Become Disciples of Faithfulness & Godly Service

Well, good morning or good afternoon, everyone, on this very, very exciting weekend. Graduation for ABC. We're all very, very excited about the happenings, but we will be missing those wonderful young people from the wonderful experience we had with them for the good part of past year. I'd like to welcome all faculty, students, family, friends who are visiting here and will be here for the events tomorrow. We're certainly very happy to have you with us, and I'm seeing people I hadn't seen in a long time, the parents of some of the ones in ABC. We really appreciate having these old friendships established and reestablished again. Also, I'd like to comment as well to ditto what Mr. Meyer said about the music and just thank everyone for the beautiful productions that we were sung, praising God, especially on this day. I'd like to especially give thanks to Ken Shoemaker, who year after year after year after year travels and sacrifices so much of his time and resources to be able to put together a new choir every year. When they sang the first song, I said, how does he do it? I know that the people do the singing, but he really puts together a phenomenal choir. And also everybody else here, Garrett and others who have been involved. I don't know exactly everybody here, so I'm going to miss somebody. But I know that so many here have done a tremendous amount of work and put a lot of hours in to make this happen. And I realize with ABC, you have classes all day, some of you work, then there's other activities as well, service projects, and then the music on top of that. How you do it, I honestly don't know. I mean, I see you guys all the time, you know, practicing, practicing. I hear you upstairs, by the way, too, you know, since it kind of comes up there, you know. And it gives me a great deal of joy just to hear the music and the rehearsing. Sometimes you just sit there very, very quietly, just listening to you practice. Well, today is baccalaureate, and baccalaureate, I had to look it up to see what it meant. I still can't spell it, although my spellchecker does have a particular version it gives me. But it's a farewell ceremony or sermon for graduates. It's farewell. It's a message which can be given in the form of a sermon or a more secular type of message to graduates. So we want to send along a very special farewell message to Jordan, Crystal, Susan. That is more than just platitudes and glittering generalities. We'll send along to Raymond, Jacqueline, and Carson something that you can think about as the last words that you heard on the Sabbath at ABC. This has been a phenomenal year of transition. It's been a very special class. I mean, I like every class. I don't want to compare them. But I've really, really enjoyed the group this year. They've been fun people to be with, with kid around, to talk seriously. I have really appreciated every single one of them as we meet, sometimes at lunch, sometimes in the hallways, but we've developed a relationship. And I know that when you all leave, it'll be very, very quiet and very, very sad. It really will be. I mean, I hate to sound this way, but really, it does get very quiet. We take the tables out of the lunchroom there. There's only like one table left there. You don't even want to go down there.

And you just kind of want to stay upstairs and not come down here because the ABCers are not here. But this has been a significant year of transition. In a number of things, Mr. Myers mentioned that our name has been changed from Ambassador Bible Center to Ambassador Bible College. And I say hooray. I'm glad that we're a college and not just some amorphous or unclear sounding term like center, which could be a museum, could be who knows what, a center, maybe a place where, you know, like a sports place or whatever.

This is a college, and it really is a college. It's a place of learning. And by calling it a college gives it more clarity as to what its purpose is. There's a more serious tone about our purpose and the mission of Ambassador Bible College. Also, as you mentioned, it gives us better status for bringing in international students. And I pray that we have a favorable ruling to where we can issue a certificate stating that we are accredited by the immigration services so that people in some countries around the world may find it easier to obtain a visa to come here and study.

We would like very much to bring more international students to ABC. But we now have 15 years of legacy. And I still very much enjoy getting emails from former students that ask questions about what's going on, what are some of the opportunities, what's happening. They're very, very curious about ABC. That's one thing, the change from Ambassador Bible Center to Ambassador Bible College. The other is the change in our mission statement. And this is something which has occurred only and has been approved by the Council of Elders in just the past couple of weeks.

Our old mission statement, which is fine, the new one, I feel, expands upon it. It's shorter, but it actually has more and some very significant, important moving forward information in it. The old statement is, the mission of Ambassador Bible College is to convey to those who are interested, and especially to the next generation of young people in the Church of God, the precious truths of God as found in the Bible, the foundation of knowledge.

