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Red Heifer

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Mr. Nathan began his forum by pointing to current events in the Middle East, such as the Israeli-Hamas war. Despite all the coverage of these events by Western Media, some issues are still not examined, and this is what Mr. Nathan presented to the Living Education students: Hamas claims that Israel has red heifers, and this justifies the attack on the nation. To understand the importance of this claim and to be aware of the news, Mr. Nathan explained the topic of the red heifer.

The Requirements:

There are several requirements for a red heifer, some of which are stated in the Bible and others that the Jews set.

  • Must be 2 years old and weaned
  • It must be red all over, with only a certain number of white hairs allowed
  • Not blemished (Numbers 19:2)
  • Female

The Sacrifice:

The Bible states how the red heifer was to be sacrificed historically, which is the basis for how it will sacrificed in the future. First, the sacrifice had to occur outside of the camp at Jerusalem, as stated in Numbers 19:3. This means that any current attempts made to sacrifice on the Temple Mount do not count because the sacrifice has to occur outside the camp. The ashes from the burnt sacrifice of the heifer were kept outside of the camp and stored for use in water for the purification from sin (Num 19:9). To serve in the Tabernacle, the Levites were required to cleanse themselves with this water of purification (Num 8:5-7). 

History of Sacrifice of the Red Heifer:

Over the last 30 years, a renewed effort has been made to find a red heifer that meets the requirements and start sacrifices. In September 2022, five red heifers were shipped to Israel from Texas; two turned out to be ineligible, but three remain. As of 2024, they were eligible to be sacrificed. However, this does not mean that sacrifices will start immediately. From the time of Moses in the 15th century BC until the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, nine heifers were sacrificed. According to the Jewish Rabbi, Maimonides, the 10th would signal the return of the Messiah. The Temple Institute in Jerusalem keeps heifers for possible sacrifice at Shiloh. At the same time, a replica of the Temple and its instruments is made to understand how the sacrifice should be conducted. It is important to note that once the heifer is sacrificed, the ashes from the sacrifice can be kept for purification purposes for an extended period. This means that even if the heifers are sacrificed, there is an unknown length of time until the sacrifices begin again in Jerusalem. 

Christ’s Sacrifice:

Just like the heifer, Jesus Christ was a sacrifice without blemish (without sin), as Hebrews 9:12 states. Christ was also crucified outside of the gates of Jerusalem,m just as the red heifer must be sacrificed. Christ’s sacrifice is the perfect replacement for the blood of the red heifer commanded for Israel and redemption from our sins.  As the sacrifice of the red heifer was a physical way to be cleansed from sin, those who have received the Spirit are spiritually cleansed and purified (1 Peter 1:22).

Prophecy:

The start of the sacrifice of the red heifer is essential to be aware of because it signals end-time events. The sacrifices of the red heifer must start again so that they can be stopped and replaced with the ‘abomination of desolation’ (Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, Matt 24:15-22), which will signal the end time ‘great tribulation’ that precedes the return of Jesus Christ.

Final Thoughts:

Mr. Nathan ended his forum by reminding the students to become wise and understand the world scene. He encouraged them to be aware of how events worldwide, especially in the Middle East, play into end-time prophecy and to realize how Western Media portrays them.

Being The Managing Editor

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In a recent forum, the students heard from Mr. Robinson, the managing editor for the Living Church of God. As managing editor, he is involved in the design and layout of Tomorrow’s World and Living Church News and nearly all of the church’s written and printed content. When God works in our life, He gives us the experiences we need to shape us for later in life. In his current job, Mr. Robinson employs design principles that are a key factor in increasing comprehension for the readers of Church literature.

Experiences Matter

Mr. Robinson stated that God gave him the perfect life experiences to bring him to where he is today. Despite only attending Ambassador College for one year and never finishing his degree, he had already learned the printing trade and used this knowledge to find a job in the field. He was at the right time to witness the technology boom in the print industry. At one of his first jobs, Mr. Robinson typeset business cards. After that, he landed a job at a high-end design agency, where he wondered why he was there since he had never been interested in design. Mr. Robinson worked at a print shop for 12 years before being hired by the Church.

