Honoring Donald Wildmon, Friend of AiG

For about ten years, Donald Wildmon’s American Family Radio (AFR) network has carried our daily radio program, Answers … with Ken Ham. I deeply appreciate Don and his son, Tim Wildmon, as they have a real heart for the family and biblical authority and the need for apologetics teaching. Tim has been to our Creation Museum at least twice now, and he has broadcasted live for AFR from the museum lobby.

Last summer, Don nearly died after being bitten by a mosquito that carried a particularly deadly disease. He’s still struggling in his recovery from the effects of that. Earlier this month at a “gala” event in Washington, D.C., Don Wildmon was honored as hundreds of Christian leaders from across America came to show their support. I wanted to be there personally but was unable to attend due to a previously scheduled speaking event; however, Dale Mason, who heads the media department that our radio program falls under, was there on my and AiG’s behalf. Dale tells me that he and his wife Karen have been involved directly with AFA over the years, having written video reviews for the AFA magazine, done interviews related to a TV-themed book they wrote, and participated in various AFA-sponsored campaigns.

The photo below is of Don Wildmon with Dale after the banquet:

Dale told me that “the story behind Don and the ministry that the Lord has built through his servant-hearted efforts is really quite inspiring, and I encourage your blog readers to read it in detail on the AFA website. But the very short version is a story of obedience and activism. In the mid-1970s when Don was the pastor of a small church in Mississippi and raising several young children (he was in his late 30s at the time), he got so fed up with the unbiblical content that was increasingly taking over television, that he turned it off.”

Dale continued, “Don encouraged his church to turn the TV off for a week. The media learned that this soft-spoken minister of a small-town church was planning a one-week TV fast, and they got up in arms. His challenge to his family and his church hit the local newspaper and radio, and that expanded to national attention. To make a 35-year story way too short, that led to the extremely influential ministry now known as the American Family Association (AFA).”

Don launched this ministry simply by encouraging his family and friends to take a 1-week TV fast, and today, the ministry has grown significantly as can be seen by following:

• AFA has nearly two million members.
• AFA has launched nearly 200 Christian radio stations (all of which carry our program, and they have interviewed me and others from AiG numerous times).
• AFA runs a conservative 24/7 web news site known as www.OneNewsNow.com.
• AFA has a monthly pro-family magazine with 170,000 subscribers. It’s called the AFA Journal (which has carried numerous articles about our ministry).
• AFA has a new website called the Homeschool Channel (for which we’re co-producing content—I will tell you more about that soon).
• AFA has caused hundreds of corporations to re-think the way they treat Christians and how they promote homosexual behavior.
• AFA has launched scores of boycotts that have helped to guide corporate sponsors away from so much sex, violence, and profanity.
• And there is much more!

By the way, here’s a tribute video to Don Wildmon that was shown at the gala in Washington this month. It encapsulates Don’s life and ministry, and reminds us that God wants our obedience. It starts with each of us personally. If we make His Word the focal point of our lives, the ultimate authority, others can’t help but be impacted. Take a look at this video.

Pastor’s Thank You

Here is a short email we received about our recent very successful pastors’ conference last week:

Thank you so much for your effort and gracious hospitality at the Answers for Pastors conference and at the Creation Museum.

I learned so much that deepens even more my appreciation of and trust in God's Word.  I have been encouraged and strengthened.

Thank you for allowing God to work through each of you.

Devotion

The Lord your God is he that goes with you, to fight

(Deuteronomy 20:3-4) And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, you approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be terrified because of them;  For the LORD your God is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

We are not to overrate the devil, but we are to face obstacles with strength of heart and boldness knowing that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who has defeated him.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken