Underground Exiles

The Prophet Zechariah

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’  And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.” –Zechariah 8.20-22

In the book I’m reading by Jonathan Edwards, he takes his text from Zechariah 8.20-22, which he interprets as a prophecy of a future glorious advancement of God’s Church.  From what I’ve gathered so far, Edwards’ eschatology is decidedly postmillenial, which was fairly common for his era.

In his exegesis of the text, Edwards sees an account of how this future glorious advancement of God’s Church is to come about; he sees this happening as people gather in from different towns and countries and taking up a joint resolution and coming into visible agreement that they will seek God by united and extraordinary prayer, that he would manifest Himself to His Church and grant them the fruits of His presence.

Read more…

Edward McKendree Bounds

What do SBC Churches in the 21st Century Need Most in Order to Fulfill the Great Commission? [Part One] With Insights from E. M. Bounds’ Classic, Power Through Prayer «.

This link has nothing to do with my ongoing doses of weirdness from the world wide web.  Instead, it is a subject a little closer to home for me.

I was raised in a Southern Baptist church, and have seeen the fruits of the Conservative Resurgence.  It’s an amazing thing; nonetheless, the world is moving forward, and my Southern Baptist brethren are going to have to move forward with it.

Several years ago I bought a one volume compilation of all of E.M. Bounds work on prayer, and thought it was amazing!  It really help jump start my prayer life, and I’ve recommended it widely.  I think the author of the above article is right on track - the Baptists in the 21st Century would do well to head what Rev. Bounds had to say about prayer and power in the church.

Founders Ministries | John Calvin on Evangelism and Missions.

Another good examination of John Calvin’s emphasis on evangelism and missiology, this time written by Founder’s Ministies of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Read and enjoy!

CalvinTeacherOfEvangelism.pdf (application/pdf Object).

While doing some research, I stumbled across this PDF file on John Calvin and Evangelsim.  Worth reading, and afterwards I highly doubt you can still make the argument that Calvinism and evangelism are mutually exclusive, as many well-meaning but ultimately wrong-headed individuals are doing.

For those of you who aren’t aware, I happen to hold Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church Seattle in pretty high regard. While reading through some articles at the Resurgence I came across this article, which absolutely broke my heart.

I highly recommend reading this, and hope all of us realize that it is often the “tolerance monitors” who are the most intolerant bunch around.

We should all remember that it is our duty to humbly submit to Scripture and its authority, not to stand over it as though we had authority…