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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

Be as effective as you can!

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Mr. Mike DeSimone provided us, newly arrived Living Education students, with an insightful lesson on how to become even more effective in our work, academics, and personal lives. He provided an interactive game that made his points stand out even more. This was a much-appreciated discussion, and it inspired us as we begin to kick off these exciting nine months here!

The Myth of Multitasking… 

Mr. DeSimone started by sharing a story of how shift-tasking can be falsely confused with multitasking.  Unlike how we think of multitasking being a good and productive way to manage our time, shift tasking, also known as switch tasking, takes the focus off the project at hand and distorts it elsewhere.  Instead of being able to do the work quicker, shift tasking takes longer to complete because of the time to “switch” back and forth between tasks.  It is better to do one task efficiently, then move on to a second, instead of a poor attempt at doing two things at once.  

The 5 S’s 

A large key to Mr. Desimone’s discussion was focused on the 5 S’s.  

  1. Sort:  Keep only what is necessary and discard everything else.
  2. Set in Order: Arrange and label only necessary items for easy use and return.
  3. Shine:  Keep everything swept clean, and tidy.
  4. Standardize:  The state that exists when the first three pillars of the 5 S’s are properly kept.
  5. Sustain:  Make a habit of properly maintaining correct procedures.

The 5 S’s, we have learned, are beneficial in ensuring that the precious resource of time is well cared for.  Mr. DeSimone provided a handout to assist our grasping of how the 5 S’s can play a drastic role in the effectiveness, efficiency, and accuracy in our lives.

Further Than Just the Physical

When posed with the question of whether the 5 S’s could be taken past the obvious physical principles they hold, Mr. DeSimone responded with, “These can be taken and used to assist the personal relationships we hold with others.”  If how we interact with others is not sorted, then we may be spending time as a group when it should be one-on-one.  Setting the time spent with others in order can aid in a stronger relationship with other people. Mr. DeSimone’s lessons were taken to heart by all of us as we strive to be the most efficient and effective students/workers we can!

“Good News!”

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Mr. Jonathan McNair began his forum to the LivingEd students by discussing how there is a constant stream of news, with much of it negative, as the world spirals further away from God. If we are not careful, we can be easily influenced bnews-868839_1280y it. We have a responsibility to watch world events and be aware of what is going on in the world but still analyze what we are taking in.

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man”, we read in Luke 21:36.

Mr. McNair went on to discuss how those in the Church can effectively evaluate the news sources to which we read and listen, to avoid being manipulated.

Factors that influence the news we consume

Several factors such as age and political leaning lead us to consume certain types of news. Younger people tend to favor getting their news online whereas older people are more likely to watch news stations. Those in the world who have political leanings tend to side with news outlets that agree with their opinions. Whether we are aware of it or not, we tend to get our news from sources to which we relate and sympathize.

“The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Proverbs 15:4).

We must be aware of our tendencies to gravitate towards certain news sources and evaluate whether they have all the facts. We must seek out the truth and be aware that news media organizations may be feeding us exactly what we want to hear for their gain, not necessarily because it’s true. They are in the business of making money.

Challenge Yourself

What are the biases? How accurate is the news? Do you have all the information on the topic? All news sources will have bias; however, it is a matter of identifying what the bias is and the strength of it. Consider from where the author or news outlet is coming. Certain words may be used by a group of news outlets with the same biases. Is the information true, or is it somewhat fabricated? When we learn about a current event, we may not be getting the complete story. By choosing to relate or quote from certain news sources that are strongly biased or inaccurate we undermine your credibility.

Strategies to Evaluate Your News

System: Think about the bias of the news organization and realize their job is to grab your attention.

Source: News outlets that appear different may be using each other’s stories for their content.

Perspective: Be aware of the perspectives of the news source and your own. Younger people often view world events differently than older generations. Yourself: You will have a bias towards what you see and hear. It is crucial to realize and learn from those preconceived biases.

Final Thoughts

Even though we are commanded to watch for end-time events, this doesn’t mean we can switch off our brains when we watch, listen, or read the news. Our brains must be ready to analyze what we are consuming so that we are not led astray.

It’s Your Fault—No Really, It Is.

