The Ukrainian-Dutch Connection

While I was in Europe on a speaking tour last week (in England and Scotland), Dimitry Kurovsky—who lives in Holland but is originally from Ukraine—was in America on business. He spoke to our staff on Friday about his creation ministry in Ukraine (and in other parts of Europe).

Last year, Dimitry heard Dr. Terry Mortenson of our staff speak in Holland, and a personal connection was made—and Dimitry was invited to visit us when he came to America the next time. Dimitry had already been connected to us in another way: he has been using our materials for years, and much of his nice-looking website (www.origins.org.ua) uses our articles and illustrations.

He told our staff on Friday morning that he had almost given up the Christian faith five years ago—until he came across AiG materials.

While in the USA on business, he carved out some time to fly down from Chicago to spend the day at our museum. Dimitry was especially blessed by the planetarium program and our Six Days of Creation theater presentation.

Here is a sample of the high-quality creation newspaper he produces. The name of it roughly translates as Intelligent Purpose from Russian.

Take a peek at his website and see how well done it is (even though you might not be able to make out anything in the Russian language!): www.origins.org.ua

Bible Conference in Florida

Speaking of Dr. Mortenson, he (and other speakers) spoke to about 5,000 people at a Bible conference at Pensacola Christian College (Florida) late last week.

Terry reports that he is encouraged that the PCC leaders have

increasingly seen the vital foundational importance of Genesis and the need to really equip all the students at PCC to be able to teach and defend the truth of Genesis chapters 1–11. A couple of years ago they instituted a course on Genesis 1–11 and creation apologetics that is required for all juniors. They use a number of books and DVDs from Answers in Genesis in that course. PCC is one of the few Christian colleges in America that has such a required course for all students.

Terry added

Many people said they have been to the Creation Museum and loved it. Others said they couldn’t wait to get there. Several said that they wished I could have given a couple of more lectures this week. And the people bought almost all the books and DVDs that we shipped to the conference.

While there, Terry saw his two daughters there who attend PCC. Terry left Monday night for Holland for a speaking tour there—perhaps he will meet up with Dimitry again, who returned to Holland over the weekend.

VBS = Very Biblically Sound

We praise the Lord that, even with the struggling economy, our warehouse has shipped more Vacation Bible School (VBS) kits so far this year than we had by this time last year! We have already received orders for over a thousand of our new 2009 VBS, Operation Space—plus we’ve shipped hundreds more of our original VBS, Amazon Expedition. And withour totally new VBS website that our Internet team launched recently—which includes a cutting edge VBS management tool for directors to track registrations, interact with volunteers, and forums to share ideas with other VBS directors nationwide—interest in Operation Space continues to blast off! (Excuse the pun!)

Also in the past couple of weeks, we received hundreds of survey responses from VBS directors. So many told us they love the fun, solid teaching, great music and crafts, etc. Here are just a few highlights—I think you'll be encouraged!

People are using our VBS as a normal week-long outreach, but they’re also using it in many other ways, including as a 5-day backyard club for neighborhood children, as a one-night-per-week summer program, as a Sunday school replacement—even as a family fun tool. There’s no end to the ways you can use this top-quality kit with kids! If you have not ordered your copy of Operation Space, I urge you to do so today!

• “We are so excited to use this! After the great quality program of Amazon [Expedition] last year, we were thrilled to know of this new [Operation Space] curriculum! THANKS!”
• “We are absolutely using the Answers in Genesis program this year! We had an amazing response last year. We had about 12 kids [receive] Christ of the approximately 25 that attended. I loved the simple progression that showed the whole plan of GOD. We extended it to 6 sessions. It was awesome.”
• “We loved Amazon Expedition!! The Bible content was great! We also liked the songs—fun but with a great message!! Looking forward to Operation Space!!”
• “Amazon Expedition was the best VBS we've ever participated in at our church and we've been doing it for years.”
• The VBS was excellent! Lots of energy and excitement! I believe the kids appreciated that they were not ‘talked down to’ . . . they rose to the challenge of thinking deep about their faith. ‘DNA’ was their all time favorite song!”
• “Your VBS program . . . made my work as director very easy.”
• “We thought last year’s program was excellent. The Bible content is better than any other program out there. . . . The drama was amazing and had a tremendous impact on the kids who watched, and those who were actors. We switched to AiG from [name deleted] because of your excellent Bible content.”
• “I love this curriculum. You have taken the Scripture and fit your theme around it, whereas I feel other curriculum has a theme and then fits the Bible stories around it. I can trust your doctrine It is a great curriculum and is top-notch in all areas. Keep it up!”

Devotion

Rest in the assurance

(Genesis 18:25) That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

There are many questions we have to put on hold until we can ask the King later, but for now we rest in the assurance that the Lord Jesus Christ only does right.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken