Torch, Fall 1991

programs abound, operated internally by the companies or externally by universities. The anned forces have long recognized the need for continued education of career personnel. Churches and colleges have traditionally granted sabbaticals and study leaves to staff. Virtually every profession has associations which offer conventions and. other learning expe1iences. Those professions which mandate hcensmg .or other certification procedures require continued education for contin- ued practice. . Many adults need instruction at a basic level. A number of studies have indicated a growing illiteracy in our society. Functional illiterates include dropouts and recent immigrants who lack English language skills. Others are products of schools which "warehouse" students rather than teaching them and demanding they demonstrate basic competencies. Companies in some cities, in order to acquire a pool of applicants sufficient to fill even their most elementary jobs, mu~t teach adults to read and write simple sentences and to perform basic math functions . Local churches have emphasized learning for all ages through a myriad of programs for many years. A major focus is on continued learning in adulthood through traditional Sunday School classes, special interest study sessions, and support groups. More pastors have recently adopted the title "Pastor{feacher" (Ephesians 4: 11) to emphasize the instructional portion of their ministries. The most common form of continued learning probably escapes most definitions of education because it comes from the experience of everyday living. Reading, keeping up with current events, and acquiring new work and living skills are educational activities under– taken earlier in life. The fact that they continue makes them no less important learning. This informal education frequently falls short of its potential impact because the learner does not reflect upon his experiences, assign appropriate value to them, nor look for ways to integrate them into a pattern of productive growth. Much learning centers on the emotional and relationship challenges faced by adults. Learning to live as productive singles or as devoted spouses and to transition between these roles have filled seminars and workshops and have sparked many advice-laden conversations. Parenting can be equally exhilarating and fmstrating, and parents eagerly grasp any idea that offers guidance or relief. Today's adults are increasingly dealing with multigenerational issues as they try to meet the needs of aging parents, children, and grandchildren. Handling separations and the resulting anxiety is one of the m.ost agonizing of adult learning experiences. Loss of parents, separation from children and from spouses, disruption of careers, disillusionment of dreams, and many other intensely personal losses prompt learning. Unfortunately, adults have the capacity of learning error at least as readily as learning truth. Experiencing these events does not assure that people learn what they should from them. The desrre to make some meaning out of life 's experiences has spawned an entire industry of self-help and personal development seminars. Many churches likewise recog- nized this need and offer instruction and counsel apart from the traditional services. The whole enterprise of learning has undergone a radical shift of meaning for today 's adults. Learning's relationship to infor– mation has been redefined by the advent of computers and the explosion of scientific activity. Information storage, manipula– tion, and retrieval, once the essence of mental drills and learnmg exercises, are now accomplished electronically and almost instantaneously. What does that mean for adult learners? Among other things , it means that learning as information acquisition and processing, the substance of most boomers ' school experience, must be replaced by processes of critical thinking, creativity, and selective application. Normal adult life prepares us for these functions, but we can fail to classify them as learning. Should we expect to continue learning throughout life? The Scripture exhorts us to grow "in grace and in the know~edge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3: 18), and 1t TOUR March 9-20, 1992 ECE C edarville friends and alumni are invited to join Drs. Robert Gromacki and Martin Clark for an unfor– gettable journey to the lands of the Bible. Scores of people have testified that their Bible study and devotional lives have been transformed by participating in Cedarville's tours to Israel. The Bible stories you have known for years will come alive. Dr. Gromacki, chair of Cedarville's Biblical Education Department, will provide inspirational insights as you visit the locations where these events actually occurred. Your tour will encompass all the major sites in Israel plus several not normally included in other tours. You will also experience Athens , Corinth, and a Greek island cruise. For further information, please contact: Dr. Martin E. Clark, Cedarville College, P.O. Box 601 , Cedarville, OH 45314-0601, 513-766-2211 sets no age limit. The New Testament challenges people at all life stages with growth (I John 2:12-14) and encourages adults to teach one another (Titus 2: 1-10). No one exhausts his growth potential in the knowledge of God or of His. Word. until that ultimate graduation, the commencement of his life m heaven. Learning spiritual truth should be purposeful. The Scripture disapproves of those who are "ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). Some acquire large amounts of religious "data" while refusing to make a commitment to the Lord. This activity does more harm than good, for it gives one the illusion of spiritual growth when in fact the learner's heart becomes more confirmed in rebellion. Appropriate learning is more than an intellectual exercise. It is driven by a determination to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). While the Bible does not direct lifelong learning connected to career changes, it acknowledges that such changes occur in the normal order of things. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25 :14-30), Jesus taught that those who were faithful with limited responsibilities were promoted to positions of greater responsibility. Any change of this nature, if faithfully pursued, involves new learning challenges. During the adult years, learning occurs both formally, as a result of continued schooling and other structured experiences, and informally, as a normal part of living. Consciousness of life stewardship motivates a desire to develop as much of one's potential as possible, not merely for self-gratification but ultimately as an offering in recognition of Christ's lordship over all of life. Dr. Martin Clark, vice president for development at Cedarville College, has authored two books: The Bible Has the Answer, with Dr. Henry Morris, and Choosing Your Career.