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The Details of Design

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

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

The Managing Editor for the Living Church of God, Mr. John Robinson, gave an exemplary forum presentation for the Living Ed students in which he discussed his role, the editorial process, and the details of design theory.

Mr. Robinson began his presentation with a short, ironic story. When he was in highschool, he had to take a vocational survey that would show him what fields he would excel in. By now, he has forgotten completely what it said he was suited for, but he remembers what careers it said he shouldn’t pursue: the clergy and creative work like graphic design. Today, Mr. Robinson is an elder and a managing editor, a position that involves a lot of creativity, especially in making graphical layouts and designs. But he did not end up in the position by accident. 

Mr. Robinson delved into his professional experience, explaining that he spent 20 years in the print design field. He tried to get into the growing digital design world, but life always worked out in such a way that made him stay in the print field. One Sabbath day, he heard the job ad for a Managing Editor position at Headquarters in the announcements; it was practically his job description. He waited a few weeks before applying, and then he got the position. And an interesting thing happened. Mr. Robinson emphatically explained, “Within the first six months of working for the Church… I used every single life experience that I had from the previous 20 years.” God works everything out just right. 

The Editorial Process 

Mr. Robinson described the system the Editorial Department uses to refine submitted articles. First, the staff make sure that the article has no spelling mistakes or punctuation issues. Next, the editors go through and remove redundant information, which always manages to creep into writing. Mr. Robinson mentioned a quote from Blaise Pascal that many editors are familiar with: “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” 

The editorial department also ensures that the message is crystal clear for all potential readers. Then, the article is put into a template, like it would appear in the magazine, and sent to a group of reviewers for feedback. The reviews are processed, and then it is approved and sent to be printed. 

Design Theory 

Mr. Robinson then began to talk about design theory. The challenge in design is taking a complex idea and communicating it with a design anyone can understand. Mr. Robinson stated that the most effective designs follow the principle of this anonymous quotation: “Elegance is not the abundance of simplicity, but the absence of complexity.”

The purpose of design is to penetrate to the essentials with clearly intelligible organization. The designer must eliminate excess and clarify the subject. Mr. Robinson explained that design demands decisiveness. The designer must know where the reader’s eye should be drawn and what information is most critical, and use font size, pictures, location, and color to communicate it. He showed slides with examples, and he explained how choosing font type can even be a complicated design choice. 

Color Theory and Cover Selection

Mr. Robinson moved into color theory. He briefly explained complementary colors and the color wheel, and moved into the difference between print and digital colors. The difference between additive colors on a screen and subtractive colors used to print creates a unique situation. Sometimes, we can see a color on a computer that cannot be printed. Even these color considerations are part of Mr. Robinson’s role. 

Mr. Robinson gave the students an extra insight into the editorial process. He showed the different covers that could have been on a Tomorrow’s World issue. We discussed the differences between them, and then he explained which one was chosen and why.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Humans’ Automatic Warning System – the Conscience

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

Estimated reading time: 5 mins.

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

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

Should We Trust Our Conscience?

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

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

Mr. Botha

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

Conscience in the Bible

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

Conscience versus Doctrine

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

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

2 Corinthians 1:12

Overcoming a Weak Conscience

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

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

Romans 14:23

How to Keep Your Conscience Clean

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

The Path to Achieving Your Goals

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Estimated Read Time: 6 min.

Don’t End Up in a Hole

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

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

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

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

Seek Advice

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

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

Dr. Winnail

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

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

The Seven Laws of Success

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

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

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

Sixteen Attributes of Great Achievers

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

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

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

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

Inscription on the Seabees Memorial in Fort Meyers, VA

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

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

John Wooden’s Seven Point Creed

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

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

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

Fill the Need

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

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

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Unlocking the Mystery of Life

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

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

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

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

Disproving Evolution

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

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

Irreducible Complexity

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

Intelligent Design

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

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Choose Your Own Adventure…Carefully

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

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

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

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

The Importance of Insight

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

Workplace Etiquette

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

Furthering Your Success

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

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Forum Summary: The Value of Being Skilled

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

Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.

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

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

How to Become Skilled

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

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

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

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

Pick the Right Career 

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

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

Final Thoughts 

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

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Forum Summary: Treasure Your Experience

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

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and  hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Dr. Scott Winnail started this forum off in Matthew 13:44, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, which teaches us to do everything we can to enter into the Kingdom of God. He encouraged the Living Education students to do everything they can to make the most of the program while they are all here. In this program, the students are given an experience that they would never get from a worldly education program.

