Parousia6

byCharles Cooper

continued on page 2

T H E S I G N M I N I S T R I E S N E W S L E T T E R / W I N T E R 1 9 9 8

ouston, we have a problem! These are words thatdefined a moment and will forever bring to mindthe movie Apollo 13. In like manner the recentwinds of change blowing from the dispensationalcamp finally indicate a recognition that we have aproblem! These winds of change are very encourag-ing. If, as we at The Sign Ministries believe1, thecorrect answer to the rapture question is a synthesisof the biblically defensible truths contained in pre-,mid-, and posttribulationismwith a refinement ofthe timing issuethen dispensationalism will haveto change in some very important areas. While fewdispensationalists of reputation have abandonedpretribulationalism for the synthetic view weespouse (the prewrath position), at least an oppor-tunity for dialogue may be possible sometime in the

future. This is already happening in other areas ofdispensationalism as indicated by the recentchanges made by progressive dispensationalistswith regard to the nature of the church and its rela-tionship to the nation of Israel.

In this and the following Parousia newsletter, weshall take a look at dispensationalism. Of particularfocus will be the changes in dispensationalismannounced in recent publications by progressivedispensationalists and the significance of thosechanges as they pertain to the possibility for dia-logue between pretribbers and prewrathers on therapture question. The goal of any meaningful dis-cussion on this matter is to find the truth and tounify the body of Christ concerning the timing ofthe rapture.

TheologicalWINDSCHANGE

of

Significance for the Rapture QuestionPart 1 of 2

H

Parousia page 2

What is Dispensationalism?Dispensationalism is one of those theories that peo-ple seem either to swear by or swear at; few takea neutral position.2 From its earliest days, dispensa-tionalism has been misunderstood concerning whatit is and whether or not it is necessary for a proper under-standing of the Word of God. The term was coined todescribe the expositional and theological annota-tions (notes) that appeared in the ScofieldReference Bible of 1909.3 One will look in vain tofind its definition in Websters dictionary.Dispensationalism is more or less a theological gridone uses to assist in biblical interpretation. Itattempts to give an interpreter a set of glassesthrough which to view and understand Scripture.Some years ago 3D movies were introduced. Inorder to view the movie correctly the audience wasrequired to wear special glasses. These glasses madeit possible for the audience to view the movie inthree dimensions. In three dimensions, things areclearer and more realistic. Its like the differencebetween the old black and white televisions and thenew, high-definition television sets. Similarly, dis-

pensationalism provides an interpreter with thehelp to see the Scriptures from an overall

perspective of God and His progressiverevelation to man. Therefore, the dis-

pensationalist believes that everypassage of Scripture, to be best

understood, be viewed throughone set of these special glassesor dispensations.4

Scofield, the father ofclassical dispensationalism,5

defined a dispensation as aperiod of time duringwhich man is tested inrespect to his obedience tosome specific revelation ofthe will of God.6 However,in 1965 Dr. Charles C. Ryrie

wrote, a dispensation is adistinguishable economy in

the outworking of Gods pur-

pose.7 Unlike Scofields definition which is moredescriptive in nature, Ryrie attempted to trulydefine the term. Yet, Ryries definition is circular. Itslike saying a dispensation is a dispensation.Dispensation8 and economy derive their basicmeaning from the same Greek word.

In reality, I believe that a better understanding ofa dispensation, is to think of it as an administration.It is popular to speak of the Clinton administra-tion or the Reagan administration when referringto the period each man was president. When wespeak of a presidents administration, we are refer-ring to how he runs or ran the country. He may runit one way his first term but differently his second.In addition, it is generally accepted that a republi-can administration will run the country differentlythan a democratic one and vice versa. Therefore, adispensation refers to Gods particular administra-tion of His creation at a particular time. It gives thereader the context in which God is operating.

