God declared in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." As in that time, God's people today are vulnerable to the destructive influences of untruth when they are not properly taught the Word of God or the biblically-based life principles rooted in Scripture. Changes occurring right now--in government, in education, in the sciences--give clear signals that truth is not a priority in our culture. Lack of solid biblical teaching at home or in the church makes God's people intellectually fragile and often unable to confront untruth and evil.
And while Christians in the United States are not yet subject to the persecution that our brethren in other nations face on a daily basis, let us not be naïve to think that 2 Timothy 3:12 will not apply to us in the future. The battle is the Lord's, but He expects us to be prepared with spiritual armor and with the knowledge of the truth. And this remains ICR's commitment: to develop resources that will aid God’s people in knowing the truth and making it known.
Our feature article this month, "Communicating the Essentials" by Dr. Patricia Nason, is part of ICR's expanded emphasis on providing solid science education resources for Christian teachers. Routinely, teachers ask for assistance in understanding the issues regarding creation, evolution, and Intelligent Design, and in communicating these issues correctly to their students. Because of a lack of creation-based science education curricula, ICR faculty and researchers began developing our new Science Education Essentials line of curriculum supplements. As teachers move through science topics during the school year, they can use Science Education Essentials supplements to tackle the tough scientific issues related to the creation/evolution debate. Covering all major scientific disciplines, this new line of education resources will give teachers confidence in presenting the facts for creation-based science, as well as prepare K-12 students with biblically-based and scientifically-accurate knowledge that will help them when they progress through evolution-based college science courses.
Also new on the education front is the launch of ICR's School of Biblical Apologetics, offering a Master of Christian Education degree. With classes beginning October 6, 2009, this new comprehensive program of studies is designed to prepare students to give a "defense" for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus (1 Peter 3:15). Graduates will be able to minister the Word of God accurately and with confidence in church ministry settings, Christian schools, as lecturers on apologetics issues, and in other areas where biblical truth needs to be heralded. Featuring local classes with live lectures from master faculty at our Dallas campus, the School of Biblical Apologetics is just one more way that ICR is preparing leaders for real ministry. Read Christine Dao's article in this issue and learn more about the school at www.icr.edu.
And remember to pray for the ICR staff. The battle we are waging for truth cannot--must not--be accomplished by our own human efforts and ingenuity. We need the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through us to accomplish this work for our Lord. Your intercession on our behalf is needed more than ever, and your faithful gifts aid us in communicating this truth to many more who are searching for answers.
* Mr. Ford is Executive Editor at the Institute for Creation Research.
Cite this article: Ford, L. 2009. Are You Intellectually Fragile? Acts & Facts. 38 (8): 3.
