Wisdom, Learning, & Lifelong Yearning
Growing up, did you like going to school?
Maybe when you were little - there's something about the camaraderie that's shared on a colorful carpet while singing your ABCs. But as you get older, you quickly realize the camaraderie turns into cliques, and the ABCs you once confidently sang turn into As, Bs, and Cs that determine what college you get into and how kids feel about themselves. Consequently, learning for the sake of learning becomes rote memorization in hopes of earning a decent paycheck.
The wisdom that we hope will come from education and yield the practice of lifelong learning is easily lost within the rigidity of the education system. And while I'd love to sit with you and analyze the education in America, we're already trying to rethink that in Spotlights at Illume. Adults are learners who want to be present in the learning process and to feel like the time they're investing is yielding something tangible.
We all know it: there are several benefits to lifelong learning. From improved cognitive function to enhanced critical thinking to strengthened social networks, the pursuit of knowledge throughout one's lifetime is proven to improve one's health. Where are you supposed to turn for this? What does it even look like outside of the structures you may have had when you were growing up? And for those who try to be more intentional with their time, how do you make the space to explore new topics while finding constructive people to explore them with? (Because learning is not a solo venture.)
Illume's Spotlights seek to address all of this. We explore a variety of spiritual and life-related themes using methods that are meant to foster discussions that challenge and enrich those participating. That's what Spotlights are: interactive lessons made for groups and individuals, designed to foster vulnerable, genuine friendships by worshipping, learning, and serving together. Each Spotlight focuses on a single topic, using worship to give you rest with regard to the topic, learning to give you wisdom about it, and service to find purpose in it. All in a way that fits the topic at hand and leaves room for developing interpersonal relationships. Spotlights facilitate lifelong learning by creating safe spaces for adult learners to ask and wrestle with tough, impactful questions in a holistic way: the heart in worship, the mind in learning, and the self in service.
You may or may not have liked school growing up. You may currently be in school, wondering if life outside that classroom will have been worth the assignments and late nights. No matter what season of life you're in, we want to support you on your learning journey. Our hope is that you rediscover the joy of learning for the sake of learning - that you find you have a home within this community that encourages safety, vulnerability, and connection while learning to journey through this life together.
Maybe when you were little - there's something about the camaraderie that's shared on a colorful carpet while singing your ABCs. But as you get older, you quickly realize the camaraderie turns into cliques, and the ABCs you once confidently sang turn into As, Bs, and Cs that determine what college you get into and how kids feel about themselves. Consequently, learning for the sake of learning becomes rote memorization in hopes of earning a decent paycheck.
The wisdom that we hope will come from education and yield the practice of lifelong learning is easily lost within the rigidity of the education system. And while I'd love to sit with you and analyze the education in America, we're already trying to rethink that in Spotlights at Illume. Adults are learners who want to be present in the learning process and to feel like the time they're investing is yielding something tangible.
We all know it: there are several benefits to lifelong learning. From improved cognitive function to enhanced critical thinking to strengthened social networks, the pursuit of knowledge throughout one's lifetime is proven to improve one's health. Where are you supposed to turn for this? What does it even look like outside of the structures you may have had when you were growing up? And for those who try to be more intentional with their time, how do you make the space to explore new topics while finding constructive people to explore them with? (Because learning is not a solo venture.)
Illume's Spotlights seek to address all of this. We explore a variety of spiritual and life-related themes using methods that are meant to foster discussions that challenge and enrich those participating. That's what Spotlights are: interactive lessons made for groups and individuals, designed to foster vulnerable, genuine friendships by worshipping, learning, and serving together. Each Spotlight focuses on a single topic, using worship to give you rest with regard to the topic, learning to give you wisdom about it, and service to find purpose in it. All in a way that fits the topic at hand and leaves room for developing interpersonal relationships. Spotlights facilitate lifelong learning by creating safe spaces for adult learners to ask and wrestle with tough, impactful questions in a holistic way: the heart in worship, the mind in learning, and the self in service.
You may or may not have liked school growing up. You may currently be in school, wondering if life outside that classroom will have been worth the assignments and late nights. No matter what season of life you're in, we want to support you on your learning journey. Our hope is that you rediscover the joy of learning for the sake of learning - that you find you have a home within this community that encourages safety, vulnerability, and connection while learning to journey through this life together.
To consider this further, you might enjoy the book To Be Told by Dan B. Allender, PhD.