into the spirit realm of things and thinking about how to be led by God’s spirit.” God’s Holy Spirit can help us better listen to God, and remove the noise, helping us to combat our carnal mind (Romans 8:7-9). 

Final Thoughts

Mr. Bueno ended by repeating the question he began with:

 “What does your life sound like? What are the sounds? What are the noises? How much is in your control and how much is outside of your control?” 

Removing noise from our lives leads to better relationships with others as well as with God. 

Katelyn Wissinger

The Forgotten Key to Individual Growth

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In the forum this past week, Dr. Douglas S. Winnail addressed the importance of reading. He mentioned that if we want to grow and become more well-rounded individuals, we need to understand and utilize this vital tool. He mentioned that while at Living Education, we may not have the time to put his advice into full effect. However, he hoped the knowledge shared with us would create long term benefits for every student.

Dr. Winnail dove into his speech by discussing the drastic decline in the number of people who frequently read. Statistics reveal that between 1992 and 2002, there was a decrease of 17 million people reading books. To put this into perspective, over 25% of American adults do not read a single book throughout the year! However, in an age of YouTube videos and social media some might feel that it’s no big deal if we aren’t reading anymore. 

Why reading matters 

Yet, reading acts the same for our brain as exercise does for our bodies, and there are consequences when we do not stimulate our minds. Dr. Winnail cited one study that found a noticeable drop in communication skills from kids that are on screens, compared to those who were taught the joys of reading. He said that while he was serving as a pastor in England, he did a lot of reading about the European Union. However, the vocabulary and terminology that was used often required a dictionary to look up some of the words, therefore increasing his vocabulary over time. In addition, reading can promote time for reflection. When we read, our mind uses beta wave lengths that stimulate our thinking, compared to the alpha wavelengths that are generated when watching television. And just like our physical bodies, we must do things that keep the mind healthy. 

Requirements for deep reading 

Dr. Winnail next mentioned three guidelines to properly and deeply read. 

  1. Sit Still 
  2. Take Time 
  3. Concentrate 

Concentration can greatly aid in our understanding of the story flow and evaluate arguments which a book may pose, and it also makes the reading process that much more enjoyable. 

How does reading relate to you and me? 

Dr. Winnail explained that Christianity is not only a historical religion, but also a literary religion. He explained how Harvard was established 16 years after the pilgrims on the Mayflower landed at Plymouth, for the explicit purpose of providing an educated ministry for this new land. This shows that even in the early years of our country, people recognized the importance of preparing educated leaders.

In addition to increasing our physical knowledge, and understanding, the Bible stresses the importance of books. Deuteronomy 31:26 says, “Take this book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you.” The Scriptures reveal that God has used educated individuals to fulfill His Purpose. We are told that Moses was “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22) and that Daniel and his friends were schooled for three years in the language and books of the Chaldeans (Daniel 1:3-4). Solomon was filled with wisdom and spoke of trees, birds, animals and many other things and that many came to hear his wisdom (1 Kings 4:31-34). How did Solomon acquire such broad knowledge without using this wonderful tool of reading? 

Beyond ourselves 

In addition to striving to become more educated as individuals, we have the responsibility to help children learn to appreciate reading. As Dr. Winnail put it, “Children are made readers in the laps of their parents.” It is critical for the art of reading to be passed on, and this can be achieved by making reading enjoyable for them. Dr. Winnail discussed how when his grandchildren were little, he would read them their favorite books. Often, he would have fun with them by leaving parts out and waiting for their response to his changing the story. Passing on the skill of reading and the joy of reading is the duty of any loving parent or grandparent. 

Closing 

Dr. Winnail concluded the forum by sharing a handout with quotes from famous individuals and their views on reading, along with a list of recommended books. One quote that stood out from Mark Twain was, “The man that does not read good books has no advantage over a man that cannot read.” This focused our minds on the importance that reading holds. If we do not put reading into practice by reading beneficial books, then are we really any better off than a person who never learned to read? 

While we are currently busy with our designated readings, classwork, and activities, all of us are enthusiastic to begin putting the principles of reading into more diligent action. When we realize the importance that reading can have on our mental as well as physical health, we can look forward to exercising our minds! 

Attempting to Sell a Way of Life 

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As the LE students are settling into their routines and working hard in their classes, Mr. Weston, the forum presenter, noted that students may realize by now that the Living Education program is not precisely what they had been expecting. He noted, “The Living Education Program onsite is different from anything you would find anyplace else…and I hope that you will embrace it!”. Mr. Weston went on to share his own Ambassador College (A.C.) experience, some of the lessons he learned while there, and discuss the traditions of A.C. and LE. 

