Current Events	AIG 1998	Committee Manual

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Answers In Genesis 1998 Committee Procedure Manual

• Short Introduction
• Time Table
• Chapter I. Form a Committee
• Chapter II. Timing
• Chapter III. Financial Arrangements
• Chapter IV. Radio/Television Hosts
• Chapter V. Christian Leaders' Meeting (CLM)
• Chapter VI. "Answers in Genesis" Seminar Promotion
• Chapter VII. Student Meeting
• Chapter VIII. "Answers in Genesis" Seminar
• Chapter IX. Sunday Services
• Chapter X. Follow-Up to "Answers in Genesis" Seminar

Please do not be alarmed by the size of this document. When going through this manual for the first time, you only need to read the underlined and bold sections, which summarize the most important procedures and logistics (see sample below):

This is how the bold text will look. It is meant to help you make a quick determination whether or not you want to organize an "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar in your area.

If after reading the bold underlined text you determine that you feel led to be a part of a committee to bring this seminar to your area, then carefully read the manual in its entirety.

The "Answers in Genesis" coordinators and secretaries will assist you with planning each step of the seminar.

1. AIG will always consider modifications and/or exceptions to these procedures, if necessary, due to circumstances or needs unique to your local area; however, such matters need to be discussed with AIG's Seminar Director.
2. Occasionally there is a desire by two different hosts in the same region to host an AIG seminar. AIG may consider doing back-to-back seminars (i.e., a Friday/Saturday meeting in one city, immediately followed by a Monday evening/Tuesday evening/Wednesday evening seminar in another).
3. A smaller-scale "Answers in Genesis" seminar utilizing videos of Ken Ham's talks and perhaps one "in-person" lecturer is now available. Churches and auditoriums seating a range of 50-1,000 people can be used for these AIG video seminars.
4. Generally, the following requirements need to be satisfied before a "live" seminar is confirmed (for the smaller-scale video seminar, please request our forthcoming manual on organizing such a video outreach):
1. A committee has formed (with at least three members initially-- eventually seven or more will be needed about nine months before the seminar) with two chairpersons appointed.
2. A proper site has been chosen with the Seminar Director's assistance. A facility must meet the following minimum conditions:
1. A large meeting hall (church, convention center, arena, etc.) which, in most instances, seats 1,200 or more (smaller, however, for video seminars);
2. A meeting hall that can be darkened during the day so that our overhead transparencies and films can be seen, with a high ceiling, especially above the stage (14 feet in smaller halls, 23 feet in larger ones);
3. A large registration and book-selling area--near the flow of foot traffic into the meeting hall--to set up between twenty (20) and thirty (30) 8-foot tables;
4. In most instances, a second large room (within easy walking distance of the main hall) for a workshop for ages 8-12.

See Chapter VIII for specific information and additional requirements.

3. Seminar date options:
• Monday-Wednesday seminar dates have been secured for the facility to be used (in consultation with the Seminar Director), with set-up all-day on Monday. If the seminar will be held in a church, a Sunday-Wednesday evening outreach should be organized, especially if the host church would have Ken Ham speak Sunday morning as a lead-in to the AIG seminar.
• Other format: Friday and Saturday seminar, with set-up on Thursday.
4. A commitment letter --composed by AIG and mailed to the committee -- needs to be signed by the chairperson and co-chairperson and returned to AIG (this is not a contract--it is simply the committee's acknowledgment that they will endeavor to make the seminar God-honoring in both planning and promoting).

• -- To strengthen the body of Christ by presenting overwhelming evidence in support of Biblical Creation, so that Christians will rely completely on God and His Word.
• -- To bring others to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
• -- To teach the foundational importance of Genesis to all Christian doctrine.

Many Christians do not believe that it is vital to defend the book of Genesis, so they may not see the need to attend an "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar. Therefore, prior to the AIG seminar, thousands of Christians need to be convinced that the Creation/judgment account of Genesis is relevant to their daily lives and to the future of their family and nation.

Such "convincing" is to be accomplished by one to two months of systematically showing the "Genesis Solution" film by Ken Ham in churches throughout the region; this activity is preceded by an area-wide Christian Leaders' Meeting (CLM) , where Christian leaders (at a breakfast or luncheon) view the film and realize the importance of Genesis and, as a result, become excited about the upcoming seminar. These leaders will be urged to show the film to their churches/organizations.

Systematic Christian radio and television promotion through interviews on talk shows (by phone or in-studio), recorded promos, taped lectures of our speakers, and special promotions, should be used to saturate the Christian community with information on the seminar. Often local Christian radio and/or television stations will agree to be co-hosts.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please make photocopies of this task timetable and have all committee members post their copy in a prominent place for frequent review.

Dedicated evangelical Christians (laypersons as well as pastors) supportive of creation evangelism, and in agreement with AIG's statement of belief, need to form a working committee to spearhead the promotion and operation of the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar in the designated area. It is suggested that this committee meet at least once per month in the initial stages, and twice a month, or more frequently, during the three months prior to the seminar. It is important to share with the committee that there is an AIG Procedure Manual that they are following, and that each member not deviate from its instructions. While we will listen to suggestions, please check with us first before attempting to change procedures or strategies.

We cannot overemphasize the importance of having a committee with a minimum of seven dedicated individuals who will be committed to handle all the necessary AIG seminar arrangements. A list of committee members' names, addresses, phone numbers, and delegated responsibilities must be submitted to the Seminar Director nine (9) months prior to the seminar, or the seminar may have to be postponed or canceled.

Here is the division of labor for committee positions (one person can do two or more jobs if he/she can commit the time):

1. Chairperson (liaison with AIG and other committee members to ensure a successful Christian Leaders' Meeting [CLM], Student Meeting [SM], and "Answers in Genesis" [AIG] seminar).
2. Co-Chairpersons (one or two people to assist chairperson in preparation of seminar)--one of the best candidates would be a conservative pastor who could network with other area pastors, who would call 50 of his pastor friends to personally invite them to the pastors' breakfast.
3. Church coordinator (encourages local church support, especially the booking of introductory film/video; searches for Sunday service possibilities for available AIG speakers)
4. Equipment coordinator (for CLM, SM, and AIG seminar--preferably someone familiar with all audiovisual equipment and sound systems; after the CLM, secure many 16mm film projectors; most of the equipment--other than sound--will be shipped to the seminar by AIG)
5. Transportation coordinator (handle local transportation for AIG speakers for media interviews, to/from hotel, airport pick up/drop off, etc., while in town for the seminar)
6. Facilities coordinator (handle facility requirements [tables, food, etc.] for AIG seminar and CLM as required). 7. Publicity coordinator (work with AIG's Director of Media to saturate the Christian community with all kinds of publicity for the upcoming seminar). 8. Telephone coordinator (oversees the volunteer committee that will call pastors before and after CLM, and oversees the taking of SM registration, and giving out AIG seminar information over the seminar phone line).
7. Volunteer coordinator (recruits and instructs volunteers for the CLM, SM, and AIG to handle registration, ushering, sale of materials, and other tasks --this is a highly important leadership position). 10. Student Meeting coordinator (coordinates SM--finds names and addresses of area Christian schools, oversees SM registration, logistics, blocking off seating areas for groups and preparing seating chart, etc.).
8. Prayer coordinator (organizes prayer groups--prayer requests will be sent to the committee or phoned from AIG every 2-3 months).

