Rick Dack finds apologetics a fascinating study for all believers.

Founder Rick Dack is an animator, graphics designer and media researcher. He is on the Board of the Institute for Biblical Archaeology and Christian Apologetics Ministries, has spoken at a number of conferences, churches, colleges and other educational institutions throughout the U.S., and has appeared numerous times on Twin Cities' AM 980 KKMS Radio in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) as an historical consultant.

Apologetics, however, were not always first and foremost in Dack's life. He grew up in the Twin Cities area and played guitar in a number of secular rock bands until his conversion in 1986.

"I became a Christian at the height of the popularity of Stryper, the first internationally recognized Christian Rock Band and continued with Christian Rock Music -- presuming that’s where the Lord was leading me," he said in an interview with ASSIST News.

In 1989 Dack attended a local Bible College and took an apologetics course.

"The course was about manuscript evidence for the Bible. The Churches I had attended never discussed the biblical facts of history and I became convinced that the Lord was leading me into apologetics."

Dack left the music scene in 1994, and from 1997-2004 he attended two colleges in the Twin Cities area.

"The first degree I attained was in Graphics Design (3D Animation, etc;) from a technical College, the second degree, a Bachelors of Science in History from Northwestern College emphasizing ancient history and archaeology," Dack said.

Dack now uses both aspects of his education to present the Bible in a compelling, technological fashion -- yet keeping it simple for those with varying degrees of biblical/scientific knowledge through A.D. Communications, a web-based apologetics ministry (www.defendingthebible.com) .

"I have been fortunate to have studied under a Dead Sea Scrolls scholar, an Egyptologist and an ancient and medieval history Scholar. Since 1998 I have spoken at a number of conferences, churches and schools on the evidence for the Bible and how to defend ones faith from today’s Bible Skeptics in Hollywood and Academia. I hope to continue to do so in the decades to come. My greatest desire is to be where the Lord wants me to be and make a difference in today’s culture," said Dack.

How and in what way did he become involved in apologetics ministry?

"In 1989 I attended St. Paul Bible College, now Crown College, in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota. I attended a class on apologetics and was hooked from day one concerning the evidence for the Bible."

Being a musical artist at the time, Dack became interested in doing something creative with the information he was receiving, so he began experimenting with different presentation software packages.

Dack said: "I thought if a person could combine new graphics technologies with archaeological data the combination of the two would make the presentations compelling and enjoyable but most importantly the information would be remembered and hopefully recalled for witnessing opportunities."

He says the Lord prepared him for his current ministry through both his creative bend (Music then Graphics Design), an abiding love for biblical history, and a burden for Hollywood.

"Years ago, I watched an episode of Politically Incorrect on ABC hosted by comedian Bill Maher. Politically Incorrect, a short-lived program on cultural issues and politics, was undeniable slanted left (Liberal) with an approving audience in attendance," he said.

Maher typically interviewed three Liberals and one Conservative, says Dack.

"The Conservative would be mocked, jeered and humiliated if not by the panel then by the audience. If the Conservative made a valid point on a current issue Maher would destroy his contribution with a joke, thus obliterating any meaningful discussion. On rare occasions Maher would invite two Conservatives to appear on his show. One program featured Musician and former Entertainment Tonight host John Tesh and another guest, both Conservatives. The discussion came down to religion. Maher is an Atheist and believes the Bible is mythical. Neither Tesh nor the other guest defended the Bible against Maher’s comments because they weren’t equipped to do so.

"In frustration I wanted to throw one of those fake red bricks at the television screen. I knew the facts that supported my faith yet Tesh and the other guest who had an opportunity to defend Christianity on a national television program did not. The same beliefs that Maher presented on his program have been broadcast and re-broadcast multiple times on television via the animated television series (The Simpson’s, The Family Guy, South Park), Bible Documentaries (A&E, The History Channel, The Discovery Channel) and in Films (SAVED, DOGMA, The Last Temptation of Christ). Politically Incorrect and programs with similar atheistic views is the reason why A.D. Communications is an important force in today’s cultural battles."

Dack said he has several aims and goals in mind for his ministry.

Primarily, Dack wants to equip the Church to defend itself from the ongoing attacks on the Bible from the pop-culture.

"What attacks? Current films such as The Nativity Story, The Da Vinci Code and SAVED portray the Bible as a mixture re-invented history and Christians as narrow-minded fanatics. FOX animated television series’ such as The Simpson's, The Family Guy, South Park (Comedy Central) and American Dad mock God, the Exodus, the Resurrection and other biblical stories with comedic abuse. TV Bible documentaries on A&E, The Discovery Channels, The National Geographic Channel and The History Channel broadcast the belief that the Bible is either mythical, a book of conspiracies, or a text stolen from ancient pagan cultures then incorporated into the Bible by Moses and other Bible authors."

A.D. Communications has developed a television viewer guide for its “live” multimedia presentations. "Persons should view programs with a critical eye and these guides provide a positive assist," he said.

The guide provides suggestions on what to be aware of, such as biased narration and editing techniques, critic contradictions, identifying liberal academic skeptics etc.

"Some Bible programs are subtle and need to be viewed again. Other shows are blatantly anti-faith and have almost led some persons away from their beliefs. Dr. D. James Kennedy recalls the story of some congregants who approached him after watching a Peter Jennings Special called The Search for Jesus in the year 2000. They were depressed about the criticisms and were considering walking away from Christianity. If people are equipped to defend their faith with good science then they won’t be easily swayed," Dack says.

Dack wants to promote little-known Bible archaeology ministries.

"Another goal of A.D. Communications is to let students and congregants know that Conservative Bible-believing archaeological scholars exist. Bible documentaries on television overwhelmingly feature Liberal/Progressive scholars over Conservatives at a ratio of 85 percent liberal to 12-15 percent Conservative. Organizations such as The Associates for Biblical Research, The Near East Archaeological Society and The Institute for Biblical Archaeology have little or no capital to promote themselves, thus Pastors do not know these archaeological scholars exist. I am trying to improve this situation by featuring their information within the presentations giving them and their organizations the full credit and promotion they deserve."

Providing information on problematic apologetics ministries is also important to Dack. He says: "Beware of the Christian Indiana Jones' out there folks. These 'Adventurers and Explorers' appear at churches, conferences, on television, on DVD's, and in books available in your local Christian bookstores."

Purported archaeological discoveries include Mount Sinai; Pharaoh's Chariot Wheels found in the Red Sea; the Ark of the Covenant; the Blood of Jesus discovery; Noah's Ark; Paul’s Shipwreck location etc., says Dack.

"These purported Bible discoveries have no scientific basis. Pastors are typically unaware that these claims are problematic. Undeniably some of the pseudo-archaeologist presenters are entertaining, but is amusement the goal of a Church presentation or is good science that supports the Bible? One prominent ministry delights in silencing their detractors with legal action. The Apostle Paul praised the Bereans for investigating his claims in Acts 17:11. Why does this particular organization feel the need to threaten actions that Paul called noble? 'Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.'"

Dack hopes to develop books, classes, software, DVD’s etc, which contain reliable information for Churches and Schools.

"As technologies develop students and congregants should have all resources at their disposal in order to properly defend their faith. Equally as important the information provided must be derived from strong scientific sources. Recently published books and other forms of media have impressive graphics yet the information provided in support of the Bible lack sufficient bibliographies. Readers should have the means to check book sources in order to do their own research and be modern-day Bereans. Exhaustive bibliographies should be mandatory for all apologetics sources. In my opinion if the author of a book is not exhausted upon completion of his work he was not exhaustive," Dack said.

Another goal for Dack is to create and broadcast  documentaries in their entirety that support Biblical stories and provide counsel to viewers.

"On a recent trip to Alabama an individual attended one of my presentations on Hollywood versus the Bible. This person is currently developing Bible documentaries to feature on cable stations. I briefly counseled him on making sure that his information is protected and that he owns the rights. Prior to broadcast some documentaries, both secular and faith-based, have been re-edited to suit the purposes of the broadcaster’s beliefs not necessarily the original intent of the creator or the position of the various interviewees. What one brings into a network is not necessarily what one will view on television or on DVD. The creator of a program must protect his/her original content or that person will be, at minimum, misinterpreted by the public and potentially lose credibility."

Dack continued: "I plan to continue to do 'live' multimedia presentations nationally. I am currently writing a book on Hollywood versus the Bible that will probably include a CD-Rom or DVD with animations of actual sites, not generic representations, of evidence for the Bible. With my future publisher's influence I will develop books and DVD’s with thorough bibliographies so that others can check my work, plus add onto my research. There are producers, directors and writers that I will pursue as the ministry progresses. Their work with A.D. Communications will provide a balanced perspective concerning evidence for the Bible where both sides of the issue will get unedited, equal time to express their views. A balanced panel of experts will be mandatory on anything coming out of A.D. Communications."

What does Dack hope to achieve?

He told ANS that he desires to eliminate the notion that Science and the Bible cannot compliment each other, to encourage the believer to read scripture and know what it says, i.e. to know when biblical events occurred, who are the main characters, their significance, etc.

"People must know what Scripture says or they will fall for any belief that sounds biblical," he says.

Dack also hopes to inform the person of faith on how they can discern truth from error in the pop-culture (Hollywood, television, celebrity opinion, Liberal academics and even some Christian ministries).

