Asking for a Friend (part 3) - Can a person believe in evolution and still be a Christian?

Sunday, April 24th, 2022

  1. Before we jump into the sermon content, this is a simple way of checking-in about where we are & how we’re doing. If you had to use 1 or 2 of the following words to describe how you’re feeling this week, which would you choose and why?

    • Sad

    • Angry

    • Scared

    • Happy

    • Excited

    • Tender

    Start your time together by praying and be sure to address any clear prayer needs & praises that were brought up in the check-in above. 

  2. As we take a few weeks for our next round of “Asking for a Friend” sermons, UBC deacon and class teacher, Tim West, gave the message addressing the first question - “Can a person believe in evolution and still be a Christian?” So, to start, were you raised to believe in evolution or creation? How was that communicated (taught or caught)? 

  3. Do you think the Bible & Science are opposed to one another when it comes to creation? 

  4. Tim gave a number of passages of scripture that reference creation - here are a handful of them. Take some time to read them together. Genesis 1:1, Psalm 33:6, Hebrews 11:3, John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16, Revelation 4:11

  5. There are 3 theories that people tend to use when trying to rationalize the possibility of an old earth within a creation belief system: 

    • Theistic Evolution - the belief that God is Creator but lets the world evolve in its own natural way. 

    • Day / Age Theory - the belief that the “days” mentioned in the creation account are not literal 24 hr days but, rather, are large sections of time (ages).

    • Gap Theory - the belief that there were millions/billions of years between Genesis 1:1 & Genesis 1:2. 

    Tim said that each of these theories share the same problematic faith issue - what was it? (See Tim’s thoughts here.)

  6. How do II Timothy 3:16 & Job 38:4-5 factor into this conversation about evolution, creation, etc.?

  7. Tim gave 3 application challenges at the end of the message. Which one is most necessary for you to consider/act on?: 

    • If you don’t know Christ, turn to Him today. 

    • If you are a follower of Jesus but still hold to a belief in evolution, what is the basis for your belief? (Specifically, why did Jesus have to die on the cross? What is He saving us from? What authority does the Bible have?)

    • If you are a follower of Jesus and believe in the Biblical account of creation, how can you share it with someone this week? 

  8. How does this teaching about creation & evolution encourage or challenge you?

    • Was there anything else in the sermon that was particularly helpful for you? 


*Need to Know*:

1. Go to www.ubcmakehimknown.com to see the volunteer schedule for this summer’s building project. If you signed up, you can see your time slots there. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can also see where there are openings for you to fill-in. 

2. Don’t forget about the Walk for Life that is coming up May 14! Sign up by going to miamivalleywomenscenter.org or visit the Mission Table in the lobby for more information. Contact Elizabeth Hunter Hunter16elizabeth@gmail.com if you have questions.

Phil Wing