A detailed committee checklist will be sent to the chairperson and co-chairperson once the seminar is confirmed. Eventually, individual detailed instructions for each committee member will be sent once the committee names have been received by the seminar coordinator. In selecting a committee, it is essential that each member be above reproach and have an unblemished testimony. In particular, the chairperson and co-chairperson should meet the same requirements as that of the church leaders in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

1. Self-controlled (I Tim. 3:2, Tit. 1:8)
2. Hospitable (I Tim. 3:2, Tit. 1:8)
3. Not violent but gentle (I Tim. 3:3, Tit. 1:7)
4. Not quarrelsome (I Tim. 3:3)
5. Not a lover of money (I Tim. 3:3)
6. Not a recent convert (I Tim. 3:6)
7. Has a good reputation with outsiders (I Tim. 3:7)
8. Not overbearing (Tit. 1:7)
9. Not quick-tempered (Tit. 1:7)
10. Loves what is good (Tit. 1:8)
11. Upright, holy (Tit. 1:8)
12. Disciplined (Tit. 1:8)
13. Above reproach (blameless) (I Tim. 3:2, Tit. 1:6)
14. Husband of one wife (I Tim. 3:2, Tit. 1:6)
15. Temperate (I Tim. 3:2, Tit. 1:8)
16. Respectable (I Tim. 3:2)
17. Not given to drunkenness (I Tim. 3:3, Tit. 1:7)
18. Manages his own family well (I Tim. 3:4)
19. Sees that his children obey him (I Tim. 3:4-5, Tit. 1:6)
20. Does not pursue dishonest gain (Tit. 1:7)
21. Keeps hold of the deep truths (Tit. 1:9)
22. Sincere (I Tim. 3:8)
23. Tested (I Tim. 3:10)

Select a chairperson and co-chairperson. The chairperson will be responsible for the overall supervision of the committee and will be the primary liaison with AIG personnel. It should be noted that this will be a very time-consuming task, and the person assuming this responsibility should be aware of the great expenditure of time that will be needed to make this project a success. Most pastors are not good candidates for chairperson because they already have very busy schedules, but their support is vital to the overall success of the AIG seminar. Of course, pastors can--and are encouraged to--become active members of the committee, especially in the role as a co-chair.

The chairperson must be prepared to call the Seminar Director or the Seminar Coordinator at least once a week when the seminar is six months away. The chairperson should also be easily accessible by phone. A special commitment letter (composed by AIG and sent to the local committee) must be signed by the chairperson and co-chairperson before AIG will agree to conduct the seminar. Furthermore, the chairperson--if at all possible--will travel to and attend an AIG seminar before the CLM (contact AIG for details and arrangements) to witness firsthand the excitement and challenges of the AIG meeting.

The dates for the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar should be coordinated and set with the Seminar Director to ensure that there is no conflict with AIG's calendar. The Student Meeting (SM) should also be considered in the date planning (usually held Tuesday morning and afternoon during the AIG seminar). The best time to hold the Christian Leaders' Meeting (CLM) should also be discussed. It is suggested that the CLM be held about 6-12 weeks before the seminar. That should be enough time to allow churches to incorporate the showing of the introductory film/video into their calendar (many large churches have their Sunday schedules full months in advance). On the other hand, if there is too much time between the CLM and the AIG seminar, it is possible that pastors' enthusiasm may wane.

To facilitate church planning, major Christian leaders could be contacted well in advance of the CLM and informed of the upcoming AIG seminar and the CLM, even though the official CLM invitations will not be sent until about 5 weeks before the CLM.

Our expectation is that the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar will be self-supporting through registration fee income.

It is our belief that the local organizing committee should make a financial, as well as a time, commitment to the AIG seminar. We ask that the local committee underwrite the cost of the area-wide Christian Leaders' Meeting (CLM) (Chapter V), including meals for the guests (the committee will pay the caterer directly at the time the food bill is due -- AIG will not pay the bill for the meals and then ask the committee for reimbursement, except if agreed upon well before hand.); airfare (or car costs at $.30 mile/round trip), meals, and accommodations for the AIG speaker and the same for an AIG representative; and postage for the invitations. In reality, this is a small commitment compared to the overall costs of the program.

NOTE: If the seminar committee is finding it difficult to raise the money, the seminar may have to be postponed. Some well-meaning committees in the past have told us that they will pay the costs, but really have no idea where the money will come from. They cannot collect the funds after the CLM. This only becomes one extra big job when much needs to be done as the seminar approaches. In addition, after the seminar itself, some committees may see the "success" of the seminar, and figure that because registration and book sales monies were good, that this relieves them of their remaining debt. It does not.

The AIG seminar director will call the committee chairperson from time to time to see how the raising of funds is going and will make the determination as to whether the CLM and seminar should proceed.

If such a commitment would be an impossibility for the local committee, AIG will cover some of the CLM costs, providing we are convinced that the program should proceed.

All seminar expenses are underwritten by AIG, with the hope that registration income will be adequate to cover these. Regarding committee expenses such as postage, supplies, etc., AIG needs to be notified of any expense that the local committee will be incurring (and for which they will bill AIG) over $20.00. Please remember to send receipts to AIG.

Because AIG sees it as vital for the chairpersons to attend an AIG seminar many months before their own meeting, AIG will make travel arrangements for each chairperson to attend an AIG seminar. If this would pose an additional financial burden to the committee, AIG will consider underwriting some of this expense.

It is our hope that our registration monies will cover all of AIG's out-of-pocket expenses in conducting the seminar. AIG's staff salaries and overhead are not considered in the budget.

Although AIG will sell a large quantity of books and videos at the seminar, the "profit margin" is very small for a number of reasons: (1) We discount many packages of books, sometimes up to 30%; (2) The shipping costs to the seminar (and leftover books having to be returned) can be very high; (3) Much of the money we make from selling these books goes right back into printing more books and producing additional video tapes; and (4) AIG usually gives away hundreds of dollars' worth of books and videos per seminar.

The financial bottom line is usually the following: a typical seminar enables us to break even on our out-of-pocket expenses (not including salaries). Sometimes this doesn't happen, however. It is our hope that with some of the smaller seminars, many people who sign up for our free newsletter will eventually become donors. In the final analysis, AIG usually does not see an immediate short-term financial benefit from the seminars, but we pray that AIG will become long-term partners with many seminar attendees who may become donors.

AIG strongly encourages the involvement of local Christian radio or television stations as co-hosts. A station's active promotion of the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar can boost attendance by 25 percent or more! However, we need to be very selective in choosing the right stations--for example, a "hard-rock" Christian station may not be an appropriate promotional outlet for our kind of meeting.

A station's participation needs to be secured no later than 4 months before the seminar (this is when the seminar brochures are prepared, with the station hosts listed on them).