This idea is found primarily among the writingsof the Apostle Paul, who views Gods different rela-tionships with different peoples as different dispen-sations or administrations of the same God. Clearlyin the history of salvation, there was a time Gentileswere not a focus of Gods plan of salvation.Ephesians, chapter three, explains this situation inlight of the new dispensation that has come aboutwhich incorporates Gentiles into Gods eternal plan.Paul indicates that this new dispensation was forages hidden in God but that it is now revealedthrough Him and the church. Ephesians 3:9 specif-ically indicates that the relationship between Godand man, in light of what Jesus did, is a new dis-pensation (a new administration). It stands to reasonthat if the incorporation of Jews and Gentiles intoone body is a new dispensation then there musthave been at least one other dispensation duringwhich God operated differently.

The Apostle Paul makes reference to four distinctdispensations: before law, law, mystery, andfullness of time. He outlines in Galatians 4 thedispensation of the law of Moses. During thedispensation of the law, Israel operated under the

T h e o l o g i c a l W i n d s o f C h a n ge

Parousia page 3

direct administration of God. They were to live bythe law. This involved duties and activities no otherpeoples had been responsible for until that timeperiod. Ephesians 3:9 details the dispensation ofthe mystery. In this dispensation, Jews and Gentilesare made one in Christ under the administration ofthe Spirit of God. Very specific laws and regulationsgoverned the Israelites. These laws and regulationsare no longer binding upon the church (Rom. 7:6).The dispensation of the fullness of time spoken ofin Ephesians 1:10 most naturally looks forward tothe millennial kingdom that will be under the directadministration of Christ reigning on earth. Duringthis particular time period, the management ofhumanity will require new rules and regulationsgiven that saved (but not yet glorified) humanityand unsaved humanity are present on the earthunder the authority of Christ and His saints. Finally,the period before the dispensation of the law ofMoses has no particular name connected to it.However, there is a consistent reference to this timeperiod in connection with the fathersAbraham,Isaac, and Jacob. It is the recognition of the differ-ent dispensations and the different ways God man-ages humanity that constitutes dispensationalism.

What Good is Dispensationalism?Is this theological grid necessary to properly under-stand the Word of God? Yes, it is! The Bible doesnot come with a guide to accurate interpretation. Aguide is needed. Let me give you an example:1 Samuel 16:14 says, But the Spirit of the Lorddeparted from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lordtroubled him. The application of the principles ofa normal, natural, and customary interpretationyields the textual meaning, but the theologicalsense is not always clear unless the context (in thiscase, the dispensation God is using) is taken intoconsideration. Why did Saul lose the Holy Spirit?

Can we lose the Holy Spirittoday? Does God send evilspirits to harass people? This isjust one example of many pas-sages in the Bible that appearcontradictory or is generallyconsidered incorrect theologi-cally unless seen in their prop-er context. How is this passageto be understood? As statedabove, dispensationalism givesthe reader a set of glassesthrough which to view and understand the particu-lar passage of Scripture. 1 Samuel 16:14 , to beunderstood correctly, requires the interpreter tolook through the lens of the Law and to recognizethe principle of progressive revelation (more andmore information covering Gods plan for His cre-ation given over a long period of time).

During the Law period, believers could lose theHoly Spirit. King Davids prayer to God concerningthe Spirit in Psalm 51:11 supports this conclusion.Everyone was not given the Spirit of God (Isaiah59:21 and Ezekiel 39:29). Some individuals weregiven the Spirit for a particular job and when thejob was finished the Spirit departed (Exodus 31:3).Unfaithfulness could cause the Spirit to depart froma person (Judges 13:25, 16:20). God was seen asdirectly responsible for both evil and good spirits as1 Samuel 16:14 indicates. These were conditionsunder the Law.

However, under the dispensation of the mys-teryJews and Gentiles togethereveryone whobelieves receives the Spirit of God (John 14:16).Once a believer receives the Spirit of God, he can-not lose it (Eph. 1:13-14). Satan came to be seen asresponsible for the sending of evil spirits. In theearly portions of Old Testament Scripture, God ispresented as the cause of all supernatural activity.

