Ken Ham's Blog, page 432

Fond Memories from Malaysia

Exciting Follow-up to the All-Asian Creation Conference

As I reflect on our creation conference last month in Malaysia, it brings back some very fond memories. Yesterday I wrote about some of the great feedback we received from several attendees, but this time I have some photos and more thoughts about the great meeting. I have been speaking on the book of Genesis for over 35 years now, and I don't think I have ever spoken at a more powerful and exciting overseas event, as about 1,000 people from 20 Asian countries gathered for three days of apologetics teaching (called the All-Asian Creation Conference).

The enthusiasm of the participants (some of them came from countries that are very closed to the gospel, and even getting a visa to travel to Malaysia can be very difficult) occurred right at the beginning of the conference and after my first talk-when the bulk of the resources we shipped over were swept up in just a few minutes! Three days later, the conference concluded with a 12-minute standing ovation. We have had some great meetings in the United States and other countries, but this one was certainly up with the best!

While I was in Australia, Dr. David Crandall of AiG, who helped organize this All-Asian Creation Conference (which was originally to be hosted in Thailand several months ago, until political unrest cancelled the meeting) gave a 30-minute report to our staff on the conference. He showed some slides of this wonderful event. Here are some of them:

Bottom, left:  In the photo behind Dr. Crandall, Mally and I can be seen with some of the conference participants.

Bottom, right:  A slide behind Dr. Crandall shows the so-called "Missionary 10/40 window," a region which has many nations largely unreached with the gospel.

Dr. Crandall worked with a Malaysian businessman, Joseph Tan, in putting together one of the best organized events we've ever been a part of. The only thing that didn't quite "work out" is that 600 people had pre-registered, and we thought that this figure would be close to the final tally—but about 300-400 additional people actually turned up at the door for various programs.  I'm glad they prepared by having extra seats in the auditorium just in case!

Read one of my blogs from last month on this creation conference in Asia.

By the way, you may have noticed the unusual backdrop for Dr. Crandall's chapel presentation for our staff.  The stage is being set up for our special Christmas Town celebrations that begin at the museum this weekend.  Find out more about this special outreach (most of the activities are free) at CreationMuseum.org/christmas

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

A New Way of Reaching Each Nation

Feedback from the recent All-Asian Creation Conference held two weeks ago in Malaysia has been pouring in. The organizer of the conference in Malaysia, Joseph Tan, sent me feedback so I could share it with you. Also, in a future blog post, I will share photos of this wonderful event that drew (including part-time attendees) about 1,000 people from all over Asia.

I would encourage you to read the statements below from your Christian brothers and sisters in a number of countries. I believe this will give you a perspective on what is happening in other countries and also on the great need for the AiG ministry to impact Christian leaders and churches around the world. I trust as you read the feedback below (some of it is in broken English but still very understandable), you will be burdened, as I am, to pray for more laborers to spread the truth of God's Word beginning in Genesis.

UK

Nearly all the 500 from Malaysia were believers, and I learnt that there is a surprisingly large percentage of believers in the country (approx 10% would be [at least] nominally Christian). However I spoke to one delegate from Kuala Lumpur who was not yet a believer and had fallen away from belief in Christ primarily because he had been just given a superficial understanding of what it meant to be a Christian, without any careful ministry showing the intellectual rigour of the faith which is firmly anchored in Genesis. He has gone away very thoughtful and I think is close to the kingdom.

Another is a believer and a government geologist, but very unsure of 6 day Creation but really made to think after hearing all the talks over these last few days. These were typical of the conversations with the many delegates.

Taiwan

I went to Malaysia for fun and for a Bible conference on Genesis. Malaysia is a beautiful and very English-speaker-friendly country (and parts are also very Mandarin-speaker friendly!).

