Oh, Lord, we give You praise
00:00:58.12\00:01:05.06
And
00:01:05.09\00:01:10.57
Oh, Lord, we bless Your name
00:01:10.60\00:01:17.54
And
00:01:17.57\00:01:22.24
we lift our
voices to say thank You
00:01:22.28\00:01:29.68
For Your goodness
00:01:29.72\00:01:36.32
And Your mercy toward us
00:01:36.36\00:01:42.06
For Your goodness
00:01:42.10\00:01:48.57
And Your mercy toward us
00:01:48.60\00:01:53.38
We offer
00:01:53.41\00:01:57.71
praise
00:01:57.75\00:02:05.22
Oh, Lord, we give You praise
00:02:11.83\00:02:18.13
And
00:02:18.17\00:02:23.14
Oh, Lord, we bless Your name
00:02:23.17\00:02:29.91
And
00:02:29.94\00:02:34.42
we lift our voices
00:02:34.45\00:02:36.85
To say thank You
00:02:36.89\00:02:41.36
For Your goodness
00:02:41.39\00:02:47.46
And Your mercy toward us
00:02:47.50\00:02:53.07
For Your goodness
00:02:53.10\00:02:59.04
And Your mercy toward us
00:02:59.07\00:03:04.35
For Your goodness
00:03:04.38\00:03:10.29
And Your mercy toward us
00:03:10.32\00:03:14.22
We offer
00:03:14.26\00:03:18.43
Praise
00:03:18.46\00:03:26.27
You are worthy
00:03:26.30\00:03:33.88
of glory, honor
00:03:33.91\00:03:39.18
Worthy of all
00:03:41.85\00:03:46.02
Praise
00:03:46.05\00:03:48.76
For Your goodness
00:03:48.79\00:03:54.50
And Your mercy toward us
00:03:54.53\00:04:00.30
For Your goodness
00:04:00.34\00:04:06.17
And Your mercy toward us
00:04:06.21\00:04:11.45
For Your goodness
00:04:11.48\00:04:17.09
And Your mercy toward us
00:04:17.12\00:04:21.06
We offer
00:04:21.09\00:04:25.29
Praise
00:04:25.33\00:04:33.07
You are worthy
00:04:33.10\00:04:40.21
Of glory, honor
00:04:40.24\00:04:45.45
Worthy of all praise
00:04:48.18\00:04:54.82
For Your goodness
00:04:54.86\00:05:00.56
And Your mercy toward us
00:05:00.60\00:05:06.07
For Your goodness
00:05:06.10\00:05:11.71
And Your mercy toward us
00:05:11.74\00:05:17.08
For Your goodness
00:05:17.11\00:05:22.45
And Your mercy toward us
00:05:22.48\00:05:27.79
For Your goodness
00:05:27.82\00:05:33.50
And Your mercy toward us
00:05:33.53\00:05:38.37
For Your goodness
00:05:38.40\00:05:43.74
And Your mercy toward us
00:05:43.77\00:05:48.91
For Your goodness
00:05:48.94\00:05:54.32
And Your mercy toward us
00:05:54.35\00:05:59.55
For Your goodness
00:05:59.59\00:06:04.89
And Your mercy toward us
00:06:04.93\00:06:09.03
We offer
00:06:09.06\00:06:12.93
Praise
00:06:12.97\00:06:19.77
We offer
00:06:19.81\00:06:23.95
Praise
00:06:23.98\00:06:30.99
We offer
00:06:31.02\00:06:34.96
Praise
00:06:34.99\00:06:41.70
We offer
00:06:41.73\00:06:47.50
Praise.
00:06:47.54\00:06:50.91
What you've done so
many times in the past,
00:06:50.94\00:06:53.94
sure, do what is necessary
00:06:53.98\00:06:58.21
to bring us to connect with you
00:06:58.25\00:07:01.48
because this
may be the last time
00:07:01.52\00:07:03.69
that the
connection will be made.
00:07:03.72\00:07:05.82
So, Father, we pray
for You and we invite
00:07:05.85\00:07:08.22
and we invoke Your Holy Spirit
to fall afresh upon us today.
00:07:08.26\00:07:11.96
We pray these
things in Your name
00:07:11.99\00:07:17.50
because Your goodness
and Your mercy towards us.
00:07:17.53\00:07:23.14
Amen.
00:07:23.17\00:07:24.57
Good morning, everyone.
00:07:27.64\00:07:29.94
Happy Sabbath.
00:07:29.98\00:07:32.65
I'm excited that today is
Adventist's Education Day.
00:07:32.68\00:07:37.95
And I just want to piggyback
on the awesome job my son did
00:07:37.99\00:07:44.03
in reading the scripture.
00:07:44.06\00:07:45.39
I want to look at verse 6,
00:07:50.03\00:07:53.64
"For it is the God
00:07:53.67\00:07:56.24
who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness,
00:07:56.27\00:08:02.08
who has shone in our hearts
00:08:02.11\00:08:04.78
to give the
light of the knowledge
00:08:04.81\00:08:07.68
of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ."
00:08:07.72\00:08:12.69
I just want to talk
to you for a few minutes
00:08:12.72\00:08:14.56
on the topic of 'The Light,
The Knowledge, And The Glory.'
00:08:14.59\00:08:20.76
'The Light, The
Knowledge, And The Glory.'
00:08:20.80\00:08:24.67
Her name was Shay Houston,
and her best friend was Nef
00:08:24.70\00:08:31.11
or Nefertari, we called her Nef.
00:08:31.14\00:08:34.54
And they met in Jacks...
00:08:34.58\00:08:36.24
we met them in Jackson, Michigan
00:08:36.28\00:08:37.95
when I was working as a chaplain
00:08:37.98\00:08:39.41
in campus ministry at
the University of Michigan.
00:08:39.45\00:08:42.92
Shay and Nef
attended Jackson High School.
00:08:42.95\00:08:48.32
They were some hard girls.
00:08:48.36\00:08:51.63
When I first met
them, I want to fight them.
00:08:51.66\00:08:53.43
And recently, not too
long after coming to Michigan
00:08:56.77\00:09:01.30
about two years,
00:09:01.34\00:09:03.07
we accepted a
position as the dean of men
00:09:03.10\00:09:06.54
at Mount Vernon Academy in Ohio.
00:09:06.57\00:09:09.61
Both families, Nef and
Shay wanted their daughters
00:09:09.64\00:09:13.95
and also the son to
attend Mount Vernon Academy
00:09:13.98\00:09:17.69
because they were concerned
about their spiritual life.
00:09:17.72\00:09:21.46
They couldn't
afford to send them,
00:09:21.49\00:09:23.39
but they did it
anyway and God provided.
00:09:23.43\00:09:27.56
After enrolling in the
academy, Nef started having
00:09:27.60\00:09:30.83
some real
problems and she would...
00:09:30.87\00:09:33.44
she was asked by the
administration to leave.
00:09:33.47\00:09:35.80
However, Shay
did not go with her.
00:09:35.84\00:09:40.41
She ended up graduating from
Mount Vernon Academy in 2007
00:09:40.44\00:09:46.92
and her life was
starting to look up.
00:09:46.95\00:09:50.55
This girl from
Jackson, Michigan,
00:09:50.59\00:09:53.46
rough girl was starting to
seek some breakthroughs for her.
00:09:53.49\00:09:58.76
She was hard when she got there.
00:09:58.79\00:10:00.76
They all ready to fight
even the people from New York.
00:10:00.80\00:10:04.67
They were ready
to fight everybody
00:10:04.70\00:10:06.63
but when her friend was asked
to leave, she had a choice.
00:10:06.67\00:10:10.91
She could go back
with a friend to Jackson,
00:10:10.94\00:10:13.17
to Jackson, Michigan
but she chose not to.
00:10:13.21\00:10:16.81
She stayed there
for another year.
00:10:16.85\00:10:21.28
I was at home in Columbus, Ohio,
00:10:21.32\00:10:24.45
on a Sunday
morning, August 2007,
00:10:24.49\00:10:28.69
and I received a
phone call from Nef's family
00:10:28.72\00:10:32.16
to tell me that the night
00:10:32.19\00:10:33.53
before she had
died in her sleep.
00:10:33.56\00:10:37.27
Just graduated from high school,
00:10:37.30\00:10:40.54
died in her sleep.
00:10:40.57\00:10:43.30
I was devastated and
I had to call the school
00:10:43.34\00:10:47.08
and let the principal know
00:10:47.11\00:10:48.44
because he had a
relationship within the staff.
00:10:48.48\00:10:51.85
Because this young
lady who was so hard,
00:10:51.88\00:10:56.45
the staff ended up
falling in love with her.
00:10:56.48\00:11:00.29
And when I shared the news
with him, he broke down crying.
00:11:00.32\00:11:05.86
On the day of the
funeral in Jackson, Michigan,
00:11:05.89\00:11:08.76
in the presence
of all the family
00:11:08.80\00:11:10.47
and former
classmates and staff of MVA,
00:11:10.50\00:11:13.77
I was there to share some news
00:11:13.80\00:11:15.80
that many of them did not
know took place the day before
00:11:15.84\00:11:18.31
which was Sabbath.
00:11:18.34\00:11:21.81
Her pastor
informed me in the study
00:11:21.84\00:11:23.51
before the funeral service began
00:11:23.55\00:11:26.08
that Shay answered an altar call
00:11:26.11\00:11:31.92
to be baptized.
00:11:31.95\00:11:34.29
She answered a
call to be baptized.
00:11:34.32\00:11:38.29
And I'm here to tell you
today, that is why we're here,
00:11:38.33\00:11:43.77
that is why
Adventist Education is here,
00:11:43.80\00:11:47.14
that is why we do, we do.
00:11:47.17\00:11:50.57
No other reason,
it's that reason.
