GREETINGS ! I INVITE U2 accept JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD & SAVIOR TODAY, RIGHT NOW, OR ANYTIME, & BE SAVED ! Don't wait until it is TOO LATE. Don't Hesitate. The consequences are TOO GREAT.! Humble yourself. You CANNOT do it alone. None of us can. Guaranteed 100% FAILURE RATE for those who try to GO IT ALONE. Kneel down now and say to Jesus, "Sorry & Thank you, I surrender to YOU, LORD, & Commit my LIFE 2 U, now & forever"
WELCOME!
WELCOME!
SO I've been following the issues of Biblical Creation versus every other alternative for many years now, ever since my conservative grandfather,the late Leo Peters, went on a crusade against Calvin College (which I attended as an undergraduate, and where I also grew up, Grand Rapids, MI) about Howard VanTil's book, "The Fourth Day". At that time (mid-80's) I actually wrote a letter that was posted in the college newspaper ("The Chimes") in which I was more concerned about the style & tone of my grandfather's attack than I was about the substance of the issue . Of course I was caught in-between family factions...given some of the history in our family with my grandfather & the way he mistreated people at times. Thus, even if I was a defender of the literal Bible creation story (which I am) I was against the way in which my grandfather defended it against those at Calvin College who were suggesting an alternative understanding.
And since that time the issue has continued to be debated and contested, and I still remain attentive to the matter, but had put it on the backburner for some time thinking that it was secondary to more important aspects of being evangelical Christians, and telling the Good News, & fulfilling the Great Commission, etc. I periodically attend some of the creation meetings they have at a church here in southern Cal (sponsored by the Institute for Creation Research, ICR, I think), and recently they mentioned a conference to be held in October (2014) at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA. I actually forgot about it until the night it began I heard a thing on the radio about it...and decided to make the trip the next morning and see what it was all about. I missed the beginning evening speakers which included Kirk Cameron (who has gone from being a Hollywood actor to a conservative Christian evangelical, maybe even a Calvinist ?) .
So I arrived around 8am and the conference was beginning...so I walked in and sat in the back and began listening and taking a few pictures & video clips to help remember everything, while also taking notes. I was also surprised at how large this rather inconspicuous church building (& campus) is ...very spacious and almost every seat full! And it is also surprising that such a dynamic church (I also went to the church service the next morning...again every seat filled) is in such a "far out" location...it's in the san fernando valley...miles from downtown LA ...nothing "backwater" about it, but simply in an area that I had learned to mostly associate with being a Latino side-of-town, and yet there are many Anglos at this church, so I'm still learning things about LA after many years of exploration, working, church attendance all over the place, etc) I had heard John MacArthur on the radio before (grace to you program) but didn't know much about him and started googling information about him as the day went on (albeit to be clear, it was the Institute for Creation Research that was sponsoring this conference, not MacArthur & grace church per se, but they are apparently in agreement, by & large, with eachother).
It turns out MacArthur went from being Arminian to Calvinism over time ...and is now a staunch defender of John Calvin (in general, not absolutely...I don't want to misrepresent him in such regard) . Personally, although I went to Calvin College and grew up in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) which is Calvinist, and probably assume a Calvinist outlook without thinking consciously about it too much, I never personally took the time to study "Calvinism" per se on my own as an adult and say, as an adult, that I am a clear-cut Calvinist.NOnethless, knowing what I know from my childhood CHristian education and from my reading of the Bible as an adult (& having also attended theological seminary I might add) I DO re-affirm Calvinism in general ..but that's a whole different topic in and of itself...I mention it because I definitely felt something good about the atmosphere at Grace Church, and wondered if it was due, in part, to good theology being taught in the pulpit. I've been in staunchly anti-Calvinist atmospheres that actually feel a bit negative at times, ironically...maybe because the truth is not being taught ..and not just Calvinist doctrine but Biblical truth in general.
Anyways, as an aside over the course of the day I was inspired and given information that re-inspired me to realize that the literal creation story of the BIble is extremely important to all aspects of faith, including evangelism and telling the Good News & doing mission work, and everything else. I learned that there is an intentional attack on the creation story to try to undermine the entire Bible itself, and eventually the church & body of Christ worldwide. Thus, to accede to creation-attackers on their "scientific" points in favor of trying to keep the peace to a certain extent is actually handing them a poignant grip on doing even more damage to the faith. Hence, I am re-charged about DEFENDING Biblical creation, and will begin this blog by posting a few photos & video clips from the ICR conference at Grace Church in Sun Valley. And I will be posting updates from the news on this blog as well.
We conservative Christians have been attacked so vociferously by secular & liberal society over time that we don't even realize, at times, how much we have acceded to them in society & even in the church. It's a real shame, but I am thankful for the ICR (& churches such as Grace) that are still defending Biblical truth at all costs. We are always one generation away from becoming a freedom-extinct society (apparently a Ronald Reagan quote), and this also means a generation without Biblical freedom, liberty, & truth, as well. We must defend all aspects of the Bible as relevant to today (according to their God-given purpose, which requires more explanation).
Thank you for reading & hopefully jumping on the Biblical Creation Bandwagon today !
It's the TRUTH !
" If u declare with your mouth,
“Jesus is Lord,” &
believe in your
HEART
that God
raised Him
from the dead,
u will be saved."
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