Background 

Mr. Weston was not born in the Church but discovered it around the age of 16. There were seven other students that God worked with from Lompoc High School, which was quite unique. He was not able to attend services until he moved away from home to attend Ventura College beginning in the Fall of 1964. However, he became dissatisfied with the quality of the teachers and classes. Most were uninteresting and did not value the students’ learning. After this, Mr. Weston decided to attend Ambassador College in 1965. While there, the stark differences between the education being offered at Ambassador and the worldly schools became evident. The provided classes were more engaging, taught skills for life, and cared for actual understanding of the lessons.  

Lessons Learned at A.C. 

Government: Mr. Weston communicated that he learnt lessons the difficult way at the start of his time at A.C. “When the boss says to do it a certain way, you do it that way.” Those in charge deserve respect. This key can be applied not just at headquarters where the students work, but also throughout life. 

Priorities: While college classes in worldly higher education institutions may include superfluous information, Ambassador College classes were full of valuable content. Mr. Weston described a situation while he was a student; he skipped a class to get a haircut and received a full letter grade reduction for the entire semester as a result. Students should prioritize classes and work first; “you have to take care of business first and then your pleasure after that.” 

Dating: The world has corrupted what dating means and one should be aware of how they are being influenced by the world in this regard. Mr. Weston noted that when he started attending A.C., he had to learn a new mindset on dating because he had grown up in the world. An example of a date at Ambassador could be a walk. He encouraged the students, just as Ambassador College students were, to date widely. The way students approach dating indicates their difference to those in the world. 

How to Dress and Conduct Oneself: Mr. Weston stated that at Ambassador College, they were directed to learn how to conduct themselves in such a way as to appear before kings, for that is what we are to become. Conduct includes working hard. He pointed to Proverbs 22:9 (NKJV) where the Bible states “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.”  In addition, how a person dresses directly impacts others’ views of them. Clothes can represent a person’s values. 

Traditions 

“Great institutions have great traditions”. Mr. Weston noted how at Ambassador College, they had traditions regarding meals in the dining hall and he related this to how LE has a Friday night dinner tradition. Students host guests and prepare a meal each Friday. These traditions provide memories that students can recall later on in life and students should embrace these traditions. Another tradition at Ambassador College that Mr. Weston pointed out, was the tradition of excellence. “Work with all of your might, to do things with energy, and do it the best that you can, and do it with excellence.” These traditions serve to unite students and create a standard they can all live up to. 

Final Thoughts 

The students were grateful to have received such insight into Mr. Weston’s Ambassador College experience, some of the lessons he learned while there, and the importance of traditions. Just as A.C. had certain standards and culture, so does LE. Those in charge of the Living Education Charlotte program are aiming to create a culture of “purity, honor and respect.” Purity is defined as living according to God’s law. Honor means doing what you know is right even if nobody notices. Respect has to do with how we treat others. The students were encouraged to embrace this culture. 

Mr. Weston reminded the students that they represent LE within the Church and to the world. Living Education has been designed to build quality and consistency as values for students. Students should be promoting this better way of life that is so different from the world. LE students have the ability to make an impact and set an example for youth within the Church. This is akin to the ripple effect, when a stone is thrown, it doesn’t just make a splash, it creates ripples in the water. 

 

Katelyn Wissinger

Successful Strategy Design

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On Thursday we received a well-designed talk about pursuing our future careers after our time at Living Education. Dr. John Cole, a Charlotte local, entrepreneur, and businessman, provided us with an energetic and passionate forum in which he covered tips to achieve success in our future work endeavors.

Dr. Cole began by asking all of us what would be our dream job to tailor the discussion to better suit every one of us. He then wanted to emphasize the importance of, what he called, “Swot Analysis.”  Swot analysis stands for–strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.  He recommended that we identify these in future companies and ourselves. It is necessary for us while looking at new opportunities to weigh the options presented before us.  When we focus on our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it allows us a more rounded look at where we can and need to grow. 

Research

 Dr. Cole said from his personal experience that before even applying for a position, it is worthwhile to prepare by researching the company in which you are interested. This preparation will allow us to stand out positively in the interview stage. It is wise to become familiar with the organization as well as their competitors so we can better answer the interviewer’s questions. He also went on to warn that research is double-sided. Anything that is put online can and will be found by the employer before a company hires somebody. That is why we must think about how others will view our social media posts before we post them. This will protect us from any unforeseen side effects in the future.

Be Personable

Dr. Cole shared that a key to having an impact on other people, especially interviewers, is to simply be natural. This is easier said than done. It is only natural that an employer would feel more inclined to hire someone they genuinely want to spend time around rather than a potentially more qualified individual with whom  they can’t get along. Dr. Cole went on to explain that there are four different types of people. He summed them up as:

  1. Those that know they know.
  2. Those that know they don’t know.
  3. Those that don’t know they know.
  4. Those that don’t know they don’t know.

This example of 4 different people emphasizes the need to be knowledgeable in our fields, yet more importantly, we must remain humble through our wisdom. 

Innovative 

We need to be up to date with current and future innovations that will affect our future career fields. Dr. Cole gave the example of AI. He recommended that everyone pay attention to the latest developments in their field so that when posed with a question regarding it, we can be ready to give an educated response on the matter. This will allow us to not be caught off guard by any changes in our work and careers.

God’s Hand

While we can do our part to develop better career readiness skills described by Dr. Cole, only with God can we truly succeed. The largest aspect that guides our endeavors is prayer. Dr. Cole explained that God may guide an event in a direction that we may not immediately understand. We should always remember, however, that God is in control and wants what is best for us. He shared a personal account of when he first got out of school. He applied for a good entry-level job. He fervently prayed asking for God’s assistance, yet was ultimately rejected because he was overqualified. What he did not realize at the time was God was protecting him. Just a few months later, the company he applied to declared bankruptcy. We must realize that even if God may close a door, it is to protect us from future suffering. 

Dr. Cole reminded us that if we, or other brethren need a hand, to send him an email. He offered to be a reference, give his feedback on any writing for higher education, or read over a resume. If there ever is a time that he can be of assistance Dr. Cole would be more than happy to offer help. Just contact him at [email protected]. 

The wisdom that was passed onto us on how we can establish more extensive ways to go about treating others and researching for employment, was beneficial to hear. This will all be taken and ready for us to put to action when the time comes!

Develop the Skill of Deep Work

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“Better work, done faster”

Mr. Josh Lyons based his forum on the book Deep Work by Cal Newport and spoke to the students about the importance of developing the skill of “deep work”. He went on to explain the problem that “deep work”’solves, what it means, and the practical steps the students can take to achieve the skill.

The Problem

In today’s society, concentration spans are shortening, and the ability to think deeply is decreasing. This is affecting our personal and work lives. Phones, with the many various apps they contain, have increasingly consumed more of our attention. At the same time, our ability to focus for long periods has decreased. He pointed us towards a news article on how technology has affected our ability to concentrate, which further emphasized the point that we are all becoming less focused.

The Solution

Mr. Lyons then went on to explain how “deep work” can help us overcome the problems we see today which lead to ineffective work and a lack of focus. According to the book, “deep work” is defined as “professional activities performed in a state of distraction free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate” ( (Newport 3). It is a meaningful and rare skill that adds value and leads to thriving at work. “Deep work” means being steady, diligent, earnest and energetic. Proverbs 22:29 states “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men”(NKJV). “Deep work”  can be equated to diligence and will be noticed by others, increasing our opportunity to succeed.

Practical Ways to Achieve Deep Work

  1. Do as little shallow work as possible: menial tasks that don’t require skill should be completed in batches to avoid wasting so much time.
  1. Ruthlessly block distractions: try blocking notifications on your phone. We must be intense and intentional with getting rid of and avoiding distractions that affect our work.
  1. Block out chunks of time to do “deep work”
  1. Good location for “deep work”
  1. Learn to love“deep work”. Embrace the challenge of trying to reach your potential in terms of work output and quality. This adds value to work, family, your life and your success rate.
  1. Be intentional in improving your ability to do “deep work”.  “Deep work” is not a habit; it is a skill that you need to train and practice. The more you exercise the skill, the more you will strengthen your mental ability to perform it.

Final Thoughts

The skill of “Deep work” can aid us in overcoming the effects of technology and the many distractions around us that seem to stop us from producing quality work in a decent time period. Mr. Lyons ended by reading a few quotes on the topic of concentration.

Resources:

Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central Publishing, 2016.

Katelyn Wissinger

Living A Life of Creativity 

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Are you creative? Mr. Jonathan McNair began the recent forum by posing this question to the students. He put forth a passion for this topic and how it relates to our Father in Heaven.

The Creative Process 

After presenting the question, Mr. McNair used a video to demonstrate the process of creativity. The video was of a man who sat down at the piano, and wrote a short piece of music for himself and an orchestra in 10 minutes. All he used for inspiration was a few lines of text from a program of the evenings musical performance. He asked the audience for a “key” in which to write, and began to create. The end product was a powerful mini-ballad, amazing the audience as they listened to his work brought musically to life. 

