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The Creation Podcast
Biblical Creationists: Young-Earth Creationism Will FADE Away Without This | The Creation Podcast: Episode 124
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- [00:06]
A
Most people know ICR for our scientists research and creation science resources. But behind everything we do is a team of people working every day to support our mission and connect with people who make it all possible. So today we wanted to do something a little bit different by giving you a chance to meet two of the people behind our donor relations ministry and hear more about the heart of icr. Welcome to the Creation Podcast. I'm your host, Mary Claire. And today we have James Gadberry, director of development and donor relations, and Regina Craig, director of planned giving, on the show talking about what they do at icr, why their work matters, and some of the meaningful stories and experiences that they've had along the way. So thank you first of all, just so much for being on the show today. We really are so excited that you're here.
- [00:57]
B
Thank you, Mary Claire. I will say longtime listener, big time fan, terrified and happy to be here all at the same time.
- [01:06]
A
It's gonna be great. I'm ready to dive on in.
- [01:08]
C
Yeah, let's do it.
- [01:09]
A
All right, so to start off, I just wanna know what made each of you passionate about ministry, people and creation science. James, we can start with you.
- [01:19]
B
Thank you.
- [01:20]
C
Okay.
- [01:21]
B
Three part question, kind of three part answer. I grew up in a time where parents in church thought it would be a good idea to fill the church van or the bus oh y with teenagers and send them to the Mexico US Border to serve on these spring break mission trips. I reluctantly, against my will, was sent on a missions trip as a young man. And I say that really it did launch something in me. I took away from that trip the reality if I'm not serving Jesus, I am dying. You know, I bought the insurance policy of salvation prior to that, but it wasn't until being with a bunch of people I didn't want to want to be with. As a cool teenager, digging ditches, getting a sunburn, working hard, inviting children to come hear the gospel and eat food. The perspective shift was incredible. And I knew I was way happier serving him than I ever was serving myself. And that servant hearted leadership, whatever you want to call it, it never went away. I served my way into vocational ministry. I became a pastor at several churches, small church and a big church here in the DFW. And I was a pastor for 10 years, just continuing to serve and just loving people. I didn't grow up exposed to biblical creation. Whenever I was exposed to icr, that's whenever I knew this is the means to defend my faith that I've always been missing out on. And I was so mad, so excited. At the same time, if I had this over the last 10 years of ministry, oh, imagine the incredible leader teacher I could have been.
- [03:11]
A
It's amazing what that knowledge can do to you to, like, just shape your life and shape your perspective and your faith and everything.
- [03:17]
B
I like me way better. Yeah.
- [03:19]
A
We are so grateful that we have you on the ICR team. I haven't even heard your story before, so thank you for sharing that.
- [03:25]
B
No, thank you.
- [03:26]
A
Regina, what about you? What made you passionate about faith and creation science? What's your story?
- [03:33]
C
I think growing up in a household that we grew up under, a faith that I was never told that I needed to be saved. I knew the stories of the Bible. I knew the ins and outs of what the Bible said, and I believed it. But I never was told about Christ. I never was told that I needed a savior. I never was told that there's a point in your life where you realize you're a sinner and that you come short of the glory of God. So at a point when my parents were divorcing as a teenager, that. That can be difficult. And you're looking for something, you don't know what that is. And I went back to that, my childhood, into that church, and I didn't find it there. I walked out. The Lord allowed me a pathway through a friend in high school, where she invited me to her youth group, and I was able to attend. And I had. It didn't take me long. You know, the youth pastor there, he preached a message about playing Russian roulette with your every day. You know, it's one step and which direction we're going to go. And I got saved immediately and got busy in work in that Baptist church in Emerald, Texas. I just loved it so much. He gave me work to do, and I started. And right after that, I met my husband. He was a pk. He was a preacher's kid. So it kind of. It got me ready for that. And after high school, we got married. He was my high school sweetheart, and we got married. And immediately he surrendered to the ministry. He knew that the Lord was calling him for that. And I never, never really seen a woman go forward in that area to say that they were surrendering their life to it. But all I know is I felt led to go forward and say whatever my husband does, I feel like I need to surrender to that. Like, I want to be right where he's at in the midst of everything that the Lord has for us. We ended up both surrendering to The Lord immediately in our twenties getting in that. And I just believe the word of God. So creation was always something. There was, there wasn't a really name for it. 6 day early creation, there was never really a name. I just believe the word of God and I believe the truth. And I knew that whatever we were taught and, or if people had an adverse reaction to a six day creation, I just, it was just one of those things that it was six days, you know, and I believed it. I raised my kids that way and it came more prevalent of where, where to seek that information. And ICR was that place to seek that information when I was homeschooling. And it just led me and all of the information that they had, it led me to a stronger belief that I can depend on the word of God. And I am right, I'm right to believe the truth in God's word. So it was, it's been a step by step process throughout my life where the Lord has just matured me in that, in that area and it's been a blessing.
- [06:33]
A
Yeah, and that is so special. It's really special to me too. Just like how the Lord can use the people that he puts in your life to direct your path. And it sounds like that's exactly what happened for you. So you mentioned a little bit about icr, but what led you to like find ICR and work for ICR specifically? Was it a person? Was it just becoming just familiar with the organization as a whole or what was that first step for you?
- [06:58]
C
Homeschooling my kids. I needed material like where do we go from there? How do I present on a scientific level for my children the truth without any cloudiness that they understand it. And ICR had a lot of good stuff that I was able to use. They're all adults now, so I would look on their website. Even after they, they got out of the house. I would look on ICR's website and be able to just see what was going on. And I happened to look on their website and they were hiring for a stewardship and trust administrator and their donor relations department. And I was like. And I started reading it off and my husband was like, sounds like stuff you do. And I was like, yeah, man, do you think I ought to? He's like, yeah. I was at a job where it was a secular, secular organization. And so there was a lot of liberal talk and jargon that was happening and I just wasn't comfortable there. And you know, it was just a, it was just a breath of fresh air to See that? And so I applied and Henry iv, he ended up hiring me at the time. And I've been blessed ever since. I've had some great people, met some great people here. So.
- [08:11]
A
Yeah, the rest is history.
- [08:12]
C
Yeah, exactly.
- [08:13]
A
All right, James, what about you? What led you specifically to work for ICR?
- [08:18]
B
Oh, so after 10 years in ministry, traveling the world, teaching, preaching, I left ministry, kind of. I wanted to go make some money. I know, that's so weird dream job. But I got to put my kids through college. And during that time, I still retain my friendships. Close, close friendships with former colleagues. And it was in a. I remember a conversation I was having with two former colleagues and it came up and the hair on the back of my neck stood up whenever this came up in the conversation. Some people actually believe the Noah's ark, Genesis flood story. Some people. I know.
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A
You mean it's not just like put in nurseries. Exactly. On the walls, the ark with the animals.
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B
They kept going. Like Jonah lived in the belly of a woman for three days. And I'm going to be honest, I try to be cool, calm, collected. I kind of lost my cool. My adrenaline shot through the roof. I know, I know it. My adrenaline shot through the roof and I did not play it cool in my response. I was like, what do you mean you don't believe what the Bible says? You know, for whatever reason, like I said, I wasn't exposed to biblical creation. I had no, no idea that a place like ICR existed. But six months before I ever get introduced to icr, I'm having this conversation that I was ill equipped to have. I just was going to try to out mad them. I don't know. Of course I believe everything the Bible says. And what did I say? Oh, I was like, you know what? They're kind of snickering at me. I was like, I'd rather be laughed at in eternity for believing too much of what the Bible says, says then damned for not believing enough. I mean, my adrenaline was through the roof. And that's when I first realized how ill equipped with apologetics I was, even after 10 years of ministry. So, Matt, and then in this job I'm working, I get connected with ICR and I'm meeting geneticists who have scientific affirmation for how ridiculous it is to believe humans and chimps share a common ancestry. How there's geologists who are showing us worldwide affirmation for a catastrophic, worldwide universal flood event. And this was life. This was a means to so many questions that I've always had. This was something I had to be connected with. And I realized I want to serve at icr, and here I am serving away.
