Ministry Update August 2025
Greetings!
Great open doors! Old Faithful Christian Ranch (OFCR) in Idaho invited AOI to teach creation for all their 2025 kid’s camps. Hundreds of kids responded well to the Creation and Gospel teaching. Right after AOI’s first Yellowstone tour (based at the same camp), Mary Jo and I began The OFCR summer camps.
OFCR Week 1: Staff Training with 30 high energy staffers (some pictured above. We gave a Creation base so they could help guide their campers the next 4 weeks. We also led one l—o—n—g bus tour throughout Yellowstone from 7 AM to 10 PM.
OFCR Week 2: 120 High Schoolers! Mary Jo and I taught eight 45-minute Creation sessions to very responsive high schoolers! After each morning session, 1/3 of them + their cabin leaders hopped on the bus to Yellowstone for a 6 hour “mini-tour” with teaching 😊 in route. They asked great questions! Back at the Ranch, after dinner, we taught another PowerPoint creation session.
- Tired? No! We were actually energized! (The tired phase hit us later! 😊) We thoroughly enjoyed connecting with those kids. They were eager for the Truth! Many told us that the teaching really encouraged their faith.
- Two highschoolers were so unruly that the camp was going to send them home. Turns out they thought evolution was a fact and were struggling with the brain-surgery, but God and the truth of Creation penetrated. One rededicated his life to Christ. The other came to Christ!
- One teen asked, “If I get in trouble for teaching Creation, would you be my lawyer?” (Ha! I’m not a lawyer!)
OFCR Week 3: Adam’s Turn: 100+ 8th and 9th graders. Adam’s schedule was much the same as ours. He not only survived the intense schedule but loved ministering to the kids. Several came to faith in Jesus, others rededicated their lives to Jesus, and a huge number reported on their evaluations that they grew in their faith.
OFCR Weeks 5 and 6: Brian’s turn: 160 kids grades 6–7 and 4–5 (no bus tour).
“I was so blessed to have the opportunity to speak to 160 campers . . . thoroughly enjoyed walking them through the many evidences for God and the Bible from geology, biology, astronomy and specifically digging into God’s word to see that it is True and Trustworthy! It was so filling/inspiring to me to teach and interact with all those young people and we saw many of them react to the gospel invitations throughout the week! Lives were changed!! Eternal destinies even!!”
Other Camps and VBS’s
AOI staff and recent trainees also led camps and VBS’s (hundreds of kids) and saw eternal fruit in Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Our newest trainees (Branden and Tiffany – Montana AOI children’s ministry) report that they taught a VBS and kid’s camp with the Johnsons, finished AOI’s Boot Camp, and that God is being glorified! Their trainers, Lanny and Marilyn, are really happy to see their progress!
Josiah and Stephanie (Indiana AOI) taught kids and teens in Pennsylvania at Camp Joy El who were the chapel speakers for the week. Their highlights:
- The very tired summer staff at camp told them that their creation programs were very interesting, and that the kids listened very well compared to the previous chapel messages. They were very attentive and engaged. A pastor who heard these presentations even invited them to come speak at his church!
- After a 1-minute presentation to parents of what they taught their kids, the kids gave testimonies. An 8-year-old recounted 5 things learned from Stephanie’s presentation of how evolution is not true and why. (Potential Trainee!)
Scott had an opportunity to teach for a VBS in Wisconsin. He survived and thrived teaching this group of 100 kids about Dinosaurs, the Flood and Ark. I am sure the kids were impacted. Scott sure was. He has a framed picture on his desk of kids at the VBS!
Richard Stepanek reported that 130 teens in West Virgina responded nicely to the Creation teaching. Rich: They were glad for meat – not milk!
What about you? The need is great. We are praying for people AOI can train (in person or online) to lead camps, VBS’s, Sunday schools, etc. There is a huge opportunity for you to have an impact! Adults have told us that AOI’s creation teaching they heard as a kid is what got them through college with their faith intact. See More
Our next online Creation training class will start via Zoom on Tuesday, Sept 9, 2025 at 6PM Mountain time. Interested in this Free class?(We will catch you up if you missed classes.) Please email: DaveNutting@DiscoverCreation.org
God bless and thanks to those who help support AOI’s ministry! (www.DiscoverCreation.org/Donate)
Dave and Mary Jo Nutting:
