Surviving "Education" with your Faith Intact
by Dave & Mary Jo Nutting

We recently had the opportunity to speak at 3 secular universities in Minnesota. Our talks were sponsored by a group that takes a bold, yet loving stance, confidently standing for the truth of God’s Word. This ministry is graciously serving students and presenting a dynamic Biblical alternative to the prevailing secular worldviews
.
How encouraging it was for us to work with a group which sees the importance of foundational Biblical truths in actively discipling Christian students while at the same time reaching out to others. We long to see ministries like this on every campus. Unfortunately, many students do not have access to this kind of discipling and support.

Horror stories continue to come in from students or their parents. Christian students today are often ridiculed or discriminated against because of their faith. They are taught to be “tolerant” of other views, but their own views are anything but tolerated. It seems anything goes but Biblical Christianity in today’s classrooms. Marxist, Humanist, New Age, Buddhist, and even Islamic worldviews are often advocated by professors, but Christian professors are reprimanded, censored, or dismissed if they make their beliefs known.

In virtually all subjects, ungodly philosophies are either actively promoted or accepted as the underlying foundations and assumptions of course-work. Students continue to be taught the “theory” of evolution as fact, even though it is really just a failed hypothesis [see the Sep./Oct. 2005 T&B]. Alternative views are rarely included unless students bring them up, and then they are frequently told that they can’t discuss “religion” in the science class. Of course, this is just a popular “smokescreen,” obscuring the real issues.

All of this would be bad enough if it was just in “secular” universities; however, that is not the case. The majority of church-related, “Christian” colleges and universities, have also bought into these same unbiblical philosophies. Oh, yes, they include the Bible someplace in their curriculum, and many even attempt to be truly missions-minded, but the Biblical worldview is rarely embraced and consistently taught in all course-work. Sadly, even when an attempt is made to “reconcile” the Bible with science (or some other subject), it is usually the Biblical teaching which is compromised.

So what’s a student to do? For some students, the option is to go to a college or university that holds to a truly consistent, Biblical worldview in all subjects. (These institutions are few and far between.) The other option is to become educated in the issues at stake, and determine to be “salt and light” in a dark world. Many good resources are now available to help
students prepare, but it does take time and effort. Parents, pastors, and other mentors of young people need to realize the stakes and do all they can to help.

AOI provides excellent resources and training to help students navigate safely on issues relating to creation and evolution. There are also many good resources relating to Biblical apologetics (a reasoned defense for the faith) and training in a consistently Biblical worldview.

Whatever you do, don’t go to college unprepared! Get the resources. Study them. Talk with others who can help. Find a group of committed Christian students to support one another in fellowship, prayer, worship, and witness. Get your church back home to pray for you and hold you accountable. And most importantly, develop a dynamic, growing walk with the Lord. There is absolutely no substitute for a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe, made possible by the faithfulness of Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If you truly are walking with Him, actively and obediently following Him, you can not only survive, but overcome wherever you are in life, even on the university campus.

Parents! Students! You Must Read This Book!
by Mary Jo Nutting

This book is essential battle gear! Fish Out of Water, Surviving and Thriving as a Christian on a Secular Campus should be in every student’s arsenal before they ever set foot on campus.

College student, Abby Nye, gives an up-to-date, “inside-look” at what goes on at the typical college campus. Abby does a great job of exposing the struggles of being a victorious Christian in, and out, of the classroom. She tackles topics like: “Welcome Week,” “Behind Closed Doors” (of the classroom), “Responding to Tolerance,” “The Fear Factor,” “The Party Scene,” and “Picking your Battles.” The book gives a clear picture of the way things are, while also giving students practical suggestions on how to “Survive and Thrive.”

Though understanding the importance of having a good background in worldviews and the issues, Abby takes it a step further by helping students deal with the issues of fear, isolation, hostility, ridicule, and labeling (“intolerant,” “judgmental,” etc.).

Abby’s background and preparation are pretty impressive (and, as I found from reading her book, she is highly intelligent and capable). Most Christian students are not as well prepared as Abby. If a student like Abby finds it hard to “survive,” what happens to others?

Abby focuses on secular universities, but from our experience, the problems can be just as bad on “Christian” college and university campuses. [See the testimony below.]

Get this book! Better yet, get a bunch. Parents, make sure your students don’t go back after Christmas break without this book in their hands. Read it yourself and give it to every parent, youth pastor, Christian teacher, or student (high school or college) you know. You can make a difference. You can help students, not only to “survive,” but to “thrive” in higher education.

Fish Out of Water is available from AOI for $13.00. Free S/H until Dec 31, 2005.

Testimony of a Discouraged Dad
by Mary Jo Nutting

At a recent seminar, a discouraged dad shared an all-too-familiar story: My son was a Christian growing up. He believed the Bible, was active in youth group...then he went to college. $100,000 later he graduated from college as a person who believes in evolution, thinks the Bible is just the opinions of men, and doesn’t want to have anything to do with Christianity or the church. Help!

You might expect that this young man had gone to a very liberal, secular university but when I asked, this dad named a “Christian” college in Minnesota. As he did, I felt the anger (hopefully, righteous anger!) rise up in me. This was the same “Christian” school that had undermined my faith “eons” ago in my freshman year. Apparently, they are still teaching the same old stuff – though I suppose they have now added “tolerance” to their agenda.

So parents, do not assume that just because your son or daughter is going to a “Christian” college, everything is fine. They might need to be even more prepared since they might falsely be expecting a truely godly education. Don’t let your child become a victim.

Teach your kids, grand kids, nieces, nephews, neighbor kids, and any others you can get to listen. Prepare them with good sound knowledge and resources to help them develop a strong, consistent, Biblical Christian worldview. Help them know what they believe and why. But don’t stop there. Teach them to be true “disciples” of the Lord Jesus Christ, loving Him with their whole heart, soul, and mind. Prepare them for the battles ahead, and teach them to stand alone, wholly trusting in the Lord to empower and protect them. Help them stand. Prepare them well!

Macroevolution vs. Microevolution
by Dr. David Demmick, M/.D., (Guest Writer)



Evolutionists blur the important distinction between micro and macroevolution. They work hard to make it seem like the two types of evolution are a continuous process, when really they are not. It is important for creationists to clearly
understand and communicate this distinction. The key lies in understanding these processes at the molecular genetic (genotypic) level, as well as at the higher (phenotypic) level of tissues and organs. When we do, we can see clearly why microevolution happens all the time, whereas the kind of macroevolution theorized by Darwin never happened and never could. (In fact, some creationists are recommending that we try to get away from using terms like micro and macroevolution, and use terms like “variation” versus “evolution.”)

Microevolution is the occurrence of small inherited changes in a population. The classic example is Darwin’s finches, which show variations in size and shape over successive generations depending on the nature of their food supply. Many other similar examples could be readily cited, like the breeding of dogs or types of wheat. In Darwin’s day, the true nature of genes and heredity wasn’t known, so it was easy for him to suppose that little inherited changes could add up to big ones (like reptile to bird). However, the discovery of genes and how they work has shown that this is not so. Genes can impart great variety by combining in different ways, but genetic change cannot be pushed beyond a certain point. From generic dogs, we can breed big dogs or little ones, but we can’t turn a dog into an alligator. The important thing to remember about microevolution is that it always involves recombination or loss of existing genes. It never creates totally new genes from scratch. Microevolution makes variations within already existing kinds of creatures, not wholly new kinds. Creationists have no problem with microevolution.

Macroevolution, on the other hand, would require really big structural (phenotypic) changes in organisms. Genetically, it would require the creation of massive new arrays of information-packed genes from nothing but molecular gibberish. For example, the alleged evolution of the first cell calls for emergence of at least 300 highly complex, working genes from nothing but random, simple chemicals like methane and ammonia. Not even a small sequence of genetic code has ever been produced in this way, let alone 300 complex, interwoven genes working precisely together. Similarly, the theorized transistions from microbes to invertebrates, fish, reptiles, etc. call for added vast amounts of totally new genetic information at each stage. No process of genetic creation like this has ever been observed. Natural selection is powerless to create completely new genes from random chemicals.

To illustrate this idea, use a deck of playing cards to represent the gene pool of a created kind. The individual cards represent the genes. A standard 52-card deck of four suits can be shuffled and dealt into different subsets (hands) of great
variety, just as genes are shuffled and recombined to create variations within kinds.

To show how microevolution works, deal out 5-10 cards to each “player” and have them select cards in their hands according to number, color, or suit. Then, unwanted cards can be returned to the remaining deck, reshuffled, and redealt. When the process is repeated a few times, the desired cards in the hand are concentrated. This is similar to the gene selection by which different variations within a kind are produced (like the Galapagos finches, or dog breeds).

The point is that any process of card selection cannot explain the origin of the deck (or creature) itself. Plus, it’s important to note that card selection causes other unselected cards to be lost from a hand. In the genetic world every species has a limited number of genes and chromosomes. When natural selection occurs, this means loss of information not gain.

So, let’s keep on calling attention to the vital difference between the two types of evolution — macro and micro. One postulates big changes; the other deals only in small changes. One has never been observed; the other has been observed many times. One requires creation of new genetic information; the other is only a recombination or loss of already existing genetic information. Most importantly, one denies the Creator, while the other shows the infinite creative genius behind the wonderful variety that we see in life.