Monte Jones has taught science for 25 years in both public and Christian schools. While teaching at Lincoln Christian School in Lincoln, Nebraska, Monte began ICR’s School of Biblical Apologetics (SOBA) online Master of Christian Education (M.C.Ed.) degree program with its joint major in Biblical Education and Apologetics. ICR’s Dr. Jim Johnson recently interviewed Monte.
ICR: Monte, you chose to take ICR’s online M.C.Ed. program. Three years later, how has that choice turned out?
MONTE: While teaching in both the areas of science and the Bible, I had become familiar with materials from ICR. I had used many of them, including The Genesis Flood, as part of my earth science curriculum. I was impressed with the solid and comprehensive science and research that went into these materials, so when I discovered that ICR offered master’s courses in Christian education, apologetics, and creation research, I was intrigued. I liked the convenience of being able to take all the courses online at my own pace. Since I am also a basketball coach, it was important that I could work quickly during my off season and take time off when I was busy. These factors made my decision to go with ICR an easy one.
ICR: How has SOBA’s curriculum in the online master’s program helped you?
MONTE: Since becoming a Christian, I have been a young-earth biblical creationist. My courses helped to give me an understanding that my worldview was fully supported by Scripture and science. A curriculum that taught me how to interpret Scripture, including the history of the Bible, laid a great foundation. Additional history of the church and the world’s current attacks on the creationist worldview showed me how important it is to be able to defend our faith and the tremendous damage that has been done when this worldview is rejected. The hysteria in modern culture surrounding such issues as population control, climate change, radical environmentalism, attacks on traditional marriage, racism, and the disease of political correctness all stem from a rejection or misinterpretation of Genesis. My courses helped me to be discerning about what I see in the media and the culture and to run it through the filter of Scripture. Scientifically, I was shown exhaustive evidences for biblical creation—evidences that make biblical sense of geology, astronomy, anatomy, biology, physics, and chemistry. Every question I had scientifically, plus many more I hadn’t thought of, about the creation-versus-evolution debate was answered. In short, my course of study at ICR showed me that to reject a biblical creationist worldview is to reject sound Scripture and sound science.
ICR: Has your creation apologetics learning helped you as a classroom teacher?
MONTE: My studies with ICR have revolutionized my classroom. Whether in my biology, anatomy, or Bible classes, I continually use what I have learned. In Bible class, I use many worldview ideas that I studied to enhance our weekly Worldview Wednesday curriculum, where we try to apply the Bible to current events. In anatomy, I have a multitude of new examples of the miracles in the human body that show the creative genius of God. In biology class, I have a daily Evolution Minute, where I challenge my students to use a recent scientific discovery to refute evolution. All in all, my students are learning to see the reality around them through the lens of a biblical creationist worldview.
ICR: It sounds like you learned a lot in your SOBA classes! How much work was it to complete your online master’s degree, and was it worth your time?
MONTE: I was able to complete my degree at ICR in just over two years, and what I gained will influence me for a lifetime. It is also influencing my students and providing them the tools they need to defend their faith in our culture.
ICR: Sounds like real-world biblical education and apologetics. Thanks, Monte. May God bless you and your Christ-honoring ministry as a classroom teacher.
For more information or to apply, visit www.icr.edu or call 214.615.8322.
* Dr. Johnson is Associate Professor of Apologetics and Chief Academic Officer at the Institute for Creation Research.