- [11:23]
A
Here you are.
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B
We're so thankful I lost my cool with these guys.
- [11:28]
A
Well, throughout all of that, throughout your story, how do you think that God was preparing you to eventually work for icr?
- [11:36]
B
Oh, coming alongside people, showing them how effective they can be in ministry as a pastor. Coming alongside people, breaking off lies, really. So relational abilities. He was teaching me how to network. I was always collaborating with many churches in the DFW area. I was able to identify different ways ICR can connect with different churches. I'd say he was preparing me relationally, even on a smaller level, like individuals at a time. I was able to help show them what they do bring to the table. Makes a tremendous difference. Could you imagine what that message does for ICR donors? What you bring to the table, whether you think it's small or if it's incredibly tremendous and you still think it's small, what you're doing is affecting the kingdom in a huge way. So getting to do that here at icr, with our donors especially, I think that the Lord's been long, long building this into me, and he's doing a good work. I'll give him credit.
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A
He definitely is.
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B
This is not me. This is not me.
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A
Oh, I don't think that's true. You're one of the most relational, like, personable people that I know, and I think you are just perfect for this role that you have.
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C
Thank you.
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A
So kind, Regina. So was there ever a time where your job currently wasn't just a job? Was there something special that happened where it didn't feel like that?
- [13:05]
C
Absolutely, Absolutely. Getting to know your donors, it's more than just they're the donor. It's a relationship that you become. You get to be their friend. And I've had one of the first experiences I had. I was doing a charitable gift annuity for a lady in Florida, and she called me. She was spunky and she. I just really got to know her. She was retired and it just seems like in the last place couple of years, I got to talk to her as well. And she saw my article in the Acts and Facts, and so she was like, I was just wanting to use some of my IRA and I need to get rid of it. But I didn't know what to do. So I saw your article. Yeah, exactly. And she saw the article in Acts and Facts and she called me and she was like, I saw your pretty little face. I was like, well, that's a little kind. But I don't know about that.
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B
Nobody ever told me that.
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C
Well, I wasn't expecting. She's just so sweet. It was. We had that relationship of that kind of kindred spirits. And that's, that's what the Lord does, is, you know, you feel like you known this person because you have so, so close related of a father in that we have. And so she called me and that was that first relationship. And of course there's so many more. There's. There's people that call and they're going through so much and they're so faithful to icr. I don't even know how what they're going through and then think I'm going to give to icr and you just gain that friendship and that relationship that, you know, you'll probably never see them until, until eternity. But it's such a huge blessing that I get the opportunity that I get to meet these people. And they're so wonderful. They're so smart. They know what they're talking about. It's not flippant to support icr. They know exactly, exactly what they believe and they believe the truth and they want to be able to contribute to that. And it's just, it's an awesome thing to see.
- [15:08]
A
It definitely is. And just making those relationships with those people is absolutely incredible. Yeah, it is. James, do you have a story like that where it wasn't just a job for you?
- [15:19]
B
Oh, a story. So I would probably. I don't have a story. Regina. She's been a force in this department way longer than I have, but I do have. I get a lot of letters, thank you letters ranging from like, classrooms of young students that get to come to the ICR Discovery center for field trips that donors, you know, provide ICR with means to provide these discovery experiences for thousands of kids. And seeing their handwritten, decorated, thank you cards, little dino stickers. Exactly, exactly. Whatever. Like pictures of outer space, pictures of Noah's ark and you know what, even like dollars, like stuff that, you know, they went to their penny bank to include in this envelope that so young people send in their letters. We get letters from university students. Your book, your textbook that you created alongside, you know, my Christian university, your influence in the science department at my school has drastically changed the trajectory of my life. We get letters from. These ones are tougher, but they're really, really powerful. But at least three times I've gotten a letter from a retiree apologizing that this is the last gift that I'll be able to send ICR due to this medical need that came up or this financial shift that came up. And at least three times that I've gotten these letters, all three times they said if you don't want to send us acts and facts or days of praise subscriptions anymore, I'll totally understand. Like they see the value in these publications and you've seen these letters too.
