Foreword

I sat in the audience as Ken Ham, renowned creation lecturer and author asked a question—‘Is America as a nation more Christian or less Christian than it once was?’ Without hesitation, a resounding ‘less Christian’ was heard from those present.

Ken went on to say that he receives this same answer whenever he asks this question across America, England, Scotland, Wales, and even countries like his homeland of Australia which has never had as much of a Christian basis.

Ken then paused, the audience waiting in expectation for his next statement. In a serious but forceful tone, Ken went on to say, ‘Do you realize that America has the greatest number of Christian radio and TV stations in the world, the greatest number of Christian bookshops and Christian resources, the greatest number of churches, Christian colleges, Bible colleges, and seminaries, and sends out 80 percent of the missionaries in the world?’

Why is it that the nation that has the greatest Christian influence in the world is becoming less Christian every day?

Ken paused once again as a deathly silence fell across the audience. ‘Friends,’ he said, ‘why is it that the nation that has the greatest Christian influence in the world is becoming less Christian every day? Consider the country of England. Before the last war, somewhere around 40 percent or more of the population attended church. However, today the number is more like 5 percent. What happened to England is what is happening to America. And where England is today spiritually, with hardly any vestige of biblical Christianity left in the culture, America will be tomorrow—and for the same basic reasons.’

Ken continued, ‘Now it is true that many in the church in America realize there is a problem. They know that for some reason, there is an ever-widening gap between the church and the culture. Many are trying to bridge that gap by watering down the teaching of the Word of God and increasing entertainment programs to make the church look more like the world. And it is true that as a result, some “mega” churches are arising, seemingly reaching large numbers of people. However, if one stands back and looks at the big picture, there’s no doubt, as you told me earlier, that this culture is becoming less Christian every day. Whatever the church is doing doesn’t seem to be working. There is something fundamentally, in fact, foundationally, wrong.’

Everyone was deep in thought. Ken then made this very insightful statement, ‘I believe the main reason the church is not “touching” the culture like it used to, is because, by and large, the culture has “touched” the church. Most of the church has allowed the authority of the Word of God to be undermined beginning in Genesis by compromising with evolutionary ideas and/or millions of years. After years of such compromise, the foundational basis of the culture, the absolute authority of the Word of God, has been replaced with a different foundation—one that makes fallible man the ultimate authority. As a result of this foundational change, which the church itself helped to bring about, the culture has changed in structure from a Christian one to an increasingly secular one.’

Ken then challenged the audience with these words: ‘If we are going to reach the culture of today with the unchanging saving message of the gospel, we have to adopt a different method by which to present the gospel, one in accord with an understanding of this foundational change. If the church continues on its present road of ignoring the foundational issues that have changed the culture, it will become increasingly ineffective in “touching” this culture. The slide into secularism will continue to escalate, and America will become the England of tomorrow.’

‘Why won’t they listen?’ is what people in the church ask of today’s culture. In this powerful book for the church today, Ken Ham not only outlines the foundational reasons as to why evangelism doesn’t work today as it used to generations ago, but gives the solution from Scripture as to how Christians can begin to turn the culture around.

The power of creation evangelism is set forth in this book to equip and challenge the church to use God’s method of evangelism to reach a culture that, by and large, no longer has a Christian basis.

Ken’s heart is to see the gospel proclaimed and lives changed as a result. However, today we need people like those specially mentioned in 1 Chronicles 12:32, ‘And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.’

We need Christians today who understand the times so they’ll know what to do. Why Won’t They Listen? will teach you how to understand the times and what to do as a result. You will never think the same way about evangelism again after reading this challenging and thought-provoking book. I believe its message has the potential to change the face of any nation where God’s people have ‘understanding of the times.’