My dear readers,

In this week’s Pastoral, we continue with the second part of CMI’s "Prayer News" (April to June 2014) of 20 April

1. "Teaching creation is child abuse"? - A challenge

A response to rabid atheist claims

by Gary Bates, CEO, CMI-Worldwide

To these high priests of evolution, we say, "We are ready, so why do you keep avoiding CMI? Keep the ad hominem out of it; our science against yours. If your case is so strong, engage us in open and frank debate."

To Christians—we are here to help

This is not the time to shirk away (The Lord said, "Will I find faith?"). It is time to draw a line in the sand because the attacks won’t stop at the creation issue. Before long I suspect your right to take your children to church may be targeted. It is exactly because of the success of creationists bringing this debate to the fore that this issue is heating up. Now that creation is on the table, we need to see it through and be more proactive than ever. Ministries like CMI are here to help this happen. Your support is more vital than ever at this critical time in history.

Not only those attending (around 300 registrants plus up to 50 "walk-ins" at various times) but also speakers and volunteer helpers judged the all-day Super Creation Saturday on November 30 as a resounding success, powerfully impacting those who came and, God willing, through them many others subsequently.

The sessions, plus two Q-and-A times, covered a huge range of creation topics. The presentations were not just information-packed but also motivating, with a strong focus on evangelism. People were left in no doubt that this concerned the vital authority of the Word of God on an issue crucial to the penetration of the Gospel and the Christian influence in this nation. The presenters were well known fulltime CMI-Australia figures Dr Carl Wieland, Dr Don Batten and Dr Tas Walker, as well as South Australian physics professor Dr John Hartnett, who frequently speaks for CMI. The talks covered Bible-science in general, biology, geology, human origins, the age of the world, cosmology, and more. What was notable was the young average age of attendees, including many students.

One of the purposes of such events, in addition to imparting an understanding of the "big picture" in this spiritual battle, is to arm and equip people with resources containing much further information and details at many different levels of their choice. In that way, the message always spreads well beyond such events—as they share it with friends and relatives, it is an effective way to get it to the unbeliever. To that end, good quantities of resources had been shipped in, and many hundreds of books and DVDsare now circulating in this strategic part of the world. (Including a small number of resources CMI has already had translated into Chinese.)

The handful of folk from other countries in the region with less bountiful economies were particularly appreciative of the 10% "across the board" discount on all products (including on already-discounted "packs"), in addition to not having to pay shipping costs. The busy book tables were manned by hardworking volunteers, who understand the life changing significance of such activity.

Several of these were locals, including a young PhD biologist with a passion for seeing his nation reached with this powerful Gospel-foundational message. He may well be a CMI speaker here in due course. Also, three experienced CMI volunteers flew from Australia at their own expense to help out. They understand the crucial importance of creation outreach in equipping the church, especially in this strategic part of the world.

There were many excited and grateful comments for the day, and several told the speakers of being "fired up" by the seminar to see the work here expand. This included pastors and those with some connections in various Christian institutions in Singapore, as well as an associate professor at a tertiary institution here. Incidentally, he said that it was a creation presentation in the 90s (by one of the CMI-Australia speakers and a Singaporean scientist supportive of CMI) which had been instrumental in God’s turning him from agnosticism to Christ.

Two of the speakers, Dr Batten and Prof. Hartnett, went on from here to give seminars in Hong Kong and mainland China (with translation), with Dr Batten subsequently ministering in Okinawa, Japan, before returning to Australia. Please consider supporting this vital work so it may grow in influence here in Singapore. And to help the ongoing translating and printing of materials in both Chinese scripts; work is underway on The Creation Answers Book at present. Thank you so much to those of you who support already.

In 2010, the Global Atheist Convention (GAC) was held in Melbourne, Australia. At the time, we challenged Richard Dawkins and other world-leading atheists to a formal debate with a panel of our scientists. They turned it down, so CMI went ahead with a "Countering Atheism" conference in the same city to coincide with the GAC. Now, three years later, we have heard a thrilling testimony by a young Singaporean-born scientist close to completing a Ph.D. in a biology related subject. He said that, as a firm unbeliever in Melbourne in 2010, he had intended to go to the atheists’ convention. But, through a fortuitous turn of events, he ended up instead at the conference put on by Creation Ministries International.

Engaging the CMI speakers in the break, he said he was surprised to find solid answers to every one of his questions and challenges. By God’s grace, this CMI event (see creation.com/countering-atheism) led to his conversion. With a rock-solid biblical faith, he is now keen to be part of thenext generation of scientists helping spread CMI’s message that the Bible is true. (End of CMI article).

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor