Reflections on 2019
What a year! The Core Academy mission is to nurture the next generation of faithful, Christ-like creation researchers to explore the hardest problems in creation. We accomplish this through workshops and retreats, outreach events, and the Sanders Scholarship program. At this time of year, I'm already busily planning out next year's ministry work, but it's also important to stop and look back at our accomplishments in 2019. There are three big ones that I am very thankful for.
First, in February, my book The Fool and the Heretic, written with Darrel Falk and Rob Barrett, was released from Zondervan. This book was born out of years of discussion with Darrel. It was a difficult book to write, and a difficult book to read. Reviews have ranged from unqualified praise to skepticism to outright condemnation. From both creationists and evolutionists, I've heard the same refrain: "Of course, being kind and loving is important, but the truth is more important." That's actually the opposite of true, and we must remember that. Paul tells us, "if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." So being kind and loving is not just important, it's the most important thing in every situation. Every single situation. No exceptions. No waffling. No qualifications. That's hard work. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share Darrel and my journey with the larger public.
Second, Core Academy hired an office manager! I know that's not something most people would consider to be an accomplishment, but to me this is huge. The truth is that I don't know much about running a business or a ministry. I'm not gifted in public relations or fundraising or administration. It's just not my deal, so imagine my shock in April when I realized that we had a sustained income about 50% higher than the previous year. This was the Lord's work (certainly not mine), and I took that blessing and asked my board to hire a full-time manager to take over the operational tasks that I am not fit for. So that's what we did. Our manager Brynna joined us in July, and now I can concentrate more on strategic planning and ministry work and less on managing the checkbook or writing newsletters. This gigantic blessing will continue to bless us in the years to come.
Third, we launched the Sanders Scholarship program. The program is designed to support one-on-one research and scholarly mentoring between a student (the Sanders Scholar) and an established mentor. They work together on a project related to origins. Our first call for submissions brought five applications for two fellowships. Applicants included men and women, graduates and undergraduates, and scientists and Bible scholars. This is a program that Roger Sanders and I dreamed about for years, and I'm thrilled to finally see it come to fruition. I can't wait to see how the Lord will bless this work in the years to come! We'll be announcing the winners very shortly, so keep watching this space for that.
Looking ahead, we have several important projects on the horizon, but right now we have to finish 2019 in the black and financially strong. This year, we're seeking $25,000 to finish our fiscal year in the black, with $6,000 of that going straight to the Sanders Scholarship Fund. I hope you'll continue to pray for the ministry of Core Academy and perhaps consider how you might become a financial partner with us. Help us finish this year strong. You can hit that Donate button at the end of this post to contribute online or visit coresci.org/donate to find out other ways you can join us.
Thanks for your prayers!
Feedback? Email me at toddcharleswood [at] gmail [dot] com. If you enjoyed this article, please consider a contribution to Core Academy of Science. Thank you.
Have you read my book? You should check that out too!
