Tribute to a Talented Friend

As I was flying back home yesterday from California, I missed the funeral of a long-time ministry friend, Ric Wood. In my absence, Mark Looy of our staff (who had two of his sons take art classes from Ric) read a tribute about Ric during services held at Calvary Baptist Church of Covington, Kentucky. Here is what the audience (perhaps 1,000 people, I am told) heard:

Tribute to Ric Wood by Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis

I’m sorry, Cindy and Elisabeth, that I couldn’t be with you and your family to celebrate Ric’s life this morning. I’m on the West Coast right now.

I doubt that most of you gathered here are aware that Ric was one of the first people to assist Answers in Genesis when we got started over 14 years ago in northern Kentucky. Ric actually spotted me in this sanctuary. He had attended one of my Genesis seminars at one time and was surprised to see me here when I started to attend Calvary Baptist. He hadn’t been aware that we had moved from San Diego to start a new ministry in northern Kentucky. When he spotted me, he walked over and welcomed us to the area.

Now, that was so great of him to do that for another reason. As a brand-new ministry, we were looking around the area for talented people to assist us in a variety of artistic start-up projects. We didn’t have to look far, for when Ric showed us some of the work he had done at Hasbro, very soon we had him designing one of our first seminar brochures, a traveling exhibit, a logo for the future Creation Museum, and other art projects. He was a key person right at the beginning of our ministry.

Ric knew and understood what the Bible teaches about why we see disease and death in this world. The book of Genesis says that we live in a fallen, cursed world, and that because of Adam’s actions in a once-perfect world, today we see tragic events all around us. The reason Christ came to that manger in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago was to redeem those in our fallen world who decide to put their trust in Him. Ric was redeemed, and now he is restored—free of the health challenges he had endured.

To slightly paraphrase Romans chapter 8, Ric was persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [Romans 8:38-39—paraphrased].

Thank you, Ric, for your service to Calvary Christian School, Calvary Baptist Church, and Answers in Genesis.

Local Newspaper Reports on Creation Museum Christmas Events

A Northern Kentucky newspaper, The Recorder, reported on the live nativity and “Road to Bethlehem” events at the Creation Museum. The report stated:

Museum recreates Bethlehem: An almost nine-hour drive didn’t deter some from visiting the Bethlehem’s Blessings exhibit at the Creation Museum in Petersburg. Lisa Rogers and her three children drove from Wisconsin and stopped by the museum on their way home to South Carolina.

“I've never been here before but I've heard a lot about it and it sounded like a really interesting museum,” Rogers said. “It’s quite different than what you'd see elsewhere.”

Visitors begin their journey to Bethlehem inside the museum as they are given fake coinage to pay to two Roman soldiers who are just outside of the building. The program opened on Dec. 12.

“Well, we are evangelistic here. We want to show people that the Bible is true and therefore the Gospel message of why Christ came to Earth 2,000 years ago is true,” museum co-founder Mark Looy said. The journey takes visitors to Bethlehem. It includes an innkeeper who says there is no room at the inn. A live Nativity includes real animals and people portraying Mary and Joseph.

You can read the full report and view photos and a short video at:

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/C2/20081215/NEWS/812150358/-1/recorder&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL?GID=Kb9S5EiS2fzOwodThhq8kIxLrZ/yHMXm3ndbc8kUaDM%3D

Devotion

Turn to Him

(1 Chronicles 14:9–10) And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.

In the heat and anxiety of being pressed for an immediate decision of what to do, the Lord Jesus Christ waits to see if we will turn to Him for direction.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken