Robert Lowery

As I write this, I am feeling a bit feisty.  The other day I was reading an article and the author noted the second law of thermodynamics:  All things tend toward chaos.

And I wondered if it could be argued that the dispensational premillennial approach tend toward chaos.  And I concluded, yes.  I can find very little good to say about the position that has infected the way millions read the Bible as a whole and not just Revelation or Daniel in particular.  Of course, I defend the dispensationalists’ right to adhere to their view but of the approaches taken toward Revelation 20 specifically and Scripture as a whole it has the least support both historically and exegetically.  It is a departure from the historic faith and is based on a faulty system of interpretation.  Please remember that there has been a historic premillennial interpretation for eighteen centuries before dispensationalism was formulated by such men as J.N. Darby and C.I. Scofield.  The writings by these two as well as C.C. Ryrie, J. Walvoord, H. Lindsey, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Tim LaHaye, Jack Van Impe, to name just a few, have proven that the approach is bankrupt.  (Take a look at the closeout sections in a Barnes and Noble store or in a Borders.  Or view the closeout bin in a recent Christian Book Distributors catalog.  What will you find?  Prophecy books that were outdated either shortly after they were published.  How many editions do we need to have of Walvoord’s Oil, Armageddon and the Middle East?  A true discerner of prophecy would have only one edition!  :)

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On July 13, 1958–a Sunday evening as I recall–I responded to the sermon and the hymn “All to Jesus I Surrender” and was baptized into Christ that same evening.  Maurice Fetty, relatively new to the church staff, took my confession, walked me back behind the worship center, and led me into the water for the baptism.  I remember it vividly.  Following the baptism, Maurice brought me before the congregation one more time, and two of the elders served me my first communion in front of the entire congregation.  Bobby Lowery was now truly a disciple of Jesus.

Earlier this summer I made a decision to return to Fairfax Christian Church in Indianