What
God Is Doing through
God uses the unique ministry of Wonders of Science to confront men and women with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Read about real-life people God has touched through these science programs. (All these stories are true, but the names of the individuals have been changed to honor their privacy.)
When Wonders of Science arrives at a location, several strong men generally volunteer to help Dean Ortner unload his equipment. At one military base, prisoners about to be discharged after serving time in the brig were "volunteered" to help unload.
 |
|
Unloading the equipment |
As a means of saying thank-you, the prisoners were allowed to stay and watch the program. That evening the Wonders of Science presentation had a profound impact on "Jeff," a sergeant with marital problems. Through the series God moved in his heart.
Jeff came to understand that "there is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12) and that Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Later Jeff spoke with Dean. "Yeah, I really messed up. Now I know why I was in prison --to find God at your shows. My wife is a Christian and has been praying for me, but I probably wouldn't have come to see you if I hadn't been in prison and 'volunteered' to help. I called my wife right away about what happened to me. We're getting back together as a new family when I get out. I'm glad (prison) happened, because I wouldn't have turned to the Lord any other way."
To find out how Jeff's life switched from following his own way to following "the Way," check out our page "Meet the Creator."
"James" took the day off and wandered around downtown Atlanta taking in the sights of the 1996 Olympics. Suddenly he spotted an attractive booklet laying on the sidewalk, possibly an Olympic souvenir someone had dropped.
He picked it up and, leafing through the first few pages, realized with disdain that it was some "religious stuff," a Gospel of John. He started to toss it aside, but something in his background stopped him from showing such disrespect for church materials.
When James noticed an elderly woman sitting on a nearby bench, he casually approached her and thrust the Gospel toward her. With a cold stare in her eyes the woman said, "God meant that for you, young man!"
Surprised, James put the booklet in his pocket and walked off. Once out of sight, he again reached for the souvenir. This time he took a closer look and noticed a map inside inviting guests to an Oasis of Discovery. On a hot Atlanta afternoon, an Oasis sounded refreshing.
James walked for more than a mile before he arrived at the Oasis, the location of the Wonders of Science auditorium. When he discovered there was a science program presented there, his interest in the subject took over and he entered the auditorium.
During that program, James heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He heard the speaker tell him things like "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and that the "wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:232).
That day, James accepted from God the free gift of eternal life by placing his faith in Jesus Christ. To know about receiving this free gift for yourself, check our page "Meet the Creator."
Dean Ortner presented the Wonders of Science series during the first week of a two-week junior high boys camp in New Hampshire. The counselors and staff members reported that they had never seen kids as quiet as these were during the programs.
One evening, late at night after "lights out," one of the counselors noticed a glow coming from under the blankets on one of the bunks. Pulling the covers back, he found a youngster reading the book of Genesis by flashlight.
 |
|
Wonders of Science on a junior high level |
The boy exclaimed, "Please don't give me a demerit. I never heard the things the science man talked about before I came to this camp. I just had to read more about it right away. It's awesome stuff! Would you be able to help me put my trust in God?"
The counselor showed the boy verses from the Bible like "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). That night the boy found eternal life through God's Son.
During the first week of that camp, the Wonders of Science presentations established the credibility of the Scriptures and the relevance of the Bible to the daily lives of these junior high boys. During the second week of camp, the camp staff built on that foundation. The camp administrator later called the Wonders of Science office to report that, as a result of Dean's foundation and the follow-up work of the camp staff, 14 junior high boys gave their lives to Jesus Christ.
To find out what attracted these boys to Jesus Christ, check our page "Meet the Creator."
The phone rang at a Christian radio station in California. The caller, "Cathy," indicated that she was a mother who had come to the end of her rope. She was intending to take her own life, but something told her to call the station first.
The station had been promoting Dean Ortner's Wonders of Science programs for that very day, so the individual answering the phone persuaded Cathy to first attend one of the programs.
 |
|
After the program |
Later that day, Cathy and her four-year-old daughter showed up at the auditorium hosting Wonders of Science. She intended to sit through the presentation, then enter a nearby park and commit suicide, possibly taking her daughter with her.
While Cathy watched Dean's presentation, God spoke to her. She learned that "God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Her heart melted.
After the program, she worked her way to the front of the crowd that had gathered by the platform to speak to Dean. She could hardly speak through her repentant weeping, but communicated to Dean that his message had prevented her from taking her own life and possibly her daughter's.
To learn how much God loves you, check our page "Meet the Creator."
