POSTMILLENNIAL BEGINNINGS

History, Theology January 21, 2016 Comments: 2

Ancient writerPMT 2016-006 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is my second installment on the question about the origins of postmillennialism. Many dispensationalists dismiss postmillennialism as a modern novelty. In my last article I pointed out that all eschatological development is only gradually understood over time. In this article I will show the seed beginnings of postmillennialism in antiquity.

As far as our preserved writings go, premillennialism finds slightly earlier development (especially in Irenaeus, A.D. 130-202). Yet theologian Donald G. Bloesch notes that “postmillennialism was already anticipated in the church father Eusebius of Caesarea” (A.D. 260-340) (Bloesch, Essentials of Evangelical Theology [San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1979], 2:192). Continue reading →

ESCHATOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

History January 18, 2016 1 Comment

Gradual buildingPMT 2016-005 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Many Christians, particularly dispensationalists, write-off postmillennialism as a modern theological construct. Nothing could be further from the truth. Multi-million-selling dispensationalist populist Hal Lindsey confidently declares: “There is no evidence of the distinctive teachings of Postmillennialism earlier than the seventeenth century” (Lindsey, Road to Holocaust [New York: Bantam, 1989], 29). Dispensational theologian Charles F. Baker agrees: “Its advocates admit that it was first taught in the seventeenth century” (Baker, Dispensational Theology [Grand Rapids: Grace Bible College, 1971], 623). Continue reading →

THE GREATEST TURNING OF MUSLIMS TO CHRIST

News, Optimism December 9, 2015 Leave a comment

Behead ChristiansPMT 2015-148 by Lucinda Borkett-Jones (The Aquila Report)

Despite the daily news of the persecution of Christians around the world by Islamist groups, there is another, lesser-known story of growing numbers of Muslims around the world who are turning to Christ as Lord.

Missionary David Garrison’s book, A Wind in the House of Islam, charts this phenomenon, which he says demonstrates that “we are living in the midst of the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history”. Continue reading →

REVIVAL IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

News December 4, 2015 1 Comment

Revival Mid EastPMT 2015-146 by J. D. King (World Revival Network)

The churning, tempestuous world looks remarkably different than many imagine. This is undoubtedly true if you’re an average American.

In the darkest corners of the Middle-East there’s a revival beginning that’s unprecedented in the history of world missions. I’ve previously reflected on it here and here, but I wanted to take this amazing story further than before. Continue reading →

GOD’S WORD AND OUR HOPE

Optimism November 16, 2015 Comments: 2

Bible light 2PMT 2015-137 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

We are postmillennialists not because our hearts long for a better world for our children. We are postmillennialists not because we judge from the progress of history that things are better today for Christianity than they were in the days of Nero. Rather we are postmillennialists because God’s word presents us with the hope of the conquest of the gospel in the world.

God’s word is creative, providential, prophetic, and restorative. History truly genuinely “his story.” God creates the world and man for his own glory (Ro 11:36; Rev 4:11). Continue reading →

“MUSLIMS ARE JUST SICK OF ISLAM”

Culture, History November 11, 2015 1 Comment

Muslim convertsby Hazel Torres
in Christianity Today  (11/1/2015)

More and more Muslim refugees in UN camps in Iraq are embracing Jesus Christ and expressing repugnance of their former religion, Christian Aid Mission workers have disclosed.

“They’re just sick of Islam,” a Christian ministry leader in the Kurdish Region of Iraq recently told the Christian Aid Mission.

“People are very hungry to know about Christ, especially when they hear about miracles, healing, mercy and love,” he said, as reported in the Gospel Herald. Continue reading →

POSTMILLENNIALISM AND PERSECUTION

Objections, Pessimism November 6, 2015 1 Comment

StrengthPMT 2015-133 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Quite frequenty critics of postmillennialism will go to NT passages such as Matt 10:22 to discredit postmillennialism’s long-term optimism. That passage reads:

“You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

Since postmillennialism expects a future in which Christianity reigns supreme, and in which righteousness and peace will prevail throughout the world, texts such as this one must be explained. Postmillennialism cannot be true if Christians will always be hated and the only hope we have is our bare endurance. Continue reading →