By Ed Vasicek on
Forum category
Church & Ministry
Featured Poll

Poll Results

Are prophecy conferences a worthwhile ministry in the local church?

Yes, God uses and blesses them. Votes: 2
In some churches, yes. Votes: 5
Still useful, but not as much as in the past Votes: 1
Never were a good idea Votes: 7
No, eschatology is all over the place even within local congregations Votes: 2
Other Votes: 2

(Migrated poll)

N/A
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 0

Discussion

Mon, 07/25/11
I went with “no”. Not because “last things” shouldn’t be taught, but because it shouldn’t be the main point of a conference.

To many folks hopping from teacher to teacher listening to speculation after speculation about what will or should or maybe even could happen.

The “order” of the last days is not a drum to beat. The last days are “Coming” is the message. And they could be today.

Now, jump all over me, and beat me over the head with your 23’ by 7’6” chart how the Lord will return.

Then belittle me to the grave with newspaper clipping from around the world or till I cry for mercy.

Mon, 07/25/11
[Anne Sokol] what is a prophesy comference?

is that a misnomer?
A prophecy conference is usually a multi-day set of special meetings addressing end time events. One session might address the rapture. Another the tribulation and anti-christ. Another, the temple and God’s purposes for Israel, another the Millennium and Eternal State, another perhaps the judgments. They might be two days, a week, or even an all-day Sunday event.

My home church, Cicero Bible Church, held them every so often with speakers like John Walvoord, among others. http://www.foi.org/prophecyconferences] Friends of Israel holds regional prophecy conferences or sessions. I went to one featuring my favorite prof., Dr. Renald Showers. Sometimes they can also be used evangelistically, as does http://www.todayinbibleprophecy.org/ August Rosado .

"The Midrash Detective"

Wed, 07/27/11
ha, i was first thinking that it was where people got up and prophecied :)

I think we kind of miss the point of the prophecies in the Bible. Like how the Jews were so focused on their interpretation of Christ’s coming, that they were convinced (even after His resurrection!) that He would be establishing a kingdom on earth at that point.

I think prophesy is useful to us in other spiritual ways, but not that the main focus being on what will happen when.

Does that make sense? I think we should think about the rapture more than Christmas, so if a prophesy conference helps with that, and gives other spiritual direction to our lives and glorifies Christ and not our ideas of what will happen when, then it can be a great thing.

www.annesokol.com

Wed, 08/03/11
I am all in favor of conferences on many topics as long as the speakers are sticking to the Scripture. I would say that since Paul and John devote so much ink to ideas like the rapture, and the coming judment, that conferences on the subject would be appropriate from time to time.

Fri, 08/05/11
I don’t know how to vote on this thing, but if I could, I would vote yes. Prophecy fills out a major portion of Scripture. Paul writes, “Whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning, so that we through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) Prophecy is for our good, and if so frequent in the Bible, is a worthy study for a church. When the OT prophets, the apostles, and Jesus are so up on prophecy, I wonder why any Christian is down on it? There are conferences on preaching, on church growth, on hermeneutics, on world view, on origins, etc. Prophecy of the Bible surely belongs to this kind of gathering.

Our church will be having Arnold Fruchtenbaum next year, and we are really looking forward to his ministry.

OK, I figured it out and voted! Can I vote twice? :)

Jeff Brown