A. PRELIMINARY WORK

1. Location and Logistics of the Christian Leaders' Meeting Although the Seminar Director may be working directly with the caterer/restaurant to coordinate specific dates for the set-up, the committee is required to sign the contract and make financial arrangements with the facility.

A suitable neutral location, usually a ballroom or restaurant in a hotel, should be chosen that has the experience to make the program run professionally. This should be in a pleasant setting and in a nice area of town; AIG is not looking, however, to "wow" people with a fancy meal under chandeliers at the most expensive place in the city. We simply want the CLM to run smoothly in a nice atmosphere, where leaders feel comfortable and, therefore, more receptive to our message.

It must be a separate room, with no outside noise, able to be darkened, and suitable for showing a film. The ceiling must be higher than 12 ft. for a meeting of under 100 expected attendees (14 ft. for 100+ guests) so that the screen can be fully seen above peoples' heads.

The room should also have a good public address (PA) system. Experience has shown that very few hotels have efficient PA systems. This must be tested weeks prior to the meeting to determine whether or not a portable PA may need to be brought in from the outside.

Please ensure that the room does not have slow-to-turn-on mercury lights. These can take many minutes to come back on after being turned off. Immediately after the film is shown, the lights need to be turned on so that the leaders are able to fill out their response cards.

Generally, a breakfast is better-attended and is less expensive to put on. However, luncheons may be better-attended in rural areas where pastors may be coming from 90 minutes (or more) away.

The CLM must be a sit-down full breakfast or lunch (not a buffet, which is slower, regardless of what a caterer may say). For lunch, perhaps a tray with meats, cheeses, breads, and salads could be placed on each table, but the meal must be filling.

Please ask the catering manager to ensure that the servers be modestly dressed (no mini-skirts, slit dresses, etc.).

If the CLM will be held in a hotel, please ask the catering manager if he could furnish the speaker with a complimentary room--after all, we are bringing them a lot of business. If they balk, inform them that in a few weeks, four (4) or five (5) AIG staff members will be in town for 3-4 days for the seminar and will be needing accommodations, and that their hotel may be used again for rooms.

A more detailed explanation of setting up the CLM (including a seating diagram) will be sent when the CLM date is set.

NOTE: AIG may contact the catering manager directly with other questions that we may need to have answered.

2. Identifying All Pastors and Christian Leaders in the Area

a. Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all evangelical pastors and Christian leaders (heads of ministries, Christian school principals, Christian radio and television managers and personalities, college and seminary presidents, etc.) in the area must be collected. Invitations will be mailed by AIG to each leader--we need full addresses. This list must contain names of all Christian leaders who live/work in a 45-mile radius or 60-minute drive of the CLM (area code, city, and zip codes need to be included). In more rural communities, perhaps a longer radius could be drawn.

Lists can be obtained through: approaching local, well-known Christian ministries/leaders, Christian book-stores, radio stations, Christian colleges; looking 20 in local Christian publications such as Christian newspapers for listings; the yellow pages (under "churches") of the phone directory (usually, however, the pastor's name and church zip code are missing); obtaining directories of names and addresses of pastors from church associations or from each denomination; purchasing mailing lists from Christian organizations (these are usually not up-to-date and include liberal Protestant churches,); or contacting a local creation organization who may have such a list already compiled.

NOTE: Compiling and contacting this list of leaders is the single most important activity that a committee will perform before the CLM. In addition, it may be the most time-consuming task of all. Please be as thorough as possible in collecting a comprehensive list of leaders in your area.

It would be extremely helpful to AIG if the list of all evangelical pastors and other Christian Leaders be computerized on your end, and put on disk. This would save us much time on our end (AIG, therefore, would not have to take your "hard copy" and input all of the names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.).

If you are able to computerize this list, please make note of the following:

1. The person doing the in-putting should be as accurate as possible,
2. That the labels be printed in zip-code order (if possible--this is not essential),
3. That the labels (if requested by AIG) be generated on a high-quality printer (not dot matrix),
4. That you use quality labels, preferably Avery labels, which should not be larger than 2" x 4",
5. When supplying a disk, the disk needs to be on a 3.5" or a 5.25" High density DOS formatted floppy. The data formats should be in ASCII, delimited variable length files or FOXPRO or dBASE.

This information is subject to change--please call Brian Sherwin of our staff at ext. 414 for further instructions before proceeding.

b. If the local committee does not have the ability to input names and print labels, then AIG will take on this task. AIG must receive the "hard copy" of your names and addresses no later than ten weeks prior to the CLM so that we have ample time to input the names.

When compiling the list of Christian leaders, please make sure that the list meets the following criteria:

1. All addresses must have zip codes (some CLM invitations are sent "bulk mail" by AIG, which absolutely requires each envelope to have a zip).
2. Please provide the mailing address, not the physical address. Many churches use a PO Box, since there is no mail box out front and staffs may be part time.
3. All addresses must be accompanied by a telephone number (we may input telephone numbers on our computer for possible follow-up use if AIG returns to the area for another seminar). This will also expedite your phone follow-up conducted before the CLM, so keep a copy of the list with phone numbers for your records. It is important to include the area code-- sometimes a mailing list compiled by a local committee will cover three or four area codes, and it may be difficult for AIG to determine the correct area code for a given city.
4. We must have the full name of the church, not just (for example) Pastor Joe Smith, 123 Main St., Anytown, USA. We need the name of the church as well as the name of the pastor.
5. When the mailing list comes to us, do not give us city abbreviations. Please spell them out.

3. Invitations

Five weeks prior to the CLM, invitations will be mailed from AIG to all the Christian leaders, usually mailed first class. The invitation informs them of a special CLM, to which they and/or a key layperson are invited free of charge. They will hear details concerning the upcoming AIG seminar to be held in their area. Included in the invitation envelope will be an audio cassette by Ken Ham, "Creation and the Scoffers" (II Peter 3) sent as a gift (at AIG's expense) to each Christian leader. Previous CLMs have indicated that up to 70% of the attendees decided to come to the CLM and get involved in the program because they received the tape and listened to the message, thereby understanding the importance of the Creation issue in a way that they never had before. You should have already received a copy of this tape (if not, contact the Seminar Director). Each member of the committee should listen to it. Feel free to make copies and distribute them--they are not to be sold, however.

Inside the invitation envelope sent to Christian leaders is a reservation card. (By the way, if a leader is not able to attend the CLM, he may return the card to request seminar brochures for distribution-- these requested brochures can be mailed by either the local committee or AIG.)

4. Phone Calls

a. CLM/AIG Phone Line

It is sometimes necessary to install a designated phone line (locally) to provide CLM/AIG seminar information. This phone should be personally staffed as much as possible.

The line provides a contact point for interested parties 24 hours a day. It should be noted that most calls are received between 3:00-7:00 p.m. each day. It is most important that the phone be personally staffed at this time, if at all possible. Also, if possible, this phone should be staffed while the seminar is in progress for last-minute calls. Telephone answering machines picking up all calls are unacceptable substitutes for having a "live" person answering the phone. Also, experience has shown that answering services are even poorer substitutes, because a committee has no control over the quality of information passed to callers.

