The Perfect Creation Bible Study Curriculum

Below are brief overviews and reviews of the 3 top curricula we recommend on creationism.   We are not affiliated with the ministries that produce these, nor do we benefit from their purchase.  We just recommend them.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis

Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis by ICRThe first series is “Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis” by Institute for Creation Research (ICR, 2014).

This particular curriculum focuses on scientific questions like the origin of life, the age of the earth, dinosaurs, the flood, the ice age, etc. It is advertised as ground breaking, and I would agree.  Each presentation is professionally edited and filled with stunning footage and graphics.  The series contains no podium lectures.  Rather, host Markus Lloyd takes you on location, explaining the relevant concepts of creationism with the help of ICR scientists. This study ideal for Church Sunday Schools and youth groups, ages 11 and up.

The entire program includes 12 video presentations each about 22 minutes long, and a study guide.

You can purchase the series here (directly from ICR).

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The Foundations

Ken Ham's FoundationsThe second is Ken Ham’s “The Foundations” by Answers in Genesis (AiG, 2011).  Ken has been urging the church for more than 30 years to return to the foundational truths of Genesis—particularly, chapters 1-11.  Coming from a more theological perspective, no one frames the issue like he does, and this series is filled with wisdom he’s accumulated over decades.  His theme, as always, is the authority of Scripture, and this series elevates God’s Word like no other.  Ken has always been good, but these presentations are, in my view, his best yet. Every Christian in the world, today, needs to hear these presentations.

The program contains 12 messages, each about 25 minutes long, and a study guide. Ken’s presentations are accompanied by cutting-edge visual aids and video footage. You can order the series here (directly from AiG).

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Evolution’s Achilles Heels

Evolution achilles heels by CMIEvolution’s Achilles’ Heels is a full length documentary produced by Creation Ministries International (CMI, 2014).  It’s divided into 8 sections, each about 10-15 minutes long (all on one DVD). There is a free study guide available here, which can easily turn this into a study curriculum for small groups.

Focusing also on the scientific aspects of the debate, each segment is packed with visually stunning footage and animations, accompanied by commentary from 15 PhD scientists. If pictures are worth a thousands words, this presentation is worth billions and billions (forgive the pun, Carl). You can purchase the DVD here or BluRay DVD here. (directly from CMI).

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Better Together

All of the above curricula are great on their own, but if you really want to feel the full benefit, we suggest combining them into one study.  If you’ve been looking for a cutting edge study on creationism that honors God’s word and does not compromise the plain reading of Genesis 1-11, your search may be over.  We call it the SEEDS curriculum. SEEDS is an acronym which defines the goals of the study, and expresses our desire to see spiritual growth in the modern Church.

Talk Genesis is not affiliated in any way with these materials nor the ministries that produce them.  We do, however, endorse them, enthusiastically. Below is an outline of the study structure we suggest, which incorporates all 3 of these masterful works.

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SEEDS Creation Bible Study

An intense 12 week biblical, theological and scientific study of origins

Cutting edge video presentations from the world’s top creationists
Answers to the most common scientific questions about origins
Answers to the most common biblical and theological questions about origins

Study goals:

• Share the blessing of the biblical origins account.
• Edify Christians and seekers from God’s word.
• Equip Christians to answer the skeptical challenges of our day.
• Deepen our knowledge biblical origins debate.
• Show why it matters both theologically and hermeneutically.

Creationism Curricula

Schedule:

Week 1
science: Chaos or Cosmos? (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: The Relevance of Genesis pt. 1 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: Natural Selection (10 min. video)

Week 2
science: What is Life? (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: The Relevance of Genesis pt. 2 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: The Origins of Life (10 min. video)

Week 3
science: What is Man? (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: Always Ready, Apologia pt. 1 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: Genetics (10 min. video)

Week 4
science: Buried Clues (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: Always Ready, Apologia pt. 2 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: The Fossil Record (10 min. video)

Week 5
science: Flood or Fiction? (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: Revealing The Unknown God pt. 1 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: The Geologic Column (10 min. video)

Week 6
science: How Old is Earth? (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: Revealing The Unknown God pt. 2 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: Radiometric Dating (10 min. video)

Week 7
science: Dinosaurs! (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: In Six Days pt. 1 (25 min. video, discussion)

Week 8
science: The Ice Age (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: In Six Days pt. 2 (25 min. video, discussion)

Week 9
science: Rise of Civilization (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: One Blood One Race pt. 1 (25 min. video, discussion)

Week 10
science: Origin of the Universe (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: One Blood One Race pt. 2 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: Cosmology (10 min. video)

Week 11
science: Uniqueness of Earth (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: Death The Enemy pt. 1 (25 min. video, discussion)

Week 12
science: Science and Scripture (22 min. video, discussion)
theology: Death The Enemy pt. 2 (25 min. video, discussion)
optional science: Ethical Implications (10 min. video)

Time Structure (based on a 6:30 start time)

6:30 – greetings/refreshments/opening prayer
6:40 – Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis video presentation
7:05 – refreshments/discussion using “Think about it” questions from corresponding viewer guide
7:25 – The Foundations video presentation
7:55 – refreshments/discussion using “Group Discussion Questions” from the corresponding participant guide
8:15 – Evolution’s Achilles Heels video segment (if available)
8:25 – short concluding discussion
8:30 – closing prayer

Study Guide Questions:

Corresponding study guide questions should be used to guide the discussion after the first 2 videos. They are found in the viewer participant guides that come with each series.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis Viewer Guide: “Think about it” section (about 5-8 questions).

The Foundations Participant Guide: “Group Discussion Questions” section (about 5-8 questions).

These questions can be copied from the viewer participant guides, printed and passed out.  Or you can purchase additional guides from ICR and AiG.

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Information overload?

We feared that a study featuring 3 different video presentations on some nights would be too much for participants to handle.  This was definitely not the case. The study was like a delicious spiritual three-course meal, with a scientific appetizer, theological main dish, and scientific desert.  No one felt the information to be excessive or overwhelming.

Easy to Facilitate

Any discerning Christian with leadership abilities can facilitate this study.  The only real requirement is that they are familiar with the origins debate and are sound in their approach to the first 11 chapters of Genesis.  All of the materials listed above affirm a young earth, six literal creation days, historical Adam and Eve, global flood, and literal confusion and creation of the languages at Babel. Any Christian sound in these areas is more than qualified to lead this study.  The video presentations and discussion questions do all the heavy lifting.  Keeping things on track and on topic with the discussion questions is really the primary key to facilitating a successful study.

Why?

Why a creationism Bible study?  Why the need to promote this subject in the church? What’s the big deal?

This curriculum answers all these questions, but first and foremost, it’s honoring to God and his Word.  God is the only true Evangelist, and we’re merely tools in His hands.  When we trust God’s word, we become better tools in his hands.  When the church unites around the foundations truths in Genesis, only good things will happen.  And the converse is true as well.  The more the church moves away from God’s foundation truths in Genesis, the more irrelevant it will become.

I came across an interesting survey by the Harris polling company.  According to the poll, Americans are losing their Christian faith at virtually the same rate they are gaining faith in evolution.  The headline reads, Americans’ Belief in God, Miracles and Heaven DeclinesBelief in Darwin’s theory of evolution rises. At the conclusion of the survey in 2013, they found that in 5 years, belief in essential doctrines like the Resurrection of Christ had dropped among Americans approximately 5%, while belief in evolution increased at the same rate.

belief in:
God – down 8% (74% believe)
miracles – down 7% (72% believe)
Jesus as God – down 4% (68% believe)
the Resurrection – down 5% (65% believe)
the whole Bible as the Word of God – down 6% (less than half of Americans now believe)
Evolution – up 5% (47% now believe)

Coincidence? Another recent poll by Pew confirms the decline. America’s Changing Religious Landscape: Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population; Unaffiliated and Other Faiths Continue to Grow.  Many Christian leaders are in denial about this, but I have no reason to doubt these pollsters, as it lines up with what I see in our culture today, from the media to the Supreme Court. I think most would agree.

We’re losing the next generation.  Kids raised in the church are being continually immersed in evolutionary thinking through media, Hollywood and our educational system, and the church has not properly responded.  Secularists and evolutionists appeal to their minds, while we look the other way, or tell them it doesn’t matter.  But it does matter.  Kids, as they mature, begin to realize that, if they can’t trust the beginning of the Bible, there’s no reason to trust the rest of it. If the beginning is in doubt, so is the rest of the story.  As a result they are fleeing the Church at alarming rates, some estimates as high as 2 of 3 and others even higher. (For more on this, I recommend Ken Ham’s book, Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it.  You can read the first chapter online, here.)

But there is no reason to give up the intellectual aspects of Christianity, particularly the historicity of Genesis and the rest of the Bible. This study will equip Christian parents and their kids to answer the skeptical challenges of our day like no other resource I know.  It will show the next generation they can trust the Bible from cover to cover, and don’t have to compromise when it is at odds with man’s theories.  “Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar…” (Rom. 3:4)

Furthermore, Christians are hungry for this material, especially kids.  They are craving intellectual truth, and this curriculum delivers.  They’ll be excited about the Bible and science, and learn how to correctly think about both.  The Christian faith is emotional to be sure, but it is also intellectual.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37)  This is a great place to start.

Furthermore, the entire Christian faith is built on the foundation of Genesis.  All major doctrines of Christianity, directly or indirectly are rooted in the early chapters of Genesis.  These include the existence of sin, suffering and death, and the need for a Savior.  A strong foundation leads to a strong structure.  If our kids are anchored in the historicity of Genesis, they’re much more likely to accept the historicity of the Gospel which rests upon it.  But, “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” (Psa. 11:3)

Participant Comments:

The following are comments from participants of our recent study.  We knew it was going to be good, but were pleasantly surprised just how good.

All the videos tied together beautifully and kept even my teenagers riveted and engaged in the discussions. This study helped me understand the importance of why Christians should take the book of Genesis literally, and that it is not unscientific to do so. It strengthened my faith in God’s Word! — Maria

This study has strengthened my faith immensely. It has definitely helped me stand firm on the Word when school teachers tell me otherwise. I think every Christian my age should be exposed to this study. All the questions that made me doubt my faith before were all answered! The importance of Genesis never occurred to me before, and now I see that it is such a BIG part of the gospel! — Rachel (13)

I like the way the Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis video paired with the Foundations video. They were great for a meaty study, yet they made the technicalities understandable even for a layman as myself. Every Christian needs to be prepared to give a defense for their faith and this study helped to equip us with the tools and information to do so. — Tim

I had been praying for a means to clearly express the gospel to my 11 year old son. This series not only interested him, he was enthralled by it. He has always loved science and has watched tons of YouTubes on any science related topic. These videos, however, were so visually riveting and displayed such high production values that he was drawn to them with a passion. He eagerly anticipated every Wednesday night fellowship for all twelve weeks and came out of his shell during the discussion. I endorse this series without reservation. It refutes the attack on God’s Word and will restore your faith that every individual word in it is the truth. — Dan

2 Comments

  • Vince Talucci says:

    Why can I not find these 3 DVD’s for the seeds bible study sold as a set?

    • admin says:

      Because the SEEDS study is just a study we came up with using 3 different curricula from 3 different ministries. It’s just a suggestion which worked well for us. We’re not affiliated with any of these 3 ministries that created these studies. We just recommend them.