At a Wonders of Science series in Canada, Dean Ortner was undergoing his final preparations prior to the first program. A crusty, older gentleman approached him. He had massive arms with hands the size of baseball mitts. "Ian" explained that he had been a member of a special forces unit, then said, "I understand you've been selected as an honorary Red Beret of the 92nd Army Airborne Unit."
"That's right," responded Dean.
"Well," Ian growled, "that's the only reason I agreed to come to these shows."
 |
|
Military volunteers prepare to start the Million Volt Demonstration |
Ian sat with his wife in the front row each evening of the four-night series. Reflected light from Dean's equipment allowed Dean to watch him, and he seemed to enjoy each program. He heard Dean quote from the Bible words like "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). He listened as Dean explained that Jesus loved each of us so much He laid down His life for us.
As Dean packed his equipment following the final program, Ian walked up, stood face to face with Dean, dropped his hands on Dean's shoulders and squeezed. His words were quiet, broken and halting -- a stark contrast to his greeting the opening night.
As if a conscious effort were needed to force words through vocal cords frozen by emotion, he said, "You have no idea of how much you've helped me these four nights. Now I know that I will see you in heaven!. As Ian gave Dean a huge bear hug, tears streamed down his cheeks.
To discover, as Ian did, the extent of God's love for you, check our page "Meet the Creator."
They slipped into the first evening of four Wonders of Science programs on a military base. Twenty-four Marines quietly finding seats in the back row. From this vantage point they could command a view of the entire auditorium and, if necessary, exit quickly and without difficulty.
They came poised for a secret mission, ready to carry it out whenever given the command to go. They sat down to watch, prepared to embark on a mission unknown even to their immediate superiors, a mission not even authorized by the U.S. government.
Their mission, decided upon among themselves... "disrupt the religious meetings and cause any trouble possible."
During the years these Marines had been stationed together one of their favorite activities had been to intrude upon chapel-sponsored events and cause trouble. After all, they reasoned, most of those attending a chapel meeting were deluded by religion.
 |
|
One Million Volts, a logical explanation for "being born again" |
Now, poised in the back rows of a Wonders of Science presentation, they watched as Dean Ortner was introduced and the lights dimmed. Dean's opening comments culminated in his turning on the million volt generator. "There's enough energy in that charge to kill everyone in the room," Dean explained. But one of these nights, I'm going to stand on that thing." He then turned to the subject of the evening, light and color.
That first program caught the interest of the Marines and their evening's disruptive mission failed.
The second evening the Marines again found seats in the back row and watched, prepared to carry out their task. This time, Dean discussed the fact that our senses cannot supply us with accurate enough information to be reliable. The Marines watched and discovered that they indeed could not trust their eyes and ears. Caught up in the demonstrations, they again forgot about their mission.
The third night found the same group returning. As Dean discussed surveillance and recording techniques with which they were familiar, they realized that everything we do is recorded for eternity. Again they ignored their evening's objective.
The final night brought them back again. Now they heard Dean discuss the possibility of another world (the spiritual realm) existing right in front of our eyes, but since we are not "in tune" with it, we cannot see it. He talked of the resurrection of Christ and turned to the idea that we need to be born into another family (God's family) to participate in the benefits of the spiritual and eternal realm. They watched Dean demonstrate his talk by shattering a glass goblet with sound, then climb on the million volt generator. They were amazed as Dean allowed one million volts of high frequency electricity to flow through his body, ignite a wooden board and exit his fingers in bolts of lightening.
They listened closely as Dean explained how it makes scientific sense that to move from one realm into another (the physical to the spiritual) you must be adapted to the new realm. Thus, it is scientifically logical for Jesus to say, "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Captivated by Dean's presentation from the very first night, the Marines failed to accomplish their mission. However, during that same time, an opposing mission had been launched and carried out, a mission formed and completed in the spiritual realm that Dean had spoken about.
After Dean's million volt program, these 24 Marines approached the chaplain and said, "We want to apologize for the years of trouble we've caused. We were wrong in what we believed about religion. We've all prayed to accept the Lord as Savior tonight."
To learn more of God's plan for giving you a new birth like He did these 24 Marines, check out our page "Meet the Creator."
His wife was dumbfounded. "Jim" wanted to attend a religious program! For years he had dismissed God and refused to listen when anyone would talk to him about the Lord. He had told his wife that he would not talk to anyone except a scientist in his own field. Jim's doctorate was a relatively rare combination from the early days of ecological awareness in the 1970s -- entomology and bionucleonics.
