To some of you, the term, “Creation Evangelism,” may be a new idea, but it is not new. Coined decades ago by pioneer creationist, the late Rev. Walter Lang, then Director of the Bible-Science Association (now Creation Moments), it describes a tried and true method of reaching the lost, especially when there is no Judeo-Christian foundation to build upon. Pastor Lang traveled the world, using Creation as an evangelistic technique to win souls. It was originally used by the Apostle Paul with the ancient Greeks because they had no knowledge of the Creator. The same is true today. Evolution permeates our culture. Thus, this approach to evangelism has proven to be very effective — sometimes the only one that is. Read portions of an article Ken Ham wrote back in 1987 about the need for Creation Evangelism. The article appeared in ICR’s newsletter, IMPACT, titled “Creation Evangelism: A Powerful Tool in Today’s World.” The need for  Creation Evangelism still proves true today. Reprinted with permission, these portions follow in italics:

When we look at the United States and other countries today, we see increases in homosexuality, support for abortion on demand, disobedience to those in authority, people who do not want to work, pornography and the abandonment of marriage and modest clothing to name but a few examples.

We also note the following. The church is not as effective as it used to be. Christians are fighting for their freedoms. Parents don’t automatically send their children to church programs as used to happen, even when the parents were not churchgoers themselves. The education system is no longer considered Christian. What has occurred in society to bring about this change? Why is it that many people today just scoff when we talk about Christ and the doctrines of the gospel?

It wasn’t long ago that creationism was the basis of our society. A creation basis means there are absolutes. If you accept a belief in God as Creator, then you accept that there are laws, as He is the Lawgiver. He is the absolute authority, and we are under total obligation to Him. Laws are not a matter of our opinions but rules given by the One who has the right to impose them upon us for our good and His own glory.

The conflict we see in our society at present is the clash between the faith of Christianity with its creation basis and absolutes, and the religion of humanism with its evolutionary basis and its relative morality that says “anything goes.”

These two systems cannot exist beside each other for very long, for in the end, one must go. When creation with its Christian absolutes was the basis of society, people knew what was right and what was wrong. Sexual deviancy, easy divorce, public lawlessness, abortion on demand, pornography, public nudity, and so on, were all considered to be wrong.

Does this sound like today? Have things gotten better or worse? I dare say much worse!

Many Christians recognize the degeneration that has occurred in society. They can see the rejection of Christian ethics and the increase in these anti-God philosophies. However, they are at a loss to know why this is occurring. The reason they are in such a dilemma is that they don’t understand the foundational nature of the battle. Creation versus evolution is the bottom line. When people reject the God of creation, it necessarily affects how they view themselves, others, the world in which they live and, therefore, how they should act in this world.

Well, what can we do about it?
We need to take a lesson from the New Testament. In Acts 14 and 17 are two specific examples of approaches to the Greeks. The method was different from that used for the Jews. When Paul went to the Greeks, he didn’t start by preaching about Jesus Christ and the Cross, but by telling them about the true God who is the Creator and, from there, went on to the rest of the Gospel about Jesus Christ. The Greeks believed in a form of evolution, and, thus, in their eyes, there was no God who had a form of evolution, and, thus, in their eyes, there was no God who had authority over them. Paul realized that, before he could preach about Jesus, he must approach them on the basis of what they knew intuitively--namely, that there was a Creator to Whom they were responsible.
It’s about time Christians opened their eyes to the fact that our society, which used to be similar to that of the Jews, has now become like that of the Greeks. In the past the creation basis was foundational to society. This enabled the proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ and resulted in great responses and effectiveness. But Christian philosophy has eroded away and been replaced with an evolutionary framework.

In today’s world, before we can effectively proclaim the message of Christ, we must reestablish the creation basis on which the rest of the gospel must be built. We should rethink the method prevalent in Christian circles of teaching only the New Testament to unbelievers. If they were also taught Genesis (at least chapters 1-11), the basis would then be provided for the gospel presentation, just as Paul used these Scriptures in Acts 14 and 17.
It’s time the church awoke, made use of the tools that the Lord has provided for a society that has become like that of the ancient Greeks,and restored the foundations of Christianity so that the structure of true Biblical Christianity can stand. Because it is built on God’s word, and brings people to Christ and to a solid commitment to the God of creation, Creation Evangelism IS successful.

 Because the foundations of creation are being restored (even more and faster today than Ken could have envisioned back in 1987), the gospel is being believed and lives changed from one of no hope to one of eternal life. Praise God the Creator.