Dispensationalism

gives the reader

a set of glasses

through which

to view and

understand the

particular passage

of Scripture

Parousia page 4

ent requirements. In one of several places, Scofieldwrote, The point of testing is no longer legal obe-dience as the condition of salvation, but acceptanceor rejection of Christ, with good works as a fruit ofsalvation.9 To be fair, Dr. Ryrie insists thatScofields words were the result of one unguardedstatement.10 However, other dispensationalthinkers echoed Scofields words. William Evanswrites, This is sometimes called the Age of theChurch, or the Church period. The characteristic ofthis age is that salvation is no longer by legal obe-dience, but by the personal acceptance of the fin-ished work of Jesus Christ11 This is an unmistak-able contrast between salvation by human works and sal-vation by faith in Christs finished work. Dr. Lewis S.Chafer, the founder and first president of DallasTheological Seminary is himself accused of teach-ing two different plans of salvation.12

Both modern and progressive dispensational-ists13 have made every effort to state very forth-rightly their belief that

The basis of salvation in every age is thedeath of Christ; the requirement for salvationin every age is faith; the object of faith inevery age is God; the content of faith changesin the various dispensations (italics his).14

This restatement and clarification on the basis ofsalvation would prove to be only the first of manychanges in classical dispensationalism, since itsintroduction in the Scofield Reference Bible in1909. Other significant issues among classical andmodern dispensationalists which have subsequentlybeen dropped are (1) the postponed kingdom theo-ry; (2) the notion that the Sermon on the Mountwas an interim ethic between the end of the MosaicLaw and the beginning of the Church period; (3)

However, by the time First Chronicles was written,Satan became the supernatural being responsible forevil temptations (2 Sam. 24:1 and 1 Chr. 21:1).Dispensationalism makes allowances for the factthat God progressively revealed information to OldTestament saints. The recognition of Gods use ofprogressive revelation helps to explain what appearsat first as a contradiction.

Changes in DispensationalismHowever, there were some problems. Matters werenot helped by the fact that both critics and adher-ents of dispensationalism alike did not understandthe need for a further development and refinementof the system. In 1965, with the publishing ofDispensationalism Today by Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, anew era dawned. Dispensationalists began to putforth better reasoned and articulated responses tothe criticisms labeled against dispensationalism. Amore recent attempt at definition and refinement isseen in the books Progressive Dispensationalism andDispensationalism, Israel and the Church. From the1909 publication of the Scofield Reference Bible to the1993 publishing of Progressive Dispensationalism, sev-eral very important issues have been refined, restat-ed or all together dropped from the dispensationalgrid.

Immediately after the publishing of the ScofieldReference Bible, critics attacked the dispensationalgrid because Scofields notes indicated that salva-tion for Old and New Testament saints had differ-

DISPENSATIONSFour Distinct

BEFORELAW

FULLNESSOF TIMELAW

Galatians 3:234:7 Ephesians 3:9 Ephesians 1:10

MYSTERY

Parousia page 5

T h e o l o g i c a l W i n d s o f C h a n ge

the insistence that Jesus abolished the entire MosaicLaw; (4) the notion that God relates to the nation ofIsrael and the Church on the basis of two newcovenants; and finally (5) the position that theChurch (beginning, during and ending) wasunknown to Old Testament writers in any shape,form or fashion.

Progressive dispensationalists have argued con-vincingly that the kingdom was not postponed, butinaugurated in a way that both accomplishes thesalvation of Gentiles and establishes the eternal Sonof David at the right hand of the Father; that theSermon on the Mount was not for the people ofJesus day only, but we too are called to live by itslofty principles; and that Jesus did not abolish theMosaic Law so as to release us from any considera-tion of it as a guide for our conduct, rather Christfulfilled the Law. That is, He lived up to its everyexpectation and qualified His death as a sufficientpayment for our sin.

