Age of the Earth, Why It Matters - Dr. Terry Mortenson on Origins

Dr Mortenson explains why the young age of the earth matters.  He shows where the old earth belief comes from and the consequences of accepting it.

Six Days of Creation and the Eisegesis Problem, Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis

Eisegesis? Ken Ham gets to the heart of the debate about the six days of creation. If we read from what the biblical text says (exegesis), it allows only one interpretation-six 24-hour days of Creation. Any other interpretation is eisegesis (when people"read into" the Bible).

Standing Firm on a Literal Genesis - Mike Chapa

Part 1

Mr. Mike Chapa

Talk: Standing Firm on a Literal Genesis

Date: November 8th, 7:00pm

For our November meeting, we will be privileged to have Mike Chapa, who has been the Executive Director of Christian Home Educators of Colorado since September of 2009.  His formal education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Astronautical Engineering from the Air Force Academy, class of 1989, and a Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Mike Chapa retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2009 from the USAF after serving more than 20 years as a fighter pilot and test pilot, which included combat time in the F-15C.  His last Air Force assignment was assistant professor at the AF Academy, teaching aeronautical engineering and flying cadets in general aviation aircraft. He is now involved in flight test academics/flight instruction to USI (Unmanned Systems, Inc.) and works as an aerospace defense subcontractor/consultant to Northrop-Grumman.

Mike serves as an elder in his church and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity towards becoming a pastor, with a desire to plant a church before 2013 ends. He and his wife Tonya previously served as the year-round CHEC Volunteer Chairmen from 2007-2009.   They homeschool their six children in the eastern Black Forest, having graduated the oldest two. Mike’s topic will be “Standing Firm on a Literal Genesis.”

Part 2

RMCF meetings are free to the public, and refreshments will be served.  Please join us for what will be a memorable evening about homeschool education.

Objections to 6 Days - Mike Riddle

This is part 3 of the Creation Training Initiative's Basic Creation Training course.

Answering biblical objections to a literal six day creation
When I ask many Christians why they believe the earth is old very seldom do they start with the Bible. Instead their initial answer is based on the scientific evidence.

In other words, their understanding of science has a higher authority than the Bible on this issue. (However their knowledge of the scientific methods for dating rocks and fossils is not complete) They have not been taught about all the scientific evidences for a young earth. When asked to provide biblical support for an old earth, many suggestions have been given, such as:

• The day age theory
• 2 Peter 3:8
• Plant death before sin
• The gap Theory
• Genesis 2:4 and the word day
• Framework hypothesis (Genesis is not real history)

In this session we examine each of these challenges to a literal six day creation.

The Days of Creation in Genesis - Mike Riddle

There is a lot of controversy about the length of the days of creation in Genesis 1. In our analysis we will start with establishing the importance of the book of Genesis. This is because many Christians do not see the importance of creation or even the book of Genesis. Secondly, we will examine the word "day" in Genesis 1. There are four possible outcomes to the meaning of the word "day":

1. The word day means a literal day implying the earth is young
2. The word day means "long ages" implying an old earth
3. There is not enough information to determine the true meaning
4. It does not matter what it means

In order to establish the true meaning we will apply the rules of hermeneutics -- a BIG word. What does it mean? Hermeneutics is the study of the interpretation of written text.
It is a method of interpreting the Bible. The method is called context (not opinion or majority). We must look at the context where a word is used to derive the intended meaning.


Training Christians to Teach & Defend Biblical Truth
Learn more about CTI at http://www.CreationTraining.org


Mike Riddle – President of CTI & Education Specialist

Mike is an international speaker and educator on Christian education and apologetics. Mike is also an adjunct speaker for Answers in Genesis. He holds a degree in mathematics and a graduate degree in education and has been involved in creation ministry for more than thirty years. Prior to getting involved in creation ministry, Mike was a captain in the U.S. Marines and a national champion in track and field. Mike’s experience in the education field includes:

    Teaching  junior high and senior high school mathematics
    An instructor at the Northwest Graduate School of the Ministry and the Institute for Creation Research graduate school.
    Managing U.S. Sprint’s world-wide technical training
    Managing Microsoft’s world-wide engineer training
    Development and delivery of courses on presentation skills and teaching methods

Mike currently lectures and teaches world-wide on creation apologetics, Christian education, science and the Bible, and developing a biblical worldview. He resides in Northern Kentucky with his wife Lesley.