Further, he wants to help the Church recognize good Science and avoid “entertaining” congregants with poor information and unsubstantiated evidence for the Bible. He also wants to point congregants and students to strong, Bible-believing archaeological organizations such as The Near East Archaeological Society, The Associates for Biblical Research, The Institute for Biblical Archaeology and World of the Bible Ministries that sell excellent materials not found in local bookstores.

Another major goal is to provide information on who to pray for in Hollywood, who to support in various areas of the Entertainment industry, what movies to buy from faith-friendly organizations, and what movies to avoid.

Asked why he believes there is a need for such an outreach, Dack responded: "No other national ministry is addressing this issue. Dr. D. James Kennedy, Hank Hannegraff and Eric Holmberg of Reel to Real Ministries have tackled these issues in the past, but the content was limited and has not been updated to the best of my knowledge.

"Liberal/Progressive Scholars saturate the television audiences daily with biased criticisms of the Bible at a ratio of 85 percent with the remaining 12-15 percent given to Conservatives who defend the scriptures. Liberal Scholars and Theologians are typically invited to return for more television program interviews because controversial opinions equal ratings and/or the creators of the programs share the interviewee’s skeptical view of the Bible.

"A.D. Communications’ mission is to promote Conservative scholars and their organizations in churches, schools and conferences. A second purpose is to identify the Bible skeptics, who they are, what they believe and what tools Christians can use to defeat their criticisms."

Dack explained that Apologetics, the defense of a belief system and answering its critics, by its very definition presumes that the person who is defending the belief knows why he or she believes it, but that presumption in large part is overly optimistic and needs to be improved.

"Christianity has been labeled by some skeptics as a religion of blind faith or a faith of easy believe-ism. Simply because some have not researched their faith does not, by association, mean that their faith is without merit. Evidence for one's faith and the ability to retain and remember information is critical, but the person witnessing must be able to trust what they have originally read and retained. A.D. Communications strives to put the very best information into the hands of those organizations it comes in contact with," Dack said.

Dack also said he seeks to reach the Christian and the Jew: to assure them that their faith texts are historically reliable. Archaeology is not a perfect science, but what has been unearthed does support the Old and New Testament regardless of what Bible skeptics contend; The Seeker: The potential believer must be assured that God is not afraid of being investigated before his or her decision to follow Him. The Bible encourages investigation (Luke 1:3-4, 1 Peter 3:15); The Skeptic: Some critics of the Bible have made up their minds to reject faith regardless of the evidence.

"I believe there are others that will skeptically, yet honestly, research the claims of Judeo-Christianity. Those are the persons I want to reach."

With a plethora of apologetic-type ministries in existence, Dack was asked what makes his ministry different or unique from other apologetics ministries?

"No other touring ministry supplies the quality of information needed to defend the Judeo-Christian faith, "he said, adding; "The information is thoroughly researched, free of conjecture and ALWAYS current. The ministry of A.D. Communications is unique in that it does not seek to promote itself but seeks to advance the notoriety of fine scientific organizations and individuals who believe the Bible."

He also said that A.D. Communications supplies 3D Animations of specific biblical sites of interest, not vague, generalized reproductions as commonly seen on television.

"All animations are based upon architectural drawings of digs, archaeological journals, books and credible eyewitness accounts," he said.

Dack also cites thoroughly-researched backgrounds of Bible skeptics (both celebrity and academic) and what they believe. No other ministry to the best of his knowledge does this as exhaustively as does A.D. Communications.

He says A.D. Communications does not use speculation or the sensational as part of its presentations, which he claims some organizations do.

Facts and Theories are stated as such in the presentations: A.D. Communications does not set out to 'prove' the Bible. The Bible can stand on its own merits. A.D. Communications provides 'support" for the Bible as a precise distinction. Informational term sheets are provided to students and/or congregants for quick reference and note taking during presentations. Presentations he has attended have not supplied this basic courtesy on  many occasions, Dack said.

He also says that after each presentation section a Q&A session can be requested. Having a Q&A after the presentation is complete can be problematic especially if you are covering many topics.

Dack says that information packets provided are provided with his presentations: Who are the Skeptics; Bible Artifacts pictures; Reliable Sources of Information; Who Are the Christians in Hollywood; Good Movies & Books; TV Viewer Guides, and that all presentation topics can be customized for churches or schools on the current topic.

Every presentation by A.D. Communications includes both parts of the ministry: Bible Archaeology and Hollywood verses The Bible (Skeptics). Not all Bible akeptics are academics, he says.

Rick Dack is available for special events, training and classroom instruction. E-mail: adcommunications@usfamily.net

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. His weblog appears at: Michael's Wor(l)d BLOG