In this authors opinion, progressive dispensa-tionalists have made major concessions to their crit-ics. As one who considers himself a progressive dis-pensationalist, this author realizes the heavy priceoften required of those who begin to think differ-ently about any of the conclusions in our interpre-tive system. Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. when com-menting on the bold attempt by progressive dis-pensationalists to respond to difficult problems fac-ing the system says, Not too many years ago, sucha volume could not even have been imagined, orperhaps not even permitted15 Many Christiansdo not understand the long hours of dialogue andheated debates necessary to make even the slightestchanges in the system.

The significance of these issues to classical and moderndispensationalists must not be underestimated. In likemanner, there has been helpful movement towardsa possible synthesis of the rapture question by pro-gressive dispensationalists in light of these otheradmissions. Admissions to the effect that the posi-tions previously held were not biblically based, butthe concoctions of menwell intentioned men, butmen who were wrong, none-the-less.

A Needed Change in DispensationalismOne conclusion uniformly held by most dispensa-tional premillennialists is a pretrib rapture. This is

without a doubt the most serious short coming (i.e.the weak link) of the system in this authors opin-ion. Yet, at the same time, it is the most vigorouslydefended component of the system. Given the dif-ficulty progressive dispensationalists have had inmaking the genuine gains in biblically defendingtheir position, one is not surprised that the rapturequestion has not received serious attention.However, as time marches on, this conclusion willgive way to a more biblically defensible position.Until then, many dispensationalists will not be ableto publicly state their objection to a pretrib rapturewithout reprisals.

The reason the majority of dispensationalists arepretribulationists is because of a false assumption basedon an incorrect conclusion. The basis of the incorrectconclusion is the Sine qua non16 (bottom-line) of dis-pensationalism. In his book,Dispensationalism Today, Dr. CharlesC. Ryrie indicates three aspectsthat constitute the Sine qua non ofdispensationalism.17 Dr. Ryrieoffers this summarization:

The essence of dispensation-alism, then, is the distinctionbetween Israel and theChurch. This grows out ofthe dispensationalists con-sistent employment of nor-mal or plain interpretation,and it reflects an under-standing of the basic pur-pose of God in all His deal-ings with mankind as that ofglorifying Himself throughsalvation and other purposesas well.18

Classical and modern dispen-sationalists do not insist thatIsrael and the Church are just dis-tinct entities, but two entirely dif-ferent entitiesso different andso distinct that God cannot work with both at thesame timewhich is an assumption based on anincorrect conclusion drawn from a biblical truth.Dispensational pretribbers insist that the Church beraptured before the Seventieth Week of Daniel

The reason the

majority of

dispensationalists

are pretribulationists

is because of a false

assumption based

on an incorrect

conclusion.

S i gn i f i c a n

t h e R

Parousia page 6

begins. Thus, the Seventieth Week is seen as theunfinished portion of Gods dealings with thenation Israel which is a different dispensation. Torapture the Church after the Seventieth Weekbegins is seen as a mixing of the Church andunsaved Israels dispensations, as well as putting theChurch on earth during Gods wrath since pretrib-bers insist that the entire Seventieth Week of Danielis the wrath of God. This whole line of reasoning isbased on an incorrect conclusion and flies in theface of Revelation 12:11 that specifically calls thistime the wrath of Satan!

The need to maintain a distinction between theunsaved Israel (the nation) and the Church is an

accurate conclusion fromScripture. While the NewTestament does not explicitlystate a distinction betweenunsaved Israel and the Church(which includes believing Jews),it is implied. With the exceptionof one disputed passage, they arealways identified as separate enti-ties. Pauls point in Romans11:25-26 seems rather clear. Apartial hardening has happen toIsrael until the fullness of theGentiles has come in and so allIsrael will be saved. As we shallsee later, Luke indicates in Acts afuture for ethnic Israel.Consequently, having ethnicIsrael and the Church as separateentities as dispensationalisms sine

qua non is not a problem. Kaiser correctly identifiesthe real problem when he says,

Dispensationalism was correct in recogniz-ing that Israel and the church were not thesame, but it failed when it went beyond thispoint of distinguishing between the two tosay they were distinct and separate.19

