We live in a culture that values education, or more precisely, values academic degrees as a proof of one’s education. Many jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, and the number of college-educated workers has steadily increased over the past 25 years.[1] What has increased along with that trend is the amount of debt accumulated to acquire those degrees. The average debt for a college graduate is now nearly $30,000.[2]
My oldest daughter graduates from high school this month, and we are contemplating next steps with her. We have subscribed thoroughly to Mark Twain’s philosophy of “Never let your schooling get in the way of your education.” While she completed her schoolwork, she has also voluntarily read and more classics and non-fiction books then many adults read in a lifetime. She works in our farm’s greenhouse and has gained extensive agricultural training. She knows how to clean, cook, and run a household thanks to her mother. She loves children and can motivate a team of younger siblings to work together like a veritable Mary Poppins. She has traveled widely in the U.S. and helped with Public relations for our ministry at numerous speaking engagements. She is comfortable in both work clothes and dress clothes. Her care for others is deep, and her love for God is contagious. Her perceptions are insightful, and she will be an asset to any team.
Perhaps because of our philosophy on learning, she has chosen not to go directly to college. She is spending this next academic year putting “tools into her toolbox,” making memories with our family, and saving money towards her future plans. When she gets to college, she intends to study Education and Counseling at Hobe Sound Bible College, but she is spending this year in the School of Life.
As a college graduate, I appreciate the lessons I learned at Union Bible College. My time there opened doors for me and introduced me to my wife. It gave me a circle of friends that have enriched my life and loved me through thick and thin. I don’t regret my time there. However, in addition to pursuing a degree, I wish more of our young people were educated for life. So much of what matters in life – from the food we eat, to the love we cherish, to the children we raise – is not academic. Where do those skills develop? Who is it that will train you not just to make a living but to have a life? The answer is people – it’s who you know not just what you know that makes the difference.
I have been blessed by people. My mentors – both personal and literary – have opened my eyes and broadened my world. As my little feet followed their giant footsteps, I have discovered truth and developed skills, and I am forever grateful. Here are just a few…
- Rick Jones took me in as an unknown, college intern in 1998, and we spent a summer pounding the pavement of St. Louis together. As a 19-year-old know-it-all, he modeled a leadership style that attracted me. He strove for excellence, valued people, and demanded hard work. I learned so much from him, and I value his input into my life.
- Professor Larry Grile taught me to love Scripture in a new way. His winsome way of opening God’s Word, exegeting truth, and applying it to life opened my eyes to spiritual treasures. He became my friend and the served as the first chairman of the Board for Victory Inner-City Ministries when we started in 2000. His quiet, Quaker ways provided a grounding influence for our organization in those early chaotic days, and I am forever grateful.
- Rev. Mike Bowling, pastor of Englewood Christian Church on the near eastside of Indianapolis, provided the graduate level education I could not afford as an inner city church planter. For eight years every Monday at 7:00am I would meet with a small group which he led to talk, to think, to discuss, and to pray. I listened to his stories from his 30+ years of city ministry. He would recommend books. He would give admonitions and guidance about issues that I was facing personally and with our congregation, and finally, he would pray for me. His influence pushed me to keep learning. If he mentioned a book, I would write it down, buy it, and read it, and we would discuss it that next week. His approach to city ministry shaped mine, and because of him, I met my next mentor.
- Wendell Berry, a wise Kentucky farmer and author of over 50 books in various genres, became a literary mentor to me. Reading his work for me is like listening to my Grandpa Himelick talk. Though they never met, they would have been fast friends. Books like Home Economics and What Matters: Economics for a Renewed Commonwealth were game changers for me. He did not “silo” discussions; to Berry, agriculture cannot be divorced from a discussion of public health or the disintegration of morality in society. His voice is one that I needed to hear.
I am now reaching a pivot point in my life. I am peaking down over the backwards slope of the mountain of my life, and I am realizing my responsibility to give back. “What I have committed to you, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others…,” (I Tim. 2:2) Paul tells Timothy. Serving as a mentor and friend to younger leaders and investing in them is important in this season of my life. Twenty years ago, I was where they are, and I know the pitfalls and dangers. The education of life and the mentors God has blessed me with have provided me much to pass along.
At the urban leader retreat next week we will welcome leaders from 6 different faith communities, and I pray that God will bless our time together and continue to expand our reach. As Kaylynn continues her “education” this year, I pray that God will lead her to the people who will mentor her just as He did for me.
And may all who come behind us find us faithful.
[1] University of Virginia, accessed May 20, 2020. http://statchatva.org/2019/05/10/a-greater-number-of-jobs-require-more-education-leaving-middle-skill-workers-with-fewer-opportunities/
[2] https://www.credible.com/blog/statistics/average-student-loan-debt-statistics/
The Gathering at Victory Acres 