JOEL 2 GENERATION

Don't hear what I am NOT saying. I love the concept of "revival", and I pray for it. The last time America experienced anything akin to revival was during the Jesus People movement of the late 1960's and early 1970's.  What happened in that move of God was remarkable, and there has been lasting fruit. I personally have known many who came to Christ at that time. And yet, many of today's "revivalists" seem to be endlessly claiming, "Revival is here!" I have seen the posts. I have heard about the gatherings and baptisms happening at colleges and universities. Any gathering where the Gospel is being preached is encouraging. Genuine baptisms (meaning real new converts) are always amazing. A few hundred people gathering in the open air when worship is being played and a message is given is great. I've been involved in a number of the types of events I've just described.  But when we consider real revival, none of these occurrences is eve...

What this blog post explores is the timing of the Rapture, primarily  the difference between a position called Pre-Wrath Rapture and the historic Post-Tribulation Rapture position. In recent years, the Pre-Wrath position has gained popularity, and I have listed below some of the scholars who advocate for it. One of the sources I used and quote extensively below came from a lengthy online review of the book, Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath, or Posttribulation, in which 3 scholars, Craig Blaising, Alan Hutburg, and Douglas Moo, present the positions and then critique the other positions. As usual, I am primarily concerned with what the earliest Christians believed about any particular doctrine. The book summarizes the Early Church's this way: “The earliest Christian writings we possess after the New Testament indicate no real question in the first three centuries of the church regarding the timing of the Rapture. The basic futurist (and premillennial) eschatology...

 

I did a disclaimer for the "Joel 2 Generation" podcast, as I was alerted to the fact that I had mentioned many names/ministries that I had at one time endorsed, and was influenced by, that I would today not only not recommend, but actually would warn people against them. I have noticed that this blog needs a similar disclaimer. I am in the process of going back to remove names and/or to put notes at the end of particular blog posts with words of clarification. When we decided to move intentionally into the world of Charismatic Christianity (around the year 2000), we came from a conservative Evangelical background, as well as a growing understanding and commitment to Early Church history (namely the Ante-Nicene Fathers - AD70-AD325). Because of these influences, all along the way, I felt like we had a pretty good "filter" as we waded into Charismatic waters. To this day, we are thoroughgoing Continuationists, and we pursue the exercise of all of the charismatic gifts...

This question has divided millions of Christians. The Bible doesn't give us a clear answer. The arguments for/against are either anecdotal or theological. What does Church History reveal?  One of the earliest theologians in Church History, Tertullian (AD155-AD220), in fact, the man who gave us the word "Trinity," gave us his answer when he wrote: "The Lord Himself is witness that we have the case of the woman who went to the theater and came back possessed. Accordingly, in the exorcism, when the unclean creature was rebuked for having dared to attack a believer, he firmly replied, “And in truth I did it most lawfully, for I found her in my domain.”  Tertullian (c. AD197, W), 3.90. I find it interesting that the word he used is translated into English as "possessed." Today, it is common to use the word "demonized" instead of the word possessed. Tertullian was not writing in Greek, but rather Latin, and I am really not sure if there is a similar dis...