Already Gone

I have started reading Ken Ham's book (Ken Ham is the founder of Answers in Genesis) called Already Gone. I am probably only about half way finished with it but so far this book has some very sobering statistics and realizations for failures in the church.

Why do so many who are raised in the church leave as an adult? Ken Ham makes a compelling argument that goes back to the origin of man ---- how do you view the creation account in Genesis? How can your children defend what they are taught about the Bible versus science classes in school? How old is the earth? What about evolution?

I have heard Kay Arthur speak similar things - our foundation of our faith begins in Genesis. If we are unsure of God's hand in creation, our faith will fall. If we cannot accept the account of Genesis as anything but true, how can we accept anything else in the Bible?

I teach a "discipleship" class at my church and we are working through Precept's Discover 4 Yourselves book on God's Amazing Creation. What I found interesting is that these children who are in the class are there because mom & dad volunteer on Sunday mornings. It is only open to kid's whose parents serve. So these are kids who are in church regularly and who have parents who actively participate in the life of our church. Yet most of them thought the world was millions of years old. They had no idea what to do with Dinosaurs. They believed a giant meteor hit the earth millions of years ago and killed off the dinosaurs. They aren't sure about evolution.

One thing is clear....kids are leaving the church in droves. Ken Ham again points out that we are loosing them in elementary school - 5th grade or so - when young sponge like minds begin to analyze all they have soaked up and realize modern science teachings and the Bible don't match up. Science is proven, right? It is tested and proven. The Bible is faith, we have to believe that it is true and when it doesn't match science, then what?

Ken Ham makes an excellent point --- not only is the church failing by teaching "Bible story's," but parents are failing their children as well by not teaching at home. This doesn't have to be a homeschool thing...it is a God thing. As parents, we are command to train and instruct our children. Bible apologetics cannot be entrusted to the church alone, because the church is failing in that. Let me ask you this, does your church have a children apologetics class? Science class? Geology class? Most likely the answer is no. Children's Church and Sunday School are notorious for cute bible stories with some practical application.

I have to begin w/ me. I have to be willing to be humble before God and seek Him daily so that I can then go on to train my children in his ways.

Yes, God created the earth in 7 literal days. Yes, that means Dinosaurs where with man and on the ark.

More to come on the book. I am humbled by the statistics and praying for God to use me to be a true teacher of his word.