Answers in Genesis (AiG) and Holt International have discontinued their partnership for a planned music event at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky due to Holt's LGBTQ advocacy.
Over the weekend, AiG founder Ken Ham wrote a blog post in which he explained their decision to withdraw Holt's sponsorship of one of their upcoming events, the "40 Days and 40 Nights Christian Music Festival" at the Ark Encounter.
He said that one of AiG's employees, who has investigated adoption and child sponsorship organizations, dug deep into Holt's website and discovered some troubling information. Holt International, for the record, is a Christian-affiliated international adoption agency.
Keeping an eye out for compromises
From parent eligibility to foster care and adoption applications, Ham presented some of the samples they discovered on Holt's website. Each allows candidates of various sexual orientations or gender identities to adopt children.
Ham said that he wrote to Holt twice to make it clear that if they do not re-think their stance on these issues, they would be unable to continue their sponsorship arrangement.
The theologian cites Bethany Christian Services, one of the biggest adoption agencies in the country, as an example of how churches and Christian institutions have succumbed to the enormous pressures of the LGBTQ campaign, as well as the social justice activism and CRT.
Opening "doors" to more compromises
In his correspondence with Holt, Ham stressed the importance of being steadfast to the unchanging message of God's Word in an increasingly complicated and rapidly changing world.
On Holt's decision to allow same-sex couples to be foster parents, Ham reasoned that rather than capitulating, they must evaluate what the world does against the ultimate authority of God's Word.
In an e-mail response, Holt said that they must comply to the rules of a number of nations, worldwide regulatory organizations, and other groups in order to carry out their faith-based work.
"Yes. But surely the overriding factor has to be that like the Apostle Peter and the other apostles in Acts 5:29, 'We must obey God rather than men,'" Ham wrote back.
"Wouldn't the correct situation biblically be to state you can't compromise your position, and therefore can't add those statements?" he continued. "If those states then tell you that you can't do business in their state if that is the case, then shouldn't you seek legal remedy through one of the many Christian law firms specializing in First Amendment issues? If such legal remedy fails, then surely as Christians we must obey God rather than man."
Ham then noted that once one door to compromise is opened, others will follow suit. By that time, it would be more difficult for Holt to assert their gender/marriage beliefs in other contexts.
The conversation concluded with the AiG and Holt International mutually choosing to cancel their collaboration since their differences could not be resolved.
Ham urges those looking to adopt or those looking to support adoption agencies to consider Lifeline Children's Services, a Christian adoption agency that "a strong emphasis on the gospel and take a stand for the authority of the Bible on the issues of the family, gender and marriage."
A little leaven leavens the whole lump
Ham clarified that they are not advocating for a boycott of Holt International, and that what he recorded in his blog serves as an example of how Christians can still confront compromises in a loving but firm manner.
"We've seen so often through the ages that once the leaven is allowed in, it will affect the whole lump. So where will such an organization be in the future as this door to accommodate LGBTQ agendas is opened further? That's the issue," he said.