The best part of this trip was the conference. It was the first All-Asia Creation Conference.  The 700ish attendees were from 20 different countries in Asia (of course the majority were from Malaysia and there was one Italian named Guiseppe! Not sure when Italy moved to the continent of Asia, must be a recent translocation to bolster her economy )[.] Such a spirit of unity and enthusiasm. The speakers (what a variety accents!  The Aussie and the English professors particularly enjoyed jabbing at one another's English)  gave so much detailed, logical, foundational, wonderful information showing us how science [and] the Bible are not contradictory nor mutually exclusive. And how observational science confirms over and over the Biblical account of a global flood; evidence for Creation and how it can answer questions of the origins of life as well as philosophical questions of life to which evolution cannot provide reasoned answers, and throughout, the emphasis was how to use Creation to strengthen the faith of believers through apologetics as well as another means for reaching people for Christ.  A reasoned faith based on the Bible not blind emotion!

Myanmar (Burma)

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hope that you are well with family and the people that you are serving. I really appreciated the way you assisted to join All Asian Creation Conference. The conference was so amazing and it is a new way of reaching to each nation. It reminded me that, we need to laid solid foundation of Christian belief . . . [s]o that our next generation can carry out this good news of Christ to other people groups and nations. Again, thank you so much for everything. May our good Lord richly bless you, family and of ministry

Philippines

It is with a grateful heart to God to be part of the All-Asian Creation Conference, and I would like to let you know that it has been quite refreshing. You've done a great part in keeping the program and people on schedule, and your team has done a tremendous job in glorifying God through serving others. May you continue to stay faithful in the ministry that God has given you. Kindly extend me personal thanks to the speakers as well.

Nepal

It's a great pleasured after attending the conference that bless[ed] me  and the participants .. I thank [the] LORD [for] providing such an important  conference in Malaysia . [And] thank  you Joseph sir [and] your friends and your kind hospitality . I am so blessed  and  thank you once more  from the core of my heart. [And] i [miss] you all a lot …  

Malaysia

Thank you very much for organizing the first Creation conference of its kind in Asia. It was a great blessing to my children, Tiana & Kitron ,as well as myself ( although , truth be told , I was initially a reluctant participant & I went because I was getting fed-up with my children's penetrating questions & my perpetual ever- ready answer-'I don't know!!!')[.] I came out of the conference renewed in spirit having received a fresh insight into Genesis , and all fired up & confident to share what I'd learnt to my cell [group] last night. Now  my pastor has asked if I am prepared to share as well in church sometime at the beginning of next year … Just to let you know:   Most of the pastors here are eager and hungry to learn the truth but have been exposed to the millions of years teachings at school college and University and to hear that the Earth is as old as the Bible says requires  a lot of convincing. But I believe the way that AIG  presents the evidence to refute the millions of years theory is the answer. As one of my cell members commented,"we really need to reeducate ourselves because we have always been indoctrinated with darwin's evolution and millions of years theories and it's not going to be easy; we have always assumed that Discovery Channel and National Geographic is right!"

Hope you can assist to fill this vacuum.

Malaysia

Greetings in the name of Jesus.I attended the Creation Conference and certainly it had a great impact on me.

God will truly bless you for the work you have put on to host this first Creation Conference … I would like to invite you to speak in my church, hope you don't mind.

Keep it up. Thanks. God bless

Malaysia

… For me it's a very refreshing & enlightening conference on God's creation, Noah's ark, Dinosaurs, 'millions of years' with convincing & passionate speakers like Ken Ham & Prof Andy McIntosh.

Malaysia

Hello bro Tan, [it's] a great blessing for me to attend the conference and thank you for all you [have] done in organizing the conference, the time that you have spent, glory to the Lord. [F]or i [have a] great interest and burden in pursuing th[e] subject. [S]ee how the Lord lead me then. i also [have the] opportunity to network [with] a missionary at Cambodia …

East Malaysia

It was a great conference last week and I really learned a lot. I was the most interested and beneficial conference of any kind that I've ever [attended].

I'd like to bring the message of creationism further in Sarawak, particularly Kuching because I believe [it] will be effective[,] especially for the so-called intellectuals.

A Parent

7 year old son is well exposed to the topic now, and well explained on areas that I was unable to explain earlier. Myself also learnt a few new things, and understand better how millions of years theory can impact badly on our faith.

Other plus point that I personally love is the demonstration how we can stand firm and defend our believe, how we not compromise.

Youth Leader

This conference has opened up my eyes and mind to realize: 1) the importance of creation science and 2) how people all over the world are serving our Great God in so many different ways.

I have to confess: I didn't think of millions of years much before the conference but now i know the implications & serious consequences. I would like to be part of this great ministry and am keen in being trained.

Marketplace Leader

Enlightening and informative.Gives me a totally new perspective of creation and evolution. Very useful tools for evangelism especially to those who poses questions onsuch issues like evolution. Generally very well organised.

Marketplace Professional

… It's a good conference to call the church back and be faithful to the Bible.

Marketplace Professional

I got to understand a lot more about a more correct and accurate biblical creation especially how to fight the evolution idea

Ministry Leader

The presentation[s] of the Book of Genesis were clear I find it very knowledgeable and the creation truth was definitely eye-opening

Parent

The teachings were fascinating, clear, easy to follow and answered many prevalent questions in the minds of both Christians and non-Christians.

Malaysia

First of all … we want to thank you for organising such a Word based Conference, and very entertaining as well! Our prayer is that we be faithful to all that we have learnt and continue to build our muscles to be faithful disciples of Jesus!

Just to encourage you………Yesterday, when Ken showed the book BEGIN… my Indonesian helper and I, both said at the same time that would be a good book to translate to Bahasa Malaysia and then to Indonesian. This morning, [she] shared that after yesterday, she told the Lord that she wanted this to continue, that she wanted to remain on fire concerning what she has learnt, and that she was thankful that she was able to go. She also told the Lord that she is uneducated, unlike all these educated people, professors, how could she share all these to her people? She spent a long time praying and when she read the Word, it was where Moses said he could not speak well, and all the excuses, but the Lord said He would enable Moses. She then said, whatever the Lord wanted her to do, she would …

Maybe some of the things that we would like to do, with your help, is the following :

1. TRANSLATION

We will work … to get a team of Bahasa Malaysia translators. We think the BEGIN book will be good, but would appreciate your help in recommending what to translate first. I will get ….(our church member) to look at the translation to Mandarin for the BEGIN book. From AIG site, there is only on DVD and one book sold in Mandarin/Chinese. If you do not have the book BEGIN book, I will order from AIG.

2. CHILDREN'S CHURCH

We would appreciate it if you could give us input how we can teach the children/ use materials -so that the children will be able to learn to trust God's Word as it is, and to prepare them to answer what they believe in.

Sometimes I am not too sure whether we actually need a Children's Church …. or should we be teaching the parents so that they can themselves teach their children?? And the children learn to sit with their parents and learn together?? Just my thoughts ….

Please continue to pray for the impact of the All-Asian Creation Conference.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

Dealing with Doubts

Recently, AiG speaker and researcher Dr. Georgia Purdom wrote a blog post that illustrates the impact one student can have on a Christian university campus because of the influence AiG resources had on this student. Dr. Purdom wrote the following:

Last week, I received a prayer request from a student at a theologically conservative Christian university. He stated the following:

Thank you for taking the time to read this request. I am a student at a Christian university. As part of the speech class, we are required to give a persuasive speech. With the speech we are required to conduct a poll relating to the speech we will be giving.

My persuasion is intended to be for accepting 6 literal [creation] days as portrayed in Genesis. When I conducted my poll, on campus, I received a startling 60% response to believing that the days of creation were not literal days but were rather long periods of time. I am scheduled to deliver this speech Thursday.

The New Answers Book 2 is one source I am citing for my speech, as well as The Genesis Record and Unraveling the Origins Controversy. Please pray that God would speak through me to persuade the students in the class to believe the Word as it is presented from the very beginning. Thank you for your prayers and your continued ministry.

It is sad but not shocking that even at this conservative Christian university, students doubt the accuracy of God's Word. As our book Already Gone showed, most young people are questioning God's Word in middle school and high school. They are not getting answers, and they are walking away from the church in their late teens and early 20s. Our kids are physically sitting in the pew but they are spiritually gone! I sent the prayer request to everyone here at AiG and we prayed for this young man.

