Present indications are this will be the final "Creation Corner"article. I hope you have enjoyed the previous ten articles and that they have been of benefit to you. This one caps the reasons for the others. This one also gives some incentives for you, the reader, to develop more creation focus in your own local area of influence. Many thanks for your interest in this series of articles.

I have observed for a decade or more that many church groups have lost sight of creation as a prominent focus in their worship services and in their evangelism efforts.

This article is about that loss of focus and has four objectives:

• To re-affirm creation as a major theme throughout the Bible.
• To show the importance of creation in strengthening the faith of church members.
• To show the importance of creation in evangelism efforts.
• To show how the spread of evolution has hurt both society and Christian churches.

It may be helpful to first look at some of the harm being done by the evolution alternative.

Evolution is now widely proclaimed as established fact. Its doctrines are taught in public schools and are supported without question by the various media. Even worse, giving the creation alternative a fair hearing is viciously fought by the "superiors" in academia, science, and in government. As a result, creation is now definitely a "second class citizen", unfairly suppressed and its followers quite often ridiculed.

• There is much discussion (and some action) about whether humans should be active contributors to justify their continued survival. The old, the infirm, the mentally and physically challenged are at risk as this thinking expands.
• Abortions are of no consequence and should be available on demand. After all, don’t some other animals kill their young from time to time?
• Humans are not responsible for their actions, they are instead victims of their genes and environment.
• There are no moral absolutes, no right and wrong.
• Humans should do whatever feels good to them.

Not only does today’s widespread acceptance of evolution harm society in general; it has especially harmed Christian church groups. Many ministers and members seem intimidated by evolution’s success and perceived authority. Too many are afraid to stand up for creation. This diminishes their belief in the Bible, which consequently diminishes their effectiveness in promoting the Bible and in gaining new converts.

Now that we have looked at the evolution alternative and its harmful effects, we will examine:

We will consider twelve points.

Point 1. I don’t think it is an over statement to say everything revolves around creation. The proposition is a simple one:

• Either we have been created.
• Or we have not been created.

It has to be one or the other. Depending on the answer, certain conclusions become evident.

If we have not been created, then you can throw out the Bible and all that it says. Why say that? If the Bible is not true about one of its major doctrines - creation - then it would be foolish to believe and to follow the rest of it.

On the other hand, if the Bible is true about creation, then all the rest of what it says becomes believable and important.

• If true, it is only logical to trust your creator.
• If true, it is only right and proper to worship the creator who made you.
• If true, it is only logical to live the type of life that your maker says will bring you the most happiness.
• If true, it is only logical to believe your maker when He teaches there is right and wrong, there is a moral code.
• If true, it is easier to believe you will be resurrected from the dead and will have an eternal existence.

Point 2. A constant theme throughout the Bible is God revealing Himself as Creator and then communicating to His human creatures. Because creation is besieged on all sides in today’s society, it may be good to re-affirm its importance in the Bible.

Chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis give more detail about the re-fashioning of the earth and the creation of man.

So from the first book to the last book, with another nine books in between, the Old Testament has a basic underlying creation theme.

That Old Testament theme is then securely fastened to the New Testament by the first chapter of John that explains Christ was the being who carried out the creation

The last book of the New Testament completes the creation theme as it tells about the future creation of a new earth.

This same Being says he is the one who has life to give.

So we have re-affirmed the importance of creation in the Bible; that it is a core theme throughout, from beginning to end.

Point 3. The Bible is not the only place we find the Creator. (Although the Bible is the only book claiming to be direct communication from the Creator to His human creatures.) It is surprising to realize that most cultures around the world have a passed down belief in a creator being.

Americans will probably immediately think of our native Indians whose various tribes had a general belief in the Great Spirit.

So we can see that many, many cultures around the world have a passed down belief in a creator.

Point 4. Do these Bible verses, and many similar ones that could be used, prove God, prove the Creator? They do not. Someone saying something is so does not make it so! Why list the previous creation verses then? They were listed to re-affirm that creation is at the very core of Christianity.

And indeed that is why we should worship God - because he did create us and does give us life.

Has this writer’s own faith been increased by creation knowledge? I have heard over 4,500 Church of God sermons and sermonettes over the past forty years. Like most humans, just a few standout in my memory. But three of those few happened to be on creation. Why remember those especially? Because they did increase my faith. I offer the writer’s own experience as support for the importance of creation.

We know Job did not physically see God, because no human can do so and live. Job then went to the heart of Heb 11:6 when he said (paraphrased), "Now I believe that You are". So even Job needed more of creation knowledge to better appreciate and to believe God is.