00:11:50.61\00:11:54.28
Not only did I find that out,
00:11:54.31\00:11:57.21
but last night I
called Nef's family
00:11:57.25\00:12:00.22
and they told me
00:12:00.25\00:12:01.58
that the mother had
died not long after that,
00:12:01.62\00:12:03.85
the father had died
not long after that,
00:12:03.89\00:12:07.59
a brother had died
not long after that.
00:12:07.62\00:12:10.56
But because of her stand
that Sabbath, her cousin,
00:12:10.59\00:12:15.96
her elder brother, her sister
00:12:16.00\00:12:17.53
were in church now
came back to Jesus.
00:12:17.57\00:12:22.30
That is why we do what we do.
00:12:22.34\00:12:26.31
The best investment
that you can ever make
00:12:26.34\00:12:28.18
in the future of your children
is through their education,
00:12:28.21\00:12:31.01
not just any education but
the education for eternity.
00:12:31.05\00:12:34.25
Why do we do what we do?
00:12:37.25\00:12:39.92
Well, you know what?
00:12:39.95\00:12:41.39
I decided I was going
to do a little homework.
00:12:41.42\00:12:44.26
And I looked around
and found some schools
00:12:44.29\00:12:45.96
with high academic marks,
00:12:45.99\00:12:47.33
and high social
interaction, and high athletics.
00:12:47.36\00:12:50.33
And here's what I
found from my investigation,
00:12:50.37\00:12:52.63
all the schools that I looked at
00:12:52.67\00:12:55.60
not only in Texas
but also in Massachusetts
00:12:55.64\00:12:59.91
where the
education in Massachusetts
00:12:59.94\00:13:03.11
is the God, Harvard, MIT.
00:13:03.14\00:13:07.02
I look at all of these
schools and here's what I found,
00:13:07.05\00:13:09.72
they all teach subjects like
English, and Math, and history,
00:13:09.75\00:13:16.32
social studies, PE,
technology, world languages,
00:13:16.36\00:13:21.23
sports, fine
arts, and life skills.
00:13:21.26\00:13:24.67
They all have
professional and qualified
00:13:24.70\00:13:28.44
teachers and administrators.
00:13:28.47\00:13:30.47
They receive money from
taxpayers and state fund.
00:13:30.51\00:13:34.88
They offer the
state-of-the-art transportation
00:13:34.91\00:13:37.61
called the yellow bus
00:13:37.65\00:13:39.18
and sometimes it's
a little yellow bus.
00:13:39.21\00:13:42.45
They all have
great mascots and songs,
00:13:42.48\00:13:44.65
and wonderful tradition.
00:13:44.69\00:13:46.02
One thing that I found
that all of these schools
00:13:46.05\00:13:47.39
that was the same,
00:13:47.42\00:13:48.76
was that they all
preparing children
00:13:48.79\00:13:50.23
for the future workforce
00:13:50.26\00:13:51.83
and society to be
reproductive citizens
00:13:51.86\00:13:54.00
on this planet.
00:13:54.03\00:13:55.73
Applaud that they do a good job.
00:13:55.76\00:13:57.37
Then if they're
doing such a good job,
00:14:01.27\00:14:03.84
then why we're here?
00:14:03.87\00:14:07.44
We're here because of Shay,
00:14:07.48\00:14:11.21
we're here because
of people like Shay.
00:14:11.25\00:14:14.62
We're here for moments, a stand,
00:14:14.65\00:14:17.39
a walk up to the
front to give you a life,
00:14:17.42\00:14:19.65
not knowing if you're
going to live the next day.
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.46
And from that the repercussion,
00:14:21.49\00:14:23.22
the repercussion
that come from that
00:14:23.26\00:14:24.66
is family members who
had not step foot in church
00:14:24.69\00:14:27.00
came back to Jesus.
00:14:27.03\00:14:28.36
Why? Because of stand.
00:14:28.40\00:14:29.83
You weren't baptized,
you didn't make it, Shay,
00:14:29.86\00:14:32.43
but guess what,
00:14:32.47\00:14:33.80
because of your
example others did,
00:14:33.84\00:14:36.64
that's why we do what we do.
00:14:36.67\00:14:39.34
The future of our families,
our churches, our nation
00:14:39.37\00:14:42.71
and world depends
on the right education.
00:14:42.74\00:14:46.61
Adventist
education is different.
00:14:46.65\00:14:49.25
It plans for the future
while preparing for eternity.
00:14:49.28\00:14:55.66
In spite of this
outstanding contribution
00:14:55.69\00:15:00.30
to the church and
to the world at large,
00:15:00.33\00:15:03.30
Adventist
education is under fire.
00:15:03.33\00:15:08.10
Now you know what,
before I read the next part,
00:15:08.14\00:15:11.54
I've learned being
a lifelong Adventist,
00:15:11.57\00:15:16.44
my children sixth
generation Adventist.
00:15:16.48\00:15:19.51
I've learned something.
00:15:19.55\00:15:20.88
There are some things
that when you talk about
00:15:20.92\00:15:23.35
in the Adventist
church, people get mad.
00:15:23.39\00:15:28.39
There's some buzz, I mean,
00:15:28.42\00:15:29.76
you mess with someone and
say, we needed to be vegetarian.
00:15:29.79\00:15:31.16
"Oh, no..." You get mad.
00:15:31.19\00:15:33.80
Mess with the music, get mad.
00:15:33.83\00:15:35.56
One of the
things I found is that
00:15:35.60\00:15:37.27
when you talk about
Adventist education,
00:15:37.30\00:15:39.83
people get mad, they get mad.
00:15:39.87\00:15:44.64
I'm here to say this to you
00:15:44.67\00:15:46.01
and I'm saying this
with all lovingness,
00:15:46.04\00:15:48.38
get mad.
00:15:48.41\00:15:53.21
In spite of all
that it is been offered
00:15:53.25\00:15:55.52
and all that has
contribute to the world at large
00:15:55.55\00:15:57.52
and to the church itself,
the attacks are all too often
00:15:57.55\00:16:00.59
coming from
within the denomination.
00:16:00.62\00:16:05.09
It is coming from those
who are charge to uphold it,
00:16:05.13\00:16:10.17
while those on
the outside admire it.
00:16:10.20\00:16:15.00
I don't know if
you ever heard of a man
00:16:15.04\00:16:16.37
by the name of Alan November.
00:16:16.40\00:16:18.77
If you're an educator,
you probably know who he is.
00:16:18.81\00:16:21.44
Phenomenal in this age, he
is an incredible innovator.
00:16:21.48\00:16:25.71
He is a millionaire
because he has found a way
00:16:25.75\00:16:30.85
to teach children how to learn.
00:16:30.89\00:16:35.26
He was speaking at a conference
00:16:35.29\00:16:36.62
that I was at it
with pastors and teachers
00:16:36.66\00:16:38.23
in New England, in Rhode Island.
00:16:38.26\00:16:41.33
And when he said,
he stood up before us,
00:16:41.36\00:16:44.30
and he's looked over the
vastness of the teachers,
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.87
and looked over the
vastness of the administrators.
00:16:46.90\00:16:48.84
And here's what
he said, he said,
00:16:48.87\00:16:51.47
"The Seventh-day
Adventist education system
00:16:51.51\00:16:54.28
is the most
integrated and functional system
00:16:54.31\00:16:56.88
in the world."
00:16:56.91\00:16:59.95
This man doesn't
know anything about
00:16:59.98\00:17:01.38
the three angels
flying in the midst of heaven.
00:17:01.42\00:17:04.69
He knows nothing
about it. What does he know?
00:17:04.72\00:17:06.55
He knows education,
00:17:06.59\00:17:07.92
and he looked at the system
and said, you guys are awesome.
00:17:07.96\00:17:11.46
For a minute I thought
00:17:11.49\00:17:12.83
he's going to
ask to be employed.
00:17:12.86\00:17:16.16
You know we
would have told him no.
00:17:16.20\00:17:19.27
However, some pastors
00:17:19.30\00:17:20.74
and church leaders, for example,
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.44
have argued that
Adventist education
00:17:22.47\00:17:24.34
is stealing
money from evangelism,
00:17:24.37\00:17:26.41
church mission and
other church opportunities
00:17:26.44\00:17:28.98
for service to the community.
00:17:29.01\00:17:31.58
It is been said
that Christian education
00:17:31.61\00:17:33.45
is irrelevant,
outdated, not soul winning,
00:17:33.48\00:17:38.95
and therefore the
local church should close
00:17:38.99\00:17:42.52
because of waste of money
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.09
that could be put
towards evangelism,
00:17:45.13\00:17:47.40
building programs
and church activities.
00:17:47.43\00:17:50.20
When I hear
statements like this,
00:17:55.90\00:17:57.24
it makes me wonder,
and you got to hear this,
00:17:57.27\00:17:59.81
it makes you wonder
about Christ ministry.
00:17:59.84\00:18:03.04
Here's what I mean.
00:18:03.08\00:18:04.78
Jesus had twelve students,
I mean disciples, excuse me.
00:18:04.81\00:18:11.25
He had them for three years.
00:18:11.29\00:18:15.49
When He got to the cross,
00:18:15.52\00:18:18.56
matter of fact even before that,
00:18:18.59\00:18:20.73
not one of them was converted
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.73
or even understood the
message He was teaching.
00:18:22.76\00:18:25.77
And John 16:12 says,
00:18:25.80\00:18:27.24
many things I have to say
to you but you're not ready.
00:18:27.27\00:18:31.27
Shay and Nef and my wife,
we would sit in our apartment
00:18:31.31\00:18:36.14
on the campus of Mount
Vernon Academy for hours,
00:18:36.18\00:18:39.28
telling them the importance
of Adventist education,
00:18:39.31\00:18:42.35
telling them
don't give up on it,
00:18:42.38\00:18:44.19
don't be stupid here, value it,
00:18:44.22\00:18:46.89
encourage them to love Jesus.
