Tim Chaffey (autobiography)

     I was raised in a Christian home and never really strayed too far from the faith.  This is not to say that my Christian walk was always on track.  I spent the majority of my teenage years and early twenties worshiping the game of basketball.  God gifted me to play the sport but I sought my own glory instead of His.  Casey and I were married in 1996 and it was about that time that I realized my priorities were messed up.  The next year God blessed us with the birth of our daughter Kayla.  Watching my daughter's birth was the greatest thing I have ever witnessed and it was at that moment that I realized I was going to be involved in full-time ministry for the rest of my life. 

     I began to read everything I could get my hands on.  At first, I was fascinated by studying Bible prophecy.  Then one night I heard Ken Ham (from Answers in Genesis) speaking about dinosaurs on the radio.  I immediately ordered every creation book I could afford and began reading.  This naturally led to a deeper study of Christian apologetics.  I knew it wasn't enough to just study God's Word so I got involved in the youth ministry in my church and started looking for a full-time youth position.  It became clear that I needed to finish my schooling (I had left Bible college after earning my Associate of Arts degree in 1995) so I returned to school in August of 2000. 

     God blessed our decision to return to school.  He allowed me to play one more season of basketball (this time for His glory) and we ended up with the best record in school history and winning a national championship.  More importantly, He gave me opportunities to minister to others.  I started a Creation Club at the college during my Junior and Senior years and helped run the youth group at a local church. 

     Upon completing my Bachelors degree in Theological and Biblical Studies (December 2001), I accepted a pastoral position at a small rural church where I would preach for nearly three years.  The Lord blessed us tremendously during that time.  My son, Judah was born in 2002.  I had the privilege of seeing a youth group grow from two siblings (one atheist, at the time) to over 30 teens.  I also was given an opportunity to teach Creationism at a local Christian school.  The following year I was offered a full-time position to teach Bible at the school (I also taught Logic, Apologetics, Creation (again), and a College Preparation class.  In addition to the two full-time jobs, I worked on a Master of Arts degree in Biblical and Theological Studies, which I completed in March 2005 and graduated in May 2005. 

     In August 2005 I began teaching science at Tri-State Christian School in Galena, Illinois.  This position has given me the opportunity to start Midwest Apologetics and I am excited to see how God will bless it.  For the 2006 school year, I accepted a move to the Bible department at Tri-State.  Unfortunately, my transfer to that department was put on hold for a few months since I was diagnosed with leukemia on July 12, 2006.  To read the journal entries during my battle with cancer, click here.  I was given the "all clear" on September 15, 2006 and was able to return to teaching on November 6th.  I continued to teach at Tri-State until May of 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed it.

     In May 2008, I accepted the position of Associate Pastor at Martintown Community Church.  My main area of ministry was with youth and families.  Also, on May 10, 2008, I graduated summa cum laude from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary with an Master of Divinity, specializing in Apologetics and Theology.  Chuck Norris gave the commencement address so it was fun to be a part of that ceremony.  I am currently working on a Th. M. (Master of Theology) degree from Liberty, and plan to graduate in May 2011.

     In July 2008, my first book was published by Master Books.  Old-Earth Creationism on Trial (co-authored with Dr. Jason Lisle) should be an outstanding resource for any Christian interested in understanding the controversial issue of the age of the earth. I also published a booklet entitled God Means What He Says: A Biblical Critique of the Framework Hypothesis in December 2008. This is a semi-technical work that serves as a great complement to my first book because it provides an in-depth analysis of one the views discussed in Old-Earth Creationism on Trial.  

     I published my second book in February 2009. God and Cancer: Finding Hope in the Midst of Life's Trials is based on my own battle with leukemia in 2006, but is really designed to help people realize that no matter how difficult life may become, God is still there to care for them and love them. The second section of the book provides an apologetic of God's existence in light of evil and suffering. Although many critics attack Christianity on this point, the truth is that only biblical Christianity can make sense of evil and suffering. Every other worldview, philosophy, and belief system fall woefully short.

     My latest publication is a youth fiction series entitled The Truth Chronicles. This action/adventure series was co-authored with my friend Joe Westbrook. It is designed to teach young people how to defend the Christian faith in a fun and exciting way. The first book (The Time Machine) was published in April 2010; book two (The Contest) in May 2010; book three (The Rescue) in June 2010. We are contemplating whether or not to write more books in the series.

     I have recently accepted a position as a writer/editor at Answers in Genesis and plan to start there in late July 2010. I plan to keep the Midwest Apologetics site up and running, but will be limited in speaking availability for now, since we'll be moving to northern Kentucky.  

     

(6/16/10)

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