A few days later he called me with a praise report. He said that his speech went very well, and when the students were polled after his speech, the large majority that had originally said they did not believe in a literal six-day creation were now convinced of a literal reading of the creation account in Genesis! It went so well that some of the students asked him why the school didn't have him speak in chapel on this topic. Praise God for this young man who is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16).

Families and churches need to proactively and purposely teach children the truth of God's Word from the very first verse so they can boldly proclaim it as they venture into the world—including that of the Christian university campus.

Keep fighting the good fight of the faith!

– Dr. Georgia Purdom

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

Dino Diet Excludes Millions of Years

A recent news item provides a good teaching point against those Christians who try to compromise the belief in millions of years with the Bible. This news item stated the following:

The world was a dangerous place for the first birds.  Palaeontologists have found a fossil bird preserved where the stomach of a dinosaur would have been – the first direct evidence that dinos preyed on their feathered relatives.  Palaeontologists have long suspected that birds made up part of the predatory dino diet, but proof has been lacking. No longer: Jingmai O'Connor and colleagues at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing found the near-intact skeleton of a primitive bird nestling suspiciously inside a fossilised predator. . . .

Not only do the remains provide clues as to how and what the dinosaur ate, but also where it hunted. (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21182-first-evidence-that-dinosaurs-atebirds.html)

Now, what has this to do with those Christians who believe in millions of years?

Well in Genesis 1:29–30 we read the following:

[To Adam and Eve] And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. [And of the animals] Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. (Genesis 1:29–30)

These verses clearly teach that humans and animals were vegetarian originally (before sin). In fact, humans were not told they could eat meat until after the Flood in Genesis 9:3, which states, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs."

In this verse, God makes it clear that He changed the diet of humans (because of the effects of sin). The verse also clearly substantiates that originally humans were vegetarian. The verse is saying in essence, "Just as I gave you the plants—now I give you all things." Now Genesis 1:30 is written in the same way as Genesis 1:29. It is obvious then that verse 29 is stating that humans were to be vegetarian, so verse 30 is making it clear that the animals also originally (before sin) were vegetarian.

Now this "dinosaur fossil" referred to above, believed to be of a dinosaur that ate a bird, supposedly was formed millions of years before humans were on the planet. Now how could there be dinosaurs eating birds millions of years before man when the Bible makes it clear that originally all the animals were vegetarian? There are many other fossil finds showing that animals ate other animals. From a biblical perspective, this had to happen after sin. It makes sense that such fossils were not laid down millions of years before man, but most probably during the Flood of Noah's day just over 4,300 years ago.

For a Christian who believes in millions of years, then you have millions of years of death and evidence of diseases (like brain tumors found in dinosaur fossils) supposedly millions of years before man sinned! But the Bible says everything God created was "very good." This does not describe the fossil record! The fossil record had to be laid down after sin!

There is an interesting twist to this news item. Note that I put the words "dinosaur fossil" in quotes. This predator is claimed to be a Microraptor. Now, Microraptors have four wings with genuine modern feathers.  However, this specimen referred to was poorly preserved and didn't even have feathers. So who knows what it really was!  But the evolutionist researchers are convinced of it being, and report it to be, a Microraptor.   Now if that's true, then in this instance, a bird actually ate a bird.

This in no way detracts from the main teaching point I made—in fact, the same point can be made. Christians can't consistently believe in a fossil record with evidence of animals eating each other and being laid down millions of years before sin—before God said humans and animals were vegetarian and millions of years before God called everything "very good."

More on this particular fossil find will be detailed in AiG's News to Note this coming Saturday on the www.answersingenesis.org website.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

The Sufferings of This Present Time

Following their time at the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) conference in California earlier this month, my brother Steve and AiG researcher Dr. Terry Mortenson were able to conduct an AiG conference at the Hamilton Square Baptist Church in downtown San Francisco. I'm told it was a great conference and was wonderful to see so many visitors come to the church.

