The Wow Factor of Yosemite National Park
The moonlight now spilling into the forest and onto the trail provided all the light we needed, yet we never would have seen it if we did not trust enough to turn our lights off. There is something memorable about taking people into God's creation where the senses move the soul of man. My friend Steve Lummer from Outdoor Nations Network says it best: “We take people outside, so that God can speak to their inside.” I absolutely love this phrase.Over the years, I've led hundreds of Christian trips
How Was the Grand Canyon Formed? A Catastrophic Lake Spillover Model
If you read most park signs, you'll find the formation of the Grand Canyon is often treated as a simple question of slow erosion and time. A river cut downward over 5.5 to 6 million years and produced the canyon we see today. At first glance that might seem reasonable. But the more closely the landscape is examined, the more that simple explanation begins to fall short. And interestingly, that explanation is losing favor among many geologists today.You see, the canyon is not an isolated feature. It sits
Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Stephen Crotts
Rev. Stephen Crotts, one day shy of his 75th birthday, recently went to be with the One he loved and served for more than 50 years. After becoming a Christian, I sat under his teaching and mentorship for many years. He tied the knot for Paula and me in 1995, and the following year he took his first of several river trips through the Grand Canyon.About halfway through that first trip, we were sitting one evening overlooking the river when he said, “Tom, you need to figure out
An Evening with Geologist Dr. Steve Austin
Having Steve here this last time, in the middle of that ongoing work, brought a unique perspective. Not because he handed us answers, but because he has spent decades asking the same kinds of questions in other places.We had one of those evenings you wish you could bottle up and revisit later again and again. Out here in northern Arizona, where the land itself invites questions, our team recently had the chance to gather with geologist Dr. Steve Austin and others who were in town working on a research
Why Defend Genesis? The Gospel-Centered Purpose for Creation Apologetics
We focus on the opening chapters of the Bible because they lay a vital foundation for that gospel message, one that is particularly neglected in today’s world. Creation, the Fall, and the Gospel The central point, not only of our faith, but of all of human history is found in the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. So, why do we as a ministry put so much emphasis on the first eleven chapters of Genesis rather than focusing our tours on, say, defending the four Gospels? Isn't
The Appalachians and the Global Flood
To understand the Appalachians properly, we have to step back far enough to see not just a mountain range, but a world that was once unified, later broken apart, and reshaped by catastrophic events. A World That Was Once Whole There are landscapes that feel settled, as though their story is complete the moment you arrive. The Appalachian Mountains are not like that. They stretch on quietly, ridge after ridge, forested and familiar, until the repetition itself begins to ask questions. Why do these mountains extend so far with such
The Grand Canyon Never Gets Old
The canyon doesn’t change us because it’s impressive. It changes us because it reminds us who God is—and who we are not. There are places in the world that lose their edge the more you see them. Familiarity dulls the wonder. The first visit stuns you, but over time the awe slowly erodes into routine. The Grand Canyon has never worked that way for me. I’ve been here with Canyon Ministries for twelve years now. I’ve stood on the rim, hiked the trails, floated the river, and watched the light move
Christmas and the Grand Canyon
One winter morning at the Grand Canyon some years ago, I had enough time to get to the canyon before the sun did. I stepped out of the van before sunrise and felt that unmistakable stillness that only comes after a storm. The crowds were gone, the air was sharp enough to wake even the sleepiest guide, and the canyon lay hidden beneath a faint blue glow. I walked toward the rim, my boots crunching down on the new snow, not quite sure what the canyon would reveal. And
Is Behemoth a Dinosaur in the Bible?
The identity of the mysterious “Behemoth” in Job 40:15–24 has long intrigued scholars and students of Scripture. Many commentaries suggest Behemoth was a hippopotamus or elephant, while others dismiss it as a mythological creature. However, taking the text at face value – and from a young-earth creation (YEC) perspective that humans coexisted with all land animals – there is strong reason to conclude that Behemoth was a real creature best fitting the description of a sauropod dinosaur. In this article, we will examine the biblical description of Behemoth
A Canyon-Sized Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving reminds us not just to count blessings, but to notice them.There’s a moment that happens on the rim every now and then—usually when the wind settles, the light softens across the layers, and the canyon stretches out in quiet majesty. You stand there and realize just how small you are…and how deeply cared for you still remain. Thanksgiving has a way of bringing that into focus. This season always nudges me to slow down and look back at what God has done—through the ministry, through the people He’s