A Gardening School Harmonizing Revelation With Creation
In this presentation the Evangelistic School Of Nutritional Gardening will be abbreviated to eSONG.
mission statement:
eSONG is designed to unify Biblical character-building principles with the science and art of nutrient-dense gardening—for the purpose of restoring food’s original intent to nourish, satisfy, and heal the body, and for glorifying its Creator and His truth worldwide.
VISION:
To reconnect gardening with the Gospel, True Education, and God’s last day worldwide healing message, helping to make His Church the head and not the tail.
Defined by Five Criteria
- Educational Levels
Three areas of focus are offered, based upon degree of understanding, interest, and personal volition:
2. Gardener: one who has successfully mastered the elementary aspects of gardening, and demonstrated ability to grow an e-SONG garden from seed to harvest during the school term. This is the “milk” level—easy to learn, apply, and teach. It can be achieved in the first year program.
3. Researcher: An eSONG Gardener who also makes unique contributions to eSONG’s nutrient rich gardening program, fully supported by experimental, functional, and replicable data. This is the “meat” level.
4. Teacher: An eSONG Gardener who demonstrates an understanding of the school’s practical and multiple disciplinary approaches and successfully leads out in Bible and garden-based classes or evangelistic crusades or helps in establishing a new eSONG facility. This is the “strong meat” level.
All Biblical/gardening principles are demonstrated by practical applications in the garden as well as to true character-building guidelines
5. Bible-based
A multi-tiered gardening curriculum demonstrating Bible-based character-building guidelines
A Bible and inspiration-filled system used as a resource for improving or teaching gardening techniques
Nutrient-rich Gardening
Every aspect is designed to enhance nutrient density and bioavailability of the produce
No application degrades nutritional quality or healthful consumability of the produce
Character Development
Christ is the model for character development
Every part of gardening illustrates, expresses, and/or endorses some facet or feature of growth toward God-likeness
World-wide
A gardening school with a worldview in sight
A school that can operate without walls, available to serious students anywhere
A nutrient-dense gardening approach focused on soils and climates of any caliber
EDUCATIONAL BASE
eSONG will first of all be a web-based institution, so students from anywhere in the world, if they have access to the internet or can play DVDs, can participate in the program. Two year-long classes will be offered in sync with the growing season (northern or southern hemisphere must be indicated)—the first year will be an introduction to the e-SONG method of gardening, and the second year to advanced applications of those methods (preparing the student for self-employment, growth, and evangelism).
Whether the student is attending classes via internet, by using the DVDs, or at one of our certified schools, each student will need to have his/her own personal garden, even if it is in containers or with the use of public property or other people’s land.
Operation in a country will depend on the proximity of an eSONG base—a resource center from which study materials, equipment, amendments, and other eSONG related supplies can be distributed or shipped—as needed during the courses.
The establishment of a physical eSONG institution will depend on availability of land and buildings for a representative school, teachers trained in the eSONG approach, a supportive Church Family, and financial backing to initiate such a program.
HOW FINANCED
Initial funding will need to come from freewill offerings and/or from sister institutions, until school industries can take over. Institutions that have made a profit are to use a portion to help sister (Bible-based) institutions get started. This is a gardening principle!
Here’s what one observer and school planter said many years ago:
How neighborly, how Christlike, it would have been for those at —– to say: “We have been prospered in our efforts to establish institutions in this place. And while we are not planning the —– work unwisely, nor building too substantially, yet, in consideration of the more urgent need of the institution at Huntsville, [Alabama] let us send on to our fellow workers there some of the means now flowing in to us.” What an encouragement this would have been to the struggling teachers and students at Huntsville! How pleased the Lord would have been to see the needed facilities thus provided for! {GH, September 1, 1904 par. 4}
Students are charged tuition to pay for e-based classes and necessary equipment and supplies during the courses. If attending a physical eSONG institution, room and board expenses will also be included. The total amount can be defrayed by students participating in gardening related eSONG industries (as trained in during the course).
The SONG is supported also by fund raising drives, book or media sales, grants, or freewill offerings of supporters. Educational grants will also be provided for worthy students as abundance and supporters provide.
The program is designed that students will have no debt by the end of the second year, and will be equipped to do their gardening work and/or ministry wherever they go.
The institution does not accept grants or accrediting protocols that could jeopardize the God-connected nature of the school or its policies.
ORGANIZATION
A 5-member Board of Directors sets school policies, elects new directors to replace them, certifies new eSONG distribution centers, and appoints a three or five-member School Board for new schools. The Directors have general jurisdiction over all eSONG schools, distribution centers, and branches, but are not involved in the day-to-day operation of them.
Board meetings can be in person, by phone, or via video conferencing.
The Operational Family composes all those needed to run an eSONG institution and be accountable for its total operation, whether it be web-based or physical. The School Board, who are part of the Organizational family, will elect, appoint, and hire, as needed, the Operational Family. The Board of Directors are not responsible for financial or operational needs of the eSONG.
An Advisory Council is made up of interested individuals with various experiences beneficial to the smooth operation and growth of eSONG. They stand by, ready to offer counsel or suggestions to the Board of Directors, but do not participate in an administrative capacity nor receive direct compensation for their services. Their reward is seeing eSONG thrive and benefiting from the practical application of eSONG’s teachings and discoveries. This Council is unlimited in the number of members. All Advisory Council members will be updated on any changes or additions to eSONG’s policies or programs, just as it does for its Board of Directors.
Since eSONG is evangelistic in scope, whenever possible, a physical school will be connected with a church family (CF) that is supportive of True Education as defined by Biblical standards and the book Education, written by Ellen White. The CF will not be depended on for financial or administrative support, but rather to provide a healthy spiritual environment for the development and nurturing of eSONG’s staff, students, and programs. It is suggested the CF appoint its own Representative to the Advisory Council.
eSONG operates from four levels of management:
Sensory
– how eSONG responds and interacts with its outer and inner environment [This involves any type of communication, external or internal, auditory, visual, tactile, or even taste and smell. It is this level that determines if eSONG’s produce passes the flavor and quality test.]
Organizational
– how eSONG is physically constructed, interconnected, operated, and maintained
Nutritional
– how eSONG physically feeds and nourishes its body [This would involve all income sources (industries, donations, grants, etc.) and how it is to benefit staff and operational needs.]
Gospel
— how eSONG spiritually aligns with the Gospel
To learn more about suggested curriculum click HERE.
To learn about the 7 Levels of Gardening, click HERE.
