Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Will Dispensationalism Survive?

By Ken Gentry, Th.D., Director, NiceneCouncil.com

Dispensationalism is a resiliant theological system that somehow weathers its own failures. The modern fundamentalist sees the system as "plain and simple," pure Scripture clearly stated.

Somehow they keep overlooking their failures and their changing system. Consider Hal Lindsey's notorious failures: 1980s: Countdown to Armageddon. Oops! Perhaps there is a "gap" in the countdown.

Then his follow-up failure: Planet Earth 2000: Will Mankind Survive? Well, yes: in fact, it will.

To make matters worse, the more intellectual types are abandoning the old-line dispensational ship. They have created what they call "Progressive Dispensationalism." This approach effectively abandons the distinctives of dispensationalism, while maintaining only its premillennialism.

And now comes our documentary expose: "The Late Great Planet Church" from NiceneCouncil.com. This will surely stir up a storm of controversy. Hopefully the storm will knock the lid down over dispensationalism's casket from which it keeps arising. Surely this will help stop dispensationalism frmo sucking the blood out of Christianity's integrity.

When will the Christian-in-the-pew finally have enough of the embarrassment of continuing failed predictions? When will they realize their intellectual forces are abandoning them. Perhaps the televangelists and the novelists can fan the flames for awhile longer, but eventually this fire will soon be extinguished. Perhaps "The Late Great Planet Church" will move us closer to that day.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dr. Gentry, I just finished watching Late Great Planet Church. First let me say I love it. Second, though I enjoyed the content I wish it could have continued and dealt with the theological pitfalls of dispensationalism. I know you guys were trying to lay the historical ground, but when do you think volume II will be available.

God Bless,
Bob

NiceneCouncil.com said...

Bob:
Thanks so much! We have sold over 2000 copies in our first week of release. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated.
    In volume 2 we will be analyzing dispensationalism's theology. We hope to have volume 2 out by the end of the year, but we need to let volume 1 gain traction and do its work.
   Tell your friends! We really want to get the news out before the next projected date for the Rapture! Hal Lindsey missed his prediction in 1980's: Countdown to Armageddon. Then he missed again in his Planet Earth 2000: Will Mankind Survive?. We suspect with the nice round year of 2010 just around the corner, he may have another date projection for us. Plus he probably took a beating in the stock market and may be able to use a fresh infusion of "Rapture guessing" funds.
Thanks,
Ken Gentry

Anonymous said...

I was both a graduate of Bethany Bible College and an ordained minister in the Assemlies of God for almost 20 years. The denomination is doctrinally committed to dispensationalism in its 16 tenets of faith. Overseas they have at least 30 to 50 million adherents, thus it is problematic, from my vantage point, that a large movement would be willing to change. Also, consider the Baptist fundamentalist, of which my brother is an active member.

Most denomations are dispensatonal in there eschatology, such as, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Holiness groups.

I find that most pastors and theological professors have never done any serious investigative studies into the 1800 years of historical silence on this subject. Most of these pastors and professors will apply the laws of hermenuetics, with precision and accuracy, as they rightly exegete scriptural passages that support the foundational doctrines of the faith. But, when it comes to eschatology, they flee exegesis for eisegesis.

I believe that christians must eradicate both theistic evolution and dispensationalism from the churches of our world.

Gold bles you,

Mark