We might have experiences in life that don’t make sense now, or we may be in situations that cause us to wonder, however, Mr. Robinson reminded us of Romans 8:28: 

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

God places us in situations that prepare us for what we will later do. He has a master plan for us, and we must remember that He has a perfect end goal. We shouldn’t be discouraged, even if we are in a difficult situation that leaves us wondering why.

After 20 years of publishing experience, Mr. Robinson was offered a job as the Managing Editor of the Living Church of God. His experiences working in print shops and design suddenly became useful; one of his first projects was redesigning Tomorrow’s World Magazine. Today, design is very relevant to his job. 

The Purpose of Design:

The design organizes and clarifies information to be intelligible to the reader; and conveys the essentials to them.

Principles of Design for a Managing Editor

  1. Structure of elements for a design and create a clear order of visual dominance between elements
  2. The font used and how the text is displayed matters
  3. Selection of color for printing and color theory
  4. Image & Cover Selection

Mr. Robinson provided an insightful forum into how he came to his job as Managing Editor of the Living Church of God and the importance of design. When we are left wondering why we are given a certain experience, we need to have faith that God has a master plan for us and there is a reason. 

Here I Am

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Mr. Phil Sena began his forum on willingness by stating that a person’s level of willingness reveals their heart. He went on to give several examples of individuals who displayed willing attitudes in the Bible and the different qualities they had.

Abraham

When God called Abraham’s name, Abraham responded, “Here I am,” This indicates that Abraham trusted God because before Abraham even knew what God was about to ask of him, he was willing to follow God. Mr. Sena revealed this quality about Abraham: his willingness to build a relationship with God over time. He then was willing to follow through on what God had asked of him. Genesis 22 records three instances of Abraham’s willingness to trust God, where he replies, “Here I am.” Hebrews 11:17- 19 further describes this characteristic of Abraham.

Moses

Exodus 3:1-4 describes Moses’ encounter with God, calling him from a burning bush, showing that God can make His will known unexpectedly. When God called Moses from the midst of the burning bush, he responded, “Here I am.” Moses was willing to follow God even in this unexpected situation. In the same way, there may be unexpected opportunities to serve in a congregation, and we should be willing to help, which can happen at different times in a person’s life, before and after baptism. 

Samuel

A willingness to follow God is not limited to older people; young people can demonstrate a desire to obey God. God called Samuel when he was young; age did not exempt him from responding. Proverbs 4:1-7 directs young people to get wisdom and be willing to follow God. 

Ananias

Mr. Sena used the example of Ananias in Acts to show that willingness does not require ordination. Ananias is mentioned simply as a disciple of Christ (Acts 9:10). 

Christ asked Ananias to go to the house of Saul, who persecuted the saints and gave him sight; Ananias willingly followed through on this request even though he was not ordained.

What if we lack motivation or willingness?
There are two steps we can use to combat a lack of motivation. 

  1. As Philippians 2:12-13 shows, we can ask God for willingness to do His good pleasure. We can go to God to help us “work out” our own salvation and desire to change and become more like Jesus Christ. 
  1. If sin is holding us back, Isaiah  58:6 tells us to fast. Verses 9 and 10 state the result of this fast of repentance: “Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’” This fast of repentance from sin will lead to a willing attitude, and we can start this process anytime.

Final Thoughts

This forum used the examples of several individuals in the Bible to highlight different qualities of willingness. We must seek God and repent of our sins to gain gusto because this is essential to respond to God’s call. Are you willing?

The Moon, Mars, and Beyond–God’s Awesome Universe: A scale we cannot yet fathom

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This past Thursday, we had an out-of-this-world forum! Dr. Roedolph Opperman has a Ph.D. in Aerospace engineering and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He is a lead systems engineer at a space transportation company, Momentus. Dr. Roedolph Opperman presented to us a subject that he holds very near and dear.

Dr. Opperman reminded us of the moon landing more than 50 years ago. He said that NASA aims to send man back to the moon as soon as 2025, hoping to establish a base at the south lunar pole. 