Because the phone line is a vital point of contact with those considering attending our seminar, and because we like to keep a professional approach in what we do, AIG is willing--if it is needed--to pay for another phone line to be put into someone's home or office to handle incoming calls.

This phone should be answered: "This is the 'Answers in Genesis' information line, may I help you?" rather than just an unprofessional sounding "Hello!"

NOTE: Quite often, the telephone number listed on the brochure for people to call regarding seminar information will not be the same as the host facility (e.g., church or auditorium) phone number. If that is the case, many people will be calling the church or auditorium to find out more about the seminar (perhaps these people do not have our seminar brochure with the telephone number to call), so please alert church secretaries and auditorium staff that they may be receiving calls. It would also be good to give seminar brochures to them for their reference so that they can answer some of the more basic questions. They may want to refer the caller to the seminar information line if he/she can not answer more specific questions.

b. Phone Call Follow-up (there are two phone campaigns before the CLM)

(1) Seven-ten days after the CLM invitations have been mailed, a special phone follow-up program must be undertaken by the committee (or group of trained volunteers especially recruited for the task). Every Christian leader to whom an invitation was sent should be called to remind them of the CLM, and be encouraged to attend, if they have not already replied. This would also be an ideal time to get their commitment to attend the CLM. Please assure the Christian leaders or their secretaries that this is not a fund-raising event.

We cannot overemphasize the importance of calling and ensuring that as many pastors and Christian leaders as possible attend the CLM. Because of the number of calls this necessitates, more than one person will be needed for effective phone follow-up. Note: It may take up to 5 calls to reach a pastor! (Furthermore, a recent survey indicated that 81% of all sales were closed after the fifth call!)

(2) Two to four working days before the CLM, another phone campaign should begin. Those who already responded positively MUST be called again to remind them of the meeting, and to get a recommitment to attend. Ask them to call and cancel if for some reason they cannot come. We do not want to waste food.

NOTE: Experience has shown that the second phone follow-up just preceding the CLM is vital to the success of the AIG outreach. Attendance can be reduced by up to 40% if this is not done. Many leaders--who have already said they were coming--will forget about the CLM if not reminded with a call.

As the phone follow-up is conducted, you will discover that church addresses have changed, new pastors have arrived, phone numbers have changed, etc. Please make note of these changes on your list. Once the list is revised, please forward it to AIG (and please do not send these changes piecemeal--wait until you have one complete, accurate updated list with all changes, and then mail it to us). This revised list may be used for follow-up purposes for other possible projects.

5. Reservations

When taking reservations, please keep in mind that almost always 15% of the people who have reserved will not show up, even with a phone follow-up reminder. Therefore, if you have received 200 reservations, plan on about 170 coming. Of course, this number varies slightly from meeting to meeting, but it is generally 15%. Normally, caterers will prepare 5% more meals than requested (and, in a pinch, they can always prepare more-- caterers are not going to turn down any extra business!), so in this case, if we had reservations of 200, 160 is the number to share with the caterer, and the caterer will be ready to prepare about 170 meals. AIG will call the caterer with the final count (usually 48 hours before the CLM), not the committee.

B. PURPOSE OF CLM

1. To convince the pastors and other Christian leaders (through the film and the brief talk given by Ken Ham, or on other occasions another speaker) that Creation is a vital and foundational issue, and, therefore, they need to become involved and promote this AIG seminar through their ministry. This presentation may remove barriers for many Christians who see this as a side issue and not of real importance. In contacting Christian leaders, the committee should stress that the purpose of the CLM is not for fund raising.

2. To encourage as many pastors as possible to sign up to have the "Genesis Solution" film shown in their church. This will convince their congregation of the importance of the Creation message, and why they should attend the upcoming AIG seminar. If the AIG site is a church, be sure that the film is scheduled to be shown to the entire congregation (e.g., on a Sunday evening or to the high school-through-adult Sunday school classes).

3. To have brochures and posters promoting the AIG seminar available at the CLM so that leaders can hand them out when the film is eventually shown to their congregations. Thousands of brochures and hundreds of posters will be available at the CLM for pick up. Pastors will also have an opportunity to indicate on the response card how many additional brochures they will need for their churches (used as bulletin inserts). Pastors will be encouraged to place these brochures in their church bulletins on at least three separate occasions.

IMPORTANT: It is strongly advised that, whenever possible, a committee member be present at each of the church film showings to help promote the upcoming AIG seminar. This person can ensure that the brochures are distributed when the film is shown and can also give a short presentation (or answer questions) about the upcoming seminar.

4. To let pastors and Christian leaders know that seminar speakers may be available to speak in their churches (usually only on the Sunday morning after or before the AIG seminar).

C. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CLM

As a demonstration of the committee's commitment to the AIG seminar, we ask that the expenses of the CLM (meals for Christian leaders, postage for invitations, any equipment rental [such as a PA system], and round-trip airfare [or $.30/mile if by car], meals, and accommodations for both the AIG speaker and for the AIG on-site representative be paid by the committee. Please be aware that mid-week air travel can be expensive, and is sometimes double that of popularly advertised coach fares. The local committee needs to raise this money before the CLM is held.

Regarding minor expenses incurred by the local committee such as supplies, and the like, AIG needs to be notified of any expense (and for which AIG will be billed) over $20.00. Please remember to send these receipts to AIG. AIG will cover the cost of the printing of the CLM invitations. Each invitation is accompanied by an audio tape; therefore, this is an expensive mailing.

By the way, IRS regulations dictate that donations are non-refundable so they must stay with AIG. (For example, if the local group raises more money than what was needed for the Christian Leaders' Meeting, and has sent it to AIG as a donation, we are not able to return the excess to the local committee or to individuals contributing to the committee.)

D. EQUIPMENT

A detailed checklist of needs will be sent about one month before the CLM. The committee also needs to find as many working 16mm film projectors in the area for use by churches after the CLM.

E. CLM VOLUNTEERS

We will need five strong workers to help set up display tables either the evening before the CLM or two (2) hours before the meeting begins. At least four people are needed to help sell the AIG materials for about 40 minutes after the meeting. All volunteers should be at the CLM site by 7:00 a.m. for a breakfast (and one hour before a lunch) for any last-minute set up and to greet Christian leaders. At least one AIG staff member (who accompanies the speaker) will supervise and assist with the set-up and tear-down. A few days before the CLM, the local committee will receive many boxes of seminar brochures (8-12 boxes) and AIG books/materials (8-10). These boxes (perhaps 25 in all) will need to be transported by large van or truck to the CLM before set-up begins.

F. CLM PROGRAM

A schedule of when set up will begin, when volunteers will need to be at their positions, etc.. will be sent one month before the CLM.

G. END OF CLM

1. At the conclusion of the meeting, guests will be encouraged to purchase the AIG materials available at the back of the room.

2. After guests have left, an AIG representative will discuss CLM follow-up with all AIG committee members.

3. Both AIG staff members--joined by the chairperson, perhaps other committee members, and the liaison person from the facility where the AIG meeting will be conducted--will tour the seminar facility, mapping out where equipment and tables will be placed for the seminar, determining equipment needs and logistics, etc. Also, if the seminar site is a church, it is vital that the AIG speaker meet the senior pastor in order to gauge the degree of the church's support of the seminar and to express AIG's gratitude for that support.