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

Mr. Tyler Wayne gave the Living Education students a forum that he aimed to be applicable to any aspect of life. The topic he covered can apply to situations while living in the dorm (in the case of the students), at work, interacting with family members, or even while standing in line at the grocery store. 

His point was simple, but it is one that we all can struggle with from time to time.

We must take accountability for the things we can control.

What could we have done better?

His emphasis was on the idea that we all must acknowledge anything that we could have done in a scenario, and take responsibility for our shortcomings on that subject, regardless of how minor it may seem compared to the scenario at large. 

He gave the students a formula for ownership that can be applied to almost any scenario in which a conflict has arisen.

  1. We are to verbally apologize, using the words “I’m sorry”, “ it’s my fault”, or any other sincere variant.
  2. We must express what we’re saying sorry for, and identify part of the problem that’s our fault.
  3. We must explain what we’re going to do to fix the issue or change for it next time.
  4. Finally, we need to believe it, because empty words mean nothing. In fact, it makes things worse. 

At first, this mindset can seem unrealistic, because whenever things go wrong, we tend to blame others for the result. But once we assess a situation in an unbiased manner, we will recognize that we have more of a part to play in things that happen to us than we might think.

As an example, Mr. Wayne gave a scenario in which a student can’t get all their work done in school. Typically, the student immediately blames the teacher for being unrealistic or overbearing. Instead, the student can take responsibility and recognize what they can do differently. They could get better sleep, devote more time to schoolwork, or even lower their personal workload by dropping the class. Although that would be a drastic step, it is something that the student could consider in order to acknowledge their role in the situation. 

Real-life scenarios

In order to thoroughly get his point across, Mr. Wayne wrote down several scenarios, and had the students formulate an extreme ownership response that takes responsibility for each conflict that occurs. 

Scenario 1: 

Not taking ownership: ”You consistently forget to take out the trash.”

Taking ownership: “I’m sorry, I didn’t let you know when the trash needed to get thrown out. Also, I know the garbage isn’t always filled at consistent times, so it can be hard to monitor. Next time, I’ll let you know when it’s ready to be taken out.”

Scenario 2: 

Not taking ownership: “My boss didn’t give me the help I needed for a project I had to do.”

Taking ownership: “I’m sorry for failing to accomplish my task. I didn’t ask for the assistance I needed when I realized there wasn’t enough information and resources. Next time, I’ll be more proactive in asking for assistance when I need it.”

Practice makes perfect

As we do this, we will get used to taking responsibility, and with experience it will get easier over time. However, as with anything else, human pride and tendencies to gloat can impact how well our efforts are received by the other party. 

So what happens if our attempt to be mature doesn’t work? What if the person is antagonistic and blames us for what happened, even if they had something to do with the situation as well?

Accept it! We should not let ego get in the way. After all, they’re only agreeing with what you’re saying. If we truly believe what we’re saying in our apology, we will be able to put our pride aside and be the bigger person in almost every conflict we are involved with.

Lexi Mitchell is a first-year student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. She is from Long Island, New York. At home, she worked as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. Currently, she assists in the Living Education department as a social media manager and as a producer of written content. She enjoys reading, cooking, exercising, and spending time with family.

Failing Forward

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

“I didn’t fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.” -Thomas A. Edison 

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” -Vince Lombardi

“I think it’s important to have a good hard failure when you’re young. I learned a lot out of that. Because it makes you kind of aware of what can happen to you.” -Walt Disney

Mr. Rick Stafford gave the Living Education students an inspiring forum, starting by describing the lives of notable people who went through hardship. The people he described are among countless individuals who have failed at something, but turned their lives around for the better. They did not let their failures define them; rather, they persevered and used their struggles as learning opportunities.

Failure and success: what do those words mean?

When discussing failure, Mr. Stafford explained, it becomes imperative to understand exactly what failure is. A popular definition of the word is a lack of success. But in that case, what exactly is success? Is it wealth, a good career, a happy family, or materialistic goods? Or is it something else entirely? Simply put, success is whatever you define it as for yourself. Your success is not dependent on the opinions of others.

Not your parents.

Not your friends. 

Not society. 

Regardless of how we define success, as individuals called into God’s truth, it should always center around living God’s way of life and doing what God would be proud of.

Why doesn’t everyone succeed?