- See more at: http://www.creationtraining.org/about-cti/meet-the-cti-team/#sthash.LvlKDtpT.dpuf

Mike Riddle – President of CTI & Education Specialist
Mike is an international speaker and educator on Christian education and apologetics. Mike is also an adjunct speaker for Answers in Genesis. He holds a degree in mathematics and a graduate degree in education and has been involved in creation ministry for more than thirty years. Prior to getting involved in creation ministry, Mike was a captain in the U.S. Marines and a national champion in track and field. Mike’s experience in the education field includes:

• Teaching  junior high and senior high school mathematics
• An instructor at the Northwest Graduate School of the Ministry and the Institute for Creation Research graduate school.
• Managing U.S. Sprint’s world-wide technical training
• Managing Microsoft’s world-wide engineer training
• Development and delivery of courses on presentation skills and teaching methods

Mike currently lectures and teaches world-wide on creation apologetics, Christian education, science and the Bible, and developing a biblical worldview. He resides in Northern Kentucky with his wife Lesley.
- See more at: http://www.creationtraining.org/about-cti/meet-the-cti-team/#sthash.LvlKDtpT.dpuf

Mike Riddle – President of CTI & Education Specialist
Mike is an international speaker and educator on Christian education and apologetics. Mike is also an adjunct speaker for Answers in Genesis. He holds a degree in mathematics and a graduate degree in education and has been involved in creation ministry for more than thirty years. Prior to getting involved in creation ministry, Mike was a captain in the U.S. Marines and a national champion in track and field. Mike’s experience in the education field includes:

• Teaching  junior high and senior high school mathematics
• An instructor at the Northwest Graduate School of the Ministry and the Institute for Creation Research graduate school.
• Managing U.S. Sprint’s world-wide technical training
• Managing Microsoft’s world-wide engineer training
• Development and delivery of courses on presentation skills and teaching methods

Mike currently lectures and teaches world-wide on creation apologetics, Christian education, science and the Bible, and developing a biblical worldview. He resides in Northern Kentucky with his wife Lesley.
- See more at: http://www.creationtraining.org/about-cti/meet-the-cti-team/#sthash.LvlKDtpT.dpuf

Mike Riddle – President of CTI & Education Specialist
Mike is an international speaker and educator on Christian education and apologetics. Mike is also an adjunct speaker for Answers in Genesis. He holds a degree in mathematics and a graduate degree in education and has been involved in creation ministry for more than thirty years. Prior to getting involved in creation ministry, Mike was a captain in the U.S. Marines and a national champion in track and field. Mike’s experience in the education field includes:

• Teaching  junior high and senior high school mathematics
• An instructor at the Northwest Graduate School of the Ministry and the Institute for Creation Research graduate school.
• Managing U.S. Sprint’s world-wide technical training
• Managing Microsoft’s world-wide engineer training
• Development and delivery of courses on presentation skills and teaching methods

Mike currently lectures and teaches world-wide on creation apologetics, Christian education, science and the Bible, and developing a biblical worldview. He resides in Northern Kentucky with his wife Lesley.
- See more at: http://www.creationtraining.org/about-cti/meet-the-cti-team/#sthash.LvlKDtpT.dpuf

Mike Riddle – President of CTI & Education Specialist
Mike is an international speaker and educator on Christian education and apologetics. Mike is also an adjunct speaker for Answers in Genesis. He holds a degree in mathematics and a graduate degree in education and has been involved in creation ministry for more than thirty years. Prior to getting involved in creation ministry, Mike was a captain in the U.S. Marines and a national champion in track and field. Mike’s experience in the education field includes:

• Teaching  junior high and senior high school mathematics
• An instructor at the Northwest Graduate School of the Ministry and the Institute for Creation Research graduate school.
• Managing U.S. Sprint’s world-wide technical training
• Managing Microsoft’s world-wide engineer training
• Development and delivery of courses on presentation skills and teaching methods

Mike currently lectures and teaches world-wide on creation apologetics, Christian education, science and the Bible, and developing a biblical worldview. He resides in Northern Kentucky with his wife Lesley.
- See more at: http://www.creationtraining.org/about-cti/meet-the-cti-team/#sthash.LvlKDtpT.dpuf

Crash Course in Biblical Interpretation - Pastor Gino Geraci

On February 8, Rocky Mountain Creation Fellowship's speaker was Pastor Gino Geraci of Calvary Chapel South Denver, who presented a sermon entitled “A Crash Course in Biblical Interpretation.” His guidance and inspiration were very helpful, because proper interpretation of the scriptures on origins is at the heart of the creation/evolution debate in the Church.

Gino began by reading the passage from Luke 25, which records the encounter of the resurrected Christ with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who at first did not recognize Him. The men were downcast, because they had hoped that Jesus was going to redeem Israel, but the rulers crucified Him. But on the third day, the women had found an empty tomb and saw an angel, who testified that He was alive! Then Jesus reproved them, saying "O foolish ones, you slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken, about how it was necessary that the Christ should suffer these things before entering into his glory.” Then (v.27), beginning at Moses and the prophets, He “expounded,” [interpreting] to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Jesus was proving from the Scripture that He was alive. It is so important, not only that we read it and reflect on it, but also that we understand it's true meaning. The disciples marveled at how their hearts burned as He led them in this Bible study, and its truth of the Resurrection: our eternal hope, the sustaining principle upon which we lean in times of trial, disease, grief and heartbreak. Gino expressed excitement in contemplating what it would be like to be at that place and that time, and Jesus shows up and confirms that the promises in the Bible are true! In v. 41, we see how the apostles could not contain their joy, when they discovered that Jesus was unmistakably alive, and again He “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” The verb translated “expounded”, or “explained” is from the Greek, hermeneuo, which means to “explain the meaning.” Theologians use the word hermeneutics to describe the art and science of biblical interpretation. Some impose their own meaning on the text (eisegesis), and some people take meaning from the text (exegesis). How do we determine the true meaning of the Biblical text? That is a debate, between two major views:

 A. The traditional view, which claims that the key to understanding any literature is to assume that the author determines the meaning and the reader's task is to discover the author’s meaning. The Bible teaches that God the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of Scripture, who use their own language in a historical setting in order to convey meaning. So the interpreter is to come to a clear understanding of the writer’s meaning. In order to do that, there is a prerequisite: A necessity to love the Truth. The fact is, the Holy Spirit in you is bearing witness to the meaning. The hearts of the two disciples began to burn within them, because they loved the Truth. What do people do when they don't honor or welcome the Truth? They deny it! Don't ever let a person say, “Look, talk to me about God, talk to me about life and death, but don't use the Bible.” It is sharper than any two-edged sword. The enemies of the Bible would like to disarm you and take away perhaps your most important tool, which is the Revelation of Truth.

B. The contemporary view. In this view, the critics maintain that it's the reader, not the author that

determines the meaning. They argue that meaning only applies as the reader interacts with the text, which excludes the author. Jesus cites the Torah and Prophets as the credible source for the information concerning the identity and mission of the Messiah. He takes Genesis, Torah and the full, collective revelation of God, and says, “This is the source of information about me.” To bring this point home, Gino gave us a one-phrase summary of all the books of the OT, which establishes how they each were a testimonial to the coming Christ. (To view this list, please refer to the appendix on our website.)

If the Bible isn't true in the beginning, how in the world can you believe it is true in the end? The Bible can never mean what it never meant. It's got to have a plan, a purpose and a message. It says God created the heaven and the earth. Therefore, it can't mean He didn't create the heavens and the earth. There is a method called the allegorical method--the idea of bringing novel meaning to the text by spiritualizing, and looking for secret, hidden meanings, even when the meaning is clearly revealed by the context of the Scripture. It was dark, it was treacherous, and it is evil. To the person who loves allegory, Jesus can be seen as teaching billions and billions of years, or even New Age. But remember, you have to bring that to the text, you can't derive it from the text. The Bible has an amazingly, clear, consistent message in spite of the long and destructive history of reading things into the Bible that don't belong there. The Golden Rule of Bible Interpretation is: “If the plain sense makes common sense, seek no other sense.” Gino went through a list of 15 principles we can apply for proper interpretation; for example: Interpret each individual verse with regard to the context, evaluating the unclear by what is clear. (See list below)

So when you open up your Bible, be seekers of Truth, and allow the Bible and the Holy Spirit to do what the Bible was intended to do. God says what He means, and means what He says.

Principles of Biblical Interpretation, from Dr. R. A. Torrey’s The Importance and Value of Proper Bible Study (New York: George H. Doran Co., 1921), pp. 55-90.

1. Get absolutely right with God yourself by the absolute
surrender of your will to Him.
2. Be determined to find out just what God intended to
teach and not what you wish Him to teach.
3. Get the most accurate text.
4. Find the most exact and literal meaning of the text.
5. Note the exact force of each word used.
6. Interpret the words used in any verse according to Bible
usage.
7. Interpret the words of each author in the Bible with a
regard to the particular usage of that author.
8. Interpret individual verses with a regard to the context.
9. Interpret individual passages in the light of parallel or
related passages.
10. Interpret obscure passages in the light of passages that
are perfectly plain.
11. Interpret any passage in the Bible as those who were
addressed would have understood it.
12. Interpret what belongs to the Christian as belonging to the
Christian; what belongs to the Jew, as belonging to the
Jew, and what belongs to the Gentiles, as belonging to the
Gentiles.
13. Interpret each writer with a view to the opinions the writer
opposed.
14. Interpret poetry as poetry and interpret prose as prose.
15. The Holy Spirit is the best interpreter of the Bible.