00:18:46.92\00:18:49.36
And they would sit there
and say, we don't like it.
00:18:49.39\00:18:54.00
The same young lady
00:18:54.03\00:18:56.20
who made an
altar call afterwards
00:18:56.23\00:18:58.40
said she didn't
want to be there.
00:18:58.43\00:18:59.87
She would cry and say,
I don't want to be here.
00:18:59.90\00:19:02.30
If I had the
opportunity, I will leave.
00:19:02.34\00:19:03.84
When her friend
left, she stayed.
00:19:03.87\00:19:05.67
Why?
00:19:05.71\00:19:08.51
Because just like
in Christ ministry,
00:19:08.54\00:19:11.25
we were looking at
something different.
00:19:11.28\00:19:13.85
Christ, when His
mission was done,
00:19:13.88\00:19:17.72
what was His results?
00:19:17.75\00:19:20.09
One betrayed him,
00:19:20.12\00:19:22.09
another swore he never knew Him,
00:19:22.12\00:19:24.49
and others ran and hiding
00:19:24.53\00:19:25.86
for fear that
they would be killed.
00:19:25.89\00:19:27.43
The only person that stayed,
00:19:27.46\00:19:30.43
the only person
that accepted Him,
00:19:30.47\00:19:33.13
the only person
00:19:33.17\00:19:34.50
that listened to
Him and then graduate
00:19:34.54\00:19:37.47
was a thief on the
cross that was going to die,
00:19:37.51\00:19:41.74
who spent the least
amount of time with Him.
00:19:41.78\00:19:47.58
From a human perspective,
00:19:47.62\00:19:48.95
Jesus' ministry would
be considered a failure.
00:19:48.98\00:19:54.39
But Jesus had His
eyes on a long term
00:19:54.42\00:19:57.36
rather than the short term.
00:19:57.39\00:19:59.83
Here's the beauty
of it, after Pentecost.
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.83
After Pentecost,
00:20:06.43\00:20:09.10
all of them save
one were powerhouses.
00:20:09.14\00:20:13.84
Peter, the one who
denied and stood up before them,
00:20:13.88\00:20:16.11
he said men and brethren.
00:20:16.14\00:20:17.68
Let me tell you something,
00:20:17.71\00:20:19.28
I can imagine
someone in a pew saying,
00:20:19.31\00:20:21.15
how can you tell you deny Him?
00:20:21.18\00:20:23.49
But when Peter
were done preaching,
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.52
3,000 came up to Jesus,
00:20:25.55\00:20:27.46
and came to Jesus that day.
00:20:27.49\00:20:29.09
Why?
00:20:29.12\00:20:30.46
Because He was, Jesus
was looking at the long term,
00:20:30.49\00:20:32.36
Jesus wasn't
frustrated when we got to cross.
00:20:32.39\00:20:34.36
Jesus say, listen,
00:20:34.40\00:20:35.73
I know something you don't know.
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.87
I know something
that the gospel would do.
00:20:37.90\00:20:40.37
We see Christ,
you see other things,
00:20:40.40\00:20:42.97
we see Christ, stick with it.
00:20:43.00\00:20:44.97
No, no, it's not worthy.
00:20:45.01\00:20:46.51
It's worth it, I can
tell you it's worth it.
00:20:46.54\00:20:50.61
Ellen White said in her
book Education page 305 and 306,
00:20:50.65\00:20:53.95
she says, "Men
sow the seed which,
00:20:53.98\00:20:56.08
above their graves,
others reap blessed harvests.
00:20:56.12\00:21:00.72
They plant trees, that
others eat of the fruit.
00:21:00.76\00:21:03.49
They are content here to know
00:21:03.53\00:21:05.43
that they have set things
in motion agents for good.
00:21:05.46\00:21:09.20
In the hereafter
00:21:09.23\00:21:10.67
the action and the reaction
of all these will be seen."
00:21:10.70\00:21:15.00
Let me tell you
something, I can tell you this.
00:21:15.04\00:21:20.24
Your children know
more than you think they do.
00:21:20.28\00:21:25.88
You give them an option
between broccoli and ice-cream,
00:21:25.91\00:21:30.19
matter of fact,
00:21:30.22\00:21:31.55
you give me an option
between broccoli and ice-cream,
00:21:31.59\00:21:37.59
I won't say what I'll choose.
00:21:37.63\00:21:40.10
But let me tell you something,
they know, they won't,
00:21:40.13\00:21:43.63
they're not going to
choose the right thing.
00:21:43.67\00:21:46.23
Do you want to go to little
school like that over there
00:21:46.27\00:21:47.94
or you want to go this big
one over here that's got mascots
00:21:47.97\00:21:49.77
and all these different things?
00:21:49.80\00:21:51.14
They know that. They, what?
00:21:51.17\00:21:52.51
Come on, that's like asking...
00:21:52.54\00:21:53.88
Do you want to drive a Yugo
00:21:53.91\00:21:55.24
or do you want
to drive a Mercedes?
00:21:55.28\00:22:00.32
Do you want to come to church
00:22:00.35\00:22:01.85
or do you want
to go to your prom?
00:22:01.88\00:22:05.09
Give them a choice,
00:22:05.12\00:22:06.45
they're going
to make the choice.
00:22:06.49\00:22:07.82
That's why I
like what Joshua says
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.19
that's for me and my house.
00:22:12.23\00:22:13.70
Listen, there was a time
00:22:15.50\00:22:16.83
when my kids will
get mad when I do stuff.
00:22:16.87\00:22:18.77
I just smile and I was like...
00:22:18.80\00:22:20.40
I got the job, you have no job.
00:22:22.47\00:22:26.98
Would you want to leave?
00:22:27.01\00:22:28.51
Emptiness, what, what.
00:22:30.95\00:22:33.48
We'll cruise the world.
00:22:34.95\00:22:36.32
I want to give you six
reasons for Adventist education.
00:22:38.15\00:22:41.92
In his book 'Why You Must Go',
00:22:43.79\00:22:45.93
Elder Terry
McCoy, our secretary,
00:22:45.96\00:22:48.20
our conference
secretary wrote a awesome book.
00:22:48.23\00:22:51.23
If you have not, if
you don't have that book,
00:22:51.27\00:22:53.44
shame on, you got to get it.
00:22:53.47\00:22:55.10
It's an awesome book.
00:22:55.14\00:22:56.87
He put in there, he
talks about six hooks,
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.94
he talks about hooks
for Adventist education.
00:22:59.97\00:23:01.54
That kind of grabs
up that term hooks.
00:23:01.58\00:23:05.21
Because hooks
sometimes would be bad thing
00:23:05.25\00:23:06.88
but this is not a bad thing.
00:23:06.92\00:23:08.45
Hooks for Adventist education.
00:23:08.48\00:23:09.88
At the top of the list
00:23:09.92\00:23:11.25
of the reason for
Adventist schooling
00:23:11.29\00:23:12.85
is that it introduce
students to the Bible
00:23:12.89\00:23:15.36
as a framework of
thinking and evaluating.
00:23:15.39\00:23:18.43
It gives moral
and ethical thinking.
00:23:18.46\00:23:23.06
Even in pre-school,
let me tell you something,
00:23:23.10\00:23:26.07
when I walk into
Miss Mary's class
00:23:26.10\00:23:28.40
and I see these kids read...
00:23:28.44\00:23:29.84
What?
00:23:31.07\00:23:32.41
If I could have
read at that age,
00:23:35.24\00:23:41.65
where could I have been.
00:23:41.68\00:23:44.05
These kids are reading.
00:23:44.09\00:23:46.52
When I see, when I
walk through the building
00:23:46.55\00:23:48.26
throughout the week,
these kids are smiling,
00:23:48.29\00:23:52.03
they're happy, they
are not worried about
00:23:52.06\00:23:53.93
where they're
gonna get shen next.
00:23:53.96\00:23:55.70
They are not
worried about, we know,
00:23:55.73\00:23:57.07
what they're going
to do and this and that,
00:23:57.10\00:23:58.47
they're just having fun.
00:23:58.50\00:24:00.90
When I look at the
teachers I see them,
00:24:00.94\00:24:03.37
they're having fun.
00:24:03.41\00:24:05.54
But there's something that
you need to understand is that
00:24:05.57\00:24:07.41
all that is going on,
00:24:07.44\00:24:09.54
ethic and moral
living is being taught.
00:24:09.58\00:24:13.01
Look at Isaiah, Isaiah 30,
00:24:13.05\00:24:14.45
you've heard this
text before, Isaiah 30:21.
00:24:14.48\00:24:18.09
Isaiah 30:21, it says,
00:24:18.12\00:24:19.95
"Your ears shall
hear a word behind you,
00:24:19.99\00:24:22.59
saying, 'This is
the way, walk in,'
00:24:22.62\00:24:25.23
whenever you
turn to the right hand
00:24:25.26\00:24:27.00
or whenever you
turn to the left."
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.56
There's going to be a word.
00:24:28.60\00:24:29.93
Let me tell you something,
there's going to be a word,
00:24:29.96\00:24:31.63
there's going to be a word.
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.00
You know, your
kid don't like Him,
00:24:33.03\00:24:34.37
they want to do that all
day, there's going to be a word,
00:24:34.40\00:24:36.24
there's going to be something.
00:24:36.27\00:24:37.61
And matter of fact, when
I was, when I was used to...
00:24:37.64\00:24:39.17
When I used to teach,
my kids will get mad at me,
00:24:39.21\00:24:41.71
"Why you always got to say
something about the Bible?"
00:24:41.74\00:24:44.11
Because I only speak Christ,
I don't know anything else.
00:24:44.15\00:24:47.08
We must say, what?
00:24:47.12\00:24:48.45
I can't give you tablets,
00:24:48.48\00:24:50.12
I can't give you the
current, I can't do that to you.
