Putting God Back in the Science Curriculum

By Jerry Layton

Twenty-seven years ago, a brave 7th grader told her science teacher, "Mr. Layton, you don't have to believe in evolution. I believe God created everything!"

Now as a veteran church-planter, that former science teacher is telling Filipino educators and students the same thing. God is using this to open doors for an evangelistic ministry on secular campuses throughout the Philippines.

It began last school year when a biology teacher from the University of the Philippines Baguio campus heard my creation science presentation at the ABWE student center, and arranged for me to speak on campus. More than 80 faculty and students filled the room to see a presentation of creation science versus evolution. Afterward, the head of the biology department asked me to find resource materials "to put God back in the science curriculum."

Since then I have given evangelistic creation science presentations in 12 secular venues reaching at least 1,830 Filipinos, mostly in large universities and colleges in the central Philippines. Filipino educators are, for the most part, religious people for whom atheism is unthinkable. So once they are shown the atheistic, secular humanistic bias of evolution, many embrace the biblical model of origins. Relating the world-wide flood to future judgment seemed to bring a deep sense of conviction, and I was often able to use the closing prayer as a salvation invitation, resulting in at least 45 public confessions of faith. After every presentation, administrators asked for help finding textbooks which teach creation as the scientific alternative to evolution.

This is becoming a full-time ministry as there is no limit to educational institutions hungry for word of the Creator. Already several Filipino co-workers asked for training to help in the task. We will coordinate with the Institute of Creation Research and other organizations in teaching throughout the Philippines.