Fully Jump In

To make the most of their time here, Dr. Winnail instructed us to take advantage of as many opportunities as we are presented with, because they will frequently come and go. He recalled a story of an old teacher from back in his high school years. One day, his class was asked a question, and Dr. Winnail hesitated to raise his hand. His teacher took him aside afterward and gave him an important piece of advice: When presented with a good opportunity, fully jump in. If you take the time to hesitate, you might lose your chance very quickly. One thing you must do first is make sure that the opportunities do not get in the way of your godly priorities. If you have time before you have to make an important decision, pray about it. Ask God for guidance on your life’s presented path.

Guard Your Time

Dr. Winnail described our lives like a vapor, which comes and goes. We need to make sure that we are guarding our time and choosing the right priorities so that we are not wasting our lives away. He quoted from Ephesians 5:15–16: “ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” As time goes on, the world will become more and more rooted in the wrong values. We must make sure that we are building our foundation on our Rock, Jesus Christ! Our focus should be on spiritual growth. We need to visualize who we have the potential to be in the coming Kingdom of God!

In order to treasure our experiences, we need to make the most out of this current life. To do that, we need to guard our time and fully jump in. Christ knew that His time on earth would be short, but He made the most of His experiences. We need to make sure that we are building the right foundation in our lives and have our priorities set, so that the opportunities we want are presented to us in the first place.

Nathan Kroon is a Student Leader at Living Education. He originally hails from Washington State and is a 4th generation Christian. Currently, he works at Headquarters as a Video Editor and is the Lead Landscaper at the LivingEd dorms. His hobbies include playing guitar, listening to music, drawing, and watching movies.

Forum Summary: Why are you here?

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

Estimated Reading Time: 4 min.

Mr. Weston’s latest forum challenged the Living Education students to ask themselves, “Why am I in this church?”

This question may seem simple, but the real answer is more nuanced than we may realize. Our decisions are influenced by our past choices, past experiences, and even factors we have little control over like temperament and family. 

Understand your Life 

To illustrate, Mr. Weston summarized his childhood and early years and related the moment he first came into the Church. While the world is much different today, we all must learn to examine the experiences that shaped our perspective, because we will face critical decisions in our lives and the right path will not always be clear. To do this, we must understand ourselves. This includes our weaknesses and proclivities, and if we examine our lives and experiences, we will be better prepared for those serious decisions when they come. 

A Crossroads 

Mr. Weston had a certain momentous decision, as he recounted, in his life. In 1994, he was a minister for a church that began to radically and rapidly alter fundamental doctrines. Mr. Weston recalled how he was forced to decide whether to go along with the changes or stand up for what is right and resign. He had been a minister for that church for over 25 years, and this position was his livelihood. He knew he might have to find a job flipping burgers to survive if he chose to follow God! We may face such decisions in our lives, too. If we do not understand why we are in God’s Church, we may be tempted just to go along with changes, taking the path of least resistance. Mr. Weston chose to follow God, gave one last sermon, and then was forced to resign. But this was not the end of the decisions to be made. 

Finding the true church

Continuing with his narrative, Mr. Weston explained that various churches existed at the time. He had to find the church that was in alignment with God’s ways, which is a search that all of us must make. We cannot simply end up in a church as the mindless culmination of our experiences, family, temperament, and subconscious beliefs. We have to find the real church of God.

Mr. Weston continued by telling us about how, after resigning his ministerial position, he investigated a few different organizations and the differences between them. He determined two critical keys to discerning the right church. First, he looked for a church that has “not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). God’s Church knows more than just the Holy Days and the Sabbath. Some organizations may allow a lot of flexibility in beliefs among their members and ministers, but Mr. Weston stressed that the Church needs to lead its members in the right paths, not allow confusion. Second, God’s Church started in the right direction, which includes the right government. God’s Church fulfills Christ’s commission of feeding the flock and preaching the Gospel. A church must be founded on this commission and be absolutely ruled by Christ, with the leadership structure outlined in the Bible. In the future, we will face similar choices, and we can use these same principles to find the true Church of God. 

The right church?

