I noticed that something rather unexpected and out of the ordinary happened over this past school year. What has transpired is not, in my estimation, the normative experience for first-year TMC students. I mean, how many of us come out as charismatic amillennarians?

Now before you block this site and close your browser, please hear me out. First, I want to say that a believer’s view on the spiritual gifts or on the millennium should never, NEVER, NEVER be cause for division – never. Second, I want to say that I am completely open to the possibility that my theological views in these two areas are wrong. If what I believe is contrary to the truth, contrary to the teaching of Scripture, I would like to know that.

That said, there have been several factors that have contributed to my partial adoption of a Third-Wave view on the spiritual gifts, namely studying the book of 1 Corinthians for a New Testament class, studying Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, and reading a book entitled, Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? for a Christian theology class. I could certainly be wrong, but I believe that the Scriptures do not teach the cessation of the “miraculous” spiritual gifts. However, I am still not entirely ready to embrace the practice of the “miraculous” gifts simply because in my limited experience, I have not seen them practiced legitimately by the church.

Regarding my view on the millennium, I am even a little less certain about this than about the spiritual gifts. The main reason that I am not sure about the premillennial position is that I cannot see how there could be sin existing in a millennial kingdom as understood by premillennialists.

Again, take these thoughts with a grain of thought. I do not speak with authority, and I am still trying to understand the most basic teachings of Scripture. I speak from a flawed and imperfect understanding. Please, go to Scripture for yourself and see what it says.