Dr. Opperman described the history of our search for habitation on Mars. He explained that to this date, there have been five successful U.S. rovers sent to Mars. They began in 1997 with Sojourner, which was supposed to last only one week on the planet but lasted nearly 90 days! 2003, twin rovers launched Spirit and Opportunity, which were supposed to last 90 days. Ultimately, Spirit lasted over 6 years, and Opportunity lasted over 14 years! In 2011, the Curiosity Rover was sent up to Mars, followed most recently by the Perseverance Rover in 2021, on which Dr. Opperman himself had worked.  

Each of these rovers has been a fantastic mechanical achievement for man. Perseverance is the first of the rovers to have video footage of it landing on Mars, and it was sent with a small helicopter drone to assist the rover after successfully landing on the red planet. This was a test to see how this idea would work out, intending to complete just a few flights. However, it was able to fly over 10 miles and complete dozens more flights than expected. 

To get a machine that works on another planet requires a lot of extreme testing. This testing has to be completed here on Earth because, at this time, it is not feasible to send someone to do maintenance on it once it is out of orbit. This is where Dr. Opperman came into the equation with him and his team testing the rover long before it was even sent out to Mars. Remarkably, they must ensure no bacteria on the rover when testing it to reduce the likelihood that future missions to Mars will come across proof” of life that simply came from Earth. 

He discussed the advancements coming from Elon Musk’s company, Space X. Their most recent rocket has a size and weight capacity that can take 100 people into space; compare that to the previous space shuttle that was only suited to take 7. This is important for the people it can take into orbit and the equipment that can be taken up because of the increased weight and storage capacity. This will reduce the cost it takes to take things to space. What may be an even more remarkable achievement is the ability to reuse their rockets and the booster stage with the propellants. This has been achieved by using a chopstick method to catch the base while it is still in the air, returning to the launch pad after take-off. This will save an immense amount of money trying to recover the materials from the ocean after the landing or build a new rocket from scratch, which was historically the case. Before Mr. Musk achieved this feat, they would crash land in the ocean where the salt water would damage components, rendering them unsalvageable or burn up in the atmosphere. With this technique of catching them, all that needs to be done is a simple refilling before they can be used again.

Dr. Opperman shifted to how even while man is making these advancements, we are still so far, not even a distant speck, in comparison to God’s glorious power. It says in Psalm 147 that God determines the number of the stars and knows them all by name. He explained that there are estimated to be at least 100 billion trillion stars in the seeable universe. This does not even take into account what we have not discovered yet! God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 22, saying He will make his descendants the stars of heaven. As the sand of the seashore, it is even more remarkable the more we learn about how vast the universe is. 

Dr. Opperman suggested a slideshow on a Sabbath evening to look at and admire some of the Hubble or James Webb telescope pictures of God’s wonderful creation of galaxies and the universe. This can help remind us of the power that our Creator has and the beauty that He provides us. We are so grateful for Dr. Opperman’s presentation and are excited by the advancements being made. Yet, we are still sober in our understanding that we can only do so much with our current physical and sensual bodies. While not now, the stars are calling, and we must go.

Thailand and the Church of God

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

Did you know that Living Education runs a Thailand program?

Since 1957, the Church of God has been involved in Thailand, preaching the Gospel, and also opening through doors that focus on educational activities. The current director of Living Education, Mr Jonathan McNair, spent 7 years in Thailand, beginning in 1984, both teaching in the classroom and overseeing the Ambassador Foundation activities. He presented a forum to the Living Education students on the Thailand educational program, first delving into its history and then explaining how the program works now. 

A Brief History:

1957- The World Tomorrow begins broadcasting from Radio Bangkok in Thailand

1968- Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) meets King Leopold III of Belgium, who makes it possible for him to meet Thailand’s head of state

1971- HWA visits Thailand and meets King Bhumibol

1972- Sawasdi Yingyuad was hired as a Thai instructor at AC in Pasadena, California

1973- HWA meets Thailand’s Prime Minister Kittachakorn and gives a presentation in Bangkok

1974- Two AC students participate in an exchange program with Chiang Mai University

1975- HWA starts the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation to conduct cultural, humanitarian, charitable, and educational activities of the Church and AC