4. If time allows that day, the chairperson should make a copy of the response cards to keep for himself, and give the original cards to the AIG representative. The information will be entered into AIG's computer for follow-up, which includes the mailing of additional brochures requested by Christian leaders.

A. FILM

The showing of "The Genesis Solution" film is considered the major "key" to the promotion of the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar. All of the radio and print advertising put together--although important--could not equal the impact that showing this film can have to dozens of churches. The film underscores the relevance of Creation and why it is so important today. This kind of message has been successfully tried and tested over many years and has led many people to become involved in creation seminars.

As many churches as possible must see this film. Christian leaders who attended the Christian Leaders' Meeting (CLM)--as well as those Christian leaders not able to attend--must be contacted and strongly encouraged to show the film in their church or other facility.

Because a film is more of an "event" than a video showing and will be more easily accepted as a "replacement" for a Sunday service, the committee needs to round-up as many working 16mm projectors as possible in the area. Many supportive churches would consider loaning their projectors for a few weeks, but each projector must be checked first. The committee members also need to become familiar with loading and operating the projector before using it in the church.

Immediately after the showing of the film, it is important for either the pastor/Christian leader or a committee member to speak from the front of the church and briefly promote the AIG seminar. Among the items that should be mentioned are: (1) location; (2) dates and times; (3) that world-famous creation lecturers will speak at the AIG seminar; (4) costs (if any); and (5) the importance of bringing friends and family--Christian and non-Christian. The primary reason for holding this AIG seminar is to impress upon people the importance of the Creation/evolution issue. AIG is not only an educational resource to the Church, but also an outreach to others in the community who would not normally attend church.

It is suggested that the person announcing the AIG seminar should mention the following topics as ones that will be covered during the seminar:

1. Where did Cain find his wife? 2. The origin of the races 3. Dinosaurs and the Bible 4. Can Christians believe in evolution? 5. Why does it really matter what you believe about Creation/evolution? 6. How does the Creation/evolution issue affect family, nation, and evangelism?

B. CHRISTIAN LEADERS' MEETING FOLLOW-UP

The number-one priority for the local committee after the CLM is the aggressive follow up of the leaders who at the CLM indicated a willingness to show the introductory film to their congregations. Because this strategy is what brings out the most people to the seminar, it is very important that the committee members assigned to this task be persistent in following up churches that may want to show the film. This requires aggressive (yet not pushy) people. Once again, we cannot overstate the importance of this critical follow up.

It has been found that, although the majority of churches and/or organizations want to show the film in their facilities prior to the AIG program, and do intend to promote the AIG seminar, they forget to schedule the film if they are not followed-up by the local committee.

It is understood that the host church for the AIG seminar will show the film on a Sunday to its congregation and to all of its Sunday school classes (high school age and above). Although many large churches are reluctant to give up the pulpit for a film, experience has revealed time and time again that very few people will come from a host church if they have not seen the film. (In one instance, only 20 people came from one of the largest churches in America, a congregation which hosted the seminar and distributed 10,000 brochures to its members!) Merely mentioning the seminar in the bulletin or from the pulpit is not nearly as effective as a film showing. There is absolutely no substitute for showing the film in the church in getting the local congregation behind the seminar. This cannot be stated forcefully enough.

IMPORTANT NOTE: AIG will provide preview videos for pastors and Christian leaders to see at no cost, if requested.

C. BROCHURES

About 30,000-40,000 seminar brochures (printed at AIG's expense unless the hosts are covering the costs of the seminar) will be provided to the local committee in the days just before the CLM. AIG will keep about 30,000 in its stock for its own use. Typically, about 15,000 or more brochures (about 4 total boxes) will be picked up by leaders at the CLM. Churches will be encouraged to use these brochures as bulletin inserts.

All Christian bookstores in the area should be given ample supplies of brochures to display on their counters and, posters to hang on their walls/windows. In addition, some bookstore owners may agree to put a seminar brochure in every customer's bag. (You may want to contact the bookstore with your intentions, before dropping by, and ask if they will agree to distribute the brochures.)

D. DISTRIBUTION OF SEMINAR BROCHURES TO AIG SUPPORTERS

AIG will mail seminar brochures to supporters in your area.

E. LOCAL MEDIA

Local Christian media (newspapers, television, radio, etc.) are to be contacted well before the AIG seminar with AIG-supplied news releases and radio spots (both in printed form and on reel-to-reel tape). Radio spots are usually run free of charge. AIG's Seminar Director will assist you in this.

Interviews with secular newspapers are not encouraged, unless you have a strong belief that the paper will give AIG a fair hearing. On most occasions, these prove to have negative results.

F. PRE-SEMINAR MEDIA PROMOTION

During the weeks leading up to the AIG seminar, an AIG speaker/representative will be available via phone hookup for Christian radio interviews and talk shows to promote the seminar. The AIG speaker at the CLM may be able to do media interviews the day of the CLM (or the day before). It is important to ensure that all Christian media are used to the best advantage in order to promote the upcoming seminar. AIG can provide you with news releases, radio spots, and 750-word commentaries suitable for both Christian and non-Christian publications.

Different approaches are needed for the Christian and secular media. AIG's Seminar Director will help you coordinate this effort. The use of secular media usually does not increase numbers at a seminar and is not usually recommended.

Please provide AIG's Seminar Director with a list of ALL Christian media in the area.

G. PROMOTION DURING THE WEEK OF THE "ANSWERS IN GENESIS" SEMINAR

An AIG speaker may be able to come to the area a day or two before the AIG seminar for promotional purposes (contact AIG's Seminar Coordinator for the exact number of days, and which speakers will be in the area preceding the seminar). The committee--or AIG--will need to arrange the following interviews and other speaking engagements (and notify AIG at least 6 weeks in advance so that flight schedules can be arranged for speakers to arrive or depart according to other speaking possibilities):

1. Christian TV and radio interviews and talk shows (high priority).

2. Speaking at Christian schools, Bible colleges, and Christian groups at secular universities.

3. Secular TV and radio interviews and talk shows (low priority).

NOTE: It is important that speakers not be booked for the entire day. If the speaker is scheduled in the morning and afternoon, then the evening should be left free. Similarly, if they speak in the morning and evening, the afternoon should be left open. AIG must be consulted before any modifications to the above guidelines are made. The Seminar Coordinator will finalize all speaker schedules.

H. SUMMARY OF PUBLICITY MATERIALS TO BE USED

1. Showing the films to as many people as possible. This is, by far, the most effective promotional activity.

2. Distribution of seminar brochures.

3. Radio spots (:30 and :60 spots can be custom-made by AIG). 4. Radio interviews (over the phone or in studio) arranged with AIG assistance.

5. Media releases composed by AIG.

6. 750-word articles to be submitted for publication in monthly magazines or local newspaper (one designed for Christian publications; another for secular publications).

AIG's Seminar Director can assist you in getting these materials together.

A major outreach at the AIG seminar is a free K-12 Student Meeting (SM) on Tuesday morning and afternoon (or Friday in some cases). Usually divided K-6 and 7-12, we have seen tens of thousands of students participate in these meetings, averaging over 3,000 in attendance.

Christian Schools should be encouraged to bus their students to the seminar facility to hear talks on dinosaurs, Noah's ark, etc. Home school students are also encouraged to attend, and many Christian parents take their children out of public schools for the day to attend the SM. However, because there is much Biblical content in the Student Meeting, public school classes should not be invited. While we would certainly want them to attend, teachers may face reprisals (by the principal, superintendent, or perhaps the A.C.L.U.).

A. SITE

For reasons of logistics (the elaborate set-up of tables, screens, equipment, etc.), the site for the SM must be the host facility used for the AIG seminar.

The Student Meeting sometimes requires two large rooms for set up. The main room (where the general sessions of the seminar will be held) will be used for grades K-6. The second largest room will then accommodate grades 7-12, a room which must seat at least 250. (NOTE: A third room may also be needed for the children's workshop.)

B. REGISTRATION FOR STUDENT MEETING

SM reservations are required for groups of 25 or more. Registration is necessary because we usually have more students wanting to attend than the facility can accommodate. This information will be printed in the seminar brochures, along with a telephone number of the local seminar committee for groups to call and make reservations. AIG will provide forms (see sample in committee checklist) for keeping accurate records.

Once group reservations for the morning have reached 60% of the capacity of each auditorium, then additional group reservations cannot be accepted. You should expect to have an additional 40% attend who are not coming as part of a large group.

We encourage students (suggested ages 10 and up) to also attend the special family sessions on Monday (or Friday) evening. In addition, students of high school age would benefit by attending all sessions of AIG.

If the second-largest room (Grades 7-12) seats only 250, then we cannot accept any group reservations whatsoever. In most areas, you will get at least 250 walk-ins (meaning they are coming in groups of fewer than 25), and they will most likely fill an auditorium seating 250. If this second room seats 400, book to 50% of capacity; 500 or more seats: 60% of capacity.

NOTE: A well-attended Student Meeting does not mean that there will be a large evening crowd at the seminar. Even though some Student Meetings have had so many people reserve that we have had to cut off reservations weeks before the actual meeting, that should not lull our committees into a false sense of confidence that this will mean that the seminar will be just as well-attended, and that they can not be as active in getting the films shown in additional churches. They are two different meetings in terms of both promotion and audience.

C. ADVERTISING

A list of Christian schools and home school groups in your area (with principals' names) needs to be compiled so that AIG can send specially created flyers to them. Be sure to include zip code and phone numbers, if possible, and mail them to the Seminar Coordinator at AIG two months prior to the meeting so that flyer invitations can be mailed. (If initial interest is high, this mailing may not be necessary.)

D. STUDENT MEETING VOLUNTEERS

We almost always have a shortage of volunteer help for the Student Meeting. Usually, 15 volunteers are needed before, during, and after the SM. A detailed list of volunteer responsibilities is in the committee checklist. Should you have any more questions about setting up the SM, please contact the Seminar Coordinator.

A. LOCATION

A suitable location must be secured having an auditorium to hold the expected numbers at the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar (usually 1,200-plus for the "live" meeting, less for a video seminar), plus an additional large room (seating more than 250) for another session (for a possible Student Meeting (SM), but also for possible overflow contingency on the first evening ). That second room (or a third room) could also be used for the hands-on "Creation Adventure Workshop" (ages 8-12), seating about 90 children behind 12 large tables.

A suitable location includes the following basic requirements (more detailed requirements will follow):

1. Two large auditoriums/rooms that can be sufficiently darkened during the day for films and slides to be shown, with a high ceiling (23' high above the stage in larger halls, 14' in smaller auditorium); in some instances, one large room could be adequate; if a second room is used, it must have a 12' ceiling (or higher).

2. Ample parking, especially during the day when the Student Meeting is held, a time when churches/convention centers/universities may share their parking lots with nearby businesses;

3. Ample space for setting up book and registration tables (about 25-30 tables), and perhaps our large portable dinosaur display (if available).

The location could be a large conservative church or a neutral location. Examples of neutral locations would be: a convention center, basketball arena, college auditorium, etc. Cost factors sometimes necessitate the use of church buildings rather than neutral locations. It is highly advantageous to select a church whose leadership is fully behind the seminar and who would greatly encourage their own congregation to attend. The church must be well-respected in the community and be fundamental, one to which the broad spectrum of evangelical churches (from the charismatics to the fundamentalist Baptists) will send their people.

IMPORTANT: Please consult with AIG before approaching any church as a seminar venue.

If you are considering using a church facility as the seminar site, it is important that this church be willing to work with other ministries in this "creation evangelism" outreach. The church needs to know that we intend to contact Christian radio stations and a wide variety of evangelical denominations in this effort. Similarly, we need to make sure that the host church has a very good standing in the community.

If the host facility is a church, please make sure that the church does not have a policy of prohibiting the sale of materials inside their facility (even on weekdays). AIG discovered this policy to be in effect in a church after our seminar was confirmed and brochures had already been printed and distributed.

If a church donates the use of its facilities for the seminar, AIG will acknowledge its gratitude by: (1) prominently displaying the church's name on our seminar brochures (an average of 50,000 are printed per seminar), which will be distributed over a wide area; and (2) AIG will donate hundreds of dollars' worth of books and videos ($500-700) to the host church.

If a seminar concluding on a Wednesday night may pose a conflict with a church's regularly scheduled Wednesday evening program (prayer service, AWANA, etc.), then members or regular attenders at the church can come to the seminar free on Wednesday evening. However, the following must be done by the host church to avoid confusion at the registration tables on Wednesday as to determining who regularly attends the church and who doesn't:

(1) The pastor of the host church must mention from the pulpit on the Sunday before the seminar that regular attenders of the church can come to the seminar on Wednesday at no charge (but also emphasize that there's much to benefit from attending the entire seminar, not just Wednesday). There's no need for these church attendees to go to the registration tables to receive free tickets -- just walk on in (there are no ticket-takers at the door).

(2) Put a brief announcement in the church bulletin on that Sunday to the same effect.

IMPORTANT: It is expected that churches that co-host the AIG seminar will also show "The Genesis Solution" to their congregations, usually on a Sunday evening or to Sunday school classes (high school and above). We believe that this is not an unreasonable request--some of the largest churches in the country have hosted our seminars, but have chosen not to show our film, with the leadership assuring us that the seminar would be promoted heavily without the showing of the film and that their people would come out "in droves." Unfortunately, this has never been the case. Even with the most active endorsement by a pastor from the pulpit, only a handful (that is not an exaggeration, as was the case in a recent meeting) of church members will attend this seminar if they haven't seen the film. The showing of the film in the host church is the best way to encourage participation of church members. There is no substitute.

It is imperative that the local chairperson check out a potential site thoroughly and report the details to the Seminar Director. This would mean, of course, a personal visit to the facility (during the daytime to ensure that there is not too much light entering the room, which could wash out our screens) and double-checking the size of the auditorium and lobby. Verify seating capacity and lobby size with a custodian or business manager. A diagram of the facility and campus to be used is essential and is to be forwarded to the Seminar Director. If possible, please take photos or videos of both the inside and outside and send them to us.

