Are Dispensationalists Fighting a Losing Battle?

© 2015 Dispensational Publishing House, Inc. Used by permission.

Where are we headed today in terms of dispensational theology?

This fascinating question could be answered on many levels—spiritually, biblically, prophetically, theologically, academically, ecclesiastically, culturally and in other ways.

I will seek to address this topic thoughtfully in this new series of blog articles that will run intermittently over the next several weeks. In the best case, my take on the subject will serve to provoke much further thought and discussion—rather than being considered a comprehensive answer.

Let’s start by looking at the question from a wide perspective, in terms of our current cultural situation.

A Time to Weep, A Time to Mourn

To say that the culture of the United States is changing quickly would be a massive understatement.

Attitudes, beliefs and behaviors regarding morality and the value of life appear to be shifting so fast that one can barely keep up with the developments or comprehend the magnitude of the transformation. Compounding the situation, the revolution appears to be driven generationally through media and technology—leading us to expect that the moral and spiritual upheaval that we are witnessing is likely, not only to continue, but to increase in speed and intensity.

An endless supply of accounts, quotations, anecdotes, opinions and polls could readily be listed to document these depressing assertions. The case could be made so easily, in fact, that providing a listing seems unnecessary.¹

Suffice it to say that we are now moving rapidly into the post-Christian phase of American history.² As much as we would love to believe that there is still a silent majority waiting for the opportune moment to protest, our eyes and ears tell us differently. Our beloved nation is not merely entering this new epoch, but is rather enthusiastically embracing its new moral conventions. Those of us who fancy ourselves to be traditionalists—say nothing of Biblicists—have the sneaking suspicion that things will never be the same again. For the first time in the modern history of the United States, the persecution of Christians for their faith is a reasonable possibility.

Where does the teaching of dispensationalism fit into this complex cultural paradigm? From the world’s perspective, the answer is very simple. It doesn’t. But since when do dispensationalists take their theological cues from “the rulers of this age” (1 Cor. 2:8)?

For Such a Time as This

Enough with the hand-wringing, then. I believe that it is time to embrace the challenge. Like Daniel in Babylon, we aspire not merely to survive, but to thrive, in a hostile, pagan land.

The solutions to our problems (to the extent that there are solutions) will not be found in social or political movements. It is imperative that we as Christians channel our limited energies according to biblically-driven priorities to make the most of the limited time that is left.

We go forward basing our confidence on—and offering a decaying culture the certainty of—our sovereign God. We rest our hope upon “the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11).

The Church

We have considered our current cultural context and its impact upon us as we seek to move traditional dispensational theology forward in conditions that are increasingly hostile to biblical truth. Now we turn our attention to the church.

Here we are pressed to inquire as to whether the teaching of dispensationalism is increasing or decreasing within evangelical churches.

Unfortunately, the answer would be difficult to obtain or document for a variety of reasons.

First of all, few churches self-identify as being dispensational. From all appearances, churches that strive to make dispensationalism a hallmark of their ministry in any prominent way are low in number.

Next, dispensationalism is a theological system that may be attached to a variety of denominational perspectives. Thus, it permeates many different groups of churches. Yet, while there are some fellowships of churches that are committed to dispensational theology, others view it as merely one doctrinal option among several. ³ It might be considered a non-essential that may be pursued as long as it does not distract from the primary mission or cause division.

Another factor that would make it difficult to gauge the status of dispensationalism within evangelical churches is that proponents of dispensationalism may hold the teaching to differing degrees—and may apply it with varying levels of consistency and proficiency. Thus, the question of whether “Dr. So-and-so” is a dispensationalist is not always easily answered.

Unless a church has been taught extensively in the realm of dispensational truth or makes its teaching necessary by including it in its doctrinal statement, it would not be unusual to find various views among staff members of the same church, or between a pastor and his successor—to say nothing of differences among members of the congregation.

While we lack the hard data to make any conclusive statements, we are nevertheless suspicious that the teaching of traditional dispensationalism may be on the decline within evangelical churches as a whole. There are, of course, notable exceptions.

Ultimately, what will matter the most to you personally is whether or not your own church is “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

How can you know if your church is committed to dispensationalism? Here are a few simple questions that can help you determine the answer:

• Is the pastor a Bible expositor? Not all expositors are dispensationalists, but—since dispensationalism is built upon a literal interpretation of the text and drives us to seek to understand the intricacies of God’s plan as revealed in Scripture—all dispensationalists should be expositors.
• Do the pastor and other teachers explain dispensationalism or the dispensations?
• Do they discuss the vital concepts of dispensationalism, such as progressive revelation, the distinction between Israel and the church, the age of the law and the age of grace or the importance of the coming kingdom?
• Do they preach on prophecy—from the perspective of futurism, premillennialism and the pre-tribulational rapture?

If your pastor is uncertain about these issues but willing to learn more, please encourage him to make use of the resources that we offer at Dispensational Publishing House.