Secular thinking (evolutionism and moral relativism) creates many challenges for youth ministry. Are the youth in your church being taught how to answer the following 11 challenges?

1. How can the first chapter of Genesis be true if evolution is a fact?
2. How can we call God good when He allows so much suffering?
3. How can we claim the Bible is true when other religions make the same claim about their religion book?
4. How do you fit dinosaurs into the Bible?
5. How can a church be relevant if they preach about sin, hell, and creation?
6. Scientists have proven the Bible is wrong.
7. There is no proof God exists.
8. God could have used evolution.
9. Truth is relative.
10. Creation is not a salvation issue and it is not a primary doctrine.
11. If the first three chapters of Genesis are not important or not real history, how can we explain why Jesus had to go to the cross?

Not having solid biblical answers to these challenges is a cause why many youth lack trust in the Bible.

If you would like training in these areas contact Creation Training Initiative (CTI).

1. He is the Creator
2. He is sovereign over His creation
3. He gives us the specific order of His creation
4. He gives us how long creation took (6 literal days)
5. He tells us how He created (He spoke everything into existence)

With this information we can rule out all secular ideas about origins (evolution, theistic evolution, billions of years).

Some “Christians” claim the Bible does not say how God created, therefore, He could have used the big bang. This claim is an attack on the character of God and His Word. The Bible clearly states how God created. Multiple times Scripture teaches that God spoke everything into existence by His great power (Word).

Genesis 1:   “And God said”

Psalm 33:6,9: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Heb 11:3:   By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

It is sad that some Christians worship their understanding of science over God’s Word.

What is driving the controversy about biblical creation? It is not just non-believers who promote evolutionism. It is also those in the church who refuse to believe the plain reading of God’s Word in Genesis. If Genesis 1 does not mean what it states, then when does the Bible mean what it states and how can we know for sure?

As Christians we are looking upon a new year. Any New Year’s resolutions we have should be made with the following Bible verse in mind: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9).” Those steps are directed by His Word, which is a “lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” However, The Word cannot fully direct our path if Christians skip over the foundational first 11 chapters of the Bible! We need to continue to teach others why a correct understanding of Genesis is so important!
If you want to learn the basics of how to help others understand the importance of our foundation in Genesis, consider registering for our 5-day Creation Apologetics Teacher’s Course in June 2020!
-Dr. Anthony R. Silvestro, Jr.

Jesus; Do you Really Know Him?

We cannot win the battle by using our own wisdom because the battle is a spiritual battle (2 Cor 10:3-4). Our best weapon against the teaching of evolution, all false doctrines and false religions is the Word of God and not our knowledge of science or philosophy. Scripture must be our standard. It is a matter of Gospel clarity and evolution and all the ideas using the chief cornerstone of evolution (billions of years) directly attack the clarity of the Gospel by putting death before sin.

Evangelism is more than merely convincing people of their need for a Savior – Jesus Christ. Evangelism is about making disciples (Mat 28:19-20). It is about helping people turn away from the kingdom of man and into the kingdom of God. Therefore, in evangelism we must be equipped and prepared to confront ideas that stand opposed to the Christian worldview. All believers are called to engage in apologetics. Voddie Baucham, in his book Expository Apologetics states, “Apologetics is necessary today because of issues such as biblical illiteracy, postmodern/post-Christian thinking, open opposition to biblical truth, and the growing presence of opposing religions.”
Voddie Bachaum, Expository Apologetics, 2015, p.24.

The church’s uncertainty about biblical doctrines (especially creation) and its reluctance to act and train its people is a major cause of why America has abandoned a biblical worldview. Despite this growing hostility towards the Bible, we are not without hope. We have the people; we have God’s Word, and we have a plan. Now is the time to implement the plan.

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Did you know that 25 of the 27 books of the New Testament give warnings about false teachers? Did you know there are 3 verses that teach we should know and practice apologetics (1 Pet 3:15, 2 Cor 10:4-5, Jude 3)? Church leaders are also required to practice apologetics (Titus 1:9). Did you know that Jesus and Paul used apologetics? So, why don’t churches teach apologetics? Did you know there are 3 verses that directly state God created everything in 6 days (Gen 1, Ex 20:11, 31:17)? There are no verses that teach millions of years. So, why don’t many churches teach 6 days? Did you know there are two verses where Jesus stated man and woman were created from the beginning of creation and not after millions of years (Mat 19:14, Mar 10:6). So, why don’t churches teach biblical creation and instead of millions of years? Finally, the Bible states all Scripture is good for teaching!

