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Creation Museum plans expansion

The group behind a museum that focuses on the biblical account of creation plans to expand the facility in Northern Kentucky over the next year, focusing on programs for children. Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham said that among additions to the Creation Museum will be kiosks aimed at kids and an outdoor playground.

The museum, which presents a literal interpretation of the Bible, has hosted more than 400,000 visitors since it opened last May. Officials hope to have 300,000 museum visitors in the next year.

Ham said the popularity of the museum in Petersburg -- just south and west of Cincinnati -- has brought requests from other religious groups that museums be built in their cities. He said there are no plans to do so. "Once you've done one, it's easier to do another one," museum co-founder and spokesman Mark Looy said. "But we just opened this a year ago, and we're just learning how to operate it. Opening a second one is a dream way off in the distance."

In the meantime, Ham said the museum is consulting with churches throughout the country to build one-room displays that will serve as mini-Creation Museums.

Since crowds have been larger than expected, the museum has already added some extras, such as more walking trails and a petting zoo. It also introduced new programming, a children's reading program, and theatrical performances. In the next year, there also are plans for an additional parking lot and an auditorium to host speakers and educational events, Looy said. There will be more rotating exhibits and butterfly and woodland areas near the outdoor gardens, he said.

Ham said his group wants to see people converted to Christianity, but wants to influence people directly, rather than challenge school boards to add creationism to curricula. "We want to challenge everyone's thinking. You never know what seeds you're sowing," he said.

I'm so glad they're doing so well, Pastor Roger! We are lifetime members but were not able to visit since we sold our house in Virginia and moved to Florida. We're praying God will make a way for us to do so this summer!

Our 13 year old has just been accepted in a Christian school down here, but Darwinism is part of their curriculum. So we ordered their 'Answers Academy' program that teaches students about how to answer evolutionary teaching. It's a 13 part series that we're gonna do along with him this summer. He's already written an incredible paper on Creation vs. Evolution with information from Ken Ham's group and lectures we used to tape on Sky Angel. We're going to call them to find out if we can buy the lectures they televised on the Liberty Channel. (We can't seem to get that down here)

This is way cool!  I have some of Ham's videos and of all the places I can think of that I'd like to see this would be right up there!

In Christ,
Grammyluv

If that school is supporting evolution then I would be looking for another school that didn't. After all if they don't believe the Biblical account of Creation then what else in the Bible do they teach that also contradicts God's teachings.

I have a difficult time traveling long distances but I would like to take at least one to see this museum and be able to take my grandkids there with me.

Yes, Pastor Roger, I totally agree.

We've been homeschooling for 3 years so that would be a big change. There's also no real homeschool support in this area. It's all very surprising. When we put our house up for sale it sold in a day, which was very unexpected. We bought quickly and weren't able to explore the area as thoroughly as we wanted to.  He's our only child (we were told I couldn't have children - God said the opposite and brought life from what was supposed to be dead!), so we take our stewardship extremely seriously! We are going to an interview with this new school but we will be doing the interviewing on that point.

Unfortunately most Christian schools have evolution in their curriculum. When we moved out of NY we thought we were coming to the Bible belt. In Virginia, the Christian School he went to (which was associated with Liberty University) said they didn't teach evolution and we took them at their word - we then took a look at all of their textbooks after he started, and found they continually talked about billions of years! That school and church constantly had Ken Ham as a speaker, he was also holding seminars - and yet, they all say, in order to get into college the kids need to be familiar with evolution. We need to ask this new school how much they support evolution, because if they don't then my son will have alot of ammunition and do well - we don't think this school teaches that they need to accept it as fact, just in order to familiarize them with what's 'outside' - but we want to explore this further with the teachers. He's not meeting any kids where we live and there aren't many schools that are very good - and they all teach evolution as fact. Like I said, we thought this was the Bible belt and the schools would be more immersed in the Word. The last 5 years have been a let down since we've moved twice and continually find the same things, but we know God is in control and we're praying for His guidance.

We're also not too interested in college. We would only want him to go to a Christian College and he agrees. We know Ken Ham only recommends one college in the USA right now (which wasn't Liberty Univ.)

We know, especially these days, that being 'sanctified', or separate from the world is hard. But there is always a remnant that will not assimilate with the world, and take the less traveled road to follow our Lord and Savior - we strive to be those kind of parents. It's a tremendous responsibility nowadays, but we're up for it. With God's help we'll find the right place!  Please remember us in prayer, if you would.

God Bless!
Barbara

My prayers are with you and will be. It does my heart good to see parents such as yourself that takes this seriously and is striving to do the best they can.

The Institute for Creation Research is working on this very problem in Christian schools and colleges. They have been running into a lot of resistance even in the schools that call themselves Christian. It is a sad situation.

AMEN!

This is a beautiful thread. I'm always happy to find out what Christian parents are trying to do for their children. YES - it is hard and a challenge these days to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD. BUT, this is a worthy challenge and one that every Christian Parent should place near the top of their priority list.

Sister Barbara, I will pray that GOD helps you. Education is a sore subject these days. It's also very sad to know that many so-called Christian Colleges aren't very Christian these days, and that sadly includes many Seminaries. Humanism is taking over many of them, and church is thought of as a business instead of a calling. One has to do a lot of homework these days in trying to find a good Christian College or Seminary to attend. Even the best ones are beginning to be impacted by this world, some much more heavily than others. Thirty to forty years ago, there was a significant list of excellent schools to attend, but many of them now have been ruined.

As Christians, we can keep praying and ask GOD to help us with our paths.

Love In Christ,
Tom


   

Creation school fights political correctness

A Dallas-based graduate school has run into a David-vs-Goliath situation ... and a bit of political correctness.

The Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) is seeking certification from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to grant Master's degrees. Spokesman Lawrence Ford says last fall the school had a visit from the state, and in December 2007 they were granted authority to grant degrees.
 
But he says the board then developed a severe bout of political correctness complicated by another symptom -- viewpoint discrimination.
 
"Most of the pressure [came] from evolutionists, scientists or other politically interested parties who were just aghast that anybody could have a different interpretation of science than them," Ford remarks. "We feel like we have been treated unfairly because our viewpoint in interpreting scientific data is different from their viewpoint in interpreting scientific data."
 
The board then rejected permission for the degrees, although the school's faculty is highly rated and very qualified. The Institute has filed an appeal and indicates it is willing to go to court if the appeal is rejected.

ICRGS offers a Master's of Science degree in Science Education with emphases in biology, astro-geophysics, geology, and general science.