Answers in Genesis and the Rawlings Foundation: Defending the Christian Faith

Of the great blessings in ministry, relationships are a vital part, which the Lord starts and builds. These relationships bring brothers and sisters in Christ together to serve in God’s kingdom and should remind us of the even level where we all stand before our loving God who imputed His only Son’s righteousness to our account. We are so grateful for the Rawlings Foundation, which has come alongside Answers in Genesis and supported us in carrying out so much of our mission. So as I focus on just one of the great projects for which we are teaming up, this is most definitely not an exhaustive list of how much their ministry has been a blessing to ours.

The Rawlings Foundation has an impressive number of camps throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These camps are used to minister to the surrounding respective communities. The ministry varies in age, profession, and programs, but it is all Christ centered and gospel focused. The programs at the camps range from events for police to share the gospel with them, to camps for children . . . to share the gospel with them. These camps, as a whole, receive thousands upon thousands of people into their property every year with numerous professions of faith. Recently, the Rawlings Foundation has teamed up with Answers in Genesis Worldwide to commence a “Defending the Christian Faith” tour throughout the Latin American camps.

Boca Chica, Dominican Republic

So, in February 2014, Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, and Joe Owen, manager of Latin/Hispanic ministry for Answers in Genesis Worldwide, went to the beautiful camp that the Rawlings have in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. In this conference, around 700 students from surrounding schools were bussed in, fed, and housed on the campus at no cost to them! They then participated in two days of conferences where they learned how observational science corroborates with the natural history as given to us in Genesis and how to trust in the historical foundation laid in Genesis to point to the Cross of Jesus Christ.

The students thundered in applause as different topics were explained from a biblical starting point, always showing them the message of salvation through Christ and how the redemptive thread runs through all of Scripture.

Cuernavaca, Mexico

Then, in November, Steve Ham, director of Answers in Genesis Worldwide, and Joe Owen went again with the Rawlings to their camp in Cuernavaca, Mexico. We first were afforded the honor of speaking to the students of their Bible Institute “SEMTA” on Thursday. On Friday, the buses were rented to bring high school through university students from as far away as Mexico City to participate in these conferences. Approximately 950 students arrived on a Friday afternoon. God just really worked on so many people as they heard a defense of the gospel message, starting with Genesis 1:1 and on. The testimonies were and continue to be incredible! We had a teacher that has to teach on radioisotope dating ask many questions and express much gratitude for helping her come to grips with her questions on that issue. Another testimony was from a relatively new believer who said that he had been struggling with reconciling what he “understood” of science and natural history and the Bible, but who now sees the reliability of the historical fundamental account of creation as laid out in Genesis 1.

Also, many students made professions of faith. One started out as a question for Steve Ham and turned into over an hour of sitting down together, leading to a decision for Christ, which also ignited a discipleship relationship that is still going on between them now through Facebook (and the help of Google Translate ☺).

So Many People Left to Hear the Gospel

Here at Answers in Genesis Worldwide, we are seeing more and more how God is knocking down every barrier that would potentially disable us from getting into different countries with this message, and we are truly grateful for our family in Christ, such as those in the Rawlings Foundation, who come alongside us and are used by God to open the doors into these areas with the “full council of God.”

Please pray for this ministry. Opposition is always a factor in ministry and we need prayers—prayers for both Answers in Genesis and the Rawlings Foundation. Please pray for our families, our health (spiritual and physical), and our finances. The world is so big! There are so many people left to hear the gospel who are being misled by the lies of millions of years and evolution, which are such great stumbling blocks to receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ. So many in the church are at a crossroads with this issue, not knowing the devastating effects that the wrong decision on this issue can bring. Pray that we can come alongside the beautiful bride of Christ and serve her as she is attacked by the lies of the enemy.

Please also consider supporting us financially as we absorb so much cost, such as in translating materials. The subject of origins and how it ties into the gospel is not something that is easily grasped in one conference. Churches will be edified as their affected and motivated leaders take back resources from these conferences in their native languages and learn how to give a reason for the hope that is in them (1 Peter 3:15) individually and corporately.

Thank you and God bless,
Joe Owen