Genesis Conference

Ken Ham

This past Sunday and Monday we attended a Genesis conference at Richland Bible Church in Richland, MI (northeast of Kalamazoo, MI).

Sunday night the church was packed with 2,000 people filling the choir lofts, the orchestra pit, the stage, extra chairs in the aisles, and sitting on the floor in front of the speakers. The overflow filled the large atrium where a screen was set up. Monday morning 1400 school students attended children and youth sessions, and Monday night 1700 attended.

There was an obvious hunger for truth grounded on Scripture without the adulteration of “billions of years” common in today’s churches. Attendees purchased many hundreds of books and videos.

Dr. Jason Lisle, astrophysicist

Conference speakers were Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis, and Dr. Jason Lisle, astrophysicist at Answers in Genesis.

Despite being quite familiar with the subject matter, I still enjoyed the conference very much. We took our 2 youngest girls with us and enjoyed discussing the issues with them.

Here are the talks at each session of the Richland conference.
Sun morning:
How to Reach the Secular World with the Gospel – Ham
Dinosaurs and the Bible (children & youth) – Lisle

Sun evening:
Learning How to Defend the Christian Faith in Today`s World – Ham
Creation: Science Confirms the Bible is True – Lisle

Monday morning (children & youth):
The Bible and Dinosaurs – Ham
Defending the Christian Faith Biblically and Scientifically – Ham & Lisle

Mon evening:
The Origin of ‘Races’ – Ham
The Ultimate Proof of Creation – Lisle

Conference participants swamp
book tables Sunday evening

The last talk was particularly interesting as Dr. Lisle introduced pre-suppositional apologetics. His main point was that one cannot argue against a Christian worldview without using that worldview, thereby validating it as true.

For example, one has to use the laws of logic to argue and debate. But logic comes from the Creator who defines and embodies consistency. One who believes in evolution has no reason to trust logic. How does he know that random chance has developed a “true” system of reasoning? What does “true” mean? How does he know his senses are dependable? These questions can only be answered from the foundation of Scripture as the authoritative Word of the Creator.

Rational argument can only be based on the Bible. No other starting point is logically coherent and consistent.

Answers in Genesis (AIG) and the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) hold numerous Genesis Bible conferences throughout the country. I’ve been to many, and they are always very worthwhile. Check their websites for conference schedules and go when you can.
Answers in Genesis conferences
Institute for Creation Research events – scroll to bottom for search function

©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
Wednesday April 14, 2010 A.D.

Read my April 2010 Bible-Science column
Is This a Contradiction?.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
(Exodus 20:11)