One of our goals at AOI is to not only spread the gospel as we teach the creation message, but also to train and equip others to go and do the same. We want to encourage those who God is calling to teach creation, whether formally or informally, and when possible, help them connect with local Creation teaching ministries – or even start one of their own!
With that in mind, we would like to share this interview with California high school senior Caleb. Caleb is the founder of Foundations Creation Club (https://www.facebook.com/FoundationsCreationClub) and is an example of how young people (and older ones as well!) can impact their community for the Lord using the creation message. If you or someone you know is involved in some type of creation ministry, be it full-time or simply actively using it as a tool to share the gospel, we’d love to hear about it! Email us at: [email protected]
Maybe we’ll share an interview with you as well!
Aimee: Will you tell us a bit about yourself?
Caleb: I am in my senior year in high school and have been homeschooled since 6th grade. I have had the blessing of being a Boy Scout for the last 5 years, concluding with the achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout. I currently serve as a leader in our local Christian-homeschool Trail Life USA Troop (Trail Life is the Christian alternative to Boy Scouts). For the last 2 years, I have served as a leader in our church’s AWANA program. I have been interested in science since I was a young boy and dreamed of being a scientist, specifically a paleontologist or geologist. I still haven’t given up that dream, but I’ll tell you more about that later. 😉 I am currently working alongside some other creationists in our area in a ministry called Genesis Apologetics (www.genesisapologetics.com) to reach our community with this vital creation information.
Aimee: Why do you feel that belief in creation is important?
Caleb: In discussions with youth pastors, I have learned about the strategy being used to reach today’s youth is to “reach them where they’re at”. This is a good strategy, but I fear that most youth ministers and pastors don’t know where the young people in their congregation are “at”. On the 5 days of the school/work week, “churched” young people are being indoctrinated in a worldview that completely conflicts with what they are hearing on Sunday morning. “Bible stories” like Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and the Tower of Babel are treated as mere superstition while “science facts” like evolution and millions of years are trumpeted as being the only “rational” explanation for our origins. On the one day of the week that Christian leaders have the ability to speak the truth into the lives of their youth, it is important that they equip them with answers to the claims they are hearing during the rest of the week. If we are to see this generation accept the truth of Scripture, this an issue that has to be dealt with. After all, if you can’t trust the first 11 chapters of the Book, why should you trust the rest? This is where ministries like ours come into play.
Aimee: How long have you believed in creation over evolution? Was there some incident or discovery that you made that caused you to change your mind, or have you always believed it?
Caleb: For about 7 years. For the first 10 years of my life, all I heard was evolution and millions of years. I didn’t even know biblical creation was an option. I knew that the Bible taught a six-day creation, Adam and Eve, Noah’s Flood, and a young earth, but science books contradicted these things by saying that earth has been around for billions of years and that dinosaurs died out millions of years ago. My response was one of confusion and apathy towards the Scriptures. It wasn’t until our family considered homeschooling that we were introduced to the biblical view of origins by a friend. We were loaned a creation book and volume 1 of the Jonathan Park radio adventure series, which helped us to understand what the Bible had to say about dinosaurs and fossils. Later, we attended a conference with Ron Carlson from Christian Ministries International, where he spoke on evolution and the age of the earth. This really helped our family to see the Bible in a new and refreshing light. For me, the Bible became more than a book of morals and stories; it became true history.
Aimee: Why did you start this creation ministry? What are your goals in the ministry?
Caleb: The two verses that our ministry is built on (you could say that they are my “life verses”) are Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” and 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Genesis is the foundational book of the Bible, the history upon which every doctrine of Scripture directly or indirectly rests. But this history is being attacked by the onslaught of evolutionary teaching in public schools, museums, and in pop culture. What are we to do? We must stand on Scripture and be able to give an answer to these claims and challenges to God’s Word, while filtering everything through the lens of a biblical worldview. This is why our ministry exists: to equip believers with the tools and information to effectively defend their faith in God and His Word.
Aimee: There are many creation evangelism efforts popping up all over the country right now. What do you think is an effective (and possibly new) way of making an impact? Please explain how you think it can go from an idea to practical application. (We absolutely don’t want to steal your ideas and we don’t have to make this public if you are worried about others stealing your idea, but we want to help you achieve and accomplish your “big” ideas!)
Caleb: This is a great thing! I am extremely excited to hear about smaller ministries lead by local families and congregations. Ultimately, this is the way the battle over origins must be won. Ministries like Answers in Genesis and Institute for Creation Research are great at equipping the saints, but it’s ultimately up to local ministries to make sure that these resources are getting into the hands of believers across the nation. There are many ways of doing this. One way is to ask ministries like the ones I just mentioned to come and give presentations at local churches. Sometimes there is a cost for hosting ministries like these, but if you can get people on your side who are willing to donate or help out, it is worth it. Another way is to give out free materials, like ICR’s Acts & Facts newsletter (though, I admit, it is a bit hefty for those not familiar with creation science) or Genesis Apologetics’ Fast Facts sheets (http://genesisapologetics.com/creation-vs-evolution-fast-facts/). Another way is to hold regular meetings, where you have a speaker from your area speak, or you can show a video if there are no speakers in your area. Try hard to get pastors and youth leaders in your area on board.
Aimee: What do you plan to do after graduating high school? Do you plan to continue in formal creation ministry?
Caleb: Absolutely! I am planning to go to college to earn an undergraduate degree in geology (Lord willing!), then pursue a graduate degree in the same (or a similar) field. Ultimately, I would like to work for one of the major creation research institutes or ministries, like AiG or ICR, as a speaker, writer, and research scientist.
Aimee: What advice do you have for other young people who want to do active ministry, whether it be creation focused or otherwise?
Caleb: Ministry has to be preceded by a close, personal relationship with Jesus. Part of this means getting into His Word (remember that Jesus’ words aren’t just the red letters!). This can be challenging sometimes, as it must be something that you faithfully commit yourself to. This will fuel you and equip you for the battle you will be getting into. When you focus on reading and meditating on the Scriptures, you will grow. Another thing to remember (this is something I have to constantly remind myself of) is that God doesn’t need you. This is clearly seen in the book of Esther, where Mordecai explains to Esther that even if she didn’t take a stand for her people, He could just as easily raise up someone else to do the job. But God wants you. This is a humbling thought that should lead you praise God for His amazing grace and providence.
By Aimee Mariani
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