Testimony about Dennis Peterson's book, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation.
Russ McGlenn Creation Science Teacher in the Mid-West.
Over the years God has brought people into my life that have changed and molded me. I call these my “life changing” experiences. These were turning points for my life. When I was younger, my dad was not a Christian, so God used my mother and Grandparents to bring me to Jesus. The Bible was my first “life changing” book. After I became a Christian at about age 10, I tried to read it every night before I went to sleep. There were many Sunday school teachers along the way that also helped mold my life by their witness and testimony. When I went to Bible Collage in 1965, I discovered another “life changing” book. It was the Genesis Flood by Morris and Whitcomb. I was a poor college student and could hardly afford gas money for driving home, but I scrimped and saved enough to buy the book. It was from the “Genesis Flood” that I realized that true science always supports the Bible. Many of the ideas Morris and Whitcomb put forth in that book became topics I would teach on for the next 40 years.
I will not list all the life changing books and people that have helped me along God's Way. I must tell of Dennis Peterson and his book. I went to one of Dennis's seminars 10 years ago. He did a beautiful slide presentation on Mysteries of Creation. I was enthralled but also a bit skeptical. I bought the book at the seminar and began to read it and check the references for my self. I would go to the library and look up the same books he used to see if they really were saying the amazing things Dennis wrote. Yes, they were. I thought, “People need to hear about these remarkable historical events to see that evolution is not true or supported by true science.”
I began to write lessons based upon Dennis' book. I took many of the seed ideas expressed in the book and, using his references, expanded them into 1 to 2 hour lessons. “The Stones at Baalbeck” is one example. (P.218) Dennis told of a 1000 ton stone that was cut out of solid rock to be placed in a temple in Lebanon. A smaller piece had already been moved from the quarry. I researched it further in National Geographic and had students in class run the math and brainstorm on how these people, 2000 years ago, could move something that massive. It was an awesome discovery and impressed students with the ability of ancient peoples. So many of the examples in the book show that humans have always been technologically advanced and masters of the creation just as God gave them this commission in Genesis 1:26. (The dominion principle)
Then, in the summer of 1995 I had the privilege to work with Dennis Peterson at a dinosaur dig in Wyoming. I and other teachers had been invited to the dig to give input on how it could be used for God's Glory. While there, I got to know Dennis better and see his Godly character and humble spirit. I worked again for two weeks with him the following summer digging a hadrosaurus dinosaur. I was deeply influenced by his attention to details and good research not only in his book but in our work at the dig. When the dig program was put on hold for various reasons, I felt God wanted me to continue on my own with dinosaur digs. Dennis was a big help in encouraging and promoting me in my own digs. He has been a spiritual advisor and guide over the years and has been one of my “Life Changing” teachers through his book and the life he has lived.
Mysteries of Creation is what I call a creation science eyewitness “Life Changing” book. The original book I had from Dennis was black and white. I learned much from it as I was hungry to understand history and science as it related to the Bible. This new book in living color is really exciting, especially for younger readers. It is a good general book on Creation Science and is good for all ages. It gives a good overview of the Creation verses Evolutionism debate. I highly recommend it. It is well researched and documented and a great book for family reading and discussion.
One of my Home School parents came to me last week and wanted to buy a second Mysteries of Creation book. She said an atheist evolutionary friend of hers had become a Christian. He began to look at his evolutionary world view and was seeing that now a lot of it did not make sense and was not scientific. When he saw Dennis's book, he immediately wanted it and read most of it the first day. He wants to teach it to his children so they can see God's Glory. Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation is indeed a “Life changing” book.
Russ McGlenn Director of Adventure Safaris Andover, MN March 2003