Why is it so important that we find the right church? Mr. Weston turned to the account in Revelation about the church eras (chapter 3), in particular the churches of Laodicea and Philadelphia (vv. 7-22). In the end times, there will be two separate churches: a lukewarm one and a zealous one. It seems one of these churches will be spared from the great tribulation because it has done a work, spreading the Gospel as much as it could. The other will be tried and refined in the fire of tribulation. 

Therefore, we have two questions to ask. First, are we sure that we are in God’s Church? If so, are we in the zealous church? We need to answer these thoroughly, proving the answers for ourselves. It is not enough that we were born into it; people were born into Islam, false Christianity, and other religions. We have to prove that this church is the right place, fulfilling the commission and purpose of God’s true Church zealously.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Forum Summary: The Best of Friends

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Author: Sabrielle McNair | Student Leader, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 4 min.

In his recent lecture for Living Education–Charlotte, Mr. John Strain spent his time focusing on the phenomenon of friendships.  Describing the different kinds of relationships we all develop throughout our lifetimes, he explained how to regulate who we spend our time with, how that time affects us, and why it should be a thoughtful process even at a young age.

We Change; So Should They

Mr. Strain made the point that our associations should change as our relationship with God develops over our lifetime. We should continually ensure that those around us are on a similar path or of a similar moral compass, so their effect on us will be a help as we grow to be more like God. Having quality friends is far more valuable than having a large quantity of friends. 

Mr. Strain pointed out that one way to attain this is by respecting the friendships and relationships of our parents, and he read Proverbs 27:10. We should learn from people of quality that our father or mother might have gained over their lifetime.

Tips to Keep ’Em

Mr. Strain gave us various keys on how to best maintain and keep friendships:

Be kind. “It is possible to take liberties because you’re friends.” Here, Mr. Strain used the analogy of an emotional bank account. When we have positive interactions with friends, there are deposits into the account, but with negative interactions that currency is withdrawn. This imagery can be applied to any relationship in our lives.

Be a good listener. Everyone wants to feel understood and have their thoughts heard. We need to develop the ability to process what has been shared with us and then ask any questions that can make us better understand their thoughts and feelings.

Open up. We must be willing to disclose personal feelings to other people. This shows that we care about them and want them to know more about how we think and feel on various topics and issues. However, this should not be done without thought. As the next point shows, we should prove ourselves trustworthy before opening up.

Show trustworthiness. We have to follow through when we make plans with others, and not go around gossiping about others behind their backs. This applies to friendships and even to businesses and Church congregations; this is an all-around good practice.

Be available. We should put effort in our interactions with those around us, making commitments to spend time, even if it isn’t convenient. Just giving of ourselves will show them we are willing to put work into having them around in our lives. And if we maintain that contact, we will build friendships that last a lifetime.

The Bible Gives the Good Stuff

Mr. Strain proceeded to emphasize that we are to be friendly, as we are directly told in Proverbs 18:24. For example, Christ and His disciples were close, but He still interacted with all the people who came to Him for help. And when the question of the “best friend” arises, we can also take our cues from Him: He had twelve disciples who were all close to Him, and three even closer friends—Peter, John, and James—who stayed with Him in some of the most difficult times of His life. But none were singled out as the only friend of Christ. So why should we do that? 

If we have the mind of Christ and not a mind of competition, we will be helping all those around us overcome and prevail into the Kingdom, in whatever ways we can. And if we know that we will have the opportunity to live eternally with our brothers and sisters in Christ, why don’t we start building those relationships now (John 15:13)?

Value of a Friend

To conclude his presentation, Mr. Strain stated that to have two or three really good friends that last throughout your life is an amazing, unusual thing. He told the students that we should use these principles to build strong, quality friendships now that may even last a lifetime. While many of the principles of building friendships are simply standard practices every Christian should perform, we can get so much value from good friendships that we develop by being friendly and investing our time and attention in other people.

Sabrielle McNair is currently one of the student leaders at Living Education. For the majority of her life, Sabrielle lived in Albany, New York. Having grown up in the church, she has been involved in church programs since she was a young girl. Presently, she works as the women’s Resident Assistant, assists in LivingEd event preparations, works in the finance department, and writes for the website.

Forum Summary: Traveling Internationally for the Feast

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

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Have You Traveled Internationally?