Point 8. In 1964 I was baptized and became a member of the Worldwide Church of God. I witnessed much of their astounding growth, which was 30% a year for a decade or more. The point is that during those growth years, they had a strong emphasis on creation.

They printed many magazine articles, made numerous broadcasts, and published a number of booklets that supported creation. The booklets were especially well done, with full color covers and expensive glossy paper for the inside pages. Could their focus on creation have been a major factor in their highly successful growth rate? I think that it was. And based on their favorable experience, something we need to consider very seriously is to proclaim more about creation.

It may be significant that about the time the Worldwide Church of God lost their focus on creation is about the same time many problems in the organization began to surface. Until today the group is a fraction of what it was at its peak.

Point 9. How can churches use creation to reach and persuade new people? To answer that let’s separate prospects into three groups:

• People with no Christianity in their culture.
• People whose culture has some Christianity.

• Islam converts in America.

Doesn’t it make sense to evangelize people without a Christian background by building on their own knowledge? Consider these two different approaches.

• One way is to tell your prospects to throw out all of their past religion and accept your new one.
• The other way is to say something like this, "Your ancient ancestors recognized a creator. The creator is part of your oldest traditions and that knowledge has been passed down for many generations. I represent that creator. Moreover, I want to introduce you to the Bible, which is the creator’s communication to His human creatures."

Which approach do you think would get the best results? The book "Eternity in their Hearts" agrees with the second one and has case studies to support their conclusion.

What salesmanship! Did Paul thrust a brand new God in their faces or did he build on what they already knew and were doing? Didn’t Paul commend them for worshipping the unknown God? Didn’t Paul quote from one of their own poets? As someone who spent his much of his working life in sales and sales management, I recognize a fellow salesman in the way the apostle Paul approached people. And I mean that in every good sense of the term.

With Paul’s examples, plus the other verses we have looked at, doesn’t it make sense to give creation more attention and focus when trying to reach people without a Christian background?

How about reaching out to people living in a Christian culture? I would like to submit to my readers that if you can first persuade someone that God is the creator of all things, it is then easier for them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. Why say that? Once you can establish Jesus as the one who did the creating, it is easier for new Christians to appreciate His sacrifice of becoming human and dying for His creatures. Once new Christians realize they have been created, their thankfulness and responsibilities to their creator become self-evident.

We already considered Job who was "perfect and upright", but who needed to know the creator.

In any event, I think Jesus as Creator and as Savior are so closely intertwined that a re-newed focus on creation will improve reaching new people, even those with some knowledge of Christianity in their background.

A growing problem in America is the fact that many of those incarcerated in our prisons are being converted to Islam. We have recently even seen cases where Islam converted Americans serving in our military turned on us.

This writer believes these conversions to Islam are happening by default, because Christians have fallen down on the job. Why say that? Islam says there is a Creator of the Cosmos, they agree with Christianity in that respect. Then they go exclusively to the sayings of Muhammad, a man they believe a prophet. I think we need to counter Islam by proclaiming with much more vigor that Christianity represents the Creator acknowledged by Islam, and that the Bible is the Creator’s communication to his human creatures.

As a side note, Hinduism believes in Brahma, the creator. Hindus, unfortunately, then go on to worship the creatures instead of the creator, which is just what we are warned against doing in Rom 1:25. Doesn’t it seem that Hindus, like Muslims, could be better reached by focusing on their belief in the creator?

With that interjection, we can continue point 9 about Islam converts. Students in the California school system are now forced to study Islam. Not only to study its doctrines, but also to act out its beliefs. A federal judge recently ruled that a California school district did not violate the US Constitution when its teachers had students simulate Muslim worship, voice Muslim prayers, and wear Muslim attire in class.

Yes, you read that right. One minute of silence so students can voluntarily offer a prayer to the creator is not allowed because someone might all alone, silently and voluntarily practice one minute of Christianity. On the other hand, compelling every student, even against their wishes, to wear Islamic robes and recite Islamic prayers is court sanctioned and must be obeyed! I think Christians have already lost the battle in California. What do you think?

This writer believes a greater emphasis on the creator aspect of our God is needed to help counter these ominous trends.

Point 11. But there is another harmful effect. "Answers in Genesis" is a creation work that I am especially fond of. Another is "Does God Exist", the ministry of John Clayton. Both of these sources document large numbers of cases where children were brought up as Christians, only to quit church as adults. Why did they quit? It happened in case after case because of the evolution (no creator) doctrines the public schools and colleges they attended taught them.

What brought them back? In case after case it was exposure to information that supported creation.

John Clayton’s story is especially interesting. He was raised by atheist parents and was himself an atheist until well into adulthood. John tells us that as an atheist he experienced many of the pleasures offered by a life without God. Finally he came to realize - pleasure is not happiness - and he made a major change in his life. By the way, I think John has voiced a profound truth - pleasure is not happiness. This is good advice for all of us, but especially so for our children who are every day besieged by the evolution influenced world around them.

I should mention that hard working John Clayton carried out his creation ministry while performing a full time teacher job. Now in retirement, he is still busy for creation. From atheist activist to creation advocate - what a turn around!

For many years I have observed a growing problem in Church of God groups. The problem is the churches are not hanging onto their own member’s children, most of whom leave COG groups as soon as they reach adulthood. Not retaining many of their children is bad enough, but it is compounded because their leaders and members are aging and dying, with few replacements. The future looks bleak indeed for these groups

What to do? It is this writer’s strong belief that we need a return to promoting the Creator God as a prominent part of our focus.

Will a re-focus on creation solve all of the COG problems? No, other factors are also at work. What I do propose is that if our children are given the firm foundation that they have in fact been created, they are more likely to stay with the church. Moreover, even if they don’t stay, they at least will be better equipped to withstand the trials and temptations they are sure to encounter as they go through life. Of course a firmer creation belief helps every Christian as well.

Point 12. The theory of evolution is full of questions and problems. Many were raised in the previous ten "Creation Corner" articles. Moreover lots of books and web sites reveal many more...

Is every evolutionist scientist fully aware of the many problems in evolution theory? Is every evolutionist scientist carrying out a deliberate deception? Some few probably are, but I think the majority act in ignorance because they do not see the big picture. What do I mean by that?

Is there hope in reaching evolutionist scientists? He was one that was reached. "Answers in Genesis" either now employs, or has written about, many former evolutionist scientists who now support creation after examining creation arguments.

It is when the big picture is looked at, when the problems and questions of evolution are accumulated and weighed en masse’, that scientists can realize the extent and number of the problems. Whose job is it to bring to scientists (and all others) attention the holes in the evolution scenario, and the proofs of a creator? Isn’t it yours and mine?

We have considered the following:

• Either we have been created, or we have not been created.
• Creation is a core theme from beginning to end throughout all the Bible.
• There is a universal creator belief in cultures all around the world.
• The Bible per se does not prove a creator; we have to study the things that have been made do that.
• The Bible’s"Everlasting Gospel" is about creation.
• The Bible formula for more faith is to know more about creation.
• Job, a perfect and upright man, only saw God by learning more about Him as creator.
• One church organization experienced amazing growth when they had a strong focus on creation.
• Creation should be a major tool in reaching new people, regardless of their previous religious background.
• A major difference between Christianity and other religions is that in the Bible the creator is communicating to His human creatures.
• To know Jesus was the one who made all things helps to better understand and appreciate the human death he suffered to become our personal Savior.
• The lack of focus on creation seems to be a major factor in children leaving the faith when they become adults.
• We need to reach scientists to show them that the many problems in evolution theory reach across all scientific fields, not just their own particular specialty.

We live in a world where evolution permeates all of society. This makes it even more vital for Christians to know and believe in the creator God. The creator is at the core of Christianity and the creation message occurs prominently throughout the whole Bible. The creator being communicating to His human creatures through the Bible is a major difference between Christianity and other religions.

As Christians, we represent this different God, the creator God. We also represent His instructions to man. We should stand up boldly and often, proclaiming Him loud and clear. My intention is to spark a re-focus, to spark a greater emphasis on creation. Doing so can only strengthen member’s personal faith. Moreover introducing our God as creator to prospective members should make our evangelizing efforts more successful.

(1) For more details see the "Creation Corner" article "Evolution and Humans are Just Animals".

(2) A book that reveals evolution as a religion is "Darwin’s Leap of Faith" by John Ankerberg and John Weldon.

(3) "Life on Air" by David Attenborough, published 2002 by Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

(4) "Religions of the World" third edition, published 1993 by St. Martin’s Press, Inc., NY.

(5) "Illustrated Dictionary of Religions" by Philip Wilkinson, published 1999 by Dorling Kindersly Limited, London.

(6) "Eternity in their Hearts" by Don Richardson, published 1984 by Regal Books, Ventura, CA 93006.

(7) "Ursrung Der Gottisidee" or "The Origin of the Concept of God".

(8) Rom 1:20.

(9) "Atlas of the Year 1,000" by John Man, published 1999 by Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

(10)"Myths and Legends" by Neil Philip, published 1999 by DK Publishing, NY

(11) "Unlocking the Mystery of Life" from Focus on the Family, 800 a family. Very highly recommended by this writer.

(12) Of course, another major difference is Jesus as personal savior, as well as other doctrines, but our subject for this article is creation.