God Is Creative

Mr. McNair dug in and emphasized just how creative the Creator of this world is. God did not have to make such a variety of scenery or taste, yet he did.  Genesis 1:26 says:  “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  Mr. McNair pointed out mankind was created in the image of God, and he also instilled in us the desire to be creative.  

Biblical Craftsmanship 

He went on to show examples from the Bible of God’s guidance concerning creative projects.  The guidance that God gave to Noah in Genesis chapter 6, is very detailed. “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.” Exodus 31 shows God’s guidance to create works of art as well; “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.”

Making it Personal 

To make the topic real in the student’s daily lives, Mr. McNair brought out a personal story of how remarkably man can use the creativity he was given.  He shared how he is reviewing the project for the new hymnal and that it is inspiring to witness just how much creativity God has provided within the church. He then went on to warn that creativity must be used, lest it be taken away.  

Keys To Creativity 

To wrap up his forum, Mr. McNair brought to light what he called three keys to achieving creativity.  The first was, “Use patterns for success.” He said that when you look at it, there are patterns everywhere; use these patterns to your advantage. The second key is, “Get the little things right.” Mr. McNair established that when a chance for a grand creative endeavor appears, if you do not have the fundamentals down then that chance will pass you by.  The final point is, “Work in harmony.”  He told the students that they shouldn’t view others as stepping stones to get them where they want to go and then leave, but instead care for the people and the connection during the creative process

 Mr. McNair left the students with a challenge.  “I challenge you to live a creative life!”

The 7 Laws of Success

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Recently, Mr. Hernandez gave a forum on the importance of following the seven laws of success. He started by explaining that success should not just be thought of in physical terms, but also spiritual terms. Spiritual and physical success are connected. Mr. Hernandez showed that by practicing the 7th law of success, seeking God first, all other laws can be achieved.

Seek God and Put Him First

Our relationship with God must be of the utmost importance to us. As students, Mr. Hernandez pointed out, it could be all too easy to think that we are right with God just because we are attending classes and learning about the Bible. He reminded us that we should continue in daily prayer and Bible study, in addition to our classes here at LE. If we put God first, starting and ending our day with prayer and Bible study, we will be successful. 

Jesus provides an example of this in Mark 1:35; “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed”.

If we are making the time to study and pray and develop that personal connection with God, then His word will fill our minds and guide us throughout the day. This personal relationship enabled Joseph to be successful even when he was a slave in Egypt (Genesis 39:2).

1. Set the right goal: Matthew 6:33 states our overall goal should be to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. Mr. Hernandez emphasized that seeking His righteousness means we should be keeping His commandments. Staying loyal to Christ will lead to future success. Our focus should be on putting the knowledge we have about God’s way of life into action. 

2. Seek knowledge and the right education: As Living Education students, our primary source of knowledge is the Bible and Mr. Hernandez encouraged us to read the whole Bible. In Deuteronomy God stated that he wanted those appointed as kings to write a copy of the law for themselves and that they were to read it their whole lives (Deuteronomy 17:18-19).

3. Maintain good health: Mr. Hernandez emphasized watching what we eat. We should be mindful of the effects of different foods on our bodies and be careful to observe the examples of clean and unclean meats listed in the Bible. He mentioned the booklet, Biblical Principles of Health as a useful resource.

4. Drive: “The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich” (Proverbs 13:4). Working hard leads to success and blessings from God.

5. Be resourceful: Resourcefulness involves wisdom, which “is the ability to solve problems by applying God’s law in the right way”. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:4). 

6. Have endurance: The only way we will get into the Kingdom of God is if we endure to the end. Start working towards your goals today, don’t wait for tomorrow. 

7. Seek God first:  These 6 laws of success would not be possible without the 7th law- Seeking God and putting Him first. If we fail to put God first, we won’t see the right goals to set and we will be seeking the wrong kind of knowledge. Without the Bible, where can we find health laws on what we should and shouldn’t eat? The proverbs instruct us on how to act and how to work. Without spending time in prayer and Bible study, how will we have access to God’s wisdom? Finally, how can we achieve success if we do not endure to the end? 

Remember to put God first in all things.

Katelyn Wissinger

Roles and Goals

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Mr. Rod McNair presented to us with an informative forum on the importance of schedules and goals.  After our first week of classes has come and gone, we were able to take this information in and absorb it more appreciatively thanks to our currently full schedules.  

What are your goals?