At the end of one of Dr. Mortenson's talks, the pastor actually came to the front and asked all the members of the church to stand and affirmed that this church stands on the authority of the Word of God as Dr. Mortenson preached and asked the members to also affirm that they stand on a literal Genesis as a general stance of the church. He proclaimed to all the visitors that this church is one in San Francisco that believes God's Word from the very first verse and then he gave a great reinforcement of the gospel message of Jesus. It was a wonderful conference.

While he was there, my brother Steve had the privilege of meeting Francis Smith. Francis was born with a rare genetic condition affecting development of craniofacial structures in the human embryo and caused him to be born with no ears, no ear canals, and no middle ear cavities—just solid bone. He didn't have eye sockets or cheek bones and had a cleft palate and a very tiny lower jaw causing his tongue to be too big for his mouth. Francis was given for adoption as a newborn but was adopted into a loving Christian family who brought him up pointing him to the truth of God's Word.

Here are some excerpts from a tract Francis had developed to give out to people about his testimony.

I hear God's promise in Romans 8:18[:] 'For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us'. I heard that all of creation is groaning under the bondage of sin and that because of sin life on earth is filled with pain. I heard that we are waiting for the adoption of our body (Romans 8:23).  I wanted to be adopted into God's family and have the life-saving hope of a new body some day.  I trusted Christ to save me when I was nine years old.  I continued to suffer physically and emotionally from the taunts and mockery of my peers who were shocked by my appearance.

Do you realize that everyone of us was born with the life destroying disability of sin, but that through God's Son, Jesus Christ, Who took our sin on Himself when He died on the [C]ross, we can be adopted into His family, live in His grace, rejoice in His love, and fulfill our purpose of glorifying Him? Are you just looking on the outward things of life, or do you have 'ears to hear' what God wants to tell you about what He sees in your heart? Listen to what He says in His Word.  Matthew 11:15, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16.

Francis is currently studying in the field of medicine and is completing a PhD in Craniofacial Embryology. He also loves to play his green violin.

As we leave this Thanksgiving season (although every day is a "Thanksgiving Day" for Christians), and as we think about the coming Christmas season, perhaps this is a great reminder to all of us. Our true healing from our worst problem is already taken care through faith in Jesus Christ. Christians should be facing life with an attitude of thanksgiving no matter what our circumstance because in Christ we already have victory and healing from the effects of the Fall in this world and sin in our lives. Take time to thank God for the one thing that matters most. Take time to thank God for His precious gift of Jesus Christ.

Thanks Francis—for such a Christ-glorifying testimony and pointing us to Jesus at this time of Thanksgiving.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

Building the Right Foundation in Asia

I was privileged to speak at the recent All-Asian Creation Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We continue to get great feedback from the conference, and the following testimony is from an American participant who came to help at the conference:

Ken, I wanted to share with you this photo from the All Asian Creation Conference. Our 15-year-old grandson . . . spent considerable time with this college student from Nepal, answering his many questions about Genesis.

It was so great to see Austin listen intently to all your presentations, and then put this knowledge into action. And this photo also illustrates how important this conference was for Asians to get answers and build the right foundation for their ministries.

This was a fantastic experience, and we are so glad we were able to be part of it. Meeting so many Asian Christians was incredible.

Let us know how we can help in the future.  Thanks

– T.R.

A pastor who attended the conference wrote the following:

Just to let you know: Most of the pastors here are eager and hungry to learn the truth but have been exposed to the millions of years teachings at school college and University, and to hear that the Earth is as old as the Bible says requires a lot of convincing. But I believe the way that AIG presents the evidence to refute the millions of years theory is the answer. As one of my [colleagues] commented, "we really need to reeducate ourselves because we have always been indoctrinated with [D]arwin's evolution and millions of years theories and it's not going to be easy; we have always assumed that Discovery Channel and National Geographic is right!"  Hope you can assist to fill this vacuum.

