Prima Facie:

Whatever Happened to the Millerites?

2009-07-21T13:47:00.001-07:00

“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone (Mk.13:32).

People are strange but Christians are peculiar. Who else but God’s own would try to figure out what Jesus said so clearly that not even He knew? But like little Johnny who can’t resist touching the hot stove when he’s been warned, history is filled with the stories of those who thought they knew and got burned in the end. The story of William Miller and the Millerites is our American version of this story. Miller was a preacher and pillar of his New England community and was converted in the waves of revival that had come to the east coast and frontiers in the 1820’s. If you were to ask him what he believed especially concerning the Scriptures and the significance of Christ, William Miller would seem to you a typical modern evangelical. But if secrets are things we keep to ourselves (whether good or bad), Miller had a secret: through his commonsense reading of the Bible particularly the books of Daniel and Revelation, and a careful study of historic chronology and current events, Jesus Christ had to be returning to earth no later than 1843. For at least 20 years Miller more or less kept his own counsels on this but eventually his views became known in a wider circle and he was soon made into a bit of a celebrity with the help of several publicists and organizers. Of course his prophecy seminars with elaborate charts and weeks of nightly meetings came to many of America’s big cities and Miller gained a devoted following of true believers. To his credit, William Miller was an effective evangelist and no charlatan. He believed the end really was near and his message was so compelling that thousands were converted and preparing to meet the savior very soon. As the year drew nigh, people were interested in a specific date and Miller calculated it to early spring but no further. When spring came and went without the Second Coming, he suggested an error in his calculations and that it would happen the following year. When the inevitable came to pass, many of Miller’s followers gave up and others offered alternative explanations such as that Christ came spiritually (an excellent fall back position for people who like to overreach on an issue) and began a new work on earth. Two groups which descend from Miller’s teaching are the Seventh Day Adventists and the Jehovah’s Witnesses who continue their teaching based on a spiritual second-coming in the mid 19^th century. Miller himself died a few years after the failed prophecy but held on to his beliefs to the very end. William Miller and the Millerites have three lessons to teach that are worth considering:

The Second Coming of Christ is going to happen but it’s timing is not within the purview of God’s will for humanity, but is in reality part of the secret counsels of His will. If we were to know, we would probably behave badly, act faithlessly, and no doubt try to figure out a way to profit from it. We need to trust God that there are some things we are not intended to know and that it is for our well-being.
Good, solid, life-giving interpretation of the Bible is not done in a vacuum. William Miller ignored a legacy of nearly two millennia of Bible teaching to come up with his views. It is always good to read the word for oneself and as a Christian you have every right to expect the Holy Spirit’s assistance in understanding. But the New Testament clearly teaches that the Church will have expert teachers to explain the scriptures. This doesn’t mean everyone is right about everything but it does mean that over time consensus does build about certain ideas and wisdom would dictate it to be prudent to at least consider the teaching of others.
When a man goes out on a limb and makes a prediction in the name of the Lord the standard of the Bible is 100% accuracy or the person is a false teacher. I personally believe Miller had good intentions and motives and actually tried to avoid this pitfall. But to the other side of the equation, many people who claim “God spoke to me that this is going to come to pass….” Often equivocate when it doesn’t and spiritualize it in some sense. It’s a nice, face-saving gesture (and of course saves the Lord from embarrassment at the same time!) but it needs to be seen for what it is: a bad mistake and presumptuous behavior. This needs public confession if it was a public statement, and needs to be repented of nor recycled as a ‘spiritual event’.

Why Study History?

2008-12-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

Henry Ford once said that all history is bunk. While that is the case in certain circumstances, much of history is very instructive and can be a source of wisdom and perspective. In this talk Matt and Chris discuss the value of history, grading its sources, and how to benefit the most from studying history.

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Dialogue on the Spiritual Disciplines

2008-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Christianity has a long history of devotion to God. In this dialog we discuss with guest Doug Higuera the classic spiritual disciplines that Christians have practiced in their pursuit of a closer relationship with the Lord.

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The UFO-Evolution Connection

2006-05-31T17:09:00.000-07:00

Unidentified Flying Objects are real and pick up millions of people on earth to "study" them! So says Dr. Tom Kindell of Reasons for Faith in Eagle Point Oregon. In this interview, Chris explores with Dr. Kindell the connection between the widely held beliefs of Evolution and Extra-Terrestrial life that shape the modern mind. Is this something that "just happened" or is it connected with an outside spiritual intelligence that has designs on taking over our planet?

UFO's - (podcast time = 33:45)

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Worth Seeing in Israel

2006-05-30T17:06:00.000-07:00

Travelogues are a time-tested form of literature that combine both good information and the reflections of the traveler. In half the time it would take to see all of Aunt Myrtle's slides from her family reunion in North Dakota, Chris has an informative chat with Matt about his most recent journey to the Holyland. If you've ever been to Israel or would like to go someday, this conversation will guide you in having a safe and meaningful trip.

Visiting Israel - (Podcast time = 26:10)

The Great Azusa Street Revival

2006-05-26T14:42:00.001-07:00

Tired of the Da Vinci Code yet? Here’s a podcast about a movement within Christianity that is still going strong 100 years later. The 1906 Revival on Azusa Street in Los Angeles was seen as a dramatic hoax by the news media, an apocalyptic sign of the end of the world by some, and for others it was a revival of the glory days of Christianity as recorded in the New Testament book of Acts. Listen in as Matt and Chris uncover the story of William Seymour and the Azusa Street Revival.

Azusa Street Revival - (Podcast time = 26:25)

Improve Your Reading by 25%

2006-04-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

What if you could improve anything by 25%? Imagine if you could enhance your investment portfolio by that much or lose 25% of your body fat without dieting (if I knew how to do that I certainly wouldn't be writing a blog page today)! What about a 25% drop in your golf score or a 25% increase in your bowling average? How about a 25% drop in your bad cholestorol or 25% more hair on your head? Wouldn't you be ecstatic if gas prices dropped by 25%? But now we've moved from possibilities to fantasies haven't we? While a 25% change in any of these things would be a faint possibility today, reading quicker, better, and more effectively is not. Listen to this podcast and greatly improve your reading
skills today!

Reading Better (Podcast - time = 22:15)

The Art of Academic

2006-04-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

It might have been Aristotle, but then again, it could have just as easily been Mark Twain who said that youth is wasted on the young. There are some things that are probably best done when one is young, but most things worth doing in life can be done at any age. One of those worthwhile things is simply learning. As a matter of fact many colleges and learning institutions have long recognized and encouraged the participation of "mature students" along with those just finishing secondary school. Some are there gaining a new set of skills for a mid-life career change, while many others are taking classes for personal enrichment or a desire to complete an academic degree started in youth but discontinued out of necessity. Whether you are a young or mature student, this podcast will help you study more effectively and thus make the most of your learning experience.

The Art of Academic (Podcast - time = 26:32)