To accomplish this mission, ABC has appointed skilled instructors to lead the students through a systematic study of the Holy Scriptures and related topics. It is intended that those who receive these teachings will pass the precious understanding of God's truth to others, which is a fine statement. But, Caitlin, Eric, and Nathaniel, here's the new mission statement that was just adopted. The mission of Ambassador Bible College, sponsored by the United Church of God, AIA, is to diligently uphold and faithfully teach the truths of God as found in the Bible. And here's the one, the advanced statement. To equip disciples of Jesus Christ for a life of faithfulness and godly service. This is big, and you happened to be here when we made this change.

So you lived under the Old Covenant, now under the New Covenant. All in one year. This is the year it happened. To equip disciples of Jesus Christ for a life of faithfulness and godly service. Equip. When I went to Ambassador College, we were told that we were a character-building institution.

It was there not just to pour knowledge into your head and to make you feel like, now you know how to explain a scripture, or you know the historical background or context of books of the Bible. But you were there to live by those words, and you were there to develop character. Ambassador College was also called the West Point of God's Work, a training place for leaders that would go forward and lead and pastor and serve and write and blog whatever for the Church. The College was instrumental not only in disseminating knowledge, but was involved with a conversion with a private life, your brain, your spirit, and making it different, making you think different.

It was a place to teach you integrity, how to have a conscience. The word integrity in Russian translated exactly is the word conscience. He's a person with a conscience. In other words, he knows right from wrong, he does right. It teaches us honesty and truthfulness. We're here, of course, to learn truth. And as the New Mission statement has it, faithfulness, to be faithful. And also, equipping us to endurance, which I consider a very important part of character, sticking it out, not collapsing when things don't go quite right, pulling through and going on to the very end.

You also came here, and this is what all of you did under the old and under the new, you came here to study the Bible. You didn't come here because this was a party school. Oh, yeah, let's go to Cincinnati. They have a lot of fun. You gave up a year of your life, and you didn't give it up. You were blessed with a year of your life, of being able to study the Bible. That's what you came here for. You weren't here to study insects.

You weren't here to study computer science. You were here to study the Bible. And it was an intense study from Genesis to Revelation in one year's time. Yes, Eric, Christopher, and Brennan, it's been a year-long venture for you. We had an employee who was the former deputy ambassador to Iraq, who lives in Milford, now works in the French Embassy or works at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. He was an upper diplomat and also deputy ambassador. We had him come here to speak to our ambassador of Bible College. He happens to live in Milford again. And he spoke to our faculty beforehand and said, what kind of a place is this?

Who are these young adults? Because we asked for him to speak and answer any questions about the Middle East. And he had a lot of first-hand information. He actually was stationed for a while there, 15 miles from an ISIS stronghold. He had some very, very interesting things to talk about firsthand from Iraq.

And he marveled when we told him that these are people that decided to take a year and come here to study the Bible under a faculty of instructors. People such as Laura, Dustin, Lisa, and take a whole year off to delve into the study of Scriptures. And he said, what a wonderful thing this is. That is really, really wonderful that people would do that.

Now, we have a sign. It's not right here, but it's on the Ambassador Bible College Seal, and it's also out there at the hallway, which has a very, to some pretentious statement. Teaching the truth. And people will say, yeah, sure. That's your truth. Because truth is a commodity that the world does not take seriously because so many have their version of truth. So if you say, this is true, somebody else says, that's true, how do I know? And how do we know that Ambassador Bible College teaches the truth? It may be somewhat ostentatious and pretentious. But is it the truth about?

It's about the intricacies of Biblical doctrine, about what is God. You know, when I began to study the Bible for what it was, I began to see truth. And I'm not ashamed of saying it's truth because I had it filtered through a priesthood. I had it filtered through a clergy. I had it filtered through another set of filters that outcluded what the truth about the true God was. I had God the Father through a filter of an icon. But now I have God the Father through the Word of God. I have Jesus Christ through the Word of God. I saw consistency throughout the Bible itself. And I began to see that it was written in a very supernatural way over 1,500 years by 40 authors, with a whole planned table of contents, so to speak, an index that has a beginning and an ending. I began to marvel and begin to admire this truth and accept it as such, and found these values to be rock solid. I found out about the God of the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit. I found out about what is man. I found out about myself, what I am, what life is. I've also found out about what God is doing with mankind. And with every single one of us personally. I found out about what is the Church. I found the truth about these things, and I'm not ashamed to say that I have found the truth, that I know it's the truth. And we'll give our lives for these truths. Now, once you find what is truth, it's very exciting. Because the point at which I found out about what life and death was, as apart from the tradition and all the occlusion that took place from heaven, hell, crackling flames, harps, and all that type of thing. And found out what really life and death is, how it fits into God's plan, how it's consistent from the beginning to the end. It's exciting, it's wonderful, because it's the truth. There's nothing like the truth. Just remember one Perry Mason program. You know, lawyers sitting there, everybody's trying to haggle back and forth about what is the truth. And finally, remember, there's one line. It wasn't a big line at all, probably not very significant. He says, I just want the truth. Just tell me the truth of what had happened. Oh, this was the judge or somebody. But it was just like, okay, let's go, let's skip all these other things that describe things in a way you want to describe them. Let's have the truth. We have the truth taught here about the future, what the kingdom of God is, what it will be, and how it will come to this earth. We have the truth about the return of Jesus Christ. To the point where I'm not doubting it, I know it's going to happen, and I know it will happen before this world blows up. And I live by that. I'm not afraid. I have courage. I have confidence. I can be able to pass it on to others because it's the truth.

