During the many years I served in the administration of Simpson College, then in San Francisco, California (now Simpson University in Redding, California) I spoke during the last Sunday in August at the Cathedral of the Crossroads in Castro Valley, California. The minister, Rev. Jacob (Jake) Bellig, and I were friends. We knew the mutual goals we shared for Christian institutions, and that could be served best in addressing the central needs of those persons in the age groups to which they belonged. This Church was effective in addressing all those groups from infants to aged, and in special groupings as children, military servicemen, collegians and others. This evangelical church was well along, beginning during World War II, in the development of mega-church programming. The movement continues to this writing, making adjustments as dictated by the dynamic culture changes of the times. Although my assignment on those annual Sundays was to preach as a pastor, it was clear that the emphasis was on alerting the congregation, but especially the collegians, that there was something special about what they were doing, or for freshmen – what they were about to do in leaving home for the sacred halls of learning. It did not make any difference on the occasion whether they were going to a state university, a Christian college, or some specialized instructional institution. The decision of the student was entirely his or her own. Student goals were to have some similarities for all venues. Especially was there to be understanding about Christian purpose.
Primary goal for the upcoming higher educational venture was for students to become personally improved, more effective persons no matter what career goals or skills they had in mind. Many, perhaps most, students miss this liberal arts concept. As the costs of higher education and training have escalated, both parent and student perceive education to be effective for preparing the student to become skilled at making a good living, which is to say to make more money than would otherwise be the case. It becomes a practical matter related to economics, perhaps wealth. In this last there are traps that reduce us. For example, some business schools are embarrassed that they have provided skills to investment bankers that have committed horrendous white collar crimes, robbing investors and general society. Embarrassed, law schools have seen their graduates connive to cover crime, or fail society in public offices.
The Apostle Paul was a tent maker. He may have learned the trade from his father. His college professor was Gamaliel, one of the eminent teachers in Israel’s history. It is likely Gamaliel knew little about tent making. From Gamaliel, Paul learned the law of God, what is right and wrong, what is expected of the thoroughly furnished individual as a person – in this case as a man of faith. That education served him well, and was needed in the calling of God when he invoked it in defense of his conduct, it commanded attention. The original disciples did not have the tools needed for the calling of the first chief human evangelist. He was not speaking as an ignorant (uninformed) person, as one who had not been measured by wise persons teaching what they believed to be truth. One expects to use education to improve professional performance, which is secondary to becoming a person of integrity in knowledge, understanding to wisdom – in culture, belief and action. Education ought to help to make a life more than make a fortune, or even a living. Take my worldly goods, but do not take my education from me. This is a vital issue for education – and for students/parents. The only robber of my education would be insanity. In Christian education there is included righteousness which is to learn right from wrong – a necessary claim for values. Our nature made us little liars when we were children. Elders, mother and father are best when they seek to fulfill their roles, taught us to tell the truth. Without education with values we will not reach the level we were supposed to achieve. Everything in our lives has educative value. It has been said: To acquire knowledge, one must study, but to acquire wisdom, one must observe. Our failure is not paying attention and storing applications for use. Include God for the making of the soul and mind. It takes time and effort, sometimes drudgery, sometimes delay. Each person needs a life of learning that offers gifts of life and future for us. Right education takes us personally higher. With the improvement in persons and relationships, it makes our work (profession and care) effective. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020