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A
Absolutely.
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B
And they're just so regretful that for whatever reason they're not going to be able to donate. And of course Regina, myself, we reach out to them. Mrs. Smith, I'm going to pick on Ms. Smith. Stop that. We are not going to stop sending you our resources. In fact, in fact, we're going to wait for you to tell us how we can better resource you. I don't treat Walmart like that. I don't treat any business, anybody I do business with that way. That is ministry. The stakes are way too high for business. That's. Sorry, that's ministry.
- [18:04]
A
I think it's just also a testament that you were reaching so many people in just so many different eras of their lives. And that's such a cool thing about icr. Well, I want to switch gears just a little bit. So personally I don't really know what it is that either one of you do like on a day to day basis, what exactly your role looks like. So James, for someone who might not understand what donor relations or development means, like myself, how would you describe what you do here at icr?
- [18:36]
B
Good question. So much, really there is so, so much that's involved with stewardship. But I'd say that donor relations and development is about retaining long term relationships with our donors, ensuring that they are connected to the mission, making sure that they feel thanked. We gotta show gratitude, man. If we're not thanking them and keeping them connected and informing them, this is a big one. What we're doing, what our current research looks like, what we're doing in ICR's outreach. What were your. What are what? You know, the availability of our podcasts which are an incredible, incredible tool. I will encourage our media team recording this podcast. I get to a part of what we do is steward every single new gift. So I've reached out recently to some of our first time givers and asked them questions like you've never given to ICR before. Why did you give so generously? What was it about ICR that you loved so much? My family and I, we found yalls podcasts and interviews on YouTube and we're just so excited that There's a ministry out there connecting people with scientific affirmations that support what the Bible says, stuff like that. Just finding out. So well done, Kuda, like well done media team for your incredible work making a huge worldwide Kingdom impact. But ICR supporters are some of the most generous people. They're some of the most mission focused people on the planet. And I just want to make sure my team, we want to ensure that they, that their contributions are making a Kingdom impact and that they know it.
- [20:33]
A
Communication is key.
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B
A lot of communication.
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A
Yeah, I believe that.
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B
Lots of communication, especially from me.
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A
Sorry. Well, Regina, why is donor support so important for a ministry like icr?
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C
Well, we do have to keep the lights on, of course, of course. But I think we have such great resources. It goes all the way from like these podcasts, it goes to books, scientific research that we're doing. It gives more, they're more informed, our donors are. But it costs money. You know, we have to get this stuff paid for. We have resources that, that for the events team, you know, to be able to go to churches, I mean, that's part of our mission, is to be able to equip churches, to be able to combat the evolutionary mindset that's out there and humanism that it is, backing up this false science that people are drawn to for some reason. And so it all takes time and effort and to be able to support a staff to handle all of that and support their needs. Donor support is the most important thing that we have right now. To be able to continue to do all of the things that we wanted. We want to do so much. And it's just, and it just takes money and it takes things that you have to pay for and, but, but we have such a great donor base, just like James was saying. It's, it's so. They're so helpful and they, they want to give and they give. Even that might, that little bitty dollar or, you know, coin that some kid even gives. It just means so much to know that we've been impactful in that way and we want to continue that and to be able to continue that, you know, we have to do what we have to do. And donor support is the means of doing that.
- [22:38]
A
It absolutely is.
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B
And can I jump? What? Regina, she mentioned the mite, you know, which is. She's referencing the widow's mite. Dr. Galuza, our president, he's communicated to our staff, like in our staff devotions in chapels over the years. He's read those letters from widows who give every bit that they can. One you reminded me of was this $75 check that we received from a widow and she. Oh, from the context in the letter, you can tell this was an extravagant gift for this lady. And Dr. Galluza, he charged the staff with every single $75 order you make for supplies, every single $70 that you're going to spend. Please, please, please keep in mind how precious these gifts are. And that's just a part of the attitudes towards stewardship that we have here at icr. We don't believe we're not going to take any one of these gifts lightly. And that starts at the top. That starts with our president. So, yes,
- [23:50]
A
the sweetest part to me about all of this is the direct impact that ICR makes on these individ. Just like both of you were talking about. Is there one story that either one of you can think about where that donor just laid on your heart? Like, you know, that ICR is making a difference because of them and their story? Is there anything like that that either one of you can share?