It's not just some wishful thinking or some hope or a prayer and a hope. It's the truth. I have learned the truth about Christian living, about morality, in the Word of God, in the Bible.

Where does the truth come from? John 8, verse 31. John 8, verse 31. Then Jesus said to those who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

Just as the new mission statement speaks of, we are equipping disciples of Jesus Christ, equipping the disciples of Jesus Christ for Godly service, such as Melissa, Mikala, and Anthony. They are disciples of Jesus Christ, and they have been equipped while here at Ambassador Bible College. Verse 32, And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. The truth shall make you free. There's nothing like liberation that comes from knowing what the truth is.

John 17, 17.

John 17, 17. Basic foundational scripture about truth. Sanctify them by your truth, Jesus said in His last recorded prayer to the Father. Your word is truth. So what we have in these words that you hold on your lap, that is truth. We say we're teaching the truth, we're teaching the Bible, we're teaching the Word of God. There is no book that is so consistent, so well preserved, and so corroborated as the Word of God, which is the truth. The truth has more than just knowledge. And what we wanted to move Ambassador Bible College from was just a place to come to learn more things, so that you can go home and say, I've learned more things. We wanted to be a tool for personal conversion and for leadership and service. Hebrews 4, verse 12. Hebrews 4, verse 12. The Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. The Word of God is not just some wimpy little tool of people who just said things, but when the Apostle Paul wrote, that was a knife, that was a sharp instrument to cut into the innards of what we are. Piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It's amazing how well Paul wrote this. The Bible is your best analysis of what you are, how you think, what your motives are. Even things that you don't even know about yourself, it is able to reveal and show you. The Bible is a tool. What you hold is not only a book of knowledge, but a book, an instrument, a tool to discern your mind. 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. It's interesting what the purpose of the Bible is and what the onus of description here goes to. 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable for the following, for doctrine, of course, to talk about the teachings that God has set forth. But also, the next three items are most interesting.

It's also for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. The Bible is more than just reading it and saying, that's interesting. Well, I don't want to get into that right now. Now, the Bible is something to help you see where you are wrong, what you should be doing for instruction in righteousness. And so when we talk about Ambassador Bible College being an institution for developing a life of faithfulness and godly service, we're asking that the Bible be ratcheted up to where it becomes a tool to do just that, to make you more faithful, to instruct you in righteousness, to help you discern your thoughts, to help you guide your way.

We have a high view of the Word of God. I don't think I have to beat this to death. I'm talking to the choir here right now, literally to the choir here in church. The Word of God is, we have a high view of the Word of God, is something that comes from Him directly. It's inspired, and it's actually a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, because Jesus Christ said in John 6, verse 63, The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. These words are spirit and life. The Holy Spirit manifests itself as fire, water, wind, but it's also the Word of God. My words are spirit and they are life. So what have we done at ABC, David, Michaela, and Alison? What have we done here?

We've learned the truth. We've been taught the truth. And that is just a start. And I would hope that we expand on this to make Ambassador Bible College more an instrument in our whole church effort, as we are to be, as we write in our vision statement, to be an aspect of developing the kinds of leadership and service that we need for the next generation. We need you. Of course, you won't be going back and speaking in your local congregation next Sabbath. I doubt, if any well, that's maybe down the road for the men. But certainly, when you go back, there's going to be more expected of you, frankly, in the churches that you'll be going back to. You've learned not only to know the truth, but also to face the truth. Now, this is for me. Hey, God, He's talking to me with these words. They're not just words that you can kind of slough off and put aside, but it's basically, listen up when God speaks to us through His word. We then move on to, after facing the truth, to living the truth. Living the truth. Next, we move on to being changed by the truth, being transformed, renewed in our minds, being different, thinking differently. For selfish, for greedy, for lustful, we change those things. We don't live with them. We come to conversion, which is change. Being changed by the truth. And then finally, we move on to, as disciples, to passing on the truth and teaching the truth to others. Which, those of us who came to Ambassador College, as I did almost 50 years ago, can't believe it's that long ago, had a mission and a desire to someday being able to be part of a work in a church. Here we are. I feel like that's exactly where God wants us to be. We want to then pass this spirit on to the next generation, for however God wants to use us, however God will be able to take the abilities and the resources and the timing historically that He has to do the work that He has on this earth. I recall that when I went to Ambassador College, when it was very clearly impressed upon me that it was a character-building institution, I remember making little 3x5 cards and putting them on my little bulletin board. Memorizing scriptures. Sometimes we, as fellows in our dorm, one of the things that we did was to talk about scriptures. We went through scripture cards and we tried to guess, not guess, but one would be read and we would say where it was from. That was important to us. We wanted to understand. We wanted to learn this more than anything else. This was our food. This was our meat. This was important to us. I remember certain scriptures became very, very favorite to me. One was 2 Corinthians 10. I'm sure that you have your several passages, but the one that really had a transformational aspect upon me was 2 Corinthians 10, verse 5. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. I pray that and I say, God, I don't want to be thinking the way I do. Why is my mind going in this direction? And why am I thinking this? And why am I thinking in such a manner about this person? Please put every thought into captivity. Make me a prisoner of Jesus Christ and obey Him fully. I remember that passage having a great deal of effect on me, as well as Galatians 2, verse 20. Galatians 2, verse 20.

I can do all things through Jesus Christ, which strengthens me. Roger, Mark, Philip, and Carolyn remember that you are disciples of Jesus Christ. When you leave here, you'll continue being part of the disciples from this year's class, which means students, which means followers. And that is what is expected, because actually that is what the new mission statement identifies you as being as of two weeks ago. We have helped to equip you as disciples of Jesus Christ for a life of faithfulness and service.

Remember that you are responsible for your life. There's only one message that you can leave from here. And this is one that Robert, Kimberly, and Courtney, I want you to make certain to remember.

Luke, chapter 12, verse 48. Luke, chapter 12, verse 48.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

You've been given a tremendous amount of knowledge by very dedicated instructors. I have enjoyed sometimes to kind of listen to different ones speak. I see them speak from the heart, whether it be classes in the harmony of the Gospels or epistles of Paul. The epistles of Paul has always been my favorite. I just feel like they are like the motivational books of the Bible, not to say the others aren't. But I just always appreciate the things that the Apostle Paul just kept pushing and pushing and pushing to churches or to individuals. But just remember that you have been given a lot in a very concentrated form. And a lot's going to be expected from you. You all have a reputation. I spoke about reputation this last Thursday at the Forum. You all have a reputation which you cannot control. You can influence your reputation, but you cannot control it. But right now, when you go out into wherever you're going, into your church, on the job, or whatever, you're going to be the new kid in town, the new girl in town, new girl next door, whatever.

But you're going to be looked upon with the highest esteem. And when people in the church find out that, oh, she went to Ambassador Bible College, oh, really? They will deal with you very differentially and very respectfully. Maintain that respect. That is very, very powerful. That's a part of the equipping that we have given you as part of Ambassador Bible College, to be faithful and also to be of service. And one way you can be of service is to live up to and to give back from what you've been given, to whom much has been given, much will be demanded. I like that particular translation. Much more will be asked.

