Almost anyone you ask will equate Darwin's name with "evolution." Darwinian evolution (or some form of it) is taught as fact in nearly all countries of the world. Recently, as a part of ICR's worldwide outreach, Mr. Ken Ham had the privilege of touring England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, speaking at seminars and churches on the topic of Creation. He reported how it grieved his soul to walk into majestic Westminster Abbey and see, along with memorials to such greats as creationist Isaac Newton, a memorial to Charles Darwin.
It has been said that Darwin's book, Origin of Species, has been the second most influential book in the world, the Bible being the most influential. Strangely, while Darwin's work has been perhaps the most destructive force on the Church in history, in many churches, he is made out to be a hero!
The United Kingdom was once a great nation that had wonderful revivals, as a result of such preachers as John Wesley. England was spared a revolution similar to the French Revolution, because the Christian world view predominated there. And yet, England today has hardly any vestige of Biblical Christianity at all. The churches are small, with no Christian radio or TV to speak of. The leading theologians insist that Christians must accept evolution.
At Cambridge University, Mr. Ham had the opportunity to speak to a very prestigious group of Christian students, most of them theistic evolutionists. A lot of time was spent answering questions relating to why we can trust the Bible. These students had been trained by their theological leaders not to believe Genesis, but the lecture challenged them.
Consider a few other exciting responses to this creation evangelism outreach. At Leeds, one girl came up after the meeting and said, "You sure made mincemeat out of my theories. I would like to become a Christian." At a church near Manchester, once the lecture was over, the young chemist who had organized the meeting got up in front of the hundred people present and repented of his sin for not believing God's Word. He asked for forgiveness, and challenged everyone present to do the same. He said he was ashamed for letting evolution stop him from believing the Bible.
Most of the meetings were packed to overflowing. At one town in Northern Ireland, a local church hired the town hall. The sponsors thought there would be plenty of room, but the people kept coming, and coming, and coming. They filled it to overflowing.
At one Presbyterian college, the lecturers were rather liberal and did not want a Christian message, but there is a growing movement among the students to return to believing the Bible, and they insisted Mr. Ham be allowed to lecture.
At Somerset, at the end of the meeting, one lady said she had been told that because she was educated, she should know better than to believe Genesis. She was so thrilled to be reassured that she could trust the Bible in its entirety. One young motor bike rider who had recently become a Christian said he didn't realize he had a problem until he heard the lecture. He said he would have had real problems with his faith if someone had challenged him regarding Genesis, before he heard the presentation.
At Capenwray, an evangelical Bible college of 200 students from 40 different countries, the response to the message was overwhelming. Many said they had never had Genesis explained that way before, and that now they could see its importance. Many pleaded that the message be taken to their own countries, as they said they had never heard this preached there, particularly on the European continent.
Mr. Ham reported that the hunger for the messages was so great he and the organizers began praying to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers to continue to take this message back to England and around the world. They recognized how blessed we are in America, with the creation ministries available here. You, our supporters, have enabled this witness to affect numerous lives, not only in our own country, but around the world, as well. There seem to be so few who are taking this message to the world. Please keep supporting those laborers who are answering this call.
On the opposite side of the globe from Great Britain, in a culture and religious setting likewise opposite to post-Christian Britain, lie the Philippine Islands. These islands have become a melting pot, of sorts, for a variety of ethnic groups and attendant religious perspectives. They have had a strong Catholic presence for several decades, but this has been mixed with various Asian philosophies. In recent times, Christian groups have sponsored a wide variety of missionary efforts, each meeting with some success, but not affecting the country to any great degree.
One such effort has been inaugurated by Grace Christian High School, an evangelical school for Philippine and Chinese students. Many of these young people come from non-Christian homes. During the month of November, this high school invited Dr. Richard Bliss, of ICR, to conduct conferences and hands-on workshops for educators in doing "Good Science under the attributes of God"—a totally new concept to all of them, which revolutionized their teaching.
While in Manila, he spoke to over 6000 students and adults, mostly on the subject, "A Biblical Basis for Modern Science"—startling new information to all, including the students from the sponsoring organization, Grace Christian High. After the first lecture, they sensed that the message of God's Kingship over the creation and over individual lives was touching hearts, and from then on each meeting was closed with an evangelistic thrust. Scores accepted the Creator as their Savior, and many others resubmitted their lives to His Lordship.
The message of creation was received with joy in both cultures bringing freedom from the chains of darkness in the Philippines, and unfettering souls from the skeptical attitudes of the once-Christian nation of Great Britain.
Creation books and videos are NOT readily available in either country. People are clamoring to get them, and pleaded with us to get these materials into the country. Again, it should make us realize how blessed we are here in America, and how important ICR is. It thrills us to realize that, at this point in history, ICR and organizations such as the Creation Science Foundation of Australia, along with many others, have been raised up by the Lord to take this most vital message to the world. We do need your prayers and support. The harvest certainly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray with us, as God's Word commands, that He, the Lord of the harvest, will send forth laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:37,38).
Cite this article: Ham, K. 1991. "And How Shall They Hear Without a Preacher" (Romans 10:14). Acts & Facts. 20 (1).
