River Rats Across the Pond
One thing I often tell people at the end of a rim tour or river trip is, “You’re now part of our Canyon Ministries family.” As you read this, you’re part of that family too.
Recently, I returned from the United Kingdom after conducting a week-long biblical tour of London. This is something my wife and I typically organize every two years, offering an open invitation to people from around the world. Apart from all the sightseeing and adventure, during our London Christian Tour, we focus on three main areas of the Christian faith—Creation Science, Church History, and Biblical Archaeology.
One of the places we visited was London’s Natural History Museum, a bastion devoted to evolution and the legacy of Charles Darwin. When entering the museum, Darwin’s statue sits majestically across the grand palatial room, overlooking all who pass beneath his watchful gaze. While this museum is filled with tales of evolution and natural selection, it also presents a remarkable opportunity to engage with the conversation between creation and evolution, as well as to reflect on the truth of God’s Word in the book of Genesis. During this most recent tour, we spent significant time discussing the early development of evolutionary theory, natural selection, dinosaurs, and other related topics, all in light of biblical teaching. Equipping ourselves with knowledge and truth helps us better understand places like this museum—and others, like Grand Canyon National Park. As we walked through the grand halls of London’s museum, created by the very man who coined the word “dinosaur,” we were able to see many specimens collected by the great Sir Richard Owen. Most of the fossils we saw represent a snapshot of the world at the time of the Flood. This was the world that perished in the global deluge, now preserved and displayed for all to see. It serves as a sobering reminder of God’s judgment of sin, but it also beautifully illustrates His mercy, grace, and love, demonstrated through the salvation offered to Noah, his family, and the animals aboard the ark.
The second focus of our tour was Church History. London is filled with an incredible array of churches, chapels, cathedrals, and abbeys—places that have helped shape many of the churches and denominations we know today. During the tour, we discussed and visited some of the earliest missionary work in the British Isles, as well as the history and changes brought on by the Protestant Reformation and the shaping of Christian faith by great men and women of God. One of my personal highlights is always the visit to Westminster Abbey, the most religiously revered and sacred site in all of England. For nearly a thousand years, this has been the site of every English coronation, as well as the final resting place of many monarchs, authors, poets, scientists, and explorers. Despite the hundreds of tourists admiring the art and architecture within, I always find it especially moving to bring our group to a little-known side chapel devoted to prayer. As usual, we were the only ones in this hidden 13th-century chamber. Together, we added our voices to the echoing stone walls, which for over 800 years have heard the prayers and supplications of the saints. It’s always a powerful and humbling experience.
The third focus of our tour was Biblical Archaeology, particularly at the British Museum—arguably the best museum of its kind in the world. This part of the tour focused on ancient civilizations mentioned in the Bible and how God used these empires to shape and refine the nation of Israel. Throughout the day, we moved from room to room, studying civilizations ranging from Ur, where Abraham once lived, to the likely pharaohs of the Exodus, the palace walls of Queen Esther, and Greek temple statues once seen by Paul in Athens. This was my favorite day of teaching, and it was a privilege to guide our group through such a wealth of history, especially since I’ve visited the British Museum many times, either for research or to relate the truths of the Bible to others.
Another highlight of this tour was the group we had. Many of the participants were actually previous river trip alumni who had joined me for Grand Canyon tours in the past. Four of them had done a rim tour with me, followed by a 7-day river trip with Dr. Danny Faulkner and me, and then joined the London Christian Tour this year. At the end of our week together, one of them said, “So, where are we going next?!” I’m still amazed they haven’t gotten tired of hanging out with me.
Being involved with Canyon Ministries has opened doors and cultivated friendships with countless people I’ve met over the past five years. This has been a huge blessing to me personally. One thing I often tell people at the end of a rim tour or river trip is, “You’re now part of our Canyon Ministries family.” As you read this, you’re part of that family too. Whether we spend time together on the rim, on the river, or across the pond, we love staying in touch and hearing about your stories and travels. We’re always eager to see you again for our next big adventure together!
Take a few moments right now to reflect on the goodness of God in all His creation, the history of His steadfast hand over the church, and the guiding love He shows to His people throughout time. As we did in Westminster Abbey, let your heart and voice ring out, “How Great Thou Art!”
Nate
