I have to agree with your old pastor. There is a long time passing between the first and second sentences of Genesis. Unfortunately, many people miss this entirely. We also now know that dinosaurs and mankind existed at the same time, although this is still wrong in many of the textbooks. Of course, this is completely consistent with Biblical history.

There are massive preconceived ideas about what the Bible says, thanks to textbook publishers and mainstream media, and some churches. The best way to know is to get into it and check it out for ourselves. When I did, I was amazed to find that it is the most amazing book I have ever read. In fact, I read it almost daily, have read it about 8 times now, and will continue to read it over and over for the rest of my life. It's just that good.

For those interested, read:

Number In Scripture (Bullinger)
The Witness of the Stars (Bullinger)

Very good study material, documented and referenced, just the way I like it.