Education: The Practical and the Spiritual

What does it mean to be well-educated?  It’s a question often discussed by educators (who spend lots of time), politicians (who spend lots of money), and parents (who spend lots of energy) to come to the best answer.  It’s also a question that has answers in the Bible.  As we stand on the threshold of a new school year, it’s a good time to be reminded of insights gained about education from the Scripture.

·  The Objectives of Education: While education has many practical outcomes (such as the familiar “reading, writing, and arithmetic”), it should go so much further.  It should pursue godly wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity as a natural extension that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1).  Education should prioritize God’s truth, ethics, and values.  To be well-educated should mean to have a biblical view of reality, thinking, and living (Romans 12:1-2).  Any educational framework that excludes God and biblical priorities can only produce educated fools (Proverbs 1:7).

·  The Opportunities of Education: Many believe that education only happens at school and church.  However, the Bible calls parents to use everyday events as learning occasions.  The Bible says parents are to display and teach God’s word when sitting in the house or taking a walk, when lying down and when getting up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Parents should realize that the most important learning happens at home, where they are the role-models who use every situation to  teach godly principles and biblical truth (Proverbs 22:6).

·  The Oversight of Education: The American system has lured many into thinking that it’s the school or the government that makes the decisions about a child’s education.  This is not the Bible’s perspective.  Rather, it’s the parents who bear the ultimate responsibility to make, or approve, educational decisions.  Issues such as the age to start a child’s formal education, the structure of a child’s education (homeschool, private, or public), and the curriculum in a child’s courses and extra-curricular activities are, in the end, decisions for the parents.  This is because the Bible recognizes the family and the responsibilities of the parents (see Eph. 6:1-4).

Christian parents should prioritize what God prioritizes.  Obviously, education has real-world aspects, but to only pursue education for its practical or financial benefits is to grossly miss the mark.  In the end, such a system can only produce individuals who may know how to make a living, but have no foundation for how to live a life that honors God, the church, and the family, much less prepares them for eternity.  That’s why parents must be active in overseeing the development of each child, which must include biblical principles and attitudes.

Biblically-minded parents are warned not follow the belief system of secular education, which has at its core atheism, evolution, humanism, secularism, and socialism, all of which are abominations to biblical truth.  Rather, it is imperative that Christian parents follow biblical priorities and seek the way of Christ as the only means of salvation and the Bible as the cornerstone of an education that is both practically and spiritually valuable (Col. 2:6-8).

Celebrate

 

July reminds us of FIREWORKS and celebrating and rightfully so!  We will celebrate our Independence Day on July 4 during our morning services but there is much more to celebrate here at GBC!  God has blessed us with a wonderful hard working, faithful family of God. As you all serve here at Gospel, you are being a genuine New Testament Church!  Christ continues to build this church!  We individually counselled 15 for salvation in VBS and two others for assurance.  God blessed us with two adult professions of faith in my church office in the last couple of weeks. We continue to exalt Jesus! He is Lord! (Matthew 16:13-16) Jesus is the ROCK upon which His church is built, God in the flesh, King of Kings, Lord of Lords! He should be exalted in our church and in our individual lives.  We are each called to give Him first place, preeminence.  This church continues to demonstrate Christ’s love, (John 13:34-35) which is a distinguishing mark of a Christian church (not racism, hate or prejudice) but the love of Christ!  Here at Gospel, we continue to unapologetically preach and teach the Word of God. (II Timothy 4:1-5)  Our focus is not social issues or politics but God’s eternal Word which is powerful and will change lives. We continue to contend for the faith! (Jude 1-4) We strive to teach and live out the doctrine  of truth! We offer many ways to learn and grow in God’s Word and service.   We continue to implement the Great Commission. (Matt. 28:18-20) Our mission budget for 2021 is $ 145,630 and we have taken on two new missionaries this year.  Also, our outreach ministry loves on, cares for, helps and teaches families from 11 countries around the world. We praise God for everyone who serves in this ministry and for Denya heading it up. We are thankful that many of the children and even some parents of our outreach ministry could come to our own church property for a day of fun in June. We fed them, played with them, sang with them and taught them God’s word.  Our Vacation Bible School had 266 children registered with 88 workers per night. We enjoyed an exciting adventurous week of Bible stories taught by our GBC staff, mission stories, outdoor recreation, lively singing, and Popsicles to keep everybody cool. The students memorized 541 Bible verses! The VBS students and workers brought in $2,556.39 for our missionaries to Peru, Josh and Allie Miller!  All for God’s glory!  We thank and praise Him for His abundant blessings.  We are also very grateful for all of you who prayed for the VBS!  We continue to encourage worship and praise. (Eph. 5:18-20)  We are so blessed with many musicians and singers who help us to praise and worship Him.  In every service, we have opportunity to sing His praises and worship Him with old and new hymns. In VBS we nightly heard over 200 children and teens joyfully singing in worship of Him! We continue to enjoy sweet fellowship.  (I John 1:3-4, Phil. 2:2) We fellowship and enjoy each other as we build eternal relationships - before, during and after our services.  We encourage and build up one another in our fun fellowships and even when we work together.  We are thankful for all the men and women who showed up for our “work day” in June as we cleaned up around the property and worked on our trail that will go around our entire property.   We are also thankful for the men who have worked together tirelessly on our playground improvements and the stew shed.   We are happy that our seniors have enjoyed a cook out, movie night and even out door celebrations during COVID restrictions.  Our Youth have continued their weekly fellowships. Our GAP ministry has a great experience daily at the church as the staff pours into their lives. I personally praise the Lord for all of you who faithfully serve God in this local New Testament church assembly, the GBC family! He has truly blessed us with people who continue to be a church that is pleasing to God!  More and more of you are able to come back to “in person” worship and we praise God for this blessing as well. As our Vacation Bible School learned this past week, YOU are a priceless treasure to God… and I AM THANKFUL FOR EACH OF YOU!                                                                                                 Love in Christ,

                                                                                                     Pastor Paul, Senior Pastor

Psalms

   Lately, the Psalms are constantly on my brain. And I think that has been a good thing. For the last few weeks in the TruthSeekers Sunday night Bible study we have been doing sort of a categorical study of the Psalms, looking at the recurring themes and ideas and why they were so important to some Israelite poets who lived three thousand years ago. That alone is mind-boggling, even for a student of history like me. The very fact that we can read, comprehend and learn from those whose poetry was already ancient when Jesus walked along the shores of Galilee. It is amazing that God saw fit to include these poems and songs for us in the canon of Scripture.

     The Psalms are so deep and rich, yet it is frequently one of the most overlooked books in the Bible. We normally only turn to it in times of distress, sorrow, and when death looms near. For the Jews and the early church, the Psalms were their worship hymnal, and was a part of their regular worship of the Lord. We have lost that, and it hasn't done us any favors.

     Many of the psalms written by David were composed when he was running for his life from Saul. Hiding in caves, in the mountains and wilderness regions of Israel, he somehow found the time to reflect on what it all meant and what God had done and was doing for him.

     In Psalm 40 David was once again hiding from the king and his army, and here he wrote a psalm of thanksgiving and a cry for help. While I do not think David intended it to be so, this psalm reflects the attitude believers should have about salvation. Verse two is a vivid description of being saved from sin and being given a new position before God thanks to the finished work of Christ. Verse three describes the praise that should flow from our hearts, and the testimony that comes from a thankful heart. Those thoughts alone are excellent reminders and things to reflect on, but he is not done. He goes on to tell us about true happiness that comes from trust in God and His eternal truth (verse four). There are so many things that God has done for us, His wonderful work, the plans He has for us – we could never have enough time to talk about them, we could never find the words to accurately describe what He has done for us. We are at a loss for words, as we should be when think about the Holy and Righteous King of kings, who loved us, gave Himself for us, and eternally loves us.

I waited patiently for the LORD, and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.

He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock,

making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the LORD.

How happy is anyone who has put his trust in the LORD and has not turned to the proud

or to those who run after lies! LORD my God, you have done many things – 

your wondrous works and your plans for us; none can compare with you.

If I were to report and speak of them they are more than can be told.

Psalm 40:1-5 (CSB)

 - Ray Perdue, Men’s Ministry Director  

Back To School

   “Back to School” is a phrase that sets off a variety of responses and emotions.  Parents, teachers, students, coaches, and retail store owners all have different views of what a new school year means.  Some groan about it while others celebrate it, some rejoice and others lament.  Whatever the perspective, no one disagrees on the importance of education.  For children, it’s an essential part of what it means to grow-up, mature, and become a useful member of a family and community.  We anticipate children growing into adults that are mentally competent, economically stable, ethically balanced, physically fit, and, for Christian families, biblically grounded in spiritual truth.  For adults, education means continued development in a career field, or expanded understanding in a new interest, or training in the truths of the Bible.  For everyone, education should be a life-long process, after all, there’s plenty of opportunities to “learn something new every day.”

  America is blessed to have schools, institutes, colleges of many types, all with essential facilities and even luxuries, especially when compared to other countries. Here, students start school at an early age and can attend until high school graduation.  After which, there are many options for college, career, or military pursuits. American teachers have college degrees and professional training.  Beyond the academics, schools provide meals, technology, music, and sports programs.  Communities rally to support their favorite campus as they strive to inspire student success.  However, this is not true in many countries, where facilities are meager, teachers may have only a high school education, students may not attend past age 13, there’s no extra-curricular activities, and there are limited opportunities for education beyond high school.

   Over the last dozen years, I have had the opportunity to teach, preach, and speak in Communist, Muslim, and third-world countries, all of which allowed me to see a variety of educational settings.  In Bangladesh, I saw children go to school carrying a bucket, which served as a lunch pail on the way, and once they arrived, was turned over to become their seat for the day.  I taught at a Chinese university with facilities that would rival some American campuses.  In the Dominican Republic and Papua New Guinea, village schools were small block buildings with only basic resources.  I taught overseas at a school where the power went out every day, sometimes for minutes and sometimes for hours.  I spoke at a Christian school in Malaysia that was highly desired by Muslim families because it offered an “American” style of education.  In each case, I met individuals of all ages who expressed a desire to come to America and further their education.  While America’s school systems have many challenges, we are blessed to live where education is the “gold standard” of opportunity and remains the envy of millions around the world.

   I have spent all but a few years of my life in schools.  I became an educator in the 1980s, serving as a classroom teacher, coach, and athletic director during a span of 13 years.  I was then a principal for five years at another school and have been a professor of education for the last fifteen years, including 10 years as the dean of a school of education.  When I was introduced to my wife, Kellie, I was teaching high school and she was an elementary teacher.  Our lives have been deeply entwined with education, especially since we were a homeschool family for many years.  I have always loved the field of education, and I enjoy the opportunity to prepare a new generation of teachers.  One truth about education is that it’s changed much over the last few decades.  However, amid all the change, and whether it’s in America or a foreign country, one constant remains…parents want the best education for their children.  That good intention always generates one question, “What does it mean to be well educated?”

   It’s important to remember that among its truths, the Bible has much to say about education.  Training and development of all ages is a regular theme throughout the Scriptures.  That’s why on Sunday, August 25 we will celebrate “Back to School” in the morning services.  We will remember, reflect, and recognize the importance of education.  Most of all, this will be an opportunity to hear a biblical answer to the question, “What does it mean to be well educated?”  Indeed, education holds lots of potential, but when not understood correctly nor applied properly, it becomes an empty promise that leads to a hollow future.  Thankfully, God’s Word provides the essential answers.  Our responsibility is to understand and apply those answers so that we maximize the potential of what it means to be well educated. 

Dr. Harlie Miller, Associate Pastor  

Jamaica Missions

The Jamaica mission trip is upon us and set for the end of this month. I want to extend gratitude to all of you who see the importance of this short-term mission trip and to the Lord for allowing us to see the impact from attending annually. I am truly excited to see what is in store this year as we continue in football camp community ministry and revisit other mission works in support of Bay Life Baptist. When thinking about all that needs to be done and the impact that can be made, a feeling of anxiety is present with a sense of inadequacy for the task. I think you all can identify with such a feeling when on the cusp of an assignment that is larger than you that God has called you for. However, we know and must practice the principle that through Christ we can do all things. With these thoughts in mind I want to share with you John MacArthur’s words in regard to the 12 ordinary men who were called as His disciples:

“…They were ordinary men in every way. Not one of them was renowned for scholarship or great erudition. They had no track record as orators or theologians. In fact, they were outsiders as far as the religious establishment of Jesus’ day was concerned. They were not outstanding because of any natural talents or intellectual abilities. On the contrary, they were all too prone to mistakes, misstatements, wrong attitudes, lapses of faith, and bitter failure – no one more so than the leader of the group, Peter. Even Jesus remarked that they were slow learners and somewhat spiritually dense (Luke 24:25).

            They spanned the political spectrum. One was a former Zealot – a radical, determined to overthrow Roman rule. But another had been a tax collector – virtually a traitor to the Jewish nation and in collusion with Rome. At least four, and possibly seven, were fishermen and close friends from Capernaum, probably having known one another from childhood. The others must have been tradesmen or craftsmen, but we are not told what they did before becoming followers of Christ. Most of them were from Galilee, an agricultural region at the intersection of trade routes. And Galilee remained their home base for most of Jesus’ ministry – not (as some might think) Jerusalem in Judea, which was the political and religious capital of Israel.

            Yet with all their faults and character flaws – as remarkably ordinary as they were – these men carried on a ministry after Jesus’ ascension that left an indelible impact on the world. Their ministry continues to influence us even today. God graciously empowered and used these men to inaugurate the spread of the gospel message and to turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6). Ordinary men – people like you and me – became the instruments by which Christ’s message was carried to the ends of the earth. No wonder they are such fascinating characters.”

            Inadequacy in regard to God related tasks is a notion from the enemy and a copout to obedience. We must remember that if God calls us for a task, God Himself will provide the grace for its completion in His time and in His way. All we are required to do is abandon self and follow what He says. Therefore, we can boldly step into any task, not in self-confidence but with an assurance that He will complete that which He began! We have a beautiful example in the lives of His disciples and many other biblical figures that God is simply looking for someone to say “yes”, to step out in faith according to His will, He does the rest.

 - Jason Wilson, Worship & Youth Pastor