Life can be hard. There are almost infinite hurdles that we as humans can face that hinder our forward trajectory. Some reasons include:

  • Their environment
  • Health
  • Intellect
  • Economy
  • Their childhood
  • Who they married
  • Wrong career choice
  • Bad habits

Of course, many of these reasons are out of our control. But it is a lack of discipline that prevents us from overcoming our hurdles and doing the best we can with what we were given. If we can’t control our minds, it will inevitably control us. This lack of control leads to the very failure we are so afraid of. 

“If only…” is a common statement among people who suffer from many failures. If only I had been born into money, had more time, better health, or better luck.

Mr. Stafford informed the students of a harsh truth: These are all excuses. 

But thankfully, once we understand our excuses, we can learn to apply the concept that our thoughts become our reality. In other words, the things we blame become the things that actually slow us down.

Can’t never did anything.

Many successful people had failures, but worked through them.They analyzed their failures, learned how to overcome them, and became better because of them. 

In Hebrews 11 is a list of people who failed in some way. But at the exact same time, it is also a list of people who learned how to overcome their failures.

“Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” Matt 24:46

What characterizes a failure?

In considering these points, two main reasons for failure can be gleaned.

For one, failures have no real purpose in life. Another main reason is that someone can become afraid, and therefore don’t want to try to improve their situations, whatever it may be.

In addition, certain characteristics are found in people who can be described as “failures”.

  • Failures lack persistence. Rather, people who succeed have an abundance of tenacity and sticktoitiveness.
  • Failures lack conviction. Instead, we must recognize what we want and go for it.
  • Failures rationalize. They concoct reasons why they gave up and couldn’t do what they aimed for.
  • Failures dismiss past mistakes. But people who succeed learn from their mistakes instead.
  • Failures have a lack of self discipline. They lack self control, and give into their feelings.
  • Failures have poor self esteem and lack no self worth. They don’t do anything for themselves to be proud of. 
  • Finally, Failures have a fatalistic attitude. They don’t accept responsibility and blame others instead.

The strongest people are the ones who overcome. They weren’t in a good place to begin, but they got there eventually. 

Once we know our definition of success for ourselves, use God’s tools and knowledge to gain it. 

God knows what He’s talking about!

Always remember: we’re just children under God. We may fall, but we should use the guidance of our Father to bring us up and take us where we want to be.

There is really only one way to be a failure. That is to quit.
“Fail early, fail often, but always fail forward.” -John C. Maxwell

Lexi Mitchell is a first-year student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. She is from Long Island, New York. At home, she worked as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. Currently, she assists in the Living Education department as a social media manager and as a producer of written content. She enjoys reading, cooking, exercising, and spending time with family.

Ark Builders

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

“May you live in interesting times”

Dr. Douglas Winnail began his forum for the Living Education students by reading this ancient Chinese “curse”. Although it has lost its spiritual nature, the concept still holds true to this day.

We live in increasingly secular and materialistic times. Before, religion was an integral part of society. Now, it is effectively nonexistent. The Bible is disregarded and laughed at, being considered a compilation of children’s stories and tales that simply never happened. 

However, despite the rapidly increasing disregard for the Bible as a reputable source of wisdom, the world is still fascinated with the story of Noah’s ark.

The ark was a gigantic vessel.

The ark took about 100 years to build, and many elements and workhands were needed to construct the building in its entirety.

Dr. Winnail explained that, among many people, they would have needed people to act as timber cutters, pitch appliers, timber transporters, timber finishers, food growers and gatherers, animal handlers, among many, many others.

Since we have historical record of where the vessel finally landed- Mt. Ararat in Turkey, as seen in Genesis 8:4– many people have attempted to locate fragments of it even to this day.

But even though people claim to have found pieces of it, it is highly unlikely because there has since been 4000 years worth of time for the wood and all other materials to have decomposed.

There are a number of life-sized models of the ark around the world today, including one in northern Kentucky, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Wisconsin Dells to name just a few. And although they are not perfectly accurate, just being able to witness the sheer size and scale of the models is enough to put us in awe of its magnitude.

Which story is right?

The story of a worldwide flood is a popular one around the world, so much so that it has been adapted to regional myths. There are legends from around the world of an ark and a flood, with people and animals being rescued. In fact, there are over 270 versions of the account. Some of the origin countries include Persia, Greece, Egypt, Syria, Italy, India, and Russia, just to name a few.