- [24:15]
C
Absolutely, I can. And just recently, actually, we had a very faithful donor. He gives through planned giving, you know, the things that you don't necessarily have in your bank account, Those things, your IRAs, your donor advised funds, stocks, that kind of thing that you've invested in and over the years, and you see a need and you share it with an organization. And his wife is very poor in health. And he called me and he was, I think, in a desperate need of just prayer. And that's one thing that our staff is so great at. We have devotion time every day that we, we set out time to pray for not just the things that are happening at icr, but our donors and those that are tied to icr. And his wife was in hospice and he called and I was able to. To give her name to our staff and ask for prayer. And it just broke. It did. It broke my heart to hear him ask for that. Because these are. These are people that, that love the Lord and they're going through stuff that a lot of us don't even understand. And they still call an organization like ours to just get prayer. And that means so much to me that, that, that we, that we're on the forefront of their mind that, that they would call my number and say, please pray for my wife. I don't know if she's going to make it through the night. And so I did. I was into tears, you know, afterwards. I was trying to hold it together. It's still, you know, you can't help but to love these people. And they call loving our organization. And then I know the person and there's just a connection there that you can't get rid of. It's still impactful for me today.
- [26:07]
A
Oh, it is. And they just have the biggest hearts. And for me, like, being a part of the media team, I don't really get to interact with any donors and on any really level. But when we're in devotions and you bring up these donors and what it is they're going through and you ask for those prayer, and all of us together as a team are able to pray together, like, that shows the heart behind ICR to me and like these donors and just how incredibly special each and every one of them are. So I'm very thankful for the stories that you get to share with me and that we all get to pray for them together.
- [26:42]
C
We have a great staff.
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A
Yeah, we do.
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C
We couldn't do it without our staff. No, that's part of prayer. It works collectively, individually and collectively. And we're so good at that. And there are people that will stop in the middle of their day and pray for somebody. And it's awesome to work for a place that does that. I get to speak the name of Christ. I get to share the things that are going on with other people in our lives. And it's just. I couldn't ask for a better job.
- [27:14]
A
I completely agree. It's the coolest thing. So, James, while we're walking down memory lane, what is the most impactful memory that you can think of from your time here at ICR so far?
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B
Most, in fact, most impactful memory. I'm going to go with, how about most impactful person?
- [27:36]
C
That'll work.
- [27:37]
B
I miss terribly. Dr. Jim Johnson. He passed away recently. He was. He was leadership here at icr. He served as a Texas circuit judge earlier in his career before coming to this precious, precious treasure of his, which is icr. And I miss. You said earlier, you guys communicate a lot. There is a ton of communications in donor relations, and he was an incredible resource. Every time I wrote a letter, a receipt letter, an appeal letter, stewardship article, I remember going into his office. Dr. Johnson, is this. Is this in the right context? Is this going to line up precisely with, like, I put so much pressure on myself, and I think he kind of just laughed it off and loved me through it. And we'd go over, is this biblically correct? I pulled this reference from Henry Morris ii, you know, his study Bible. And he would just, let's sit down and talk about this. And he didn't just teach you something or read something in its context. No, he was more than a teacher. He would impart his passion for God's word into you. There'd be tears, there'd be laughing, and I'm not even kidding. Like, it was really, really impactful. It was a sweet short time that I got to be on staff when Dr. Jim was on staff here at ICR. And donors miss them, too. We get so many gifts in memory of Dr. Jim Johnson. So for me, in my short time here, that was hugely impactful. Hugely.