In other words, the real problem has to do withan incorrect conclusion drawn from a biblical truth.This is not a matter of semantics. Apples are notoranges and oranges are not apples, but they arefruit. The Church is not Israel and Israel is not theChurch, but they both belong to God and God isworking with both, at the same time. Paul writes inRomans 11:11,13-14,

But through their (unsaved Israel) fall, toprovoke them (unsaved Israel) to jealousy,

The Church isnot Israel

but they bothbelong to God

and God isworking with

both, at thesame time.

salvation has come to the Gentiles...For Ispeak to your Gentiles; inasmuch as I am anapostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my min-istry, if by any means I may provoke to jeal-ousy those who are my flesh (unsaved Israel)and save some of them.

Paul clearly indicates that God is using savedGentiles to help bring Jews to salvation. Any notionthat God cannot work with unsaved Jews and theChurch at the same time certainly is contradicted byRomans 11.

This false assumption (God cannot work withIsrael and the Church at the same time) has lead toother assumptions which do not have explicit bibli-cal support. A pretrib rapture certainly fits in thiscategory. It is an assumption based on an incorrect con-clusion drawn from a biblical truth. The desire to main-tain a clear distinction between unsaved Israel andthe Church in all matters great and small is one rea-son dispensational premillennialists and covenantalpremillennialists have not been able to come to asynthesis on the rapture question.

The majority of those who are described ascovenant theologians20 insist that national Israelrejected their Messiah and therefore lost all futureopportunities for blessings as a nation. In otherwords, God does not have a future plan for Israel asa nation. Individual Jews are able to be saved, butthere is no future salvation for Israel as a nation.Thus, the Church becomes Israel. Covenant theolo-gians insist that all the promises of God to Israelnow belong to the Church. To come to these conclu-sions, ones hermeneutic must change from a natural, nor-mal and customary understanding of Scripture, to an spir-itual/allegorical understanding.

One can see that the two positions are funda-mentally opposed to one another. There can be nosynthesis of dispensationalism and covenant theolo-gy proper. One is right and one is wrong. Scripture

n c e f o rR a p t u r e Q u e s t i o n

Parousia page 7

teaches a future for unsaved Israel (Romans 11:26-32) and the Church of Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-18). This truth cannot be compromised or sacri-ficed.

Can a true synthesis of varying dispensationalviews of Christs return for His Church be possible,even though pre- and posttribulationists are on theopposite ends of the spectrum concerning the rela-tionship between Israel and the Church? Theanswer is a resounding yes. The nature of thechurch is important to the rapture question.However, dispensational premillennialists draw toosharp a distinction between Israel and the Church.John F. Walvoord in his book, The Rapture Question,states, that the rapture question is determinedmore by ecclesiology than eschatology.21 Walvoorderrs by placing too great an emphasis on ecclesiol-ogy (how one views the church), and thus comes toan incorrect conclusion unsupported by Scripture.Covenant premillennialists err by not recognizing abiblical distinction between unsaved Israel and theChurch. These imbalances will naturally lead toincorrect conclusions regarding Gods future plansfor both unsaved Israel and the Church.

Correctly, progressive dispensationalists havebegun to move away from this incorrect conclusion.Blaising and Bock write,

There are important distinctions betweenIsrael and the church in biblical theology,but there are also real theological connec-tions that link them together in ways notexpressed previously in dispensationalthought.22

While Blaising and Bock are soundly pretribula-tional, they have moved in their thinking. Theirmovement, while seemingly tiny, is a giant steptowards silencing the critics of dispensationalismand providing an avenue for dialogue concerningthe rapture question. In the next issue of ournewsletter we will examine some new theologicalconnections that concern the rapture question. Wewill take a detailed look at Acts, chapters onethrough three, which will demonstrate that God notonly can but is working with both Israel and the

Can a true synthesis of

varying dispensational

views of Christs return for

His Church be possible,

even though pre- and

posttribulationists are on

the opposite ends of the

spectrum concerning the

relationship between Israel

and the Church?

Parousia page 8

Church; that Daniels Seventieth Week doesinvolves both Jews and Gentiles, the Church andIsrael at the same time; and that the termination ofthe Church age is the eschatological Day of theLord, not the beginning of the Seventieth Week ofDaniel.

ENDNOTES

1. For presentation of this position, see the previousedition of the Parousia newsletter (#5).

2. Henry A. Virkler, Hermeneutics: Principles and Processesof Biblical Interpretation, (Grand Rapids: Baker BookHouse, 1981), 122.

3. For a fuller discussion concerning a definition of thissystem, please see Hermeneutics: Principles and Processesof Biblical Interpretation by Henry A. Virkler;Progressive Dispensationalism by Craig A. Blaising andDarrell L. Bock; and Dispensationalism, Israel and theChurch, edited by Blaising and Bock.

4. Scofield listed seven such sets of glasses or dispensa-tions: innocence, conscience, human government,promise, law, church, and kingdom.

5. For detailed discussion of the three phases of dis-pensationalism, i.e., classical, modern and progres-sive dispensationalism see Craig A. Blaising presen-tation in Progressive Dispensationalism, pages 21-56.Scofield and men of his generation are consideredclassical dispensationalists. Walvoord, Ryrie andPentecost are considered modern dispensationalists.They made changes to the original system. Bock andBlaising are considered progressive dispensational-ists because of the radical changes they made to thesystem.

6. C.I. Scofield, Scofield Reference Bible, (New York:Oxford University Press, 1967), 3.

7. Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, (Chicago:Moody Press, 1965), 29.

8. The English term dispensation comes from a Latinword dispensatio which early church fathers used totranslate the Greek term oikonomia. Economy is atransliteration of the Greek term oikonomia. Thus forRyrie to say a dispensation is an economy is circu-lar reasoning. The Greek term oikonomos referred toa servant who managed his masters household.Oikonomia referred to the activities of managing thehousehold. The first term applies to the person and

the second term applies to the work the person does.Throughout both the Old and New Testament, theactivities (oikonomia) of a steward (oikonomos) alwaysinvolved the management or administration ofsomething. Whether one was an estate manager, acook, a city treasurer or a bathhouse overseer, such aone could carry the title oikonomos. Luke 12:41-48records a parable of our Lord that employs this term.Luke 16:1-13 records a parable that has as its pri-mary focus on the activities (oikonomia) of a steward(oikonomos).

9. This is a note that accompanies John 1:17 in the firstedition of the Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1115, note 2.

10. Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, (Chicago:Moody Press, 1965), 113.

11. William Evans, Outline Studies of the Bible, ( ), 34.12. William E. Cox, An Examination of Dispensationalism,

(New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed PublishingCo., 1963), 19.

13. See endnote 5 above.14. Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, (Chicago:

Moody Press, 1965), 123.15. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. An Evangelical Response in the

book Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church, edited byCraig Blaising and Darrell Bock, 376.

16. A Latin phrase used by scholars which literallymeans without which not, i.e. that which is a fun-damental element of something.

17. Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, (Chicago:Moody Press, 1965), 44-45.

18. ibid., 47.19. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. An Evangelical Response in the

book Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church, edited byCraig Blaising and Darrell Bock, 366.

20. Covenant theology is usually contracted with dis-pensational theology. Covenant theology focuses themajority of human history towards one covenanta covenant of grace. They do not see God workingthrough dispensations, but through one covenant.For a discussion of this matter see Henry A. Virkler,Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of BiblicalInterpretation.

21. John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question, (GrandRapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), 16.

22. Blaising and Bock, Dispensationalism, Israel and theChurch, 377.

Lukan Eschatology in the Book of Actsand the Rapture Question! Part 2 of 2

In the next issue of Parousia

Parousia page 9

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Scott Holmgren serves as Art Director andComputer Systems Administrator. His degree is infilmmaking and screenwriting from ColumbiaCollege in Chicago. Scott designs all the printedmaterials we send out, maintains our internet web-site, and creates our multimedia presentations. Heand his wife have three children.

Robert Eller serves as Sound Director and iscurrently getting things up and running for our newradio program scheduled for the new year. Robertalso edits and produces our audio tape packages.Robert is married with two children.

The Fourth Reich, the end-times novel written by Robert Van Kampen,was released this past October and has garnered a favorable responsefrom its readers. Some of the many comments: I have probably readfive fiction books in my whole life. I read The Fourth Reich in four sit-tings; it was fascinating. The Fourth Reich was a blessing. I stayed uplate because I just could not put it down. It takes the biblical eventsof the end times and makes them very practical.

The Fourth Reich is must reading! You may purchase a copy of it atyour local bookstore or by calling our ministry. It is one of thosebooks that you will want to pass on to others to read.

We are grateful to the Lord for the way our ministry has grown in thispast year. We had the opportunity to teach the biblical prewrath posi-tion concerning the coming of Christ in many places both here inAmerica and abroad. God is opening the doors for even greater min-istry possibilities in 1998. Robert Van Kampen, Charles Cooper andRoger Best will be conducting one-day Parousia Seminars in vari-ous cities, the first being Houston, Texas on January 17th. Three-dayParousia Conferences have been planned for Holland, MichiganApril 30 through May 2 and also for the Chicago area in the fall of1998. The three-day conferences will also feature Marv Rosenthal,Executive Director of Zions Hope, Inc.

In February Roger Best and Joe Dockery will spend the month inIndia where they will minister in six different communities. They willalso be in the Cayman Islands in March for a church conference.Roger will then be in the Philippines for a series of conferences inMarch and later again in October. Finally, a symposium for pastors isscheduled for June in England.

In addition to city-wide events and international presentations, TheSign Ministries also already has a number of local church conferencesscheduled for 1998. These conferences are truly a blessing, and welook forward to working with pastors, helping them in teaching thisimportant area of doctrine.

If you have a desire for us to come to your area or church with aseminar, conference, or presentation, give us a call and we would bedelighted to arrange such a meeting with you.

Dean Lindsey Scott Robert

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage PaidGrand Haven, MIPermit No. 383

Parousia is produced and published four times a year by The Sign Ministries, P.O. Box 113, West Olive, MI 49460; (800) 627-5134; info@signministries.org; Editor: Rev. Roger D. Best;Associate Editors: Dean Tisch, Linney Teerman; Art Director: Scott Holmgren; 1998 The Sign Ministries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmittedwithout publishers written permission. Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1988, TheLockman Foundation. Used by permission. Visit our website at: www.signministries.org

LettersIm writing because I read TheFourth Reich and found it com-pelling. Thank God for yourHoly Spirit insight into prophetictruth! The thesis of a Pre-Wrath Rapture of the church isconsistent with the Bible.Nonetheless, it is only by Godsgrace and Holy Spirit that we cancome to that conclusion.

M.H., FLORIDA

My hat goes off to Mr. VanKampen for his intricate, wonder-ful work in The Sign. Its becauseof the diligence and determina-tion of people like him (and therest of those in your ministry)that people such as myself maylearn about the most importantupcoming chain of events ever toface the world. Thanks for settingthe record straight in the mostlogical way Ive ever come across.

B.P., ILLINOIS

Thank you for the most recentnewsletter with the article Legsto Stand On. Excellent!Thank you very much for open-ing my eyes to what I believe isthe truth of the Rapture.

V.R., TEXAS

I truly appreciate your writings.They changed me from a pretrib-ber to a prewrather. It gave muchnew meaning to why God gaveus these prophecies.

D.H., EMAIL

I bought your book The RaptureQuestion Answered recently fromthe M.V. Doulos when it was vis-iting Cairns, Australia, and havethoroughly enjoyed reading it.The common denominatorhermeneutic you used encour-aged me so I look forward tothe opportunity to correspondwith you and search theScriptures.

B.T., AUSTRALIA

THESIGN Ministries

P.O. Box 113West Olive, MI 49460

A Ministry of Sola Scriptura

Just a few of the hundreds of messages that weve received at The Sign Ministries.