The following collection of photographs were taken during the conference, where about 1,000 people (from 20 countries) were in attendance:

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

The "Bee" in Nashville

AiG staff member Roger Patterson represented AiG at the recent National Bible Bee competition in Nashville, Tennessee. I am pleased to be on the Bee's advisory board. Roger reported the following:

Ken,

While you are on the other side of the world, our family has been at the National Bible Bee competition in Nashville. Our family served as volunteers alongside many others to help the contestants and their families find their way around the convention center. Thursday morning, Becky and I served as judges for the preliminary rounds where the students, in three age divisions, recited up to 25 passages in ten minutes. They also took a written test based on their studies of the books of First and Second Timothy.

Friday night, the top 15 young people in each age category were selected to move on to the semifinals, and then the top five faced off in the final challenge rounds. It was wonderful to be there celebrating God's Word and to see it all over the walls, on the kids' t-shirts, and being recited by the students.

My family and I manned the Creation Museum and curriculum booth in the exhibit hall, and I spoke several times to promote the new Answers Bible Curriculum for Sunday schools (to be released next fall). Most of the families who stopped by the booth have been to the museum, but there are some who want to go and some who visited on their way to or from Nashville (a four-hour drive from the museum). We passed out lots of information for them and congratulated the students who made it to the national competition.

If families would like to find out more about participating in the National Bible Bee and the family discipleship program, they can go to www.BibleBee.org for details. I know our family is looking forward to next summer and the opportunity to study and memorize God's Word together.

– Roger Patterson

100 national qualifiers in the senior division

[caption id="attachment_15051" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="AiG and Creation Museum booth in the exhibit hall"] [/caption]

Roger speaking about the new Answers Bible Curriculum

Roger's kids with apologist Dr. Voddie Baucham

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

Join Us for Your Family Vacation in 2012

This could be your next great family vacation, but act now—a registration discount ends soon!

Many AiG supporters have already blocked off the dates of July 16–20, 2012, to join AiG in Branson, Missouri, for our next national family conference. While many families can often spend several hours choosing a vacation destination and making their plans, we would like to make the planning easy for you in 2012.

Family-friendly Branson—located in the middle of the country—will once again play host to an AiG family conference, this year with the theme "Proclaiming the Faith." We've made sure that in addition to some great Bible teaching to be offered at the excellent Tri-Lakes facility, we will set aside time for you to enjoy some of the activities in the area, such as special discounts at Sight & Sound theater and Mystic Caverns,  plus outdoor activities, and an excellent amusement park (Silver Dollar City).

I will be speaking at the conference, but we'll also feature superb AiG speakers like Dr. Andrew Snelling, Dr. Tommy Mitchell, and Dr. Jason Lisle—and both Todd Friel (from the "Wretched" radio and speaking ministry) and Mark Spence (from Living Waters Ministry—led by Ray Comfort). Mark is the dean of Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort's School of Biblical Evangelism where he currently administers more than 14,000 students.

AiG will also make sure there are plenty of things for children to do at the conference. For example, Buddy Davis will bring his toe-tapping music and give presentations at interactive children's workshops. In addition, gospel illusionist John Swomley and Dr. David Menton will also be doing special workshops for the kids.

For the teens, Mike Riddle—who holds the interest of everyone (well, let's say ages 12 and up)—will give some wonderful presentations that proclaim biblical truths. In addition, Dr. Georgia Purdom will lead some of the "women's track" events to encourage and equip wives, mothers, and all ladies.

As an added bonus, one of Ken Ham's favorite musicians, the pianist and singer, John Elliot will once again appear at an AiG national conference.

And don't forget, Branson is one of the best locations in America for a family vacation.

To help you in your vacation planning, our special conference website can offer a number of suggestions on where to stay while in Branson.

Super Early Bird rate ends very soon—November 30. Talk to your family today.

If you sign up right now, the registration cost is $215 for this 4 ½ day conference, which is for everyone in your immediate family.

Now that we've virtually planned your summer vacation for you, you need to go to our mini-site for "Proclaiming the Faith" and register and also find a hotel.