00:24:50.15\00:24:52.45
I can tell you
decision making is based on
00:24:52.49\00:24:54.72
how you and what you believe,
and what you believe in.
00:24:54.76\00:24:58.29
It gives the
framework, the critical point.
00:24:58.33\00:25:01.06
The Bible and Adventist school
00:25:01.10\00:25:02.46
is never studied
as it in to itself.
00:25:02.50\00:25:04.80
Rather, the
scriptures provide a framework
00:25:06.13\00:25:08.70
for everything that
takes place on campus,
00:25:08.74\00:25:10.71
whether it's the academics,
00:25:10.74\00:25:12.11
whether it's
the extracurricular,
00:25:12.14\00:25:13.51
where is the chaplain,
00:25:13.54\00:25:14.88
where is the Sabbath
services, the outreach,
00:25:14.91\00:25:17.75
the community service program.
00:25:17.78\00:25:19.11
Everything is
framed around the Bible.
00:25:19.15\00:25:21.65
Let me tell you something now.
00:25:23.79\00:25:25.62
I've been in ministry,
00:25:25.65\00:25:26.99
I've been the
pastor for seven years.
00:25:27.02\00:25:28.39
I'm going to be 40 this summer.
00:25:29.56\00:25:31.39
How many years did I lose?
00:25:33.53\00:25:35.33
I can tell you,
00:25:37.50\00:25:40.37
the last seven years that I
lived have been the fullest.
00:25:40.40\00:25:46.24
Because my framework
is based around scripture.
00:25:46.27\00:25:51.01
I like the Bible says that
Lord will restore the years
00:25:51.05\00:25:53.68
that the locust devoured.
00:25:53.72\00:25:55.92
You jabbed up for
years, God is gonna,
00:25:55.95\00:25:58.09
He's going to
restore those, he says,
00:25:58.12\00:25:59.45
I don't remember you
were here for like 30 years,
00:25:59.49\00:26:01.49
let me help you out,
00:26:01.52\00:26:02.86
let me help you
out the last things,
00:26:02.89\00:26:04.23
last few years of your life,
00:26:04.26\00:26:05.59
I'm gonna make it
good for you, all right?
00:26:05.63\00:26:06.96
I am going to
give you some blessing,
00:26:07.00\00:26:08.33
but you got to know
where your foundation
00:26:08.36\00:26:09.70
and your framework is.
00:26:09.73\00:26:11.50
The second reason is
00:26:11.53\00:26:12.87
the Bible is an
instrument in Adventist schools
00:26:12.90\00:26:14.60
introducing young people
to Jesus as Lord and savior,
00:26:14.64\00:26:18.24
not as a prophet, not
as a figure in history,
00:26:18.27\00:26:22.24
but as Lord and savior.
00:26:22.28\00:26:23.95
And at its core,
00:26:23.98\00:26:25.31
Adventist
education is evangelistic,
00:26:25.35\00:26:27.12
redemptive with
producing baptism
00:26:27.15\00:26:30.15
and lifelong
commitments to Jesus.
00:26:30.19\00:26:32.62
Let me tell you something now,
00:26:34.39\00:26:36.36
when I speak, when I talk
about Adventist education,
00:26:36.39\00:26:39.39
about being redemptive,
00:26:39.43\00:26:41.26
I can tell you
story, after story,
00:26:41.30\00:26:42.63
after story after story.
00:26:42.66\00:26:44.10
I taught for four years,
00:26:44.13\00:26:46.07
and I worked another two
years as an auxiliary staff.
00:26:46.10\00:26:49.47
I know that it's redemptive.
00:26:49.50\00:26:51.54
I've seen some
of the knuckleheads
00:26:51.57\00:26:53.64
that will come into my office
00:26:53.68\00:26:55.24
that were on the
verge of being kicked out.
00:26:55.28\00:26:58.38
Matter of fact,
there was a young man.
00:26:58.41\00:27:01.42
I just had the opportunity,
00:27:01.45\00:27:02.78
he called me and he asked
me to conduct his wedding.
00:27:02.82\00:27:07.82
This kid was difficult,
00:27:09.72\00:27:14.40
not in the sense
that you're thinking.
00:27:14.43\00:27:16.60
His parents were rich.
00:27:16.63\00:27:19.23
No, no, no.
00:27:19.27\00:27:21.04
So you don't, you
don't understand what I mean.
00:27:21.07\00:27:23.04
His parents were rich.
00:27:23.07\00:27:24.57
When we got there,
00:27:27.71\00:27:29.04
we were told that
there were certain parents
00:27:29.08\00:27:30.95
that you need to
be watch out for,
00:27:30.98\00:27:32.48
because they're the ones
00:27:32.51\00:27:33.85
that can give you
the hardest problems.
00:27:33.88\00:27:35.95
And they told me
that this family,
00:27:35.98\00:27:37.99
the father is a hospital,
00:27:38.02\00:27:40.56
I mean, a health system regions
administrator for hospitals.
00:27:40.59\00:27:47.23
Mom works when
she feels like it.
00:27:49.93\00:27:53.17
When she wants him to
stop working for six months,
00:27:53.20\00:27:56.04
she'll go and work for two days.
00:27:56.07\00:27:57.77
Rich.
00:27:58.87\00:28:00.21
They were at Mount
Vernon and here I am the dean,
00:28:03.45\00:28:06.82
me, nobody.
00:28:06.85\00:28:08.85
I get there and
they drop this on me.
00:28:08.88\00:28:10.55
The parents walk in...
00:28:10.59\00:28:11.95
They sit down,
their son is there,
00:28:15.99\00:28:17.86
their oldest son just
graduated the year before,
00:28:17.89\00:28:19.79
he's been there, this
is his sophomore year,
00:28:19.83\00:28:21.33
this will be his whole term
and he's just sitting there,
00:28:21.36\00:28:25.40
and he said, "Now,
can you please tell me
00:28:25.43\00:28:27.80
how you want to run the dorm?"
00:28:27.84\00:28:29.17
I said, "Stop. Let
us pray for a second."
00:28:29.20\00:28:31.04
We prayed, I said amen.
00:28:32.14\00:28:34.58
They looked
different after prayer.
00:28:34.61\00:28:37.28
The father called me last summer
00:28:42.18\00:28:46.02
before I came up to the wedding,
00:28:46.05\00:28:47.39
he said, "Listen, listen,
00:28:47.42\00:28:48.76
I need to know what airport
you're going to fly out."
00:28:48.79\00:28:52.69
I said, "Dallas Fort Worth."
00:28:52.73\00:28:54.23
"Do you need to rental car?"
00:28:54.26\00:28:55.60
I said, "Well, yes, sure.
00:28:55.63\00:28:56.97
I'll take one."
00:28:57.00\00:28:58.33
"Do you need, what
do you want to do...
00:28:58.37\00:28:59.70
We'll get you a
hotel room and everything."
00:28:59.73\00:29:01.07
I said, "All
right, that sounds good."
00:29:01.10\00:29:02.44
And I am kind of used
to that kind of stuff,
00:29:02.47\00:29:03.81
you know, I get there
and I'm staying in a suite.
00:29:03.84\00:29:05.71
I'm like, man, you're
going to put me in Motel 6
00:29:07.48\00:29:08.91
but I am sitting back down,
taking pictures of the room.
00:29:08.94\00:29:12.51
Why?
00:29:14.32\00:29:15.65
Because they know,
00:29:15.68\00:29:18.39
they know the value
that was placed in their son,
00:29:18.42\00:29:23.89
not because they were rich.
00:29:23.93\00:29:26.13
Because I tell you
the opposite story.
00:29:26.16\00:29:27.50
I had another
kid who was not rich,
00:29:27.53\00:29:29.96
and that was the
other family they told me
00:29:30.00\00:29:31.33
it's going to be difficult.
00:29:31.37\00:29:33.07
No, we were going to
their house every Sabbath,
00:29:33.10\00:29:36.60
having dinner.
00:29:36.64\00:29:38.01
When I started
working as a dean,
00:29:38.04\00:29:39.61
they will call me all the time.
00:29:39.64\00:29:41.01
The mother, we would
sit down, great religion.
00:29:41.04\00:29:43.24
Because those that are
difficult are expecting a lot.
00:29:43.28\00:29:47.68
But one thing they will respect,
00:29:47.72\00:29:49.92
if you give them Jesus.
00:29:49.95\00:29:51.29
The primary function
of Adventist education
00:29:52.85\00:29:54.59
is to help young people
find a savior relationship
00:29:54.62\00:29:56.76
with Jesus Christ.
00:29:56.79\00:29:58.29
And that function is
just as important for children
00:29:58.33\00:30:00.33
brought in Adventist
home and those that don't.
00:30:00.36\00:30:03.26
One study can...
00:30:03.30\00:30:04.63
mention that the concerning,
00:30:05.90\00:30:07.24
the evangelistic potential
of Adventist education,
00:30:07.27\00:30:09.64
listen to this,
00:30:09.67\00:30:11.01
"It is important to
realize that worldwide,
00:30:11.04\00:30:12.37
the percentage of young
people from non-Adventist homes
00:30:12.41\00:30:15.94
attending Adventist
school is more than 50 percent
00:30:15.98\00:30:19.48
and in some
places around the world
00:30:19.51\00:30:21.72
it's 90 percent.
00:30:21.75\00:30:23.89
When we get our
perspective right,
00:30:23.92\00:30:26.72
we see that public
evangelism and education,
00:30:26.76\00:30:29.89
Christian education,
00:30:29.92\00:30:31.26
Adventist Christian education
are not enemies of one another
00:30:31.29\00:30:35.00
but rather they serve
and to complement one another
00:30:35.03\00:30:38.30
and achieve the
gospel commission
00:30:38.33\00:30:39.83
that is found in Matthew 28,
00:30:39.87\00:30:42.27
''Go ye therefore
into all the world."