In the case of Scripture, especially the creation account in Genesis, God has revealed himself and has inspired the Scripture writers to accurately record what He has revealed. This means any interpretation must be based on drawing the true meaning out of the text (exegesis) and not what we want it to mean. Therefore, when applying the principles of hermeneutics, the rules of interpretation, the text is independent of the reader and is unaffected by changing circumstances, opinions, or any new revealed scientific knowledge. It now becomes clear that once we avoid inserting our personal opinions and human wisdom, God created everything in six literal days.

Over 80% of Christian youth attend public schools where they spend 30 hours each week being indoctrinated with a non-Christian Worldview. To combat this, churches have developed youth programs on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. However, in most of these youth programs students get two hours of entertainment, social time and a brief sermon that rarely address the challenges posed by evolution and moral relativism. This attempt by the churches to help youth have confidence in the Bible falls desperately short of addressing the immersive training receive in the public schools and media.

Today many churches are avoiding controversial topics such as creation, hell, biblical marriage, and the sanctity of human life. It is called soft teaching. Too many are letting the culture influence the church rather than the church influencing the culture. When the church stops teaching parts of the Bible the world will supply the answers.

Christian education should consist of three components: (1) Knowledge, (2) Application, and (3) Continued Growth. However, most Christian education stops at the knowledge level. The Bible was not written just for the knowledge of its content. Christian education should equip students with the ability to defend their faith and continue to grow and mature in God’s Word. Creation Training Initiative offers a course called “Communication and Teaching Skills” which includes topics on:
-Communication skills
-The three components of Christian education
-Teaching methods and strategies
-Educating for success
-Making Sunday school effective

For a Detailed Outline Click Here

Contact CTI to host a 1-day version or a 3-day version of this course at your church or school. (certified through ACSI for CEU’s).

Is a belief in a literal 6-day creation very important? God thought it was. He wrote it down on the stone tablets in the 10 Commandments:

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, …

A belief in millions of years means Commandment number 4 does not mean what it literally states. If this Commandment does not mean what God intended, then why trust the other 9 Commandments.

Learn more at: CreationTraining.org

The Hebrew word for day (yom) does not always mean a literal day. It can mean a season (Gen 4:3), some future time (Isa 30:8), years (1 Kings 1:1), age (Gen 18:11). So how do we know how to interpret yom? The answer is context! In Genesis 1 the context clearly means a literal day. As Christians we need to stop taking God’s Word out of context and believe Scripture as our authority.

Don’t be tossed to and fro by false doctrines and the trickery of men. -Eph 4:14.

Learn more at : CreationTraining.org

1. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
2. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, … (Eph 2:8)
3. … and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:4)
4. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, … (Ex 20:11)

Question: Which one of the above biblical facts do some Christian leaders not believe?

Throughout history people have mocked and distorted God’s Word. People have added to His Word, deleted text, and even banned the Bible. The track record is all those people are dead, and God’s Word remains unchanged.

Today people are still trying to change His Word. They are distorting the foundation of the gospel by adding millions of years into Scripture, changing the core of the gospel by adding works into Salvation, and even calling it hate speech. All these people will also pass away and God’s Word will remain unchanged.

A bridge is supported by a sturdy foundation. A house is supported by a sturdy foundation. Likewise, the first three chapters of Genesis lay the foundation for the rest of the Bible, including the Gospel. So why is it so many church leaders and Christian university professors do not trust the Bible’s foundation?

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?

(Psalm 11:3)

How should a teacher measure their success as a teacher? While there are many factors, the most important is by what the students can do with the information they heard. The Bible says we are to be doers of the Word and not just hearers (James 1:22-25). Therefore, if the students cannot do anything with the information have we really taught? It is time to make Sunday school life-changing not just taking up time.

Today Christianity is under great pressure (attack) to conform to the world. The church is out-numbered, surrounded and out-financed. There is also much compromise and false teaching within the church. This is not a time to have a, “woe is me” attitude. This is a time of great opportunity. Being surrounded gives Christians the advantage of being able to advance in any direction with the Good News of the Gospel.

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching.

2 Timothy 4:2

The church is a creation of God, founded and owned by Jesus Christ and directed and energized by the Holy Spirit. Just before Jesus returned to heaven, He commissioned His disciples with an assignment – the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Therefore, it is the church’s mission to carry out this order. It should be and must be the mission of every Bible believing church.

“When Moses writes that God created Heaven and Earth and whatever is in them in six days, then let this period continue to have been six days, and do not venture to devise any comment according to which six days were one day. But, if you cannot understand how this could have been done in six days, then grant the Holy Spirit the honor of being more learned than you are.”

• Martin Luther, A Practical In-Home Anthology for the Active Christian, compiled by Ewald M. Plass, Concordia, 1959, p. 93.