Dear brother.
With difficulty friendship, and being the Shepherd of God's flock should never be a reason to prevent the conversation of biblical truth to be discussed. Who better to talk to than a friend? What does scripture say in Proverbs 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. So who better to have discussed this with? A friend should be able both to offer and receive encouragement and loving criticism.
Whenever the discussion of Creationism & Evolution come up. I suggest the following book. However, I will warn you. It is not for the faint of heart!
Title: The Long War Against God - The history and impact of the creation/evolution conflict.
Author: Dr. Henry Morris
For some odd reason, it seems that in our own incomplete knowledge of scripture, that we willingly give up the position of truth! As our brother Taylor said in his post
We give up the high ground when due to our lack of knowledge and inability to "scientifically" discuss a position contrary to Biblical truth. We acquiesce to the others position. Instead we should accept that we do not know everything and hold faithfully to what the Word of God says. If we do not. Then it leaves open every other belief including Christ to disputation. For if we are wrong there, why not in the resurrection? or the blind being healed, the lame to walk etc.?
In this subject, always remember since the beginning of time, Godhood (Nature or essence of being divine) of God has been questioned. Especially in this area concerning His Creation. Yet every contrary position has eventually fallen by the way side as it has been disproven and then another position will spring up to take its place. The devil does not have quit in him. The only constant has been Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
If you ever decide to read the aforementioned book, you'll have to let me know what you think. It might even be something to give to your Pastor/Friend. Might not change the position that the church has decided to take, but might open up support for Biblical truth as seen in Genesis.
YBIC
C4E
I've found that there are many preachers who do a great job preaching the gospel, who know Genesis inside and out, that is what God says there. It isn't necessary to push creation
science to accomplish Jesus' great commandment. But bringing up opposition to evolution easily and quickly alienates young minds that consider a gospel preacher rejecting evolution is too foolish to matter, so they are cut off over that alone, then impossible to preach the gospel to.
My 35 year working career was natural science based, in the outdoors, except for two years of Bible college training when some preachers believed I was being called to pastor. I've lay preached (volunteer basis only) since then. Most of my years concerned restoration and maintenance of wildlife habitat, specializing in wetlands research and management. I have retired from fed govt, but retain private consultant businesses, mostly planning and construction of private fishing club lakes and duck clubs, helping to locate eligible lands that can be purchased and developed. I worked alongside atheists, avowed evolutionists, and some Christians, all in many science fields that had to do with my own fields. We had just enough discussions about the Bible and science to realize we first had to live peaceably as much as possible, be professional.
Romans 12:17-18 (KJV) 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
I lived Christ in me before all, always, prospered working like that, enabling me to be a significant support to ministries. Some inquired about what made me tick, and listened to my testimony. The Lord knows the outcomes, as I didn't cross paths with most of those people again, each project a different team, different state.
I've been highly interested in all sciences since a little boy in the 1950's, a fan of Darwin from 10th grade high school until the year I was saved at 31. I didn't know a single person that believed otherwise. I never had no problem with Genesis, not linking that to opposition to evolution. Of course all that changed rapidly back then. Only high school and college professors ever ridiculed
You and I know the Genesis accounts are very basic and essential, foundational to Christianity. Special creation less than 10,000 years ago is being proved through genetics alone. Disbelieving any part of the old or new testament as being the truth from God is extremely dangerous, fostering distrust in many other parts of it, if not the whole of it. I have learned the hard way to reserve discussing the science of it until I know a person is well grounded in Christ, unmovable. Jesus is not on record admitting fossils are mostly from the Genesis flood, or that dinosaur remains were only a few thousand years old. Nothing about DNA was discussed. Nobody knew about unmineralized blood components in T. Rex bones and other species remains and still elastic tissues from animals believed extinct millions of years ago.
I have many friends who took up ministry for their careers, some retired now. I disagree with some of them doctrinally over really what amounts to minor differences. I went full gospel, but many are dear So. Baptist friends who are not safe even thinking about tongues or casting out demons, etc. They preach Christ crucified and risen, teach what the Jesus and the apostles taught. They don't need to be versed in creation science. All of us were brainwashed about evolution in grade school and college and even Bible classes, as it turns out even by a few atheist professors of theology. I don't think anyone actually believes that stuff, hopes to forget about it.
Here on the web we don't know each other, won't likely share watching the Thunders and eating popcorn, working on a friend's upcoming sermon series during commercials, or planning a fishing trip. All my friends are saved, we love the Lord. Out of maybe 800 people attending their churches (and mine) in a two county area I doubt there are 5 that could define evolution or creation science. It isn't a topic "out there". But many will testify about what Jesus did for them. So I disagree that it is vital to demand adherence to the science side of Genesis creation and the world-wide flood. The theology around Genesis is sufficient for the vast majority. Preach the gospel, my friend. If any be contentious about the Bible account, then is the time to discuss that.
As for the Nazarene position statement, it's simply a directive froma page from their Olivet University site at
Olivet Nazarene University :: Theistic Evolution
"(3) Evolution and Creation Please be careful how you hear what i am about to say. The Christian faith and some understandings of evolution are not necessarily incompatible. However, i want to be very clear in saying that not every articulation of evolution will do; not at all. That is to say, evolution must be understood in certain ways to be compatible with Christian faith. Well, what does that mean? The Christian affirmation of God as Creator affirms God as initially creating, but also continually sustaining, actively interacting, and purposefully directing creation to its culmination. All things come from Him, exist in Him, and move to Him. (Col. 1:15–17; Acts 17:24–31). evolution, if it is to be held by a Christian, must be considered as a methodology of divine creation within that broader Biblical context."
I can't take time to learn when or why they adopted theistic evolution. As for my pastor friend, he had no such training about that, will not study it or discuss it. He mainly preaches the New Testament.
There was yet another fishing buddy, hardly ever seen again, but very good fellowship and some really great home cooking, and many a home Bible study. I never stayed around any place long enough to figure out how to break into other cliques quickly, especially driving a rented pickup needed to get around job sites, in places there were no car washes. However, once one clique accepted me, the "club" of cliques (the church congregation) would warm up a bit the next Sunday. Preachers occasionally would call me out with "I hear you know the Bible, Brother, so come on up here and say some words. You know you are "in" when he tells you a few minutes later from the front pew to "take as much time as you can". That's when hands of all cliques are offered leaving the sanctuary. I exercised "violence" rather than draw back.