Although there are many versions, one of the most highly debated comparative legends is the Epic of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamia. It contains an account of a great flood, similar to the Biblical account in Genesis. However, there are major differences, and to even consider the Epic as the original account is unrealistic.

  • In the Epic, human noise disturbed the gods, however, in the Bible, man’s folly and human sin was what angered God.
  • The Mesopotamian ‘ark’ was an unstable cube, but the true ark was as big as a modern ocean liner.
  • In the Epic, it rained for only seven days and was gone in one. In the Biblical account, there was rain for 40 days and receded in 150.
  • The Mesopotamian hero was saved by his own wisdom and courage, but in the Bible, Noah was blessed with God’s mercy and was saved by his righteous character.
  • The Mesopotamian gods were selfish and deceptive, but in stark contrast, the true God of the Bible is righteous and merciful.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Simply put, if the Bible is credible, so is the flood story. All scripture is inspired by God, so we are not to be deceived by the legends of this world. We should all make sure to study history accurately to make these determinations for ourselves!

Modern parallels 

“For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matt 24:38-39

There are an alarming number of similarities to the days of Noah and our modern today. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and worked to show the world the right way. But those who didn’t listen were destroyed in the flood. Although many recognize the problems in the world today, human solutions to the decline of society such as lighting candles, buying guns and gold, voting for who they consider to be the ‘right person’, running and hiding, and praying to false gods, are simply not adequate to solve these problems.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16
Only those who do the will of God will be saved. We have been chosen as those individuals to bear fruit, and we are to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus. Prepare NOW to show the world a better way.

Lexi Mitchell is a first-year student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. She is from Long Island, New York. At home, she worked as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. Currently, she assists in the Living Education department as a social media manager and as a producer of written content. She enjoys reading, cooking, exercising, and spending time with family.

Look Beyond Your World

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

Mr. Lawdi Ferreira began his forum by explaining a story from his own life that may be all too familiar to many of us. 

He explained that there was a period of time in his early life where he was terrified about the return of Christ, which he learned about according to the teachings of mainstream Christianity.

According to these teachings, some would be raptured to heaven, but everyone else would burn in hellfire. This scared him, because he had friends and family who he loved, dreams of success, hopes for his life, and goals for the future. 

At his youthful age, he didn’t want the return to happen in order to protect the things he held dear to him. He told this story because we may feel a similar way about the true reality of the impending return of Christ, and we may feel extremely guilty about it.

“I want Christ to return, but not quite yet.”

“The world is bad,” we might say. “But I’m having a good time! I’m still able to do what I want.” 

In order to begin the process of putting this mindset behind us, we must learn to see the bigger picture.

Start looking past our own lives, and look at what’s actually going on. We are bombarded with things in our current life on which to focus, and although it is not an issue to pay attention to life in the present day, Satan’s very mission is to distract us from the future that’s coming and prevent us from prioritizing. 

It is also imperative to consider that this life is very temporary. Even when things are going right for us according to the desires of our lives, tragedy can strike in an instant. So even if we get what we want, things can collapse rapidly. We must recognize that there is more to life than our own miniscule lives. 

“There is a way that seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12

Look at the realities around us.

We must all learn to look at the reality of what’s happening. Look beyond our personal world, and see the flip side. And if it helps for perspective’s sake, consider what happens to other young people. Young lives can end. Young people can be victims of violent crime. And young people do not deserve these tragedies, the same way we would not deserve them happening to us. 

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

The world is sick, and it desperately needs God’s return. God desires for us to be inspirations to people for His way of life. When we look beyond our personal world, we realize how much people long for the Kingdom, whether or not they can put a name to it. They need their tears wiped away, and the Kingdom will provide that. 

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:18-19 

Embracing our youth

Just because the world desperately needs Christ’s return doesn’t mean we are to avoid making plans for our future. We can plan for marriage. We can prepare to have children. We can hope for professional success. Goals like these aren’t foolish to have; rather, aspirations like these are encouraged for us in multiple places in the Bible!

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,

Before the difficult days come,

And the years draw near when you say,

‘I have no pleasure in them’” Ecclesiastes 12:1

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

God did desire for us to enjoy life. But the key is to remember our creator and our personal relationship with Him and not to let it distract us from the darkness of the world. We must have God at our forefront. Enjoy our blessing of life and of youth while we have it, but strive to have fun God’s way. God’s way of fun does not require repentance afterwards. 

