WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. (BP) — As part of its mission to bring the Gospel to all nations and cultures, Answers in Genesis plans to host Día Latino (Hispanic Day) this fall.
Answers in Genesis (AiG) is an apologetics ministry dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ effectively. It focuses on providing answers to questions about the Bible — particularly the book of Genesis — regarding key issues such as creation, evolution and the age of the earth.
The two-day event, to be held Sept. 26-27 at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, is designed both for Hispanic communities in need of the Gospel and for believers, Hispanic and non-Hispanic alike, who want to become better equipped to share the Gospel with their Hispanic friends and neighbors.
The Creation Museum, located in Petersburg, Ky., is an evangelistic outreach of Answers in Genesis, as is its sister attraction, the Ark Encounter 40 miles away in Williamstown, Ky. The Ark Encounter brings to life the ark of Noah’s day and equips visitors to understand the reality of the events recorded in the book of Genesis.
Along with several speakers, Día Latino will include music by a choral group from Aliento de Vida in New York; a movie about Noah’s Ark; and a presentation of all exhibitions in Spanish.
Ken Ham, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, invited all Spanish speakers to the event.
“Spanish signage and captions will be available,” he wrote, “along with Spanish interpreters, so Spanish-speakers can hear the truth from God’s Word and the Gospel in their first language, which is vital to reaching people in a meaningful way.”
Ham called Día Latino “a wonderful opportunity to equip our brothers and sisters in Christ and reach out to unbelievers.”
Joe Owen, AiG’s Spanish ministry manager and Latin America director, said the event is also a way to highlight the ministry’s work in that region. During the past seven years, AiG has opened offices in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Owen regularly travels throughout Latin America, engaging in debates with university professors and teaching at dozens of conferences each year.
AiG also has published many of its materials in Spanish, including books authored by Christian scientists answering questions about creation and the Bible as well as Vacation Bible School materials. AiG Latin America team members also teach regularly in seminaries and churches.
“In Latin America the professors tell students that Christians are the dumb ones,” Owen said, “but we show that to be a Christian you don’t have to turn your mind off.”
The ministry invites Christian scientists and other professionals like an astronaut from NASA to address the truth of the Bible.
“We have a mission field in our backyard,” Owen said. “Because of the political unrest right now — especially in the States — it is hard to know how to reach out to someone who is different than you, so these are sources to know how to do that.”
Owen explained that the Gospel is relatively new to Latin America and really only since 1993 has Latin America been open to the Gospel. The governments that were established across South America and the Caribbean after revolutionary wars mostly closed the doors to missionaries and only since the early ’90s have the people of this part of the world begun to hear the saving truth of the Gospel. Although some missionary work was done earlier, reforms have made it legal in many places.
“We cannot ignore our neighbors who are even in our country,” he said. “… The Gospel is to be preached to every tribe, tongue and nation, and this is one way we can take part in that.”
In previous years, Día Latino has drawn more than 2,000 people. But given the current difficulties and uncertainty surrounding travel and large gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the AiG team is praying for 800 attendees.
The cost to attend both days at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter is $69.95; children 10 and younger are free. To register or for more information, see the Answers in Genesis website.