To start the discussion, Mr. McNair made it a point to interact with us by asking, and honestly wanting, the feedback we had to offer to questions he posed.  He cultivated a closer connection with us by caring for and feeding the goals that we hold for ourselves to achieve throughout the program.  He shared some of his own goals and reminded us that they should not be the same as the world’s.  A key example of this is being a homemaker.  With the feminist movement in the world today, being a homemaker, rearing children, and caring for the home is frowned upon, yet Scripture encourages the opposite.  (Titus 2:4-5)  “They admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

Make goals a reality

Everyone has goals, yet what sets the successful apart from those that never achieve their goals is scheduling.  Mr. McNair shared with us a schedule that he planned out for his life when he was a student at Ambassador College.  Seeing this was enlightening for us because we could see the way it worked out after being written in ink.  We are all thankful for the reminder he gave us, “Even if things seem overwhelming, you must make time for God!”  God should be first and foremost in our goals and lives.

Focus on the short-term

While we are excited about what the future can hold for us, Mr. McNair made the point that we must put action into the short-term, day-to-day workings, to achieve our further-off desires.  He provided us with one basic key to staying on track in the short term.  He said that if we only take one thing away from what he shared it was, “Take the time to write out a schedule with goals for the upcoming week.”  It may take a little time to become accustomed to this practice, but having the dedication will result in a more organized and productive week in which we can grow.  

It’s about growth!

Mr. McNair said, “It is not about perfection, it’s about growth!”  He made the point that we can write out our goals and create a schedule to achieve them, yet some situations may arise that affect our outcome. This is okay. To assist in making this point, Mr. McNair finished by playing a video on the Ernest Shackleton expedition from 1914. The goal of this expedition was to be the first to cross the continent of Antarctica, yet due to unforeseen circumstances, they narrowly made it back to civilization after two years of being shipwrecked. He said that looking at this story through the lens of goals, it was a massive failure because they didn’t attain their goal, and nearly died;  However, this is an incredible story of leadership as Shackleton brought all his men back safely. While we work to achieve the end goal, unseen events can drift us off course to a different outcome.  With our working to achieve goals, and God at the helm, nothing can drift us away from God’s plan for us.

We are excited to make our own goals and schedules to share with future generations.  As Mr. McNair said, “It’s not rocket science…”  

Living Education:  Foundation Elements from LCG and WCG

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Mr. Strain began his forum to the LivingEd students by introducing himself and his role in the church as a pastor of the Charlotte, NC congregation. He went on to share with us what we can expect from Living Education and being close to the work at headquarters. These values that guide the program and Church culture were passed down from Mr. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God.

Understanding Church History

Living Education and the cultures and values the Church espouses can be traced back to Mr. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God. Mr. Strain himself attended Ambassador College, part of the Worldwide Church of God. Several of the men involved in the work at Headquarters attended Ambassador College. This has also influenced how Living Education has been designed and how the Church acts. To understand more about the history of the church and its teachings, the speaker encouraged us to read: Mr. Armstrong’s Autobiography (Vol. 1), Mystery of the Ages, and to study the LCG Statement of Fundamental Beliefs. He went on to give several examples of the values that Mr. Armstrong helped introduce within the Worldwide Church of God that we still hold onto today.

Work

Mr. Strain described how students were expected to work at Ambassador College and to maintain the cleanliness of the dorms and facilities. Similarly, at Living Education, students have the opportunity to work at headquarters and these same standards of living are to be valued and upheld.

Attire

Proper dressing standards have also been passed on. Mr Strain described how women should dress modestly and pay attention to what they wear for Sabbath services. Men also should take care of their appearances and make sure to not dress casually when appearing before God on the Sabbath. The speaker commented that the LE students should strive to apply these same standards of dress to what is worn throughout the rest of the week.

Music

Special music for Sabbath services should not cave into the ‘nice sounding’ songs with a contemporary feel which are popular nowadays. Much popular ‘Christian’ music is shallow, emphasizing only grace, not the keeping of the law and the gift of grace. The Church should strive to hold itself to a higher standard of music that is played at services. Mr. Strain commented that performing special music for Sabbath services is not a display of skill, but a service to the congregation and to praise God.

Manners

Mr. Strain also emphasized how good manners never go out of style and should be valued by the students. Those who are older or in a higher office should be addressed properly, not by their first name, but by using ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs’, or ‘Miss. He mentioned Leviticus 19:32 where God says to “rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man.”

Final Thoughts

As the students began their nine-month journey, Mr. Strain provided valuable insight into the perspective that the Living Church of God holds and that is mirrored at Living Education. Mr. Strain shared the history of how the culture and standards upheld now are a result of God working with Mr. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God. 

Katelyn Wissinger