“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,

And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;

Walk in the ways of your heart,

And in the sight of your eyes;

But know that for all these

God will bring you into judgment.” Ecclesiastes 11:9

The Kingdom as a Motivator

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

We must keep the vision real and alive in our eyes. As seen through numerous accounts in the Bible of people who had to persevere through extreme hardship, having a vision of the Kingdom is the single most powerful motivator in the world. By keeping it in our hearts, it will guide us to become the best possible versions of ourselves and become overcomers. 

Go out, enjoy ourselves, but always remember…

“…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matt 6:33.

Lexi Mitchell is a first-year student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. She is from Long Island, New York. At home, she worked as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. Currently, she assists in the Living Education department as a social media manager and as a producer of written content. She enjoys reading, cooking, exercising, and spending time with family.

Modern Propaganda

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

Can we really believe everything we’re told?

Mr. Michael Brown spoke to the students about a topic that impacts modern thinking, although it can be so subtle that it can easily go unnoticed even by those looking for it. His topic was on the concept of communism, and how it seeps into modern thinking to this day. At its peak, the goal of communist leaders like Vladimir Lenin in 1917 was ultimately to change the mindsets of a society, rather than the people’s physical lives. It waged a war that was not fought with physical weapons, but rather with the weapons of words. 

This very same war is being fought in our daily lives, though we may not immediately notice it. These same communist values have shown themselves through the modern radical left. Hollywood, as well as other similar media institutions, have sown seeds of mental warfare. It is fully overrun by individuals who manipulate the media, villainize people with true moral values, sabotage education, attack the family, and destroy the economy.

There is only one goal: outlaw the Bible, God, and the truth.

Mr. Brown explained to the students that ideologies like this have us getting thrown out of meeting halls, and TV stations, because we disagree with their points strongly. For example,  Communism hates families. It may be surprising, but the Communist Manifesto says so explicitly. Communists also disagree about the proper roles of individuals in society. Additionally, it teaches that many concepts that we believe in passionately, like religion, tradition, and morality, must be abolished. 

It may seem archaic to say that communism exists in the western world, but it is incredibly pervasive. In our modern day, the communist mindset is more than just a set of ideals by hopeful enthusiasts. It is incredibly intentional and widespread, and goes directly according to what’s taught in the Communist Manifesto. After all, it is the third most assigned textbook in universities today.

Don’t immediately believe everything you hear. 

“The first one to plead his cause seems right,

Until his neighbor comes and examines him.” Prov 18:17

The people behind what we watch and hear have an agenda to push. We are warned in the Bible to avoid the dangerous mindsets of the world, and to do so, we must avoid the trap of immediately believing everything we hear or see. We must be diligent to examine everything, because the people who create entertainment for the general public are masters of their craft. They know exactly what they’re doing, and are fully aware of the messages they’re subtly pushing in the works they produce. In addition, even in media where the messages are intentionally blatant, their works can be written in a way that is very convincing, and can even include legitimate facts.

A major point to consider when indulging in any form of media is that modern media creators weaponize words. They do so by using harsh and angry language, and by omitting major facts from their arguments and messages. These omitted facts can change the viewer’s opinion on what they’re taking in, and often, this result is highly undesirable to the person that made it. 

Therefore, we must be careful to consider the language that is used in entertainment. In addition, people with this communist mindset rarely say what their core goal is outright. We should immediately ask ourselves if we are witnessing another instance of words being weaponized, and work diligently to avoid falling into their traps.

Be cautious of the world’s entertainment. 

It is unlikely that we fully comprehend Hollywood’s sway, because its purpose is not entirely to entertain. Rather, Hollywood and other similar industries use entertainment to be the biggest propaganda tool in the world. The way it does this is by swaying our morals. Often, movies do not teach the righteous morals outlined in the Bible. For example, the Bible teaches that obedience to God’s way provides blessings, and the opposite leads to cursings, but movies often disagree with this idea directly. 

Instead, they make us form emotional attachments to fictional characters with their own messages. Once this happens, it makes us question our morals in order to cheer for the ‘right people’. From the entertainment industry’s earliest onset, this fact was used as a tool to sway our morals and emotions. With time, they have only become more effective and subtle. 