1976- HWA makes two visits with Prime Minister Seni Pramoj of Thailand

1979- Thailand’s Supreme Patriarch Ariawongsagatayan visits Ambassador College (AC) and asks Dr. Hoeh for help with refugees in the country. HWA approves the Ambassador College Educational Program in Thailand (A.C.E.P.T.) in connection with Wat Thai Los Angeles

1980- First A.C.E.P.T. group goes to Thailand- Chiang Kong

1982- HWA speaks to over 200 World Tomorrow magazine subscribers in Bangkok; HWA hosts the Supreme Patriarch at AC

1983- Two AC students are sent to Djittabhawan to teach English to monks

1984- One student continues teaching English in Djitta, Pawan, and two AC students start teaching at Wat Sakret/Wat Mahathat

1985- Two AC students start teaching at Chitralada Palace, Thailand, and three students begin to teach at Sathitchula; Thailand’s Queen Siriket visits AC

The Present:

Two years ago, Living Education began to work with our local church leaders to send student volunteers to teach English in Thailand. They served as assistant teachers in an elementary school in the northern town of Maesot, under the supervision of Mr. Htoowah Laybeh, our minister in the area. As part of their two-month stay, they also experience the flavor of Thailand through field trips planned by Mr. Laybeh. 

Final Thoughts

The efforts of our volunteers who travel to Thailand to teach English continues a legacy that can goes back many decades. Through their efforts and the leadership of Mr. Htoowah Laybeh, the church is able to provide a valuable gift to Thai children and teachers, they gain experience that comes from living in a different culture, and they serve as examples of what real Christianity is all about. 

God’s Church Through the Ages

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Dr. Douglas Winnail guided us this past Thursday through the proofs of God’s existence and the hardship God’s Church has faced since Christ’s death. He began by explaining what the Greek root word for church means. The Greek word is “Ecclesia,” meaning an assembly of people, a called-out group. It is not a physical building but a spiritual collection of God’s remnant, His people. Dr. Winnail showed us how to trace the true church through the name provided in the New Testament. He turned to 1 Corinthians 1:2, Acts 20:28, and Galatians 1:13, which all  have this phrase in common; “the Church of God.” Connecting these dots and realizing that God’s true church is called the Church of God is not complicated.

Dr. Winnail then detailed several doctrines that define the Church of God. Mark 1:14-15 says they, God’s early church, preached the good news of God’s coming kingdom. John 14:15 discusses keeping the commandments, and Acts 17:2 clearly shows that the apostle Paul kept the Sabbath day!

What happened to the New Testament church?

Dr. Winnail explained the timeframe of the seven church eras found in Revelations 2 and 3. 

  • Ephesus 1st century-135 AD
  • Smyrna 135-325 AD
  • Pergamos 325-1100 AD
  • Thyatira 1100-1500 AD
  • Sardis 1500-1930 AD
  • Philadelphia 1930-1990 AD
  • Leodecian 1990-present 

He explained events and characteristics from each era. We were eager to receive this since we were just at the Waldensian Trail of Faith learning more about the Thyatira era of God’s church. 

Mission for today

Dr. Winnail closed out his forum by reminding us all, with scriptural evidence, what we are to be doing. From Ephesians 5:15, he emphasized that we need to make sure that we make the most of the time that we have, and from 1 Peter 3:18, he said that we need to be continuously learning and growing. Finally, Revelation 5:10 shows we must prepare to rule at God’s side in his soon-coming kingdom. We are grateful for the history Dr. Winnail provided us with, realizing how important it is for us not to become part of the Laodicean Era. We may be living in it, but we must strive to be Philadelphian spiritually!

Treasure Your Experiences

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What people and things do you value most? How much attention and time do you devote to what you value? How much do you value experiences when you know there is a definite end to them?

Dr. Scott Winnail delivered this Tuesday’s forum to the students on valuing the time we have here at LE and how we should take advantage of this experience. He encouraged us to take the time to reflect on this.

