As a father, I remember enjoying weekend playtime with my then-young and active children. Our play would often include gymnastic activities. As they grew, a favorite activity was front handsprings. I would sit on the floor with my legs out in front of me, and my children would run toward me, place their hands on my legs and spring over my head. What great fun!
As they grew, they learned other skills like back handsprings and flips. My children learned that a key to success with gymnastics was controlling their heads. As students in driver’s education, they learned that where they looked was where they ended up going. This lesson continues in all aspects of their lives and mine too — “by beholding we become changed."
From the beginning of time to today, education has been recognized as foundational to an individual’s success, as well as to a church's and a nation’s success. The Adventist Church has fully embraced the truth that education impacts not only life on this earth, but also life for eternity.
We repeat the words found in Ellen G. White's book, Education, “The work of education and redemption are one” (p. 30). At our core, we know this to be true. We agree with Paul and his acknowledgment that “for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).
To be clear, this truth, while fully embraced within our school system, goes beyond the confines of any classroom. True education is for every aspect of our lives. As Adventists, our mission is to tell the world our salvation is insured and assured as we focus on Jesus for our restoration from sin and transformation into the image of our Creator. This is the redemption story.
From birth and all throughout life, we grow in our understanding and character. As adults, we are what we have experienced, lived and learned. Our future is still being formed and is an outcome of what we focus on.
Life has never been easy for humanity since sin entered the world. Distractions are trying to steal our focus away from Jesus. We must come to realize that God must be in every part of our lives. Our church ministries are provided to help us learn and stay focused on Jesus.
For our children and young adults, we have Sabbath School, Adventurer and Pathfinder clubs, day cares, elementary schools, academies and universities. Our church services, evangelism, mission service and outreach programs are additional ministries to help us in our education training, support and development.
We are so blessed to have support for every phase of our physical and spiritual journey to help us grow into healthy, vibrant disciples of Jesus.
As we navigate life, I pray for each of us to commit to focusing on Jesus. May the words of Paul be true in our lives when he says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).
Alex Bryan, Walla Walla University president, authored this issue’s feature, inviting us to explore the heart of Adventist education through the lens of Daniel’s story. I encourage you to take the time to read his reflections. We are fortunate to have WWU serving our young adults — a place devoted to engaging both minds and hearts in the pursuit of Jesus, where professors and administrators look to God as the university’s founder and guiding leader.
As a church family, let us continue to lift up in prayer our schools, universities, hospitals, publishing ministries, churches and outreach programs, so that we may be guided by the Great Teacher and share His redeeming love with everyone.
