Christian Education Program

By Kenneth Wengerd

Friday evening proved to be a blessing as we gathered together to share in the Christian Education Program. Ken Miller, along with a team of students from RBI, led us in worship directing our hearts toward God. Two area pastors welcomed us to conference with enthusiasm, encouraging us to enjoy our stay in beautiful Belleville.

RBI Chorale performed under the direction of Ken Miller, charming the audience with their selection of songs.

Leon Zimmerman reported that RBI cares about the spirit as well as the mind, and quoted the mission statement using the words "spiritually" and "intellectually." He then asked two students to share about their time at RBI. Peggy Jo Byler testified that she had grown spiritually as she began allowing God to love her unconditionally. Jeremy Miller testified to intellectual growth stating RBI was "a little more like college than what I thought it would be." He also shared how intellectual growth actually helped him develop a way of listening and processing sermons in order to get the most out of what he was hearing.

Dr. James Johnson encouraged us with a sermon entitled "The Gift of A Sound Mind." He began with the statement "The gift of a sound mind is ours through Jesus Christ." He highlighted seven ways in which we live in Christ.

The first was to forgive generously and graciously. Dr. Johnson stated that people who choose to forgive have a sound mind. He then went on to share a personal story of how forgiveness helped him through a traumatic time in his life. But as he studied he realized that God wanted more from him.

That brought him to his second point, which was going beyond forgiveness, to praying for the people that you were forgiving. He also encouraged us to bless the people, to love them and to do good to them.

The third area in which he encouraged us was to recognize the difference between self-esteem and Christ-esteem. The reason we as Christians can have self worth is to realize that God's stamp of approval on our lives comes from having His Son live inside us. We are worthwhile because of Christ.

Another area he addressed was that of being a servant. He stated, "Jesus was a model of mental health," and that Jesus was a servant. Jesus' stance was to take the basin and the towel in His hand and to minister to others. He quoted John F. Kennedy and then challenged us to "ask not what the church can do for you, but rather ask what you can do for the church." Servanthood would revolutionize the family, community and the church.

The fifth challenge was to realize that a sound mind comes from believing God's truth and not believing the lies that have come into our lives from the past. He said we get a grasp on this by asking ourselves four questions.

1. What lies do I believe from my past?
2. What is the source or origin of these lies?
3. How do these lies affect me today?
4. What is the truth God wants to tell me about the lie?

He went on in the sixth challenge to encourage us to be God pleasers and not people pleasers. The focus of our lives should be on God, not on ourselves. Some Biblical examples were David worshiping in front of the altar, Nehemiah rebuilding the walls, and that Paul's one aim in life was to know Christ. Jesus is the greatest example of this in that He only did what God told Him to do.

The seventh challenge he gave us was to do everything in our power to pass this treasure down to our children. He challenged parents to be emotionally involved with their children, emotionally and physically encouraging, comforting and planting within them a sound mind.

Dr. Johnson was very passionate in his address on a healthy mind. There was a keen sense of God's presence as he shared from his heart. I was blessed and encouraged by his sermon.

For me, conference should be seeing old friends, sharing memories, making decisions, fellowship, and being challenged by God's truth. All these things came together in the beautiful little town of Belleville, PA. As we followed the twisting turning road back to State College, I reflected on my day. It had been a good one and if I could use one word to describe it, I would have to say, "Wow!"

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