Dr. Winnail began with a personal story about discovering the importance of treasuring our opportunities. While attending university at the age of 20, he described how his attitude was to get through his education and get on with his life. His mentality was to just grind through the classes. It wasn’t until he experienced the loss of a young person in the church and the sister of a close friend that he realized he needed to change his approach. We must savor every moment of life, even when challenging, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Proverbs 2:1 states, “Receive my words, And treasure my commands within you.” To treasure means to value wisdom deeply. Living Education focuses on the missing dimension in education, the spiritual component. Here at LE, the students have the opportunity to receive spiritual wisdom. Dr. Winnail provided the students with two actions we can take to learn to treasure and take advantage of this experience.

Actions for Treasuring the LE Experience

  1. Jump in fully, and don’t hold back. Dr. Winnail related his experience when he didn’t take an opportunity he was given. When he was on the canoeing staff at church teen camp, the activity lead asked some staff members for help. Dr. Winnail tentatively raised his hand, yet he picked another staff member to help him. Dr. Winnail shared that the lead staff member on the canoe activity got together after the meeting and encouraged him to take advantage of unique opportunities when they present themselves; he should have raised his hand to help more confidently. He shared that we need to take full advantage of our opportunities here at LE and not let our shyness or comfort zone stop us. Ecclesiastes 9:10 describes this principle, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Don’t hold back. Dr. Winnail then quoted Henry David Thoreau from his book Walden:

“I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”

Students should leave LE without regrets for not taking advantage of the opportunities presented. 

  1. Guard and manage time wisely. Ephesians 5:5 states, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.” To walk circumspectly means to walk thoughtfully. We should remember why we are here at Living Education—to grow in grace and knowledge. Students must focus on and internalize the material, not just learn to pass the classes. We must also consider how we use our time; do we use our time in a way that reflects our purpose for being at LE?

Final Thoughts

If we value our opportunity here at LE, we will use our time wisely, knowing that tomorrow is not guaranteed, as John 9:4 describes. Dr. Winnail encouraged us to “suck out all the marrow of life” and treasure this experience, which is a privilege. We should try to grow as much as possible and allow God to change us. 

Rules for Better Communication 

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We were excited to receive lessons from Mr. Brent Mitchell this past Thursday’s forum. He began with a personal account from his years at a small state college in New Jersey. He worked with a group on a project, and one of the team members submitted it, yet when they received their grade, they realized the person who submitted it redid the entire project the way he wanted. Mr. Mitchell used this example to emphasize that a team is only as strong as its weakest link, and communication is the key to building as solid a team as possible. 

Worldly importance

Mr. Mitchell shared that 86% of employers say lack of communication is the cause of workplace errors, while 84% of employees report that they rely on managers to convey communication. 65% of divorcees surveyed shared that lack of communication was the leading cause of their divorce. Communication is key when interacting in teams and interpersonal relationships. More importantly, how does communication affect our relationship with God? Like our relationships with those around us, we must work and communicate our relationship with God. We should never stagnate in our relationship with God; we need to grow and communicate; otherwise, we will go in the opposite direction. 

Understanding tools of communication 

As the years go on, more and more resources are at our disposal regarding communicating. The smartphone has changed the playing field drastically, and we are almost always a call or text within reach. An even more recent development is artificial intelligence. We now have predictive text on most of our devices, a form of AI that makes written communication even more accessible. Mr. Mitchell was passionate about using the tools available to us but understood the limitations that they may have. He shared three keys to assist us in becoming better communicators.

  1. Know the limitations of your tools

Being able to call someone long distance and have a conversation with them is a great tool, yet it is different from having a face-to-face interaction with that person. Mr. Mitchell shared that in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18, Paul used letters to communicate with brethren he could not reach but still wished he could have been there in person to fellowship with them.

  1. People are not machines. 

He presented that we need to continue developing our people skills. For centuries, we worked with our hands and then went to work with our minds, but now we are entering an age where we will need to work with our hearts because we are in an age of machines. Robots and artificial intelligence are becoming stronger and smarter, but there is one thing these machines will never develop: human emotion. Mr. Mitchell provided three areas in which we should be growing now.

