Creation Museum Begins Longer Opening Hours

This week, AiG’s publicist sent out a news release nationwide. I have slightly altered the news release for use in this blog:

Beginning March 21, the museum will be open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays to accommodate the bigger crowds expected in the spring and summer. About 2,300 visitors came to the museum last Saturday, and we are predicting that Friday/Saturday attendance will probably increase through the spring and then peak in the summer. The museum will continue to be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. It is closed on Sundays (until Memorial Day weekend).

An encore performance of the poignant play “The Story of Gomer” (based on the book of Hosea) will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, March 21 in the Special Effects Theater (the theater inside the museum). Tickets cost $11.95. To make reservations, call 800-778-3390 (or phone 888-582-4253 ext. 355 for a group discount if there are 15 or more people in the party).

This Thursday, AiG biologist, Dr. Georgia Purdom will give an Easter talk at 1 p.m. on “The Anatomy and Physiology of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ,” describing the physical reality of the agonizing death Jesus suffered on the Cross. Free with paid museum admission, the lecture is recommended for ages 11 and up due to the graphic nature of the content presented.

Other special activities this month include: “Creation Adventure Workshops” (ages 5-12) led by Buddy Davis and the ongoing reading program “Dino-mite readers” (ages 3-10). See www.creationmuseum.org for further details.

The museum, has attracted more than 335,000 visitors in less than ten months.

Special Museum Visitors from the Washington, DC, Area

Photo caption (see two photographs): A hard-of-hearing group from the Washington, D.C., area toured the museum on Wednesday.

We were honored by a visit on Wednesday by a group of university students studying in the Washington, D.C., area who are all deaf. A pastor who reaches out to such students in that region, Justin Vollmar (who is hard of hearing himself), hosted this group of 12. About three years ago, AiG was helpful to Justin in his attempt to keep a Bible study alive at a college campus where he was ministering. It was under threat by university officials to be shut down, and eventually the students had to start meeting off campus–and the number of students at Justin’s Bible study plummeted.

Halfway through the tour, Mark Looy, our CCO, caught up with the group. Although Justin can’t communicate verbally, he nevertheless quickly conveyed his thoughts about the museum through sign language: he put 2 thumbs up high in the air and then placed his hands on his temples and then moved his hands up and away—he was communicating that the museum was mind-blowing! The group was thrilled to see dozens of videos in the museum that were captioned.

The following is a letter that he hand-delivered to Mark on Wednesday:

Dear Mark,

We requested to meet with you to express our gratitude for your indirect help. Let me tell you about our ministry.

Our group is made up of [secular university’s name withheld] and Capital Baptist Deaf College students. Three years ago you wrote an encouraging letter in response to my letter. [This] university at that time had closed down our Bible study. Our attendance average was in the 40s and it dwindled to a handful [when we moved off campus]. It was a very discouraging time.

My letter asked for ideas or help with returning to [this] university. Your letter and offer of help—permission to use AiG materials to teach at our Bible study—gave me the fire to fight back. Praise the Lord that we were able to re-establish our Bible study back at [this] university. Now we average 30 in attendance.

The name of our student organization is Genesis and Science Organization. It is ironic that as an organization, we gained more privileges and better opportunities to spread the message than before. So, we want to say thank you for your thoughtfulness and for caring enough to encourage us.

We have been eagerly planning for our trip to the Creation Museum since the fall. We would like to make our experience more special by taking a group picture with you. As we proceed with our ministry, we will not forget your help.

God bless your ministry and heart.

Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Justin Vollmar
Associate Pastor

Devotion: Orienting Our Pleasures

(John 4:34) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Our goal in orienting our pleasures is to make doing the will of God not a duty, but a delight.

Las Vegas

The meetings in Las Vegas yesterday went very well indeed. More than usual turned out for the Christian Media luncheon, and last night, despite it being spring break, a great crowd turned out for the meeting where my brother Stephen and I spoke (the church moved the meeting from their sanctuary to the gym to accommodate the crowd). Also, for the very first time, AiG released my brother Stephen’s Small Group Creation Evangelism Apologetics course—every single copy sold, and people were disappointed we ran out! Hardly any books were left at the end of the evening.

I also had an interesting discussion with a lady who came to the meeting and who has written a book against the biblical creation position. She is the wife of a pastor, and she is seminary trained—I will have to tell you more about her book and what she said in another blog. It is SO SAD to see someone like this so opposed to taking God at his Word. She says the Bible is too hard to understand, and she also has problems with parasites and a good God etc.—she does not understand the fallen nature of the creation.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying
Ken