Mr. Wakefield, only a few short days after returning from keeping the Feast in Africa, gave a presentation to the LivingEd students. He began by asking, “How many of you have traveled internationally for the Feast?” Several of the students had; several had not. Mr. Wakefield, on the other hand, certainly has. For the last 21 years, he has gone wherever he was needed, which resulted in observing 20 Feasts at international sites and only one year in the United States. Mr. Wakefield chose to share with us a summary of his previous Feast, in Uganda and Kenya, to encourage us to travel to international sites in the future, and to give some practical tips for traveling. 

The Feast of Tabernacles—in Kenya and Uganda!

How did Mr. Wakefield end up going to Africa? He told us that he simply asked where he was needed, and that was that. He and his wife took the two-day trip to fly to Nairobi, Kenya, and spent the Day of Atonement with the brethren there. From there they traveled to Kendu Bay, Kenya, to begin the Feast with 128 brethren. The Wakefields then departed, with an intrepid and capable driver as a guide, to go to Tororo, Uganda. A vehicle inspection managed to extract a fine, though Mr. Wakefield’s driver informed the government agent that he was in error and reduced the fine considerably by what must have been an extensive knowledge of legislation and emissions. But all of this was nothing, interposed Mr. Wakefield, compared to the joy and warmth that came from seeing the 53 brethren keeping the Feast in Uganda. 

It’s a Whole New World 

As Mr. Wakefield explained, traveling halfway around the world can be difficult, but if you understand a few good principles, it can be more productive and enjoyable. First, jet lag is a thing that exists, especially the further away you travel from home. Mr. Wakefield recounted how he did not really take it seriously as a young man, and found it a rude awakening (quite literally). This trip, he made sure to give himself a few days to adjust to the local timezone. It can be easy to dismiss jet lag, but if you don’t get sleep, then you can’t think straight and can get sick. It really can ruin a whole trip. 

Next, Mr. Wakefield emphasized the importance of knowing the history and culture of the country that you’re visiting, particularly countries with which westerners are not as familiar. He then gave us a rundown of some critical history of Kenya and Uganda, discussing the cultures and summarizing the last few hundred years of political events. 

We should also, Mr. Wakefield informed, be prepared to adjust our expectations of countries. If we are going to a second- or third-world country, we should be prepared to have rooms without air-conditioning, a local currency with aggressive inflation (in Uganda a meal can cost 10,000 shillings, which is only $4), and fewer amenities. Of course, we can survive without such things, but it helps to know this in advance. 

He then added a few more general tips. Take photocopies of all IDs and important documents and have them accessible on your phone or an online cloud service. Taking two credit cards is wise and so is taking lots of cash (especially in second- and third-world countries where the US dollar may be popular). Knowing the local custom for tipping can help avoid some awkward situations. Also, use the colloquial advice: Take half the clothes and twice the money—meaning, it is smart to leave luggage space so you can bring gifts back!

Why Bother?

Looking at all the considerations you have to take in traveling internationally, it can be easy to think: Why bother? Well, Mr. Wakefield told a story to convey the value of going to foreign Feast sites.

It all began when Mr. Wakefield requested to go to the Philippines, so he could see the office there and have a better sense of their operations. Dr. Winnail approved it, but then called a few weeks later: “Have you bought your tickets yet?” They needed Mr. Wakefield in Malaysia for half the feast. Two international sites—not a big deal. 

A few weeks later, Dr. Winnail called again: “You haven’t gotten tickets yet, right? Can you be in New Zealand for Trumpets?” Mr. Wakefield was going to three places on this trip now.

“Have you bought tickets yet?” asked Dr. Winnail again a few days later. At this point, Mr. Wakefield was really wishing he had bought those tickets. They needed a speaker in Brisbane, Australia, for Atonement. Mr. Wakefield had accumulated quite the itinerary.  

Traveling for the fall Holy Day season, Mr. Wakefield went through Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Yet, as he said, in every country, with every group of people, when he walked into Church services, he could tell he was with God’s people. The same spirit was in each place. We are all the same body, the same spirit, and the same family. As Mr. Wakefield quoted from Paul, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). 

Visit Our Spiritual Family

To conclude, Mr. Wakefield highlighted that about 54 percent of the Church is outside of the United States, and that the Work internationally is growing more rapidly, too. He encouraged the LivingEd students to go to an international site—not necessarily a popular one, but one of the small and less amenable sites—to experience the amazing feeling of unity and God’s presence that you feel when visiting those sites. He advised the students to consider serving with their Feast site choice, to choose a place where many visitors don’t go. In doing so, we can visit our spiritual family around the world. 

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.