- [29:27]
A
It sounds like it. It's unfortunate for me because I never got to meet Dr. Johnson. I only started working here, like, less than a year ago, actually. But he sounds like an incredible guy, and I love hearing stories about him and how he made a difference in your specific life.
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B
He sure did.
- [29:45]
A
So, Regina, veering back towards donors, specifically, what have donors taught you personally about faith and generosity and just trusting God?
- [29:55]
C
I remember a story that was told even before I got here. There was. There was a time when I see the whole economic situation of the US it was not in a good way. And they had to even let people go here at ICR because of the issue with donor support, because so many people were struggling at that time financially. And I heard that Henry Morris III had said that some of the donors, these widows that they live paycheck to paycheck and they supported us faithfully every month. Those people are the ones that actually kept ICR going in those economic times. And to hear that it's not these millionaire donors that we would love to have. But so it was in those times at ICR when the economic situations of the US come into play, that you look towards your donors and it's those faithful widows that give monthly that kept the ICR going. And it's a blessing to hear those stories because without them, would ICR still exist? You know, and so we'll never know. But they helped keep ICR together.
- [31:18]
A
You know, just like, touches my heart in such a deep way. It's amazing what these people could possibly be going through. And yet they set aside these funds or their time or their words. You were talking about letters earlier, and they remember us and they send these things to us, and that's. Oh, it's just great. So sweet. So, James, what is something that people might not realize about the relationship between ICR and A supporters?
- [31:48]
B
This is a funny one.
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A
Okay, I cannot wait.
- [31:51]
B
ICR's mission to support the local church, to support the body of Christ. Of course, the local church expands to your local church wherever you are in the country or around the world. But we want to get alongside pastors and make sure that they are equipped to train up their congregants to defend their faith. So a church down the street from ICR about three blocks away, from what I understand, we had a hard time for years making an impactful connection with them. I had made several phone calls, I knocked on the door, and even I was striking out to make it.
- [32:37]
A
I still personally walked up on a
- [32:38]
B
church door and going up to a door and knocking, and nobody being in the front office. That's okay. I'll try later. And I was on my way to another appointment, and I saw a side door opened. Okay, I'm making a short story long here. Bear with me. But there was a side door open. I've never been in this church. I don't know what this door leads to, but this is an open door, and I will go through it. Thank goodness I didn't get shot, but I did disturb.
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C
And it is Texas.
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B
It is Texas. We were in Texas. You got to be careful.
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A
Who knows what could happen?
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B
But I walked into. It was one of their weekday midday senior citizen meetings that they were having that I disturbed. But I apologized and I said, I will make this right. Next week, when your senior citizen team meets, I demand that you come to the Institute for Creation Research Discovery center, and let us make this right. So they brought their church leadership. They brought, like, this was high stakes. Whenever they first walked in the door, just stoic faces looking around, taking it all in. Hmm. What is this? Just, you know, really curious. What is this place? That's three blocks down the street from our church. Tough crowd. They introduced me right away to, like, three different PhDs in their group. The head of their church, he's in there. And I've got them in our atrium lobby area. And I go into my spiel. Welcome to the Institute for Creation Research. We were established in. In 1970 by. And I got interrupted. Hold on, hold on. Who pays for all of this? Well, ICR is nonprofit. We're a nonprofit, 501C3. We generate funds through generous individuals in some churches around the country that partner with us financially. And they kind of had, like, this mini pow wow. Okay, what denomination is this? ICR is. Is not affiliated with any one denomination, I assure you. They just wanted to make sure that they could feel represented that they're not walking into somebody else's turf here. And I get it, you know, Churches, we need to be protective of our community. Also collaborative with the extended church community. But even still, they attended our planetarium. They went through our. I don't want to throw any spoilers out there if you haven't attended the Discovery center, but we have these incredibly amazing high production value automated exhibits. And it was. And I'm just going to throw one spoiler. By the time they made it to the Garden of Eden exhibit. Oh, they were laughing, they were just high fiving each other. They came up to me, shaking my shoulders. James, this place is incredible. What took you so long to tell us about this place? And they were bought in. But all that to say. I don't even know if I'm answering your last question.
- [36:02]
A
No, you are. I like this.
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B
But so people, it's a great question. What do people not realize about ICR and its supporters, this church? They didn't have the answer to that question. They were incredibly curious about what our relationship to our supporters was. And the supporters shine through, man. ICR support has helped ICR become an incredibly impactful, incredibly excellent ministry that glorifies the Lord Jesus. So, so. Well,
- [36:37]
A
short story long, I loved it every last minute. So what is it actually that motivates you to continue doing work just like that, day to day?
- [36:46]
B
So 10 years as a pastor and some of that was. I served in youth ministry and it was way too easy for the church to blame secular universities for our children graduating out of the church. Oh man, we have this incredible group of high school seniors. It's just too bad that we're about to lose most of them to secular university. ICR is incredibly intentional about educating, influencing the next generation. Yeah, because we're not the church, we're not losing graduating seniors to secular university. We're actually losing them before that. When they're 11, 12 young teenagers, they're
- [37:36]
A
starting to ask those questions and they
- [37:37]
B
start to ask mom and dad, is the Genesis Flood real? Did that really happen? Instead of mom and dad saying, I don't know, ask your youth pastor or your Sunday school teacher next week, maybe they'll have an answer. And then the question just begins to grow in the young person's mind. You know, what if the parent had an answer for it? Well, there's actually worldwide evidence for a universal flood. We see the same layers stacked upon each other. Different quantities, same sequence, different quantities across the world. But the only thing that could have placed those layers in the order that they're in is a single universal worldwide flood. What if mom and dad could empower their Kids with that to make them stop questioning and start just celebrating how awesome it is to have something that's just affirming their faith.
- [38:38]
A
So that's what motivates you.
- [38:40]
B
That's motivational to me. You know, let's have a strong future, a strong church. Let's not lose our kids. I don't want to lose my kids to just graduating out of the church. I want them to hang on to the Word. I want them to hang on to the Word.
- [38:54]
A
I love that so much. So, Regina, in your eyes, what makes ICR unique as a ministry and as an organization as a whole?
- [39:03]
C
I think it's. We can open the Bible.
- [39:05]
A
Yeah.
- [39:05]
C
You can read it. And we have answers that correlate with Scripture. I believe we're sound doctrinally. You can't stump our scientists. They have an answer. I've sat and watched time and time again. Very smart, intellectual people talk to our scientists, and they can give you a biblical answer, and they can match it, and it matches the science that backs it up. So there's a biblical answer that matches science, and it works well together. You don't have to reject anything in the Bible to believe what the science says. And icr, we balance that and we do it so well, and people get that. And I think that we don't have to sell anything. It just is. And the Bible, we hold and treasure and know that the authority that we have in Christ, it comes from a biblical standpoint. And we don't have to hide that. We don't have to hide it. And I think that makes us very unique compared to a lot of organizations.
- [40:20]
A
Yeah, totally and completely agree. Well, James, what encouragement would you give to someone who wants to support ministries like ICR but wonders like, does my contribution. Does it actually matter in the grand scheme of things?
- [40:35]
B
I would start by reminding them that in John chapter six, there was a boy that had five barley loaves and two fish. What might not seem like much, especially when you're about to feed 5,000 and men besides their. Besides women and children. The Lord Jesus can do so much to multiply our gifts, our donations. What we bring to the table, the Lord can use it and make it go so much further than what we thought. In fact, follow that story. In John 6, they collected what was left over after everybody had eaten their fill and there was still baskets left over. The Lord, he's the provider. He's ultimately facilitating the ministry. He's calling ICR to the critical, vital work that we're performing every day. But he has he really, really does not want to do this by himself. He's looking for people to partner alongside us. I look at, sorry, preacher, old preacher, everything coming to the surface. I look at Jesus cooking breakfast at the shore of Galilee, telling Peter, you know Peter, they didn't recognize him. Jesus had already been crucified and resurrected. And a man tells him, cast your net on the other side. And they catch a great catch. And that's when they realize this is Jesus. And they jump in the water and swim up to him and he's like, bring some of this fish you caught and we'll make breakfast. Jesus already cooking breakfast Anyways, that short story made long just to say he wants to partner with us. You asked me earlier what donor relations does we bridge the gap for people who watch ICR's podcasts, people who read acts and facts, read days of praise, read or experienced icr, ICR at an outreach event and wonder, how do I get involved with this? I am, Ah, I've got this. It's not even just conviction. It's. It's pure excitement for something God's doing through icr. What do I do? And giving is a bridge. It's a way that you can get involved, jump in the fight, jump in this critical mission that the church needs. Universities need young people. This is a tremendous need. Our nation has tremendous need. Your contribution makes a tremendous, tremendous change. Your contribution makes a tremendous change. And it certainly matters.