B. SEMINAR AND WORKSHOP FEES

There will usually be a fee of $20.00 per person to attend the entire AIG seminar ($30.00 for husband, wife, and dependent family) unless the seminar will be offered free. Senior citizen and full-time student rate is $10.00 per person for the entire seminar. For anyone wanting to attend only one or two sessions, the cost per session will be $8.00 single; $12.00 couple or family; $4.00 student or senior citizen. Special group rates for Sunday school classes, college groups, etc., of ten or more people are available by contacting the Seminar Coordinator. By the way, compared to most ministries, AIG's fees are very low.

If a three-day children's workshop is to be held, there is a fee of $15 per child, which is in addition to the full-time family seminar fee. Workshop pre-registration is strongly advised--to guarantee reservations, parents must pay ahead of time (by sending check to committee, payable to "AIG").

Seminar costs may be modified depending upon local circumstances. Tickets (printed by AIG) are issued for either the entire AIG seminar or by session.

C. PRAYER

Vitally needed is the prayer support of the local committee. Please pray constantly that the people in your area will capture the importance of the Creation message. Then pray that the conservative churches will get behind the AIG seminar. Of course, pray for all those organizing the meeting locally, and for AIG, that all will bring glory to God as a result of this Bible-centered and Christ-centered seminar.

Please try to appoint a prayer coordinator who can arrange to have prayer points distributed to Christian groups for the months leading up to the seminar. AIG's prayer needs are found on the back page of its newsletter.

D. DEAF INTERPRETATION

The local committee may want to arrange to have the seminar "signed." Some of our recent seminars have been interpreted for the deaf. Videos of our talks can be sent to signers well ahead of time to familiarize them with the seminar content and scientific terms. If there is interest expressed by a church with a large deaf ministry, or by others, then you may want to seriously consider providing this service. Some states demand it by law--check with your state.

E. VOLUNTEERS

Fifteen to twenty volunteers--for registering participants, handling the selling of AIG materials, ushering, and coordinating traffic control-- will be needed for the seminar (based on 1,200 expected attendance). Try to get as many volunteers as possible to work the entire seminar, especially for book sales and registration. At the seminar, they will be overseen by the volunteer coordinator, not AIG staff, so this leadership position is an important function.

If a children's Creation Adventure Workshop (CAW) is being held, 5-6 additional volunteers (perhaps parents of the children) are also needed.

Volunteers receive free admission to the seminar--their pass also entitles their immediate family to come to the seminar as the guests of AIG. All volunteers must attend a training session on Monday late afternoon (or Friday if applicable). Some of these volunteers will be needed Monday morning and afternoon to set up rooms, tables, equipment, etc.. These same individuals (or others) will also be needed to pack up materials and equipment on the last evening.

Unless told otherwise, please do not recruit more than 20 volunteers. Recently, a committee found 100 volunteers, but we did not have enough work for them to do! (It was somewhat embarrassing to tell them that they would not be needed, especially after they had showed up for the training session.)

F. CREATION MATERIALS

A large selection of creation materials will be on display throughout the entire AIG seminar. Tables need to be set up in a strategic place (e.g., foyer) so that people leaving/entering the main auditorium will pass them. These will be placed by AIG's Field Administration Team.

Per expected attendance of 1,200, a minimum of 15-20 volunteers--handling cash or credit card transactions, bagging items, restocking and restacking books, etc.--are needed during all breaks and before each session. The same volunteers should be used throughout the entire AIG seminar so that they can all be trained together as to the materials being offered and to the use of credit card machines, etc.

The AIG resource material distribution ministry is considered one of the most vital parts of an AIG program. This provides the participants with materials to spread the word about Creation to friends and family.

G. COFFEE BREAKS AND LUNCH FOR PARTICIPANTS

It is strongly recommended that refreshments be made available to attendees. Selling refreshments can be an excellent fund-raising tool for either the AIG committee, host facility, youth group, or Sunday school class. (IMPORTANT NOTE: A host church should be approached first about this option. The church could take offense if another group decided to do this without their consultation--they may want the option of doing it themselves.)

Generally, neutral sites, especially convention centers, will want to provide their own concessions/catering services and will not allow other groups to do so.

If a Friday/Saturday format, lunch on Saturday can be provided for the participants at the AIG seminar site.

A detailed information sheet on providing refreshments and lunch is available on request.

Please ensure that fruit and beverages (fruit juices and cans of soda) are available for the AIG speakers and staff on lecture days. These could be placed in the lounge where AIG staff can break away from the busyness of the seminar.

H. AIG EQUIPMENT

The equipment needed includes a 16mm film projector (and a backup projector), suitable public address systems, overhead projectors (at least two), and large screens (one for each room).

AIG will provide most of this equipment (but not a public address system or microphones) and will set pieces up on Monday (or Thursday if applicable), starting at about 9:00 a.m. A sound engineer will be needed at about 11:30 a.m. for microphone checks and for plugging AIG's film projector into the sound system. AIG will send you a detailed list prior to the seminar.

IMPORTANT: Please find the name and phone number (including an evening number) of a local business that could supply us with a generator and lights in case of a power outage occurring in the area during the seminar.

I. TAPING

We request that personal videotaping of the seminar not be done (video cameras can be a distraction and can block the aisles and pose a safety hazard). Furthermore, for a video production to be done well, it would require additional lighting, which could wash out our screens.

If the church would like to record sessions on audio cassette, then that permission is granted, and tapes could be made available for sale through the church (provided the tapes are not sold outside of the church). Please advise AIG staff if this is to be done.

J. FILMS

Films to be shown at the AIG seminar will be shipped with resources by AIG.

K. PHOTOGRAPHY

If possible, please arrange to have photos taken of the AIG seminar. Some photos may be used in AIG's monthly newsletter.

L. PHONES

The seminar information phone should be answered during the meeting for prospective attendees who are seeking last-minute information. If possible, this phone should be staffed (not just hooked up to an answering machine). This also provides a point of contact between the AIG home staff and those staff at the seminar (even better for this, of course, would be to use the telephone at the seminar site, if different than the phone number on the brochure). If no person is available to staff the information lines, please change the message on the answering machine to answer last-minute questions people may have and to give them a number to call at the facility in case of emergency, etc.

M. TRANSPORTATION

The Committee will usually need to arrange local transportation for most of the AIG staff (e.g., perhaps a retired person would agree to be the "chauffeur"). In some cases, there may be a need for more than one car. These same persons should be responsible for picking the speakers up at the airport. Speakers will usually be bringing large boxes, so please identify people who may have large vans or station wagons.

The chairperson should discuss transportation needs with AIG and be prepared to provide names and phone numbers (day and evening numbers) of all those who are assisting in transportation.

N. ACCOMMODATIONS AND FLIGHTS

All AIG staff hotel accommodations and airline reservations will be handled by AIG.

We have been very surprised to discover how many people will travel many miles by plane or by car to attend a Genesis seminar. In one instance, more than 200 people stayed at a local hotel.