But Jim heard a radio ad about a coming speaker with a background in that very field. The commercial spoke about a fellow named Dean Ortner who had been involved in research that included performing brain surgery on mosquitoes. Ortner was presenting a program called Wonders of Science at a local auditorium.
"Maybe this guy can talk to me on my own level," Jim reasoned, so he told his wife they would go to one of the programs.
 |
|
Explaining things on your level |
The only program that Jim and his wife could attend was an unusual, early daytime program (one of the few morning programs Dean has ever presented for the public). Only about a dozen people showed up for that particular program and the sponsors considered canceling the presentation. Dean knew that with a crowd that small, audience interaction becomes difficult, and a large portion of the audience would be volunteers for the various demonstrations, but he decided to go on with the show.
That particular program, presented by a scientist of Dean's unique background, was just what God had designed. Jim heard from Dean many truths, like "by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
That morning, Jim heard God speaking through Dean and received God's gift of salvation, not basing his eternal destiny on anything he had done, but on God's gift of grace.
Find out more about the gift that Jim discovered by checking our page "Meet the Creator."
During one of the programs in the Wonders of Science series, Dean Ortner deals with various types of recording devices. At one point, he speaks about God's keeping a record of our actions. He discusses that, while Christ's blood has cleansed us from sin, we remain accountable for what we do with the many service opportunities God sends our way.
After presenting this particular part of the series in Pennsylvania one night, Dean spent a couple of hours packing some equipment and preparing for the next evening's program. After he finished, he locked the church building, walked across a very dark parking lot, climbed into his truck and started driving away for the night. When he rounded the corner of the church building, he saw the tell-tale yellow-orange flicker of a fire reflecting off one of the exterior walls of the church. That particular wall faced the church's graveyard where many of the church founders from the 1700s and 1800s were buried.
 |
|
"The Stuttering Machine" helps demonstrate God's recording our deeds |
As his eyes grew accustomed to the dark and he studied the scene, Dean saw two college-aged girls kneeling beside one of the graves, one on either side with a fire between them. At first they failed to notice Dean, so he stopped and watched, wondering if he had stumbled upon some Satanic ritual. As he watched, he saw that one of the girls was periodically tossing what appeared to be mail into the fire.
Before long they noticed Dean, but the girl kept tossing things into the flames. After a moment, her companion again looked toward Dean, then rose to her feet and walked directly toward the truck.
When the young lady arrived at Dean's truck, she explained what was happening. "My friend heard that science guy speaker tonight talk about records from the past being written down in God's 'book of deeds.'"
Apparently she failed to recognize Dean as "that science guy speaker" and went on to explain that her friend was disturbed by what she heard that evening and became rather upset over some things she had written to an old boyfriend. In response to her concern, she decided she had to find the letters he had returned when they broke up and burn them to make a clean break with the past.
As he talked with the girl, Dean explained that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). If we ask Him, God will forgive our past through Christ's blood, and when God forgives sin, we can be assured that "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
To discover the joy of knowing God's cleansing for yourself and the assurance of His forgiveness, check out our page "Meet the Creator."
During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics a 30 year old young man named "Roy" was walking along Peachtree Street just three blocks from the Olympic Village. As he passed an auditorium, Julie, one of the counselors with the Wonders of Science Atlanta Outreach, handed him an invitation to the science programs being presented inside that auditorium. Roy decided that a science program sounded interesting, so Julie showed him into the auditorium then returned to the street to invite others.
 |
|
The Million Volt coil helps explain how to get to heaven |
Later, Julie entered the auditorium herself and took a seat. She noticed Roy sitting nearby and, after the program, went up to speak with him. "What did you think of the program?" she asked.
He responded, "This is the first time I've had someone explain things in a way that makes sense to me."
As their conversation progressed, Roy indicated that he was not very religious and had only attended church a couple of times as a child. As Julie and Roy talked, Roy indicated that he was a homosexual, struggling with alcohol and drug abuse and was very, very lonely. Then he told her that the previous evening he had tried to kill himself with an overdose of pills.
God intervened in those plans and brought him to the Wonders of Science programs to hear that God loved him. Julie reviewed the theme of the program, explained that God loved him and sent His son to die for him. She went on to explain that if he trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior, God promises to be with Him always. God said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). That evening, Roy placed his faith in Christ.
To learn more about God's love for you and how you can be assured of his continual presence, check our page "Meet the Creator."
| WOS |  |
Home |
Wonders of
Science • 6548 South Newlin Avenue • Whittier, CA 90601
Whittier
Voice Mail: (562) 698-0433 ext 280 or: (562) 699-5610
