This year marks the Institute for Creation Research’s 50th anniversary. Since 1970, God has blessed ICR tremendously and allowed us to reach untold multitudes across the globe. Perhaps the strongest evidence of God’s favor is the remarkable number of creation ministries that have sprung up due to ICR’s influence. Fifty years ago hardly any organizations focused on creation science. Now there are many—at least one or more in every U.S. state and 20 other countries. All glory to Him!
ICR’s work is unique in the world of Christian ministry. We’re not a church, but in a sense we’re an arm of the church. An understanding of creation is vital for teaching “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), and ICR has brought its creation-oriented message to churches and schools of just about every denomination.
The special and recent creation recorded in Genesis is the foundation on which all other biblical doctrines are based. Apart from Genesis 1, the rest of Scripture is meaningless. Thus, ICR has a vital evangelistic ministry through its message of creation as an essential element of the saving gospel of Christ (Colossians 1:13-23; Revelation 14:6-7).
Christ’s commission to “go therefore and make disciples” includes “teaching them…all things” (Matthew 28:19-20). As such, ICR is predominately a ministry of discipleship and education, applying the dominion mandate (Genesis 1:26-28) in the context of the complete gospel from creation to consummation. This ministry was founded on our uniquely creationist training programs, which have been supplemented over the years with conferences, debates, seminars, and now through the new ICR Discovery Center for Science & Earth History. Along with books, videos, DVD series (many of which are used as resources in schools and colleges), and a thriving social media presence, ICR’s resources and activities have been a major factor in the revival and growth of biblical creationism around the world.
God has indeed blessed the work of ICR in marvelous ways, in spite of a low-key fundraising approach that doesn’t employ professional fundraisers, phone solicitations, or other promotional methods that many organizations use. Our ministry has mainly been supported through contributions from concerned, praying Christian believers who receive our Acts & Facts magazine and Days of Praise devotional booklet. These free publications are a source of faith-building information and encouraging Bible study, and judging by the thousands of testimonies we’ve received, they’ve served that purpose well.
The most important distinctive of ICR has been our commitment to the absolute authority and accuracy of Scripture. We place a strong emphasis on science, of course, but the primary reason for our scientific defense of special and recent creation is our conviction of the truth of biblical creation as recorded throughout God’s perfect Word.
We live in an age of evangelical compromise, so ICR’s continuing commitment to full biblical inerrancy and authority, to literal recent creationism and the global Flood, and to low-key fundraising may seem antiquated to some. But God has undoubtedly blessed ICR because of this, and we believe He’ll continue to do so as we remain faithful and obedient to Him. We are immensely grateful for the prayers and financial partnership of our supporters, and we fervently hope that the coming decades—if the Lord does not return soon—will see an even greater harvest from the seed sown these first 50 years.
Adapted from founder Henry M. Morris’ article “ICR and the Word of God” in the December 1995 edition of Acts & Facts.
* Mr. Morris is Director of Operations at the Institute for Creation Research.
