Old earth semi-creationists frequently claim that ICR's insistence on strict, recent creationism is an embarrassment to Christianity and a hindrance to the gospel—actually keeping people from accepting Christ as Savior. At ICR, we know better. Each day's mail and each seminar brings testimonies from individuals whose roadblocks to salvation were overcome by ICR's teaching and materials—like this one.
I grew up knowing about God, but I didn't really know the God of the Bible until after I became an adult. The "Back to Genesis" seminar was one of the pivotal tools God used to draw me to Him.
As a child and young adult, the stories of Genesis were just that—stories or legends. I tried desperately to incorporate God into a belief that included evolution and the big bang theory. By the time my husband, a recent Christian, "made" me go to the seminar, I was already seeing the inconsistency of my belief system, but as a trained nurse, my belief in evolution was important to me.
During the seminar I realized for the first time the "possibility" that the stories of Genesis could be true. I was amazed. During one break, I went to the parking lot in tears, brought under conviction that the Bible could actually be true. Following the seminar God started to break down many walls in my life and I saw God's intimate involvement with mankind during creation and throughout history.
As a result of God's calling on my life and with the help of the "Back to Genesis" seminar, I was able to read the Bible as absolute truth. For the first time I understood God's plan of salvation and His desire to have an intimate relationship with me. I was the woman at the well needing a Savior. I received the gift of eternal life and haven't been the same since. The "Back to Genesis" seminar will always hold a special place in my heart and my testimony.
We praise God for stories like this. God has given ICR much fruit over the years, both in evangelism, as non-Christians see that the Christian faith is a reasonable faith, but also in discipleship, as Christians come to a greater understanding of and love for God's Word.
Consider this note from a high school student on the west coast.
At the end of class one day, a student mentioned that he had a debate coming up and he was required to defend creation. He smiled, asking me how could he do that since he was an evolutionist? I told him that if he was interested, I had some really great information he could use.
A few days later, I brought a creation book from ICR and opened it to the section on human evolution, telling him that the scientific information here would never be found in his biology text. He took the book and seemed truly interested.
The next time I saw this student he was rather humbled. He was much more receptive when we talked, not only about creation, but about the Lord. Being able to share the creation model with that student was perhaps the best birthday gift for me this year.
The Christian faith is not necessarily an easy faith. We are not called to merely accept the world's thought system by "Christianizing" it, we are called to a full submission to God's Word and authority. And when we do submit, we find His Word accurate and His service a blessing.
On the other hand, where we accommodate the Bible to a false view of history, we do a great disservice to Christianity. God is not pleased with compromise, now will it produce lasting fruit.
We call on our scientifically trained Christian brothers and sisters who have chosen to incorporate long ages into the Bible, to discard their "double-minded" perspective and join in the battle for truth. Are there questions yet to be answered? Yes! Christianity needs all her warriors to unite in solving the remaining problems and communicating truth, not semi-truth, to a world that needs it so.
* Dr. Morris is President of ICR.