00:30:42.30\00:30:44.57
I can tell you right now
that many people would not have
00:30:45.74\00:30:48.91
any one of you
come into their homes
00:30:48.94\00:30:51.35
if they knew you were Christian.
00:30:51.38\00:30:52.75
They would not do it.
00:30:54.32\00:30:55.88
They had bad
experiences with you guys.
00:30:55.92\00:30:58.95
I would have in my
days the hypocrites.
00:30:58.99\00:31:02.16
But they'll send their
kids to an Adventist school.
00:31:02.19\00:31:06.49
Why?
00:31:06.53\00:31:07.90
Because when they
look at the alternative.
00:31:07.93\00:31:09.96
Yes, there's a
lot of things good
00:31:10.00\00:31:11.70
that go on in a public school,
00:31:11.73\00:31:13.23
but their children are
experiencing something,
00:31:13.27\00:31:16.37
and it's negative.
00:31:16.40\00:31:17.74
They don't know what it is,
00:31:17.77\00:31:19.11
they can't put
their finger on it,
00:31:19.14\00:31:20.48
but they know that
they don't like it,
00:31:20.51\00:31:21.84
but they would rather
put them in a private school
00:31:21.88\00:31:23.55
because the understanding
of a private school
00:31:23.58\00:31:25.65
is that it's better
than a public school.
00:31:25.68\00:31:28.62
And that's all they
need, and that's enough.
00:31:28.65\00:31:30.72
For them, that's it.
00:31:30.75\00:31:32.42
They don't have to
go into the deep details
00:31:32.45\00:31:33.92
of what you believe.
00:31:33.96\00:31:35.29
They say, okay, what you have?
00:31:35.32\00:31:37.46
You gonna teach
English, math, okay, fine.
00:31:37.49\00:31:39.73
Kids starts
coming home singing songs
00:31:39.76\00:31:41.70
instead of the stuff
that they would tell them
00:31:41.73\00:31:43.57
to stop singing,
they were singing,
00:31:43.60\00:31:45.03
look at them like,
00:31:45.07\00:31:46.50
"Where did you
heard that song from?"
00:31:46.53\00:31:48.90
"Oh, Miss McCoy, Miss Myers,
and Miss Wilkins taught me
00:31:48.94\00:31:51.47
that on in chapel."
00:31:51.51\00:31:53.98
I never heard a song before
00:31:54.01\00:31:55.34
or I heard a song
and it was years ago,
00:31:55.38\00:31:56.91
it brought back something.
00:31:56.95\00:31:58.85
Probably it's... and
the next thing you know,
00:31:58.88\00:32:00.52
the young
person makes a decision
00:32:00.55\00:32:02.25
and says, listen, they have
a week of prayer at the school.
00:32:02.28\00:32:04.69
And they say, I
want to be baptized.
00:32:04.72\00:32:06.12
They say, "What do you
mean you want to baptized?
00:32:06.15\00:32:07.62
You're already baptized."
00:32:07.66\00:32:08.99
"I know, but there's
something about this church,
00:32:09.02\00:32:11.69
there's
something about this school
00:32:11.73\00:32:13.06
that teaches me
something different
00:32:13.09\00:32:14.43
and it's pricking my
heart, because in Matthew 10,
00:32:14.46\00:32:16.33
it says, my sheep,
when they hear my voice,
00:32:16.36\00:32:18.53
they will come and
they hear it, they hear it.
00:32:18.57\00:32:20.67
They say, I want to be baptized,
00:32:20.70\00:32:22.04
and he's like, well,
let's think about it,
00:32:22.07\00:32:23.41
let's not do it.
00:32:23.44\00:32:24.77
And they keep and
are persistent about it,
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.14
keep and are
persistent about it.
00:32:26.17\00:32:27.51
And finally,
they said, all right,
00:32:27.54\00:32:28.88
okay, all right, all
right, go ahead do it.
00:32:28.91\00:32:30.65
And next thing you know,
the pool is full of the family.
00:32:30.68\00:32:37.49
Because the
child made a decision.
00:32:40.76\00:32:42.96
The third reason,
00:32:42.99\00:32:45.09
even introducing students
to Jesus as Lord and savior
00:32:45.13\00:32:49.46
is not an end in
itself in Adventist education.
00:32:49.50\00:32:53.34
Adventist schooling at its best
00:32:53.37\00:32:55.54
leads people to a life
long service to others.
00:32:55.57\00:32:59.81
It is no accident
00:33:01.64\00:33:02.98
that the first and the last
page of The Book of Education
00:33:03.01\00:33:06.35
focuses on the joy of service.
00:33:06.38\00:33:10.32
The major function of
an Adventist education
00:33:10.35\00:33:12.42
is to help
naturally selfish human beings
00:33:12.45\00:33:15.32
gain a vision of
service for others.
00:33:15.36\00:33:18.49
This is the main reason that
most of our higher institutions
00:33:18.53\00:33:22.03
have a slant towards
profession that teach healthcare
00:33:22.06\00:33:26.20
and spiritual nurturing
and also services alike.
00:33:26.23\00:33:30.11
That's why when you
look at our institutions,
00:33:30.14\00:33:32.47
when you look at
our universities,
00:33:32.51\00:33:34.54
the main focus of
these campuses on medical,
00:33:34.58\00:33:37.58
teaching, and pastoral.
00:33:37.61\00:33:40.75
Why?
00:33:40.78\00:33:42.12
Because we don't have
to make a NASA scientist,
00:33:42.15\00:33:46.15
we don't have to
produce a NASA scientist,
00:33:46.19\00:33:48.99
we don't have to
produce a neurosurgeon.
00:33:49.02\00:33:52.89
That's not what we have to do.
00:33:52.93\00:33:55.00
It just so happens
00:33:55.03\00:33:56.43
that when you're
in the environment
00:33:56.46\00:33:58.53
goodness and greatness happens.
00:33:58.57\00:34:00.54
We don't have to say you're
going to be the next president.
00:34:02.00\00:34:04.27
But what happens is
they are in an environment
00:34:04.31\00:34:06.51
and they become the
president of some major company.
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.71
And they look back and say,
00:34:08.74\00:34:10.08
why did you decide
to become a president?
00:34:10.11\00:34:12.51
Did they push
that at your school?
00:34:12.55\00:34:14.02
No, they just told me
to be my best in Jesus
00:34:14.05\00:34:16.69
and Jesus carried me up.
00:34:16.72\00:34:18.29
There is a
difference perspective.
00:34:20.82\00:34:23.56
There're mission
fields in service,
00:34:23.59\00:34:27.10
our teachers and our
staff are missionaries
00:34:27.13\00:34:30.37
working to educate
not only the earthly
00:34:30.40\00:34:33.34
but the heavenly.
00:34:33.37\00:34:34.94
Let me tell you
something, when I...
00:34:34.97\00:34:36.37
When I was teaching
and you know, many times
00:34:40.14\00:34:44.21
when I go over to cross
the street to our school,
00:34:44.25\00:34:46.72
I tell myself and I understand
00:34:48.08\00:34:51.75
why God pulled me from teaching.
00:34:51.79\00:34:56.52
The days are missing,
00:35:03.26\00:35:04.60
but when I see our
teachers over there,
00:35:04.63\00:35:07.24
they are missionaries.
00:35:07.27\00:35:09.60
They're missionaries over there.
00:35:09.64\00:35:11.77
Here's what I mean,
00:35:11.81\00:35:13.98
they don't just
teach one subject,
00:35:14.01\00:35:18.78
not only they not
just teach one subject,
00:35:18.81\00:35:21.12
they don't teach just one grade,
00:35:21.15\00:35:24.25
not only do they not
just teach one grade,
00:35:24.29\00:35:26.72
they also are the janitors.
00:35:26.76\00:35:30.26
They're also the administrators,
00:35:30.29\00:35:33.03
they're also the
transport system.
00:35:33.06\00:35:36.20
They are everything,
they don't get on the phone
00:35:36.23\00:35:38.20
and have to say,
listen, we have problem.
00:35:38.23\00:35:39.97
They have to deal with it.
00:35:40.00\00:35:42.47
They have to teach first,
second, third, and fourth.
00:35:42.50\00:35:46.47
And they got to
be willing to do that
00:35:46.51\00:35:48.04
and be able to do that.
00:35:48.08\00:35:49.51
And not only that, but
they have to themselves
00:35:49.54\00:35:51.68
be professional
enough to be able to do it.
00:35:51.71\00:35:55.25
Then they have
families, they got to go home,
00:35:55.28\00:35:58.25
that's a missionary.
00:35:58.29\00:35:59.79
Because then we
don't pay them that much.
00:35:59.82\00:36:02.36
And I must say
that across the board,
00:36:04.13\00:36:05.79
teachers in general
don't get paid enough.
00:36:05.83\00:36:09.20
Public or private,
they don't get paid enough,
00:36:09.23\00:36:11.53
but they expect you to do
more, that's a missionary.
00:36:11.57\00:36:14.77
That's a missionary.
00:36:16.84\00:36:18.91
I've seen our teachers
huddled every morning in prayer.
00:36:18.94\00:36:22.51
Why?
00:36:22.54\00:36:23.88
Because they know that
the work that they're doing
00:36:23.91\00:36:27.18
is eternal, it's eternal.
00:36:27.22\00:36:30.89
In Christian
Education, page five,
00:36:32.52\00:36:34.99
Ellen White says, "The
nicest work a man or woman
00:36:35.02\00:36:37.13
could do is to
educate our youth."
00:36:37.16\00:36:39.83
I said, that's
the work we can do.
00:36:41.10\00:36:42.43
Let me tell you something,
when I sat in a classroom
00:36:42.46\00:36:44.20
for many years and these
kids going back and forth
00:36:44.23\00:36:47.84
on a secular humanistic concepts
00:36:47.87\00:36:49.47
and things like
that, I'll be ready
00:36:49.50\00:36:50.84
to just throw my
desk at them sometime,
00:36:50.87\00:36:52.57
and in endeavor feel that
after it's all said and done
00:36:52.61\00:36:56.34
there's a Shay moment.
