January 21, 2008

Exciting News From the 2008 Conference!

We want to thank everyone who made it to the 2008 Prewrath Conference! I enjoyed meeting many of you who I have only known in cyberspace. And those who could not make it, we are already beginning to plan for the 2009 Second Annual Prewrath Conference. As part of the conference, we are going to work on having an eschatology debate with a very well known individual. But once we have that confirmed we will announce that news (as well as the theme of the 2009 conference.) There is a lot of expense that goes into having a conference. We would greatly appreciate any support for helping us with the next conference.

As many of you know, Charles Cooper's book was released at the conference, God's Elect and the Great Tribulation: An Interpretation of Matthew 24:1-31 and Daniel 9.

We will have an audio CD of the conference, which will include Marvin Rosenthal's excellent keynote speech "Prewrath: Fifteen Years and Beyond!"

Rosenthal made an exciting announcement. As some of you know the most popular book on the rapture is Zondervan's classic, Three views on the Rapture: Pre, Mid, and Post-Tribulation. Rosenthal announced that Zondervan has decided to publish a new book on the rapture jettisoning the mid-trib position and including the prewrath view. So the new book will be on three rapture views: pretrib, postrib, and prewrath--and Rosenthal has already written the Prewrath section of the book. I will certainly make an announcement of the book when it is released. This is significant because it will begin to make "prewrath" a Christian household term given that prewrath is indeed being established as a serious rapture position to consider.

Other news from the conference:

Cooper brought in a fabulous black choir called "Voices of Praise" from the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. Let's just say that those who attended got a sneak preview of what heaven's music will sound like. We may have a song on the CD from the choir.

Roger Best gave two speeches on the history of the Prewrath position, as well as his session on "How to Teach the Prewrath Position." Cooper gave speeches on avoiding sensationalism and what truly to look for in the news, as well as his session on "How to Teach Revelation." I gave four hours of lectures on key issues in Thessalonians (I will upload my PowerPoints in due time). Allen Hadidian gave the closing session about convictions and commitment to end-times prophecy.

Prewrath is now fifteen Years and Beyond. It has become an established position despite the failed predictions of particular pretrib teachers who said it was just a fad and would fade away within a few years. The Lord has blessed the Prewrath view because it is Biblical. Many leaders, pastors, and laypeople have lost their ministries, churches, and friends because they have stood firm to their convictions. Sadly, many have not even given the prewrath position a hearing. But thankfully there are those who are true Bereans who do desire to have a teachable spirit whether they agree with it or not. We thank God for those individuals.

Continue to pray that God blesses Prewrath. Rosenthal gave a propitious comment in his speech. He said that in the past prewrath was more of a grass roots effort, but in very recent years many pastors now are contacting him wanting to learn more about Prewrath. In my view if this encouraging phenomenon continues, prewrath will proliferate from the top to bottom in the churches.