We strongly encourage the local committee to make a special arrangement with a local hotel (preferably, one that is within easy walking distance of the seminar and in a safe area which is clean, and has a restaurant nearby) and negotiate a special seminar rate.

O. SHIPPING INFORMATION

When the seminar concludes in the evening, AIG's staff--along with the local committee--will pack up remaining materials for re-shipment. Please ensure that there are at least five volunteers who will help clear the tables, neatly stack material in boxes, and seal them for the journey back to AIG.

In some instances, a shipping company hired by AIG will come to the seminar site in a couple of days with a large truck. Because the driver is often forbidden to do any loading himself, one or two people may be needed to ensure that the boxes are loaded on the truck and that the paperwork (filled out by AIG representatives) is handed over.

The host church (if applicable) should be contacted and given the opportunity to choose a speaker (if desired) for the Sunday morning service preceding--or following--the "Answers in Genesis" (AIG) seminar. The host church is provided a speaker as a courtesy of AIG (no honorarium will be requested, but a freewill offering would be appreciated). Other large churches in the area should be contacted promptly regarding the possibility of having a speaker in their church, as many have Sunday services planned months in advance (see church coordinator, Committee Checklist).

AIG will be in contact with the committee to find out which churches want speakers for their Sunday services. No confirmations are to be made without first consulting the Seminar Coordinator.

Because of the rigorous seminar schedule, speakers should not be scheduled for any Sunday services that start before 9:00 a.m., and the location should not be more than 30 minutes from the speaker's hotel. We will, however, consider exceptions if the church has a deep commitment to "creation evangelism." Normally, AIG lecturers will fly home on Thursday morning (or Sunday afternoon).

Because air travel has to be confirmed at least two months before the seminar, all Sunday speaking engagements must be confirmed two months in advance. Please remember that the local committee cannot confirm Sunday speaking until consulting with AIG first.

A confirmation letter will be sent from AIG to the church (and a copy sent to the chairperson) confirming the speaking engagement details (time of service, date, topic, equipment required, volunteers needed, etc.).

A. MATERIALS FOR SUNDAY SERVICES

Each lecturer will sell creation materials at the church where he is speaking and, therefore, will need to have volunteers to set up tables and to sell the materials. The church should also provide ushers at each entrance to hand out free information (one per family). The church--or perhaps the local AIG committee--can supply these volunteers.

NOTE: Because creation materials are a vital follow-up to Sunday presentations, it is AIG's policy that we will speak only at those churches that will allow our materials to be sold after the church services on Sunday. Some churches may have a policy of not permitting the sale of items on Sunday; in most cases, when the church realizes the importance of getting follow-up materials after a brief creation sermon, AIG is granted a "special dispensation" to sell materials. This matter must be discussed with the church before confirming a speaker.

B. TRANSPORTATION FOR SUNDAY SERVICES

Transportation must be provided by the host church or local committee for the speakers to and from the various churches, hotel, or the airport.

C. HONORARIUM FOR SUNDAY SERVICES

For the Sunday services, AIG does not specify an honorarium, but prefers that a love offering be taken (provided this is done in the normal way an offering is taken and not just a plate left at the door)--alternatively, $200.00 per service can be suggested if churches would rather pay a "standard" fee. The love offering or honorarium will also help pay for the speaker's hotel room for Saturday evening and a portion of his airplane ticket.

Checks should be made payable to "Answers in Genesis," not the speaker.

D. LUNCH AND DINNER

It is requested that lunch (dinner, if applicable) should be provided by the church for the speaker following the service, depending on schedule. These arrangements should be discussed with the speaker.

E. ACCOMMODATIONS AND FLIGHTS

All staff hotel accommodations and airline reservations will be handled by AIG.

There are a number of follow-up ideas that can be used to ensure a continual emphasis on the teaching of Creation in the area, and to build on the enthusiasm resulting from the AIG seminar. Among these are:

A. VIDEOS

Committed creationists go to churches and show various videos to small groups (e.g., Sunday school classes and Bible studies) to ensure that they continue to get in-depth teaching on this subject. These videos could be purchased by members of the committee, or rented, depending upon the videos used (see below).

Purchase AIG Videos

There are a number of videos that can be purchased from AIG including:

1. The twelve-part series entitled "Answers in Genesis" (with seven lectures by Ken Ham and five by Dr. Gary Parker), which has been of great benefit to thousands of churches and study groups. They feature--at a layman's level--all the scientific and Biblical aspects of the Creation/evolution issue. It is a complete creation science/Bible seminar in itself, and comes with a study guide, suitable for Bible studies and Sunday school classes.

2. New videos which AIG will be producing through 1997.

Rental/"Life of Print Lease" Videos by Films for Christ

These are available through Films for Christ and are the videos of films they have produced. These consist of:

1. The six-part "Origins" series (six award-winning 30-minute videos dealing with all the scientific aspects of Creation).

2. "The World That Perished" (a 35-minute video on Noah's Flood--a tremendous Gospel outreach film).

3. "The Great Dinosaur Mystery" (a 20-minute video dealing with the topic of dinosaurs; specially designed for children).

4. "The Genesis Solution" (Ken Ham's 45-minute video on the relevance of Creation).

These can either be rented or purchased on a "Life of Print Lease" basis. Information can be obtained from Films for Christ, 2628 W. Birchwood Circle, Mesa, AZ 85202. Phone: 1-800-FFC-2261.

5. There is an excellent video entitled "The Evolution Conspiracy" by Jeremiah Films which is a documentary-style presentation suitable for both church and secular settings.

B. FILMS

The videos from Films for Christ are also available as 16mm films. (The videos are also available for permanent personal use through a "Life of Print" license. Full details are available through the producer, Films for Christ.) It is possible to promote the showing of these over a period of time as a public outreach (e.g., show all six "Origins" films over six different evenings). Possibly a movie theater can be rented. The films could be promoted throughout the entire region, so that Christians and non-Christians would come. Alternatively, various churches could show the films and encourage their congregations to invite friends and neighbors.

C. SPEAKERS

There are other speakers available through AIG--and possibly other regional speakers whom we could recommend--to address various churches during the year. Also, another AIG seminar could be held.

A suitable follow-up program could be worked out with the committee. AIG's Seminar Coordinator would be available to assist in outlining such follow-up for your area.

D. FORMING A LOCAL CREATION GROUP

To carry out some of these follow-up ideas, local creationist associations have been formed after (and sometimes just before) the seminar. Contact AIG about setting up a local creation group.

E. AIG NEWSLETTERS/BOOKS AND AUDIOVISUALS

Seminar participants who signed up to receive AIG's free newsletter can read articles that will assist them in gaining a greater knowledge of the Creation/evolution issue. AIG books and audiovisual materials can accomplish the same goal--AIG would be glad to supply free publications catalogs and sample newsletters to its supporters for distribution.

F. CONTRIBUTIONS TO AIG

We trust that many seminar attendees will want to be partners with AIG in creation evangelism through their financial contributions.

The ARK Foundation has a policy of contributing 10% of all memberships and newsletter subscriptions to AIG. Helping ARK helps AIG.