00:36:56.38\00:36:57.91
You get that email,
you get that phone call,
00:36:59.31\00:37:02.22
"Hey, Pastor Dixon, I am
going to the mission field.
00:37:02.25\00:37:04.75
Pastor Dixon, I
want to become a pastor.
00:37:04.79\00:37:06.72
Pastor Dixon, I am going to
a nurse in a far away country.
00:37:06.76\00:37:11.23
Thank you."
00:37:11.26\00:37:12.59
You can't pay for that.
00:37:14.86\00:37:16.43
There's no amount of money that
can give you that thank you.
00:37:17.63\00:37:20.74
Adventist's educational
systems at all levels
00:37:22.94\00:37:25.84
needs to view
the training ground,
00:37:25.87\00:37:27.68
be viewed as
training ground for so many,
00:37:27.71\00:37:30.15
for whatever
profession they chose.
00:37:30.18\00:37:31.51
The magnitude of the
challenge becomes clear
00:37:31.55\00:37:33.82
when nearly 70 percent of
Adventist are first generation
00:37:33.85\00:37:37.09
and lack the basic grasp
of denominational heritage,
00:37:37.12\00:37:40.66
structure, and belief,
00:37:40.69\00:37:42.36
and most
importantly an understanding
00:37:42.39\00:37:44.79
of the church's apocalyptic
mission to the world.
00:37:44.83\00:37:47.96
The Bible says
in Matthew 5:13-16,
00:37:48.00\00:37:50.40
that we are the salt
and light of the earth.
00:37:50.43\00:37:53.10
God has called us to do that.
00:37:53.13\00:37:55.60
Now what does that mean?
00:37:55.64\00:37:56.97
You need to find out what that
means to be the salt and light.
00:37:57.01\00:38:00.01
You know, when you're eating
your food and there's no salt.
00:38:00.04\00:38:02.18
Let me tell you something,
I've been to plenty of
00:38:04.05\00:38:05.41
academy's cafeterias and
I was like, there's no salt.
00:38:05.45\00:38:09.82
I've been to plenty of
places where there is no salt.
00:38:11.12\00:38:13.05
You know, you
won't even say there is,
00:38:13.09\00:38:14.42
what is this, this is great.
00:38:14.46\00:38:16.09
There's no flavoring.
00:38:16.12\00:38:17.66
We are the flavor to the world.
00:38:17.69\00:38:20.60
When the world looks
at an Adventist Christian,
00:38:20.63\00:38:23.30
they should wonder, man,
there's something about you
00:38:23.33\00:38:25.33
that taste real good.
00:38:25.37\00:38:26.84
Listen, listen.
00:38:26.87\00:38:28.67
Let your mind stay
in heavenly places.
00:38:28.70\00:38:31.64
But there are something
about you and lightness,
00:38:34.14\00:38:36.08
something about you.
00:38:36.11\00:38:37.45
Why? Because God is in us.
00:38:37.48\00:38:40.65
One should listen, I may
have told you this story before,
00:38:41.72\00:38:43.99
I've been in
Wal-Mart several times
00:38:44.02\00:38:45.35
with my kids when
they were younger.
00:38:45.39\00:38:47.22
Kid's acting
crazy in front of us,
00:38:47.26\00:38:49.66
my kid is just
sitting and looking at him.
00:38:49.69\00:38:51.03
There's a reason for that but...
00:38:54.46\00:38:55.86
It's Adventist education.
00:38:58.13\00:38:59.60
We've had plenty
of you come to us say,
00:39:04.24\00:39:05.81
your kids are so mannerable,
they're so nice and wow...
00:39:05.84\00:39:09.64
And I'm looking at them like,
what you're expecting of them,
00:39:09.68\00:39:11.55
run off of the
ceiling or something?
00:39:11.58\00:39:13.88
It's Adventist education.
00:39:13.92\00:39:15.42
We'll leave it there.
00:39:22.52\00:39:23.86
Adventist
education, the fourth thing,
00:39:23.89\00:39:26.13
Adventist education
introduces people to the Bible
00:39:26.16\00:39:28.53
as a starting
point but it does not end
00:39:28.56\00:39:30.67
with just religion
classes and Bible classes.
00:39:30.70\00:39:32.60
Adventist schooling helps
students to view every topic
00:39:32.63\00:39:35.87
from a philosophical perspective
00:39:35.90\00:39:38.41
from the scriptures.
00:39:38.44\00:39:39.77
In other words,
00:39:39.81\00:39:41.14
the Bible provides the
value system of decision making.
00:39:41.18\00:39:46.25
In this post
modern humanistic culture,
00:39:46.28\00:39:49.55
we have many methods
of transmitting value.
00:39:49.58\00:39:51.85
Young people are influenced
00:39:51.89\00:39:53.22
by the
glorification of consumerism,
00:39:53.25\00:39:55.69
by violence, by
immorality in media,
00:39:55.72\00:39:58.96
video games and music.
00:39:58.99\00:40:00.46
Their peer culture that supports
00:40:00.50\00:40:02.96
and celebrates drinking,
and drugging, and sexing.
00:40:03.00\00:40:05.60
Yet, public school in
most countries are banned
00:40:05.63\00:40:07.97
from teaching
religion or morality
00:40:08.00\00:40:09.67
and can't tell schools
00:40:09.70\00:40:11.04
that there's an
alternative to evolution.
00:40:11.07\00:40:13.17
Other schools transmit
00:40:13.21\00:40:14.64
a distorted view
of the meaning of life
00:40:14.68\00:40:16.95
and the way to salvation.
00:40:16.98\00:40:18.75
The Bible says
in Colossians 2:8,
00:40:18.78\00:40:20.62
it says, let me
read this to you,
00:40:20.65\00:40:22.18
it says, "Avoid,
beware, watch out for,
00:40:22.22\00:40:28.19
watch out for, beware
lest anyone talking about,
00:40:28.22\00:40:32.26
let anyone cheat you through
philosophy and empty deceit,
00:40:32.29\00:40:36.06
according to the
traditions of men,
00:40:36.10\00:40:37.90
according to the basic
principles of the world,
00:40:37.93\00:40:40.10
and not according to Christ."
00:40:40.14\00:40:42.04
In Adventist school
we can preach Christ,
00:40:43.61\00:40:48.51
that's our excuse.
00:40:48.54\00:40:50.25
We don't have to
give our alternative.
00:40:50.28\00:40:51.98
The Bible says you can't do it.
00:40:52.01\00:40:53.82
The Bible says not that.
00:40:53.85\00:40:55.52
And then when you give it,
you can't imagine teaching,
00:40:55.55\00:40:57.25
you got to be married with God.
00:40:57.29\00:40:59.95
There's a system
in place for that.
00:40:59.99\00:41:01.62
Adventist schooling is
one of the most forceful
00:41:01.66\00:41:03.53
and transmitting value
systems to a young person.
00:41:03.56\00:41:06.76
That
transmission, listen to me now,
00:41:06.80\00:41:08.66
that
transmission is not perfect.
00:41:08.70\00:41:10.93
But when you
consider the alternative,
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.23
it is a giant step
in the right direction.
00:41:13.27\00:41:16.50
And I need to say this, and
I need you to hear me on this.
00:41:16.54\00:41:18.81
It is our job and
mandate to fix it.
00:41:20.44\00:41:24.48
You can't complain
about it, you must fix it.
00:41:29.18\00:41:34.26
If there's an issue
with academics, fix it.
00:41:35.59\00:41:39.39
If there's an issue with
the building falling wall,
00:41:39.43\00:41:41.50
fix it.
00:41:41.53\00:41:43.53
Closing it down is
the cheap way of doing.
00:41:43.57\00:41:46.70
Not singing
because it cost to fix it.
00:41:46.74\00:41:49.77
Fix it.
00:41:51.84\00:41:53.64
I guarantee you, we can
send every young person,
00:41:53.68\00:41:57.65
every child in this church
to that school over there.
00:41:57.68\00:42:01.12
We have the
ability to do it, fix it.
00:42:01.15\00:42:03.59
For those that
are in high school,
00:42:09.16\00:42:10.93
well, we only
have one alternative,
00:42:10.96\00:42:12.73
we only have this
one, and it's not perfect.
00:42:12.76\00:42:14.76
Fix it.
00:42:14.80\00:42:16.13
We got 40 acres.
00:42:19.60\00:42:21.17
You don't want them in
the old cross town, fix it.
00:42:25.57\00:42:28.74
Don't cry and say, well, fix it.
00:42:34.72\00:42:37.49
'Cause Jesus, you
know Jesus didn't did
00:42:37.52\00:42:38.99
deal with
whining to will, did He?
00:42:39.02\00:42:40.92
Jesus said, fix it.
00:42:40.96\00:42:43.02
"Trust in the Lord
with all thy heart,
00:42:44.53\00:42:45.86
lean not upon our
own understanding,
00:42:45.89\00:42:47.23
In all your
ways acknowledge Him,
00:42:47.26\00:42:48.60
And He shall direct your paths."
00:42:48.63\00:42:49.96
Fix it.
00:42:50.00\00:42:51.50
The problem is we
don't want to fix it
00:42:51.53\00:42:54.17
because if we have to fix it,
00:42:54.20\00:42:55.54
then we just send our kid
00:42:55.57\00:42:56.91
and we make excuse
that we can't afford it.
00:42:56.94\00:42:58.81
Yes, you can.
00:42:58.84\00:43:00.18
If Shay's mother can do it...
00:43:04.08\00:43:05.58
who had no job,
00:43:07.58\00:43:09.78
who is sick, if she
can do it, you can do it.
