As a former youth director, I've often wondered why children, especially teens, struggle so intensely with the purpose and meaning of life. Why are they so often directionless, or able to hurt others—possibly even taking other students' lives on the school campus?
Now that I work at the Institute for Creation Research, I understand more clearly than ever that our value isn't based on our intelligence, our looks, or even our talents—and in truth we are undeserving of such favor shown to us by God. The reality is, however, He did make us in His image, and because of that we are valuable to Him.
When I first began to understand the full significance of this, I would return to public high schools and ask students if they believed in creation or evolution. Most of the students did believe in creation, but when I asked them why, most had no reason—except they had been raised that way. I realized they had no foundation for their belief in creation. Evidently the students' parents and churches were failing to give them the Scriptural and apologetic support for their faith. When I visited college campuses, I found most students I talked to believed in evolution. Something happened from high school to college. Students who once believed they were created—but didn't know why—were now studying the so-called "facts" for evolution and had given up faith in the Creator. Their Christian foundation had been washed away and built on the worldview of evolution.
After hearing about the horrid shooting at Santana High School, my mind drifted back to the day that I stood on that very campus talking to a group of students who believed in evolution. I asked them what purpose they had in life if we were simply the products of evolution. They admitted, honestly, that if random chance evolution is what made us, there was no purpose in life aside from what we made it to be. How sad that only a few years later, nihilism based on evolution would be played out to its logical end as one Santana student took the lives of others.
Can you imagine how different things would be if every child, every student, every one of us lived with the true perspective that all people are made in God's image? How different a child's life would be if, instead of believing they evolved with no purpose, they understood that they were made by the Creator of the universe who loves them and has an ultimate purpose for their lives!
That is why ICR has sought to reach kids in new ways with unique adventures such as the Jonathan Park radio project. These stories (aired worldwide) grab the attention of children and pre-teens, and teach them they have purpose in life. Each episode contains an action-packed story designed to teach creation apologetics as well as deep Biblical lessons. Parents can use these stories as a way to build Biblical and scientific foundations so children can know why they believe they were created.
These radio programs have been developed into a four-cassette audio series costing just .95. Our desire is to make a tool that parents can use in their cars, as "bedtime" stories, or family "quality time" that will teach Scriptural truths.
Please join with us in prayer as we produce materials which teach children that they can trust God's Bible—especially when it says that we are made in His image! Also pray that parents will use these tools that will equip children for a lifetime of living for the Creator!