There is mass confusion on the difference between good and evil

“But solid food belongs to those who are of full age,

That is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised

to discern both good and evil.” Heb 5:14

When we watch things, we must earnestly be aware of what we’re seeing and be vigilant to notice what might be wrong with it. We must work earnestly to develop a foundation so strong that we can truly identify what’s good and what’s evil. By having this stability of heart, we will be able to arm ourselves against this fierce war, and find safety in God and His way of thinking.

Lexi Mitchell is a first-year student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. She is from Long Island, New York. At home, she worked as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. Currently, she assists in the Living Education department as a social media manager and as a producer of written content. She enjoys reading, cooking, exercising, and spending time with family.

Success in the Workplace

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Author: Lexi Mitchell| Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2023-24

Strengths. Weaknesses. Opportunity. Success. 

The students were intrigued to hear from Dr. John Cole, a very successful businessman, because in this forum, he highlighted several ways to become successful in the workplace. 

The first piece of advice he imparted upon the students was simple, but it makes an incredible difference in the process of job hunting. He suggested that we research our career and our potential place of employment before we go for it. This research can start as simple as a Google search, but he recommended that we aim for more depth from reputable sources. 

The reason that we should study our career paths is to make sure that it is right for us, because oftentimes, we go for roles solely for the money we can earn and not because we would be good at the job itself.

Look at the Mindset

Another important factor to consider is an organization’s mindset. But how do we learn what it is? The answer can be discovered by looking at what they are involved in. Look for common agreements in ourselves and in them. 

Another smart idea is to observe the competing businesses to see how your target company is positioned in the market. For higher paying jobs, they’re spending quite a bit of money on you when they pay you. Because of this, they undoubtedly make sure to research you by doing extensive and pricey background checks. This makes it necessary to keep your record clean and establish credibility, both online and in previous workplaces. Apprenticeships are great ways to gain industry credibility. They can be free or paid, and you can learn on the job from experts in the field. They often offer knowledge that you can’t gain anywhere else. 

First Impressions

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make sure to have a professional critique your resume to make sure there’s nothing you need to fix, or even worse, something detrimental. Additionally, sometimes the problems present in resumes is not what is presented, it is how it’s presented. This makes it critical to write resumes carefully and intentionally, so that you start off on the right foot with your future employer. 

Also, make sure to get at least three letters of recommendation, and make sure the people you ask are credible. Ensure that they address the letter “to whom it may concern” rather than a specific name, so that you can reuse the letter as many times as necessary.

Another often overlooked method of establishing a first impression are our records. Our credit rating,  criminal history, driving record, insurance records, and a plethora of other things, can be used to establish a first impression. They can be used to determine our level of responsibility, so by staying vigilant now we can do our future self a favor. 

You remember me, I remember you.

It is critical to learn to put yourself out there. By going to job fairs and other places where professionals can be found, you can easily develop associations with very important people. Show them a human side of you, so that if you apply for a job from them at some point, they can  see past the pen on paper information and look at the real you instead.

Even if we are able to do the job in theory, if it is not right for us as individuals, the lack of enthusiasm will be noticeable. Unfortunately, this is all too common. To stand out, we should try to tell a story. Through our personal story, the company will be able to recognize our unique abilities, and select us for roles compared to people who have no outstanding qualities.  Use the mindset “What can I do for this company?” instead of “What can they do for me?”. We must show some differentiation from others through our storytelling. 

Power of Prayer

Finally, Dr. Cole reminded the students to make sure to pray before doing something, but also know to do their part too. It is amazing the difference that prayer can make. It is also important to let people know what your problems are so that they can pray for you too. And remember that the answer to a prayer can be ‘no’. So don’t feel bad about rejection from a job, because this could very likely be the best course of action for us. Ask and pray, “If this job goes against God’s will, please close that door.” By remaining humble, relying on God, and doing our absolute best in what we do, success is something all of us have the potential to achieve.

Lexi Mitchell is a first-year student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. She is from Long Island, New York. At home, she worked as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. Currently, she assists in the Living Education department as a social media manager and as a producer of written content. She enjoys reading, cooking, exercising, and spending time with family.