00:43:09.82\00:43:15.06
My mother, if she can
do it by sending two boys,
00:43:16.16\00:43:20.40
my father divorced her,
00:43:20.43\00:43:21.76
didn't give a
dime for child support,
00:43:21.80\00:43:24.30
my mother's
crying in lighthouse...
00:43:24.33\00:43:26.37
Listen, I paid off
00:43:26.40\00:43:29.30
my high school to give my
transcript to go to college.
00:43:29.34\00:43:33.48
So I tell you how long
ago it took for me to get it.
00:43:35.01\00:43:38.35
Fix it.
00:43:40.65\00:43:41.98
Complaining is not
going to solve the problem.
00:43:45.35\00:43:46.92
The fifth reason is the
consistency of the message,
00:43:46.96\00:43:49.59
the lessons that are
being taught into a student
00:43:49.62\00:43:51.99
are the same that
should be at home, at school,
00:43:52.03\00:43:54.70
and at church.
00:43:54.73\00:43:56.06
When it's the same
message, guess what,
00:43:58.33\00:44:00.67
they hear all the time.
00:44:00.70\00:44:02.60
I didn't say they will
like it, you didn't like it,
00:44:02.64\00:44:07.58
some of you still don't like it.
00:44:07.61\00:44:09.08
But guess what? It works.
00:44:10.95\00:44:13.08
The home, you do your part.
00:44:14.22\00:44:17.19
The church will
make up the difference.
00:44:17.22\00:44:20.32
The school will
make up the difference.
00:44:20.36\00:44:22.49
A child spends eight to
nine to ten hours at a school,
00:44:22.52\00:44:25.53
for five days a
week, for ten months,
00:44:25.56\00:44:28.16
you can't make
that up at your home.
00:44:28.20\00:44:30.30
You put them in
front of a godly teacher
00:44:31.63\00:44:34.50
among other students who
understand that God is true
00:44:34.54\00:44:37.64
and God can change things,
00:44:37.67\00:44:39.27
then you'll be
surprise what happens.
00:44:39.31\00:44:41.78
You may even get
a senate chaplain.
00:44:41.81\00:44:46.78
You may get a few
churches out there.
00:44:49.68\00:44:52.22
You may get a few doctors
or maybe even a lawyer out.
00:44:52.25\00:44:55.79
May be, I don't know...
that's just my thoughts.
00:44:55.82\00:44:58.96
But when the same
message is being taught...
00:45:02.03\00:45:04.53
you don't have to argue.
00:45:06.60\00:45:08.10
And important factor in
the extracurricular activities
00:45:10.34\00:45:12.37
like proms and
graduations in school,
00:45:12.41\00:45:14.41
sports program often
conflict with the Sabbath.
00:45:14.44\00:45:19.28
And now, you have
to make a decision,
00:45:19.31\00:45:21.15
they have to make a decision
00:45:21.18\00:45:22.52
and everybody's
mad at each other.
00:45:22.55\00:45:23.89
So the best thing
to do is guess what,
00:45:23.92\00:45:25.49
create your own
school, create your own Bibles,
00:45:25.52\00:45:30.13
they don't
conflict with the Sabbath.
00:45:30.16\00:45:31.49
If you force a young
person to make a decision
00:45:35.53\00:45:37.50
between faith and social life,
00:45:37.53\00:45:40.10
they're going to
choose social life.
00:45:40.14\00:45:41.94
But if you create a system
00:45:44.27\00:45:46.21
where they get the
best of both worlds...
00:45:46.24\00:45:48.18
Let me tell you, I remember
going when I was at Ozark,
00:45:49.94\00:45:53.01
getting ready for the banquet.
00:45:53.05\00:45:54.38
Banquet, the Valentine banquet.
00:45:56.18\00:45:58.69
Everybody trying to
figure who you're going to ask.
00:45:58.72\00:46:00.06
Yes, it's a little stressful.
00:46:00.09\00:46:01.42
Little stressful.
00:46:04.99\00:46:07.03
But it was fun, it was fun.
00:46:07.06\00:46:12.27
In 2 Corinthians,
I'm bringing it down,
00:46:12.30\00:46:14.27
bringing it down,
2 Corinthians 3:18,
00:46:14.30\00:46:16.50
it says, "When we are
in the presence of glory,
00:46:16.54\00:46:19.87
we are changed into glory."
00:46:19.91\00:46:23.01
When you put young people
in front of Jesus like Moses,
00:46:23.04\00:46:27.48
they walk away reflecting
Him, it's just a natural thing.
00:46:27.52\00:46:31.32
The more you put
Jesus in front of them,
00:46:31.35\00:46:34.16
the better off the
reflection will be.
00:46:34.19\00:46:36.49
The less and you try to
make up for it on Sabbath...
00:46:36.52\00:46:39.16
or AY...
00:46:42.60\00:46:43.93
or Wednesday night
when you feel ready...
00:46:45.93\00:46:47.77
I know you all mad.
00:46:51.57\00:46:52.91
It's all right.
00:46:54.71\00:46:56.04
We can argue about this
and hug each other in heaven.
00:46:56.08\00:46:58.88
We have far too many people
that view the Sabbath as a time
00:47:07.06\00:47:10.49
to get other things done.
00:47:10.53\00:47:11.86
Let me share something with you.
00:47:11.89\00:47:13.70
The Sabbath, because
the law cannot be changed,
00:47:13.73\00:47:17.87
Christ died.
00:47:17.90\00:47:21.27
When we make the
Sabbath an opportunity for us
00:47:21.30\00:47:24.01
to do things that we need
to get done during the week,
00:47:24.04\00:47:26.24
our children pick up on that
00:47:26.27\00:47:27.71
and they say it's
not that important.
00:47:27.74\00:47:30.01
That's why they want to
pull out their PlayStations
00:47:30.05\00:47:31.68
and all these
different things in Sabbath hour
00:47:31.71\00:47:33.55
instead of saying, listen,
this is the time for Jesus,
00:47:33.58\00:47:36.02
this is the time for
Jesus, because they say,
00:47:36.05\00:47:37.89
well, you let me go to the prom.
00:47:37.92\00:47:41.49
You let me go to my graduation.
00:47:41.52\00:47:43.86
Now you may be saying,
well, that's not right,
00:47:43.89\00:47:45.23
I don't' see anything
wrong with it, that's right.
00:47:45.26\00:47:48.40
We need to ask well, if I said.
00:47:48.43\00:47:49.76
If I were to told my mother
00:47:55.10\00:47:57.67
that I'm going to my
graduation on a Sabbath,
00:47:57.71\00:48:00.98
I don't care if it was a PhD,
00:48:01.01\00:48:04.28
she would have
drove from New Orleans
00:48:04.31\00:48:06.78
and shot me dead on the street.
00:48:06.82\00:48:08.22
The best way to do
it. Fix it, fix it.
00:48:14.12\00:48:19.13
The last reason, the last reason
00:48:19.16\00:48:21.63
I believe in my opinion is one
of the most important reasons.
00:48:21.66\00:48:26.67
One of the major contributions
that Adventist school
00:48:26.70\00:48:29.94
does is that it
brings young people together
00:48:29.97\00:48:32.11
in significant numbers, so that
they can make lifelong friends
00:48:32.14\00:48:37.25
and meet spouses
who share their vision
00:48:37.28\00:48:41.25
and the importance of life.
00:48:41.28\00:48:42.62
Let me tell you something.
00:48:45.65\00:48:47.39
When I was at Oakwood, I love,
00:48:47.42\00:48:51.59
there was something out
that I really love at Oakwood.
00:48:51.63\00:48:55.86
And it was my cane.
00:48:55.90\00:48:58.60
I want to be a chaplain so
I wanted to twirl the cane.
00:48:58.63\00:49:03.97
And let me tell you now, listen,
00:49:04.01\00:49:05.34
I am going to tell you now,
I'll give you all the secret,
00:49:05.37\00:49:06.71
don' tell anybody, but
I was nasty with the cane.
00:49:06.74\00:49:13.08
I was nasty with the
cane. I was nasty with it.
00:49:13.11\00:49:17.82
Matter of fact, I had some--
00:49:17.85\00:49:19.35
I was taught by a
chaplain, I was nasty with it.
00:49:19.39\00:49:22.49
And everywhere I
went, I had my cane,
00:49:22.52\00:49:24.59
and I would just twirl, I
would just spin it around.
00:49:24.63\00:49:28.23
And I had one at home
but I don't pull it out,
00:49:28.26\00:49:30.30
I got to use it
for another reason now.
00:49:30.33\00:49:33.80
But I would twirl it
00:49:33.84\00:49:35.70
and everywhere I
went, I had my cane.
00:49:35.74\00:49:38.04
But there was something
else that was more important
00:49:38.07\00:49:40.78
than my cane that was
always with me as well.
00:49:40.81\00:49:44.98
And that was my wife.
00:49:45.01\00:49:46.35
When I think
about the experience
00:49:50.12\00:49:51.45
that I had in
Oakwood, and all the vastness
00:49:51.49\00:49:53.89
of young ladies that were there,
00:49:53.92\00:49:55.92
and Lord narrowed it
down to one beautiful woman.
00:49:55.96\00:50:01.66
And God knew what He was doing
00:50:01.70\00:50:03.03
because He needed
someone that can deal with me.
00:50:03.06\00:50:07.20
And I am not hard to deal with.
00:50:10.31\00:50:11.87
But God had to give someone
that was tailor-made for me.
00:50:16.41\00:50:21.78
There were many
candidates that came up before,
00:50:21.82\00:50:24.32
but the only one that
I left with was that one.
00:50:24.35\00:50:28.96
God knows and you know
what, when young people say,
00:50:28.99\00:50:32.03
I don't want to go to
Oakwood to find a man.
00:50:32.06\00:50:33.83
You better go to
Oakwood to find a man.
