Tom’s Sunset Message
A message from Tom Vail, founder of Canyon Ministries, posted in January of 2015…
As I look back at the tail waves of 35 years of rafting the Grand Canyon and settle into the realization that I’m not as young as I once was, I’m excited to see the sunset of my time in the canyon, but more excited to see the sun rise on the next generation of Canyon Ministries guides. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of taking thousands of people on raft trips through the canyon, but the most significant have been the Canyon Ministries trips.
This July will mark the 20th anniversary of Canyon Ministries’ Christ-centered trips through the canyon. It started with a trip of 14 people and has grown to over 250 people each year. And as the sun rises on that next generation, Canyon Ministries will also be sharing the canyon from the rim with hopefully many more times that number each year.
As I reflect on some 300+ trips through the canyon, I cannot help but be amazed in how the Lord directed my steps. He brought me to the canyon as an evolutionist and let me wonder at His marvelous creation, but…without understanding. Once my eyes were opened to the Truth of His existence and I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, I took a different view of the amazing hole in the ground that had drawn me back year after year. More importantly, my explanation of how the canyon was formed changed as I saw that the Biblical (creationist’s) view of the canyon not only fit what I was reading in the Word, but also fit the evidence I saw in the canyon.
Another amazement has been the people He brought alongside the ministry and who have guided me in my understanding, as well as taken an active part in sharing the canyon with our guests. They include some of the leading creationists of our time, and they do so solely to share the Truth of God’s Word
Some 25,000 people travel the length of the canyon by raft each year, but only about 1% of them will view the canyon from a Biblical perspective. And many of them have the opportunity to share their experience with creation geologists like Dr. Andrew Snelling or Dr. John Whitmore, or theologians like Dr. Bill Barrick, Dr. Terry Mortenson, or Jon Albert, or with astronomer Dr. Danny Faulkner. (And I might add, at no additional cost from a secular trip through the canyon.) These trips offer a chance to spend from 4 to as much as 9 days exploring the canyon and God’s Word to strengthen one’s faith. With the younger generation being bombarded with secular teaching, what an amazing opportunity to reinforce a truly Biblical worldview as a family, and solidify their Christian foundation!
The truly exciting part of the ministry now is the light the sunrise will bring as the rim tours of the canyon unfold. Four and a half million people a year come to Grand Canyon National Park, and at this point, A Different View Tours (operated by Canyon Ministries) offers the only regularly-scheduled tours of the canyon from a Biblical perspective, again, at no additional cost above the average tour of the South Rim. Visitors on A Different View Tours get a solid, God-honoring explanation of the canyon from guides who have an average of over 20 years experience in sharing the creation model.
As the sun sets on this season of my life, I want to thank all of you who have helped make Canyon Ministries what it is today. Other than the Christian Leaders Trip, I will not be seen on the river much anymore. My prayer is that those of you who have helped support Canyon Ministries over the years will continue to do so and that the ministry will continue to shine the light of His truth in and around the Grand Canyon.
Because God is our creator,
Tom Vail
