Excerpts From: Steve Mraz, “Stars and Stripes” Published: June 6, 2009.
“D-Day plus-65 years: D-Day veteran recounts bloody battle at Omaha Beach”
Harold was a 19-year-old private when he landed on Omaha Beach in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944 – D-Day. He was a soldier in the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Division. The average age was 24.
As the landing craft approached the beach that day the craft to his left hit a mine and exploded, showering his boat with wood, metal and body parts.
When they reached the beach, the ramp fell and German machine guns mowed down several of men in his boat, including the soldier in front of him. As he dove for the exit, a bullet glanced off his helmet and he found himself neck-deep in bloody water, holding his rifle above his head.
Once on the beach, private Baumgarten saw things that no 19-year-old should ever see: body parts on the beach, soldiers carrying flamethrowers instantly cremated when bullets impacted their fuel tanks.
He then felt his M-1 rifle vibrate. His weapon had stopped a bullet from killing him. The soldier behind him to the left was then shot and killed.
He dove for the sand behind the last row of heavy-vehicle obstacles. To his right, another 19-year-old private was shot in the chest and tripped over the obstacle. Before going silent, the other private yelled, “I’m hit. Mom. Mother.”
To his left, a sergeant staggered around with a gaping hole on the left side of his forehead. The sergeant knelt down and began praying. Baumgarten yelled for the sergeant to get down. The constant noise of combat rendered his warning useless. Bullets cut the sergeant in half.
From the blood spilled that day, the beach looked as if it was painted with a bright red brush. Baumgarten’s unit had 85 percent causalities within 15 minutes of landing. He suffered three wounds on D-Day and was wounded twice more the following day. Of the 30 men on his landing craft on D-Day, 28 did not survive the invasion
By midnight, every gun on the beach at Dog Green sector on Omaha beach was silent, and every German was captured, killed or on the run.
Battle 2: The Church – Spiritual Warfare
Now it is 2017 and there is a massive assault on Christianity. The church in America is under great pressure to conform to the world in the areas of evolution, marriage, morality, the sanctity of human life, and even the content and application of the gospel.
In response, the Christian landing craft are about to reach the beach to wage war against an overwhelming and well-prepared army. As the landing craft reach the beach the doors open, but there is no one in the craft to do battle. Something is dreadfully wrong. Where are the soldiers?
Many churches have become complacent, too comfortable, and are blending in with the doctrines of the world. They have lost their resolve to battle for the truth of God’s Word. As a result, nearly 70% of all youth raised in the church leave the faith before finishing college. Instead of receiving the truth from the Word of God, Christian churches and schools too frequently offer compromised or blatantly unbiblical teachings on these subjects. Seminaries and Bible colleges are not training youth pastors to answer these questions in a direct, biblical way, but are instead encouraging them to avoid the controversial topics their students face.
As a result, the vast majority of Christian youth cannot:
Defend the sanctity of human life.
Defend biblical marriage between one man and one woman.
Defend the straight forward creation account of Genesis 1-11.
Articulate and defend the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The core cause of these weaknesses is a failure in Christian education (within local churches, Bible colleges, and seminaries), a failure that must be overcome in order for the Christian church to regain its footing in this culture and get in the landing craft ready and equipped to carry out the Great Commission.
What will it take to get the church into the landing craft ready to do battle?
What is needed is leaders with the courage and commitment to God’s Word who are unashamed to teach all of the Bible without compromise. CTI is offering a solution to meet this need. The model for winning battles is found in the Bible. Jesus equipped 12 men and sent them to train many others. Paul equipped Timothy, Titus and Epaphras and sent them to train others. The model is found in 2 Timothy 2:2.
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
CTI already offers three 1-day courses and one 5-day course to equip others to teach and defend their faith. We are also investigating the possibility of designing an entire curriculum that will train others on implementing a biblical worldview and apologetics. To date we have trained over 1,500 students Many of our graduates are already teaching in their churches, communities and around the country.
To develop a new curriculum and maintain our current courses requires a significant investment on the part of the church. We want to give concerned believers an opportunity to help fund the equipping of an “army” of Christian educators (pastors, youth pastors, Christian educators, and parents) to train the next generation to stand firm on God’s Word.
It is our prayerful desire that dedicated believers like you would see this need, and be willing to invest money into the reality of preparing youth to be the next generation of Christian leaders who are not afraid to get into the landing craft equipped to do battle.
Epilogue
The effects of physical war can last for a moment or for several generations. The effects of spiritual war will last for an eternity.
Basic Creation Training Course Teens and above (1-day)
Great course for equipping teens to defend against the teaching of evolution. Also prepares students to better understand and present the Gospel.
Advanced Creation Apologetics Course High school and above (1-day)
Learn how to answer some of the toughest challenges to Christianity.
-Learn evidences for the existence of God
-If God is good why does He allow bad things to happen?
Christian Educators Conference
College age and above (1-day)
This course is designed for anyone wanting to teach about creation and biblical apologetics. It takes the student through 10 different topics and what is needed
Creation Apologetics Teachers College
College age and above
This 5-day course is offered only once a year. The purpose is to equip Christians with the knowledge and skills to effectively speak and teach about biblical creation and apologetics. The course also includes workshops that allow you to practice the concepts presented.
Battle 1: Harold Baumgarten 
Battle 1: Harold Baumgarten 
Basic Creation Training Course
Christian Educators Conference
Creation Apologetics Teachers College
