Originally published in "The Lord's Coming Herald & Wesleyan Bible Prophecy Advocate," Summer Edition 2005
Following Jesus In The Reformation
According to Hebrews 9:10, the advent of Christianity began a reformation movement. Online with that original intend, the purpose of this paper, and our ministry, is to promote a major reformation of fundamental Christianity in modern times.
The message is very simple--one that most of us have heard all our lives: JESUS IS COMING SOON! This imminent return of Christ we teach with conviction and authority, no man forbidding us.
Now how is that unique or different than what many others have been saying all along?
First, know that while conviction and authority are essential to fundamentalism, this is also something that the evangelical movement of our modern day has widely lost. Many cannot speak with conviction or authority because they are uncertain of their message, particularly that part of the Christian revelation that pertains to end-time Bible prophecy and the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The problem is called "cognitive dissonance," which means intellectual discord and uneasiness. The reason for this cognitive dissonance is that millions believe and teach (or have taught in the not-so-distant past) a false gospel message of salvation history/end-time Bible prophecy, and there is no conviction or authority in a false message.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, He does not bear witness to doctrinal error. This fact, in and of itself, explains why the loss of conviction and authority among those who are, or have been, preaching the false gospel message of dispensationalism in these last days.
Wesleyan Bible Prophecy is about helping the contemporary Wesleyan Holiness moment (now largely mentally asleep in the Darbyite dispensational premillennial gestalt) alleviate its cognitive dissonance over the second coming of Jesus Christ.
We are about clearing up misunderstandings and offering alternatives, challenging and changing ideas--in short, being both conscious-raising, and doing reeducation.
Dealing with ideas and beliefs is part of our call to Christian discipleship. Out of this matrix flows the dynamic of a mission we call "following Jesus in the reformation."
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