00:50:33.86\00:50:36.00
You better go to
Oakwood to find a woman. Why?
00:50:36.03\00:50:38.20
'Cause it's not you gonna
find on eHarmony or match.com.
00:50:38.23\00:50:43.00
You're not gonna find in Metro.
00:50:43.04\00:50:44.37
I mean, here's a
thing, here's a thing,
00:50:44.41\00:50:45.74
I was talking
to my wife, I said,
00:50:45.77\00:50:47.11
many people search for
love in all the wrong places.
00:50:47.14\00:50:52.81
They go to bars,
they go out to dinner,
00:50:52.85\00:50:56.22
and if they find, what you find?
00:50:56.25\00:50:58.05
You're finding someone
who want you to see them.
00:50:58.09\00:51:01.22
Go to Oakwood, 8
o'clock class in the morning,
00:51:01.26\00:51:03.89
you see the real deal.
00:51:03.93\00:51:05.29
After one
semester, oh, let's go, hey.
00:51:09.13\00:51:11.47
You see it all, that's
why our schools are designed
00:51:15.97\00:51:20.51
so you see it from
the beginning to the end.
00:51:20.54\00:51:22.61
You got four years
of looking high school,
00:51:22.64\00:51:24.68
you got four years of looking.
00:51:24.71\00:51:26.08
And you're
looking and you're like,
00:51:26.11\00:51:27.98
do I really want?
00:51:28.02\00:51:29.35
That is
something. You see it all.
00:51:29.38\00:51:32.42
That's the
reason why God created
00:51:32.45\00:51:33.96
the Adventist school system.
00:51:33.99\00:51:35.36
The sixth and
most important reason
00:51:35.39\00:51:37.19
is to put us with friends
and relations for lifetime,
00:51:37.23\00:51:40.43
and God knew that
that was necessary
00:51:40.46\00:51:42.30
because He knows
00:51:42.33\00:51:44.13
that if you pick
the wrong person...
00:51:44.17\00:51:45.63
he can destroy your home.
00:51:49.74\00:51:53.51
The devil can destroy your home
if you pick the wrong person.
00:51:53.54\00:51:57.61
Now you probably saying, well,
00:51:57.65\00:51:58.98
you can pick the
wrong person at Oakwood too.
00:51:59.01\00:52:00.35
You can pick a wrong person at--
00:52:00.38\00:52:01.72
You're right, you can.
00:52:01.75\00:52:03.12
That's why you don't
pick the wrong person.
00:52:03.15\00:52:07.66
Knucklehead, leave alone.
00:52:07.69\00:52:10.03
Girls, they don't
wake up and having divorce,
00:52:10.06\00:52:12.29
I mean, what trend is that.
00:52:12.33\00:52:14.10
Find someone that loves Jesus.
00:52:14.13\00:52:17.73
Seek ye first
the kingdom of God,
00:52:17.77\00:52:19.27
and all these things
shall be added to it.
00:52:19.30\00:52:21.70
Find someone that loves Jesus,
you will get everything else.
00:52:21.74\00:52:25.17
Trust me, you will
get everything else.
00:52:25.21\00:52:29.11
And don't worry about
what other people think
00:52:29.14\00:52:32.01
because when it's
you, and your spouse
00:52:32.05\00:52:34.12
in your home with your children,
00:52:34.15\00:52:36.02
that's where
Christianity shines.
00:52:36.05\00:52:40.66
Text that I read this morning.
Please come, someone come.
00:52:40.69\00:52:44.23
Text I read--
00:52:44.26\00:52:45.59
Oh.
00:52:47.66\00:52:49.00
Ah, you know what, getting hot.
00:52:51.90\00:52:54.64
Start thinking about my wife.
00:52:54.67\00:52:57.64
Let me tell you
man, God is good,
00:52:57.67\00:52:59.14
when you get the right one.
00:52:59.17\00:53:03.04
All right, where were we?
00:53:03.08\00:53:04.81
The Bible says--
00:53:20.40\00:53:23.97
my title is 'The Light,
The Knowledge, and The Glory.'
00:53:24.00\00:53:27.04
Let me pull this together
00:53:27.07\00:53:28.84
because I need to
give you all that,
00:53:28.87\00:53:30.21
just to give you
this little wrap up.
00:53:30.24\00:53:34.08
The Bible says in
2 Corinthians 4:6,
00:53:34.11\00:53:37.55
it says, "For it is
God who commands a light
00:53:37.58\00:53:39.41
to shine out of darkness,
who has shone in our hearts
00:53:39.45\00:53:42.98
to give the
light of the knowledge
00:53:43.02\00:53:44.85
of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ."
00:53:44.89\00:53:49.06
When Paul wrote this,
00:53:49.09\00:53:50.43
you have to
understand the context
00:53:50.46\00:53:51.79
in which he was writing it
00:53:51.83\00:53:53.16
and you have to understand
where he's coming from,
00:53:53.19\00:53:54.53
because see, Paul was a Jew.
00:53:54.56\00:54:00.34
He lived in a Greek
society and was a Roman citizen.
00:54:00.37\00:54:04.91
Now you probably say,
why is that important?
00:54:04.94\00:54:07.51
Because the Jews
sought for light,
00:54:07.54\00:54:11.28
looking for the
light of the world.
00:54:11.31\00:54:13.82
The Greeks, they sought
for knowledge that I may know.
00:54:13.85\00:54:20.12
Romans, they sought for
glory. All roads lead to Rome.
00:54:20.16\00:54:26.90
What Paul is simply
saying is that all those things,
00:54:26.93\00:54:29.96
the light, the
knowledge, and the glory
00:54:30.00\00:54:32.90
are only found in one person,
and that is Jesus Christ.
00:54:32.93\00:54:37.44
And the only thing you can
find it is in Christ system.
00:54:37.47\00:54:42.28
The only way you
can put it together,
00:54:42.31\00:54:44.21
the only way you can
get to tallying of knowledge
00:54:44.25\00:54:46.58
and light and glory
00:54:46.61\00:54:50.52
is when you put your
child where God says put it.
00:54:50.55\00:54:55.22
I know you're
thinking to yourself,
00:54:55.26\00:54:57.53
I don't really like the system.
00:54:57.56\00:54:59.03
Let me tell you
something, there's something
00:54:59.06\00:55:00.40
I didn't tell you.
00:55:00.43\00:55:02.03
I of all people should hate
the Adventist school system.
00:55:02.06\00:55:07.44
I was not allowed to
graduate my eight grade,
00:55:07.47\00:55:10.11
I was not allowed to march,
00:55:10.14\00:55:11.47
they sent me my diploma in mail.
00:55:11.51\00:55:12.84
I was kicked out my junior
year in high school at Ozark.
00:55:12.87\00:55:16.18
I got to Oakwood
and they told me,
00:55:16.21\00:55:17.95
listen, man, your GPA is so low,
00:55:17.98\00:55:19.85
you might need to go home.
00:55:19.88\00:55:23.22
And guess what, I blame all them
00:55:23.25\00:55:25.82
but then after all of that,
00:55:25.85\00:55:28.02
I went and I worked
for an Adventist school
00:55:28.06\00:55:30.26
and they told me,
we got to let you go.
00:55:30.29\00:55:33.13
We don't like the
way you do things.
00:55:33.16\00:55:35.63
I went to
another Adventist school,
00:55:35.66\00:55:37.80
started working there,
00:55:37.83\00:55:39.17
doing phenomenal and
great job according to them
00:55:39.20\00:55:41.47
and next thing
you know, they said,
00:55:41.50\00:55:42.84
we got to let you go because--
00:55:42.87\00:55:46.14
incidents are going on
00:55:46.17\00:55:48.68
and we need to fill
your space with someone else.
00:55:48.71\00:55:52.05
The politics of things.
00:55:52.08\00:55:54.48
My first pastoral position,
I didn't get picked up,
00:55:54.52\00:55:58.52
I was working part time, I
was working 100 hours a week
00:55:58.55\00:56:03.63
and had a full time
job in corporate bank,
00:56:03.66\00:56:06.59
and was getting $600
working for the church.
00:56:06.63\00:56:11.20
And when it came
time, and I graduate,
00:56:11.23\00:56:13.20
and I was looking forward
to be picked up, they said,
00:56:13.23\00:56:16.47
the economy is
bad, we can't pick you.
00:56:16.50\00:56:17.84
Although, there was a
promise that was given to me.
00:56:17.87\00:56:21.14
I of all people
should be mad at the system.
00:56:21.18\00:56:24.88
Then went to
Massachusetts and taught
00:56:24.91\00:56:27.15
and had a great
opportunity there
00:56:27.18\00:56:29.52
but them someone
sabotage my mission,
00:56:29.55\00:56:32.19
and I said, I need to leave.
00:56:32.22\00:56:34.46
Of all people, I
should hate this system
00:56:34.49\00:56:36.29
but guess what, I
will die on this cross.
00:56:36.32\00:56:42.80
You will not
find a better system.
00:56:42.83\00:56:45.77
I worked in the public school,
I worked in the private school,
00:56:45.80\00:56:50.07
but I've not
seen a better system.
00:56:50.11\00:56:51.47
Is it perfect? No.
But what system is?
00:56:51.51\00:56:54.74
But guess what?
00:56:54.78\00:56:56.14
You can fix it, you can fix it.
00:56:56.18\00:57:02.38
You know one thing
I did not want to do
00:57:02.42\00:57:03.75
was come up here
and bash public school.
00:57:03.79\00:57:08.02
Right now I'm in
school, at a public school.
00:57:08.06\00:57:10.19
Not a bad public school,
00:57:10.23\00:57:11.56
because they're doing exactly
what they've been called to do.
00:57:11.59\00:57:14.96
That's their job.
00:57:15.00\00:57:16.97
But we've been called
00:57:17.00\00:57:18.33
for something totally different.
00:57:18.37\00:57:19.70