We look forward to having a great time with you.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

Reaching Out to Pastors

As part of an ongoing effort to reach churches all across America with the foundational truths of God's Word, Answers in Genesis has started a very proactive approach by setting up a ministry booth at pastors' conferences. More specifically, we display a few of our many resources, plus information about Answers in Genesis conferences and the world-renowned Creation Museum. Last week, we had the tremendous opportunity of setting up at a "Timothy + Barnabas" conference hosted by Pastor Johnny Hunt, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia. The conference was held in the city of Branson, Missouri, which is also the site of the 2012 "Proclaiming the Faith" Answers in Genesis conference. For more information about the "Proclaiming the Faith" conference, visit the website at www.ProclaimingTheFaith.org.

This ministry of Pastor Hunt's is geared specifically towards pastors and Christian leaders who want to be ministered and to be encouraged. Often times, pastors are so overwhelmed with doing ministry for others that they often neglect their devotional life, personal life, and family. Pastor Hunt has been a valuable partner to the ministry of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum. Our ministry held a conference at First Baptist Church Woodstock this past summer where we were able to present the church with the foundational truths of God's word. In addition to hosting a conference, First Baptist Church Woodstock has also endorsed our soon to come "Answers Bible Curriculum" for Sunday schools.

The "Answers Bible Curriculum" is a three-year Sunday school program that covers the entire Bible in chronological order. It is being designed and written to provide answers to the issues that confront today's culture through the media, school, friends, etc. ABC provides a thorough understanding of the authority and primary teachings of Scripture. All ages will be equipped to defend the Bible, and become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ as they apply God's Word in their every-day lives. The ABC curriculum is for all age levels and will be made available in the fall of 2012. For more information please visit www.AnswersBibleCurriculum.org for more information.

Once again, we would like to thank Pastor Hunt and many other pastors across America who have taken a bold stance in defending the authority of Scripture, starting with the book of Genesis.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

It's Thanksgiving

AiG's content manager is Jeremy Ham—hmmm, that surname sounds familiar .  Jeremy wrote the lead article for the AiG website today, so I thought it would be good to make that my blog post for this Thanksgiving Day.

Mally and I will celebrate Thanksgiving Day in Australia—probably with roast lamb (none of this roast dead turkey stuff ).

Happy Thanksgiving!

by Jeremy Ham, AiG–U.S.

November 24, 2011

Today many Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving. While some may describe this day as just an "annual harvest festival," Thanksgiving was originally set up as a reminder to Christians that we should thank God for His many blessings. This tradition is widely recognized in the United States as beginning with the Pilgrims and Native Americans at Plymouth in 1621. Following a deadly firstwinter in the " New World," the Pilgrims had a good harvest, and they celebrated with a harvest festival, thanking God for His blessings. On December 11, 1621, Edward Winslow wrote the following description of the festival (which has been modernized):

Our corn did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown, they came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom.

Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after have a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.1

Although the original Thanksgiving was basically a harvest festival and not yet an official holiday, Edward Winslow clearly gave glory to God and attributed the blessings to Him. Thanksgiving was made a national event when President George Washington made the following proclamation on October 3, 1789:

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God …

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be ….

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions ….2

President Washington recognized the need to praise God for His many blessings given to us and set up a national reminder to everyone that we should give thanks to God. In an attempt to minimize or remove Christianity's influences on this nation, some have declared that President Washington was a deist (someone who believes in a god who does not interfere with the affairs of mankind), but from reading his proclamation it is clear that he was not a deist.

Moreover, many educational resources and institutions neglect to mention the strong Christian origins of this national holiday. For America to return to its Christian roots, individuals must once again recognize God as the Provider.Along with thanking God, you can also use this holiday to share your testimony with unbelievers and tell what God has done in your life. Show them the real reason to give thanks—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving Day is a good reminder of a biblical principle and a great opportunity for evangelism. No matter what nationality you may be, God's Word states that we should give "thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20).

Footnotes

Edward Winslow, "Mourt's Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, 1622, Part IV," December 14, 2007, http://www.histarch.uiuc.edu/plymouth/mourt6.html. Back
George Washington, "Thanksgiving Proclamation," http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/GW/gw004.html. Back

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken