A long-time Institute for Creation Research supporter recently lamented the decline of solid Christian organizations once their founders passed away. We were discussing Christian colleges, and it was rather disheartening to consider how many good schools—initially established on biblical principles with an unbending commitment to the inerrant Word of God—had slowly succumbed to secular pressures and surrendered to evolutionary worldviews. “But they started out as seminaries!” the donor exclaimed. “How could they stray so far from their biblical roots?” That’s a very good question. Perhaps a personal story will shed some light on the issue.
When I moved my family to Dallas to join ICR in 2007, I was surprised to learn about the poor soil conditions here that often cause severe foundation problems. Coming from California, I thought I had left shifting earth behind me. But the high clay content in north Texas soil acts like a sponge, expanding and contracting as moisture levels change, and these upheavals can wreak havoc on concrete foundations. When I asked the builder what could be done to prevent such problems, I was told to water my foundation. “Water…my what?” I asked incredulously. “If you don’t guard against large swings in moisture,” the builder solemnly intoned, “your foundation will crack and the house will fail.” Suffice it to say, with hose in hand, I have faithfully guarded my foundation ever since.
These two seemingly disconnected events reveal great biblical truths that must be present to keep any Christian organization on track. As the psalmist declared, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). God must be involved in both the building and the guarding. While a solid foundation is the most important element of any building (or ministry), it must be guarded to keep the enemies at bay. Otherwise, failure or a sad surrender is inevitable.
ICR’s founder and my grandfather, Dr. Henry Morris, passed on to glory nine years ago this month. He left a marvelous legacy built on a foundation of prayer and marked by an extraordinarily fruitful life of service to the Lord in the defense of His Word. But now that our founder is no longer with us, is ICR doomed to follow the same fate as other good Christian ministries, colleges, and seminaries before it? That question can only be answered by considering the work of ICR’s ministry in the years since. As Christ counseled His disciples, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20).
And by God’s direct blessing, there is plenty of visible fruit. The ICR science staff continues to uncover remarkable evidence of the Bible’s accuracy and remains the fountainhead for most creation science research in the world today. Online education programs offered through ICR’s School of Biblical Apologetics have equipped thousands of Christian leaders and laymen to effectively influence their world with the truth of Scripture. ICR’s suite of websites, the first of their kind dedicated to biblical scientific creationism, hosts millions of visitors annually, while our That’s a Fact series of online creation video programs has been viewed nearly eight million times by people from 150 countries over the last two years. Every page of our monthly Acts & Facts magazine and quarterly Days of Praise devotional, offered free of charge to hundreds of thousands of people, contains information committed to biblical authority, while dozens of significant new books and DVD resources, like the groundbreaking Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis DVD series, have been produced that glorify the Creator.
ICR still follows the distinctive tenets established by my grandfather and built on the perfect Word of God. God has guarded our mission in the years that followed him and has guided our leadership as we remain true to His Word. I am certain our founder would be well pleased with the ICR ministry that exists today—but it is God’s pleasure we seek most of all. How about you?
* Mr. Morris is Director of Donor Relations at the Institute for Creation Research.