  1. Cultivate emotional intelligence
  2. Learn to listen
  3. Cultivate the soil of your heart 
  4. Seek Counsel 

Communication is not only verbal, but it can be visual and written. He explained what we wear, our body language, and the tone of our voice, which sends a message about who we are. “Writing things is putting your mind on paper, and you must know how to do that. It’s a powerful communication tool you should focus on developing.” Seeking council can assist us in ensuring that we do not give off a different message than the one we mean by obtaining feedback on how we appear to another individual. It is crucial to seek counsel from someone who provides us with more than the answer we want to hear while simultaneously someone we trust and respect. 

Communication is essential in teaching doctrine. How well can we communicate the doctrine of the church to our friends and family when asked? Can we do it clearly and concisely?

We learned lessons of teamwork and how to communicate as young children, and it is essential to continue growing our communication skills throughout the rest of our lives. As time goes on, we will only come into contact with more and more forms of communication. We are excited to grow closer to one another now that we have a deeper grasp on how we should communicate!

Establish Your Pillars

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In his forum this past Thursday, Mr. Wallace Smith shared a significant life lesson he has learned. He expressed keys that affect us daily, whether conscious or not.

Mr. Smith began by drawing our attention to the fact that there are innate things that we believe and hold dear. These include truths and falsehoods, such as your parents loving you or attending a church service on Sunday.

According to Mr. Smith, these beliefs support a worldview that shapes how we see the world. He went on to say that it is the philosophy through which we see all the things around us, and there are subsets that we should be careful to avoid

Naturalism 

One worldview based on naturalism is dangerous because it states that there is no free will. We should understand that this is not the case – God has created man uniquely, like no other of His marvelous creation, and gifted us with a spirit that allows us to think for ourselves. Denying this fantastic truth results in direct aversion to God’s handiwork. Mr. Smith expounded that people who resonate with this thinking are often double-minded. People like to condemn others when they do something wrong or wicked, yet according to this philosophy, no one has the free will to avoid these behaviors. 

Foundational Pillars 

After discussing the shortcomings of Natural Law, Mr. Smith emphasized his proven principle that served as a solid foundation throughout his life. He stated that we need hierarchical pillars we can use to interact with the physical, emotional, and spiritual world around us. He likened these pillars to Christ being the chief cornerstone or pillar of the church. He shared how, at times, what he held to be pillars of truth in his life have been attacked and damaged, which is why we need to establish absolute truths for our foundational pillars. Having unshakable pillars can allow us, if one of the other pillars is damaged, the time to rebuild it or even stand strong enough if proven false. Mr. Smith wanted to give us an idea of how these pillars could look, so he shared his top three, which he has formed over the years.

  1. God exists 

Hebrews 11:6, and Romans 1:20-21

  1. Jesus Christ is the Son of God

1 Corinthians 15:12-20, and John 17:3

  1. The Bible is God’s Word

John 17:17, and 2 Timothy 3:14-15

This forum brought much out for us to put into action. We are thankful for the warning not to fall into the typical thought processes people follow but to build a Godly understanding of the world around us!

John Wooden and the Pyramid of Success

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Mr. Pomicter addressed the LE students at this week’s forum on Coach John Wooden and the principles of success he used to guide his life and career. 

John Wooden was a renowned coach of UCLA men’s basketball. He helped the team win 10 NCAA Championships and earn various other awards. After winning the 1975 NCAA Championship at 64, he retired and set up youth basketball camps from the summer of 1971 through the mid-1980s.

During his career and retirement, John Wooden taught players how to succeed in basketball and life through his ‘Pyramid of Success’ and seven principles. Coach Wooden always told his players, “The closest I can come to the secret to success is this: A lot of little things done well.” This is where His “Pyramid of Success” comes into play, with each ascending layer of the pyramid dependent on the previous layer of blocks (principles). He based his view of success on seven principles, including helping others, praying for guidance and counsel, and making each day a masterpiece. Some of Coach Wooden’s concepts for success and how to achieve it agree with biblical teachings. In the book “Forgotten Teams” by Pat Williams, he is quoted on page 98 as saying, “You must have faith that all things will work out as they should as long as you do what you should. That doesn’t mean things will work out as we want them to, but if we have faith, things will turn out as they should”. God hears people’s prayers and knows their needs. A person can go to God for help succeeding at work or school, but they must also put the effort in themselves. If a person applies these principles from Coach Wooden, tremendous success should be a result.