How to be an Active Learner

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. – Nelson Mandela

After running a recreational facility as the General Manager for the past 2 years, I can testify that education is foundational to the growth of a business, to the growth of young leaders, and the growth of an individual. Education is humbling. It forces us to acknowledge that we don’t know everything, then learn that we know nothing. It’s one of my favorite paradoxes. I believe continued education is vital for a Christian to be able to administer the Gospel effectively. We cannot be effective communicators of the Gospel, nor effective examples of the Gospel, if we ignore learning.

What is education? For the purpose of this blog post, let’s define education. Education is a verb. It is active and continual learning. It is not limited to institutionalized learning, rather, it is a state of mind. Believers are called to be learners for the sake of the Gospel.

… always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence… 1 Peter 3:15

According to 1 Peter, we are called to be continual active defenders of the hope that is in us, the Gospel. How do we become great defenders of truth? By learning. Learning the Scriptures, learning the laws of nature, learning philosophy. By learning other people’s perspective. Most importantly, by learning people. We can’t effectively share the Gospel with other people if we don’t care about people.

There are a plethora of ways that we can be active and continual learners today. First, the internet. The internet is a massive library at our fingertips. According to internetlivestats.com, there are over 1 billion websites. For starters, I can’t count that high; mostly because I can’t sit still for that long. For sure, there are many websites that are not wholesome, or God fearing, but there are plenty of websites that can be used to research God’s creation, the Scriptures, philosophy, health, etc. (Check out the short list of web resources I enjoy using at the end of the post.)

Another way to stay engaged in learning is reading. Irisreading.com reports that the average person reads 4 books a year. I’ll be honest: if I get in 4 books a year, I’m crushing my goals. I’m the worst reader. That being said, I do love to read because I love to learn. Now, as believers we should be reading the Scriptures daily (Josh. 1:8, Ps. 119:9-11, 2 Tim. 2:15, Heb. 4:12, etc.). We should also stay relevant and be aware of the culture we live in. This thought goes back to 1 Pet. 3:15. How can we defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ if we don’t know the Word or the culture we live in?  A few of my favorite topics to read up on are: finance, leadership, business, and Biblical living.

Finally, be engaged with the world around you. Be active in your church, in your health, in your family. Pursue people and relationships. Be active in supporting and building the body of Christ. When we live truth, we learn truth.

If you love me, keep my commandments… John 14:15 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:18

Everything we do or don’t do is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves, other people, and Jesus Christ.

Here at Frontier Camp, we believe in the value of education. We educate campers in Biblical truths through every single activity at camp. We spend time in the Old Testament and the New Testament through Bible Drama, Mystery Prophets, Memory Verses, and Cabin Devotionals. We also teach the activity itself, whether it’s wakeboarding or woodworking. Some campers will go on to share the Good News through these skills they have learned. God is so much fun in how He allows us to use things we’ve learned to tell others about Him. His world is filled with opportunities to grow closer to Him, and to share His Word.

Remember, the purpose of learning is to share the Gospel effectively. Humility will always precede both learning and sharing the gospel.  Everything we do, everything that has happened to us, is an opportunity to learn and grow; an opportunity to share the truth that Jesus loves the world; that He is alive. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life. I pray that we will grow in education, and change the world for Christ.

Dusty Stone Summer Staff Director

Here are a few of my favorite websites to learn from:

1. Answers in Genesis

2. Wikipedia (yes, I love wikipedia. I know it’s not always founded in accuracy, but it’s a curious place to start)

3. Bible Study Tools