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AzOSA is conducting an ongoing
survey of the views of creation espoused by churches in Arizona.
You may review our progress by clicking here.
Have you been taught
or
indoctrinated?
-
Take a test
- View the answers
Learn about some of the
specialists in their fields who serve in the Arizona Origin Science Association!
AzOSA Event Pictures
Papago Park Walk
Tonto Natural Bridge Trip
If you have pictures taken at AzOSA events, we would like to share them. Please
send them in.
What's Happening This Month:
See the
Events page for more information |
Arizona Origin Science Association, Inc.("AzOSA") is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit corporation, providing knowledge and understanding of
Creation issues in order to strengthen our faith in God. We distribute a
monthly newsletter and hold meetings with expert guest speakers. Parents, teachers, pastors and
youth are engouraged to attend these free presentations. Please join us!
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AZOSA SOUTH EVENTS
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By Mike Riddle, Director of Education for AzOSA and Full time staff at Answers in
Genesis
Christian Scholarship
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
Christian scholarship (study, learning)
is not just necessary for church leaders, but to every Christian. As Christians
we have a mandate to have ready answers (2 Peter 3:15), to be discerning (1 Thessalonians
5:21-22), teach all nations (Matthew 28:19-20) and be doers of the Word (James 1:22).
If we are going to be effective
in proclaiming the Gospel to a nation that has abandoned biblical authority, we
must study and rightly know how to handle the Scriptures. There are at least three reasons Christian
scholarship is necessary in our endeavors to proclaim the Gospel.
First, it is necessary for evangelism.
Without knowledge how can someone believe? A very little knowledge is often sufficient
for someone to believe, but some knowledge must be there. If someone is to trust
Christ, they must know something about Him. God has provided two sources of knowledge:
His Word and His creation (Romans 1:19-20). A “simple faith” is not enough for evangelism.
Advocates of a “simple faith” miss the opportunity to build believers into effective
Christians. Christian scholarship is important in order that we can tell the whole
story of Jesus - Creator and Savior (rightfully handling the Word of God).
Second, it is necessary for
a defense of the faith (apologetics). There are people in the church that teach
that no defense of the faith is necessary. Christianity that avoids defending the
faith is not the Christianity of the New Testament. The writings of Paul are full
of argument in defense of the faith. The words of Jesus are full of argument in
defense of the truth. Many of the parables of Jesus are argumentative in character.
The Bible mandates all Christians to know how to defend their faith (1 Peter 3:15,
Jude 3,
Col
4:5-6, Titus 1:9). It is ineffective to proclaim a Gospel that people cannot hold
to be true. We are living in a time of great conflict against the authority of God’s
Word. It is not easy to defend the faith against the forceful attacks from proponents
of evolution and the secular media. Therefore, knowledge of the truth is necessary
(study to show thyself approved).
Third, it is necessary for building up
the church. Paul, the great evangelist, thrived in preaching the Gospel in places
where it not been heard. Yet his writings are full of edification and building up
those who had already been won. There is a great need in the church today to return
to solid instruction. We need teachers whose instruction goes beyond teaching current
events and social issues and focuses on Christian doctrine (A workman that needs
not be ashamed).
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again
which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have
need of milk, and not of strong meat. (Hebrews 5:12)
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Creation, Evolution & Science
Ministries Have a New Website:
www.creationministries.org
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Christian Teacher
Training Course a Great Success
From July 23rd through August 5th Mike Riddle traveled
to
Arizona
to speak in multiple churches as well as teach a one day Christian Teacher Training
course held at Scottsdale Bible church. 58 students from the
Phoenix
area,
Tucson
,
Prescott
,
Yuma
and
Havasu City
attended the full-day course. This is a new training course from AIG that was developed
over the past two years by Mike here in
Arizona
, and is already in high demand around the country and
Canada
. The course prepares students to discuss and present, from a biblical worldview,
the biblical and scientific evidences about creation/evolution. In addition, the
course equips students in all three areas of apologetics.
As Christians we need to recognize there are three areas
of apologetics: (1) Learning how to answer questions; (2) Knowing how to ask the
right questions. This is where the Christian can go on the offense and break down
strongholds held by the nonbeliever; and (3) Knowing how to take the discussion
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the real
power of any discussion.
The course covers four main topics:
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The relevance of creation to Christian doctrine and biblical
authority
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Apologetics, logic and critical thinking skills
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Science and origins
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Educating for success – making Christian education the
best education
The cost of the course next year will be $39 per student.
However, included in the cost is a student manual complete with notes for each of
the PowerPoint slides, a DVD with the course PowerPoint slides and lunch. The course
is also ACSI approved, which means teachers can receive one continuing education
unit.
“Response to this
course was so positive and enthusiastic that we are already tentatively scheduling
it for October of next year.” Joseph Kezele, President,
Arizona
Origins Science Association (AzOSA).
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¡Creation Evangelism in Mexico!
July
12-19 Black Mountain Baptist Church in Cave Creek, Arizona conducted an evangelistic
mission in conjunction with Bethel Baptist Church in Escuinapa, Sinaloa, Mexico.
The youth group participated in street evangelism in the mornings and sports evangelism
in the afternoons. In the evenings creation evangelism presentations were given
in Spanish by Joseph Kezele, M.D., President of the Arizona Origin Science Association
(Dr. Kezele also teaches each year in Russia, giving his PowerPoint presentations
in Russian).
At the church, the
7 Cs, Why Won’t They Listen?, and
AzOSA Scripture
Series Genesis Chapter 1 were presented. On
three other evenings,
Are Dinosaurs More Recent Than you Think?, Fossils and the Flood
and Where Did the Thousands of Languages Come From? were presented in a public setting, with 100 or more people
attending each evening.
The
Lord used these activities to bring 101 people to Him in first time commitments
to Christ as their Savior and Creator.
AIG
supported this effort in two ways. The first was the availability of some PowerPoint
slides on AIG’s Spanish language web site. The second was the donation by AIG of
a set of all of the available Spanish language creation evangelism books and the
set of six Spanish language creation DVDs to the church library. Pictured here is
Pastor Melquiades Llanes of Bethel Baptist Church and Joseph Kezele with the donated
materials. Thank you AIG for teaming with the Arizona Origin Science Association
and Black Mountain Baptist Church to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the creation
message to the people of Escuinapa.
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Powerpoint presentations
are available for viewing or download - click the Resources button.
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Contact Us:
Arizona Origin Science Association, Inc.
c/o Kathy Queen, AzOSA Treasurer
5311 E Evans Dr.
Scottsdale, Arizona 85254
602-525-8029
email us
Dr. Joseph Kezele,
President
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