- [43:14]
A
It definitely does. Well, I want to end on a question, actually, for the both of you. And so we're going to start with you, Regina, but what is the one thing people who are listening to this podcast could be for the first time? Could be they're a reoccurring listener. But one thing that listeners take away after watching this specific episode, what would that be?
- [43:37]
C
We have so much to offer people in the means of a facility to come visit books, education, events, to educate the church, to educate each individual that belongs to that church. And I think it would be just such a shame if we could not share everything. And there's so much more that we're still trying to do. And it takes donors, it takes those gifts to be able to do that. And they need to know that we have an answer. There's a lot of people that can't give answers, but we can give you an answer. Call us if you have questions. I'm free. You can call me and call James. We would love to talk to people if they still have questions, to be able to give answers. And if we don't know them offhand, of course, we have people that we can go to. And so I believe our contributions to the Kingdom of God is what's the most important. That's what our lives are supposed to be. Working for the Lord Jesus Christ we have, that's part of the kingdom that we're trying to see and lay up our treasures not on this earth, but for the kingdom of heaven. And that's what we're honestly, I can really honestly say that most people that work here, I would say 100% of the people that work here, that is our goal, is because we want to do something special for the Lord Jesus Christ that not everybody gets the opportunity to do. And that would be, I guess, the simple answer.
- [45:25]
A
Yes, simple, but complex too, and just really encompasses all of it. All right, James, what about you? What's that one singular takeaway that you hope listeners get from this episode?
- [45:35]
B
I didn't really mention this, but I hope our listeners, whether you've been with ICR for the last 55 years, since 1970, so 55 plus, ICR is not taking their foot off the gas. As technology continues to improve, so does our exciting research. And we're in the works of launching new biological research laboratories. And we don't want to do that without any one of our listeners help. Please, please, please join us. Join the mission. Sign up for acts and facts. Sign up for days and praise. Send us a gift. That's what's going to launch us even deeper into the future than we ever could have. It's not just going to happen with ICR staff. It's going to happen with ICR's family. So ICR is not going to do it alone. It's going to take our staff, it's going to take ICR's family, and that's our financial partners, our supporters, our subscribers. We're not doing this alone. Jesus did, did not teach us to take all this on just by ourselves.
- [46:43]
A
No, he did not. He definitely equips all of us. And one thing that I think is really cool about this particular feature of this episode is that there might be some people who are watching right now who are donors and who send in regularly. But now they have the opportunity to see your faces, like they now know your stories.
- [47:03]
B
We're both so excited, excited about that.
- [47:06]
A
They see your faces and they know your stories. You're not just somebody behind a screen. You were like real. And you have shared throughout this whole episode how much you care and how each of these people have made such an impact on you. And your life. So I for one, am incredibly grateful that both of you came on this episode of the Creation Podcast. So thank you for sharing your stories and your heart. Thank you. And what it is that you do.
- [47:29]
B
Thank you.
- [47:30]
C
Thank you.
- [47:30]
B
Mary Clara, of course, keep doing what you do. It's incredible.
- [47:34]
A
Thank you. We hope this conversation gave you a better look into the people and the mission behind the ministry and encouraged you through the stories that you heard today. If you'd like to learn more about ICR or how you can partner with us through giving, visit ICR.org give. Thank you so much for watching and we'll see you next time on the Creation Podcast.