2 Corinthians 5, verse 10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Be sure to go back to wherever you're going, with the highest level of behavior and conduct and communication worthy of respect. Make certain that everyone who sees you on Facebook, or if you tweet, or your Instagrams, or whatever other social media you may use, that always reflects the very highest standards of maturity and Christian life, so they don't see one person here and see somebody else there. The Church is looking to you. Truly it is. Looking to see what we've done. It'll be looking to us to see what the Ambassador Bible College has done. And the Ambassador Bible College has done a lot. And I feel like there's been a transformation to character building. Maybe it's subtle, or maybe it's just increased, or maybe because of the change in the mission statement. But we really are taking very seriously the young people, sometimes not so young, who are coming in here to go back out and be ambassadors, and to be those that will give life to the infrastructure of the congregations in which you serve. I want you to feel free to contact me, to contact any of the faculty, to communicate with us. Maybe we could help work something out with your minister if you have a question, or need some guidance and direction that way. I'm not afraid of that at all. I'm not afraid of picking up the telephone and saying, Hey, we've got Joe Smith coming to your area. What can you do for him? What can you do for you? What can you do for each other? I have no problem in trying to broker something between you and your pastor.

Christianity begins with an admission of need to improve. Christianity was begun in two different, very, very loud ways. Once with the ministry of Jesus Christ, where Jesus Christ started preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. It said, the time is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. But also, the church, as it started, started on that same foundation. Not a foundation of, Here we are, here's a leadership, and a bravado of Christ's principles. It began with a message of repentance and a message of admission of inadequacy moving towards conversion and change. That is the foundation of Christianity. You are responsible for your life. That's how this fits in. You are responsible for your life. Christ has shown us a direction, beginning with the beginnings of repentance. And when the Apostle Peter will be giving sermons about this here in the next week, on Pentecost itself. When he spoke to the crowd, two months after Jesus Christ was crucified, he spoke to them on the day of Pentecost.

He spoke about Jesus Christ, who was crucified. And many of the people in the crowd, when they were there for the Feast of Weeks, were involved in the mob scene, wanting to crucify Christ, shouting, crucifying him, crucifying him. And it was beginning to dawn on this group that they had made a big mistake. They were misled, and they were responsible for killing the Savior of mankind, the Messiah. And they were appalled, and they came up with a question themselves. This is in the second chapter of the Book of Acts. Men and brethren, what shall we do? What shall we do? And Peter replied, repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the Holy Spirit. That is where the Church is going, and that is what the Church is going to be preaching, and that is what the Church is going to be expecting to see as a result of God's Holy Spirit working in it. A message of change, a message of transformation, a message of people coming to repentance, as they did on the first day of Pentecost.

We're asking you to understand that, that this is where we are going, and we'll be speaking this more. We want every one of us to take responsibility for our actions. I guess a corollary of being responsible for your life is that so many people now become victims. Become victims of somebody else not liking them, overlooking them, shunning them, you know, whatever else. We've all heard many, many excuses. Christianity is not about excuses. Christianity is about taking responsibility. Christianity is about repentance and change. Christianity is about a transformed, renewed mind.

I'm so glad that you came and gave a year of your life to learn the inwards, the foundational principles about that. Now, the year that you spent here was not everything you're going to ever know about the Bible. I went to Ambassador College for three years, and I learned a lot. I learned a lot more about the Bible after Ambassador to Bible College. Hopefully, the teaching, the instruction that you have received here will become a foundation for deeper learning and deeper study and deeper being able to take in of the Word of God.

I like this passage in Galatians 6 and 4. Galatians 6 and 4, because this is the foundation of organizational working together as a church and with one another. Galatians 6 and 4. Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he could be proud for what he himself has done. Each person must be responsible for himself. And I'm reading from the New Century version. Each person needs to be responsible for himself. Ask yourself, am I taking responsibility for my life and for what happens in it?

Or am I a victim of someone else? I have seen this to be one of the greatest destroyers of people's careers, of becoming victims, that they aren't responsible. They were somehow neglected. People don't like them. People have passed over them. Instead of being a person who takes responsibility for how you work and how you live and the example that you set, whether it be in the church or in the community. I might just say this, is that we have worked with Sabbatarian communities in Ukraine. And one thing we found, people think of these as being poor people who are victims of the people around them.

People don't like them because they're Sabbath keepers, because other people are Orthodox or Catholic or whatever. And these poor Sabbatarians are really put down. Wrong! When I go to Ukraine, and where we work in the West, there are many, many Ukrainian Sabbatarian churches. It's like not the major denomination, but they're all over.

Everybody knows about them. People want to hire Sabbatarians. Businesses, workers, you know why? They don't drink. And when people drink, they basically get drunk. They have strong families, and they have a good work ethic. They have set an example in their community of being responsible individuals. When I go to Ukraine, in the town of Host, I always have to go see the mayor. I don't want to see the mayor, because it's a big ceremonial thing, but they drag me in to see the mayor.

He wants to see who these Sabbatarians are. He knows the Sabbatarians. They're well connected with him. And one of the top contractors for building all the sidewalks, for example, in the city of Host, is a Ukrainian, a Sabbaterian. He's a very good friend of ours. So the point I'm saying is that take responsibility for your actions.

Don't compare yourself to others. Don't make excuses for your life. Transform your life based upon what the Word of God says. Ask yourself, how do I affect people? How do I affect people? Like I said, one of the things about truth is facing it. It's not just being in a lala world about yourself and what you are, but just facing what you are. And saying, how do I come across? How do I affect others?

How do people regard me? And what can I do to change? We have a very forgiving structure in the church for people who do make changes. It's one thing that's beautiful about the church. At least I feel about myself personally. I get very upset with people, but I'm also very forgiving.

If somebody bends, if somebody changes, if people make amends, not just saying that they will make amends, I am ready to forgive. Say, good, let's go on. Let's move on. Let's move forward. Forget the past. And that's the way we as Christians ought to function and work to continue building the strong church. And the final thing was godly service. That's what we're preparing you for. When you get to your local congregation, make yourself useful. Make yourself useful. Brandon, Benjamin, Chelsea. When you get back to your local church, find out what you can do. How can you help? Who can you visit? Listen, when you go to your church the first week, really take time to listen to the people who are there.

Let them tell their story to you. They'll probably be very anxious to tell your story. They'll probably be very anxious to tell yours, but listen to them. Hear everybody out. People want to be heard. They have long, sometimes stories to tell. Make yourself available. Make yourself reliable. As I said in my presentation about reputation, when you think of certain names, and when we have certain people that we want to have do a job, the name comes up and says, yeah, sure, yeah, he's reliable.

Or she'll finish what she says she'll do. Or they'll keep their word. The other people that, uh-oh, no, they just say they will, but they won't. They'll be friendly, they'll be nice, I'll do it, but then they'll never do it. You know that. Well, when you go back to your area, make yourself reliable. Make yourself available.

Make certain that your reputation, which you can't control, you can't say, hi, I'm here, I'm reliable. No, it doesn't work that way. That is formed by the people who come into contact. Take an interest in everything that's going on in your congregation. Earn the further trust of the people in your congregation. And really show them the maturity that we all have learned together being here at Ambassador Bible College.

One of the aspects about reputation and one of the benefits of a reputation is that a good reputation is an inspiration to others. We want to have more people come to Ambassador Bible College. Yes, we'll do a promo film. Yes, we'll do pushing and writing about it in the e-news. But you know what the best promotion is?

It's you. Going back to let them know what you learned and what you did. And they'll say, you know, I'm going to find some way by hook or by crook to get there to Ambassador Bible College. A good reputation is an inspiration to others and is something which can help motivate others' good behavior. I like this passage. I'll conclude with it in Numbers 14.

I'll read it again in a new century version, which happens to say it nicely here the way I want to. Numbers 14, verse 21. This is when Caleb and Joshua came out of their spy mission to the land of Canaan.

They were courageous. They were thinkers and people who really wanted to move forward. The other spies, oh, we can't do it. It's too much. They're so big. They had all these excuses about why they couldn't do move into the promised land. And God makes this compliment of about Caleb, Numbers 14, 21. But as surely as I live and as surely as my glory fills the whole earth, I make this promise. All these men saw my glory and the miracles I did in Egypt and in the desert, and they disobeyed me and tested me ten times. They should have known better. They saw all the great things that God had done in Egypt going through the Red Sea, the way that the charioteers and Pharaoh and his old army were drowned. And yet I gave them a job. I gave them a job to go in and spy out the land, and they came back with this measly report, fearful report. So not one of them will see the land that I promised to their ancestors. No one who rejected me will see that land. But my servant, Caleb, thinks differently. That's what I wanted to focus on. Thinks differently. We want ABCers to think differently. We want members of the Church of God to think differently and follows me completely. So I will bring him into the land he has already seen, and his children will own that land. That's what we want. And that's the message I want to leave with you, to think differently, to take responsibility, to be faithful and to serve when you go back to your area. And I'll conclude by just reading the new mission statement. The mission of Ambassador Bible College, sponsored by United Church of God, AIA, is to diligently uphold and faithfully teach the truths of God as found in the Bible, to equip disciples of Jesus Christ for a life of faithfulness and godly service.