You may need an atlas to help you rejoice in the latest enlargement of RTB's harvest field. Estonia, the northernmost of the three Baltic nations bordering Russia, gave Hugh an opportunity for a pioneering apologetics outreach venture. And it proved fruitful beyond our imagination. Again and again the people exclaimed, "Your message is exactly what we need to hear." The lecture hall at Tallinn Technical Institute was packed, the downtown lecture hall was equally crowded, and to everyone's surprise, so was the meeting hall at the university in Tartu, where Christian speakers have rarely gone. In each case, the crowds stayed to ask questions until authorities locked the buildings. Channel One television taped Hugh's two talks in Tallinn, and radio stations taped interviews. We're thrilled to report that the Estonian translation of The Creator and the Cosmos was completed and printed in time to place in the people's hands.
This trip started with a brief visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, another new venue for RTB. When a little-known holy day cancelled Hugh's lecture at the Russian Orthodox seminary, God opened some strategic opportunities that will pave the way for future ministry. A local radio station with a listening audience of about 2 million taped four talks on science and faith which will be broadcast several times and made available to other stations across the country. The Creator and the Cosmos Russian translation will be ready soon, and the book along with the radio messages will help build credibility among people who have already grown weary and leery of Western speakers, especially "religious" ones.
Though the holy day cancelled their classes, many professors and students from the seminary attended Hugh's lectures at the Christian university (recently founded by a consortium of Baptists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, and other evangelicals) and at the Institute for Astrophysics. One Orthodox leader publicly opposed Hugh's message on the grounds that evidences appeal to pride. After dialoguing with Hugh for nearly half an hour in front of the audience, he graciously conceded that his views were based on the fear of irreconcilable conflicts between science (so often used to attack his faith) and Scripture. His animosity melted, and he expressed openness to Hugh's perspective. He and his enthusiastic colleagues are already forming plans for a two-day training session at the seminary sometime next year. RTB's volunteer apologists have also seen God's Spirit work wonders. Alan Graas, of Fresno, Calif., was invited to Edison High School by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to debate a biology teacher on creation vs. evolution. Alan took the podium first (the teacher was given the privilege of the last word), and after Alan presented his case for creation, the teacher responded, "How can I follow that?" The debate ended there. Or, we could say the debate never started, only a talk by Alan with a good round of questions and discussion.
John Link, of Durham, N. C., gave a Sunday morning message on science and the Bible at his home church, within twenty miles of three major universities: Duke, the U. of North Carolina, and North Carolina State. He reports that many students and science-trained professionals attended and expressed appreciation for his message. The theme of their encouraging response was that John helped them become better equipped to speak to their peers about Jesus.
Marj Harman led the Sunday morning "Paradoxes" class at Sierra Madre Congregational Church in Hugh's absence. Her discussion of quantum physics as it relates to Christian faith generated lively discussion.
Medical doctors and a pastor on the central California coast teamed up, with the help of their wives, to organize a series of outreaches this spring targeting high school teachers, medical professionals, the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus, and the San Luis Obispo business community. In Alabama, medical doctors and their wives created similar outreach opportunities with church members and business and civic leaders. In both California and Alabama, people's open-hearted response at each event reflected the faithful prayer and diligent planning of this zealous coordinating committee.
On a second trip to the South, Hugh spoke at "Ole Miss" (U. of Miss.), his visit arranged by RTB friend Rob Kroeger.
From Australia.
Reasons To Believe has a new liaison in Australia. Rhema Family Church in Perth, will head up distribution of RTB materials and other ministry endeavors "down under." Our new Australian address is as follows: Reasons To Believe, c/o Rhema Family Church, 1 Thorogood Street, Burswood 6100, Perth, Western Australia.
This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 1995 by Reasons To Believe.
Return to the
Reasons To Believe Home Page
Return to the table of contents for the Facts & Faith, Second Quarter 1996 Issue