Tomorrow, two unique publications arrive in our warehouse—resources that, if many people read and act upon them, could change the face of the church in many ways.
1. Already Gone—This book calls for a “revolution” in the church—featuring statistically valid research that will challenge and shock the church.
Here is a copy of our press release concerning this unique publication:
NEW BOOK MAPS OUT PATH FOR LOST GENERATION TO FIND CHURCH: ‘Already Gone’ Delves into Reasons for Young People’s Exodus.
Ken Ham and renowned researcher Britt Beemer take a penetrating look at the mass exodus of young people from church in their book released this week, “Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It.” Surveys have consistently shown that more than 60 percent of children who grow up in church will leave it as they become young adults. Ham, president of Answers in Genesis and the acclaimed new Creation Museum, and Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, issue a clarion call to Christian leaders everywhere:
“It’s time to wake up and see the tidal wave washing away the foundation of your church. The numbers are in–and they don’t look good. From across Christendom the reports are the same: A mass exodus is underway. Most youth of today will not be coming to church tomorrow.” ARG surveyed a group of 1,000 young adults who have left churches. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the disillusionment begins early.
“We are losing many more people by middle school and many more by high school than we will ever lose in college,” the book says. The authors found that the “twentysomethings” who have left church could be divided into two groups–one that never attends and has no plans to return, and another that attends holiday services and plans to attend regularly after they have children.
About 40 percent of the first group has fundamental questions about the truth of the book of Genesis. Fifty-six percent said that secular science had caused them to doubt the Bible. In general, this group is skeptical of biblical authority. On the other hand, most of the second group still believes in Jesus Christ. More than three-fourths of them believe that they are saved, but they are troubled by hypocrisy, legalism and self-righteousness in organized Christianity. “The Bible is relevant to them, but the Church is not,” the book says.
One of the surprising results of the survey was the apparent ineffectiveness of Sunday school. Sunday school lessons usually tell children what to believe, but not why. The lessons tend to focus more on stories of inspiration and morality than on providing a factual basis for today’s children to defend God’s Word and live by it in a fallen world. “The brutal conclusion is that, on the whole, the Sunday school programs of today are statistical failures,” the authors’ survey finds.
The decay begins, Ham and Beemer believe, with a lack of faith in the creation story of Genesis. Children tend to separate the “stories” of the Bible from the “hard facts” taught in school about evolution and the age of the Earth. They look to their textbooks for answers, not the Bible.
“Ultimately, if we are unable to defend Genesis, we have allowed the enemy to attack our Christian faith and undermine the very first book of the Bible,” the book says. The authors look at today’s churches and find that they are driven more by man-made traditions than biblical mandates. These churches focus on things like programs, entertainment, and music when research shows that people want good Bible teaching.
In the end, Ham and Beemer call for a “new Reformation in the Church,” led by parents, Christian educators, youth pastors, and pastors, “to call the Church back to the authority of God, beginning in Genesis.”Also this week, the Creation Museum, Ken Ham’s brainchild, celebrates a milestone—its second anniversary. This high-tech center near Cincinnati has drawn 717,000 visitors and the world’s leading media.
We are so convinced of the importance of this book in calling for a revolution in the church that not only can you order individual copies ($12.99 each) from AiG’s website, you can also order case lots at only $4.99 per book in a lot of 48. We are urging people to buy case lots and hand these books out to church leaders, Sunday school teachers, teachers, parents, and young people—once you read this book you will understand why we say it is a message for this time.
2. Dr. Jason Lisle’s new book, entitled The Ultimate Proof of Creation
This book will expose the arbitrariness and inconsistency of secular thinking. Here is what AiG’s Dr. Jason Lisle has written concerning this powerful publication of his:
Around the time the Creation Museum first opened, I recall being interviewed by a secular reporter who was particularly mocking of our position. He began the interview by asking me about plate tectonics: specifically, the creation-based model that the continents had split up during the worldwide Flood. I replied that this was indeed what I believed to be the case. He seemed very bothered by this model; he complained that the continents would have to be moving as much as several feet-per-second.“That’s right” I replied.
“Come on!” he said. “You can’t have something as large as a continent moving so fast!”
I replied, “Well, the earth is bigger than the continents, and moves much faster; it orbits the sun at 67,000 miles per hour!” Clearly big things can indeed move fast.
So, I had revealed inconsistency in this reporter’s thinking. But he still was stuck on this point. “But, I mean, continents moving at feet-per-second speeds! That can’t be!”
When people argue this way, they are not being rational. This reporter did not have a logical or scientific objection to the notion that continents can move quickly under certain conditions. All he had was an arbitrary opinion. In terms of logic, an arbitrary opinion is completely worthless.
I needed to expose the arbitrariness of this reporter’s position. So I (very politely) responded, “Do you have a logical or scientific objection to this?” I was pointing out (in a nice way) that his objection was completely arbitrary and, therefore, without logical merit.He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and moved on to the next question. Clearly, he did not have a logical/scientific reason for his position.
This is very common in secular worldviews. You will find that evolutionists do not have good reasons for the things they believe. They are arbitrary and inconsistent. And it is crucial that we learn how to spot and expose such intellectual sins.
My latest book, The Ultimate Proof of Creation, will help people to do this more effectively. Chapter 3 shows how all evolutionists unwittingly rely upon creationist principles–an inconsistency. And chapter 5 reveals specific kinds of inconsistency and arbitrariness that are frequently committed by unbelievers. Learn to spot and refute common forms of arbitrariness and inconsistency, and it will forever improve your defense of the Christian faith.
I would like to inform you of a special service that is very cost effective in ordering quantities of AiG resources from many different countries outside the U.S. DHL, a courier company, has a special service to many countries called a JUMBO BOX. For $175 (price can change slightly depending on fuel costs etc.), we can ship a box containing up to 55 lbs of resources with a delivery time usually of just 3–4 days.
This service is not available in all countries—but you can email or call customer service (859-727-2222, ext. 350) to see if it is available for your country. Considering the cost of normal air mail to ship just a few items, this is a very cost effective service when ordering many resources at one time.
Icebreakers we persevere to preach(Genesis 44:16) And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy servants
Like icebreakers we persevere to preach the gospel to the lost, knowing that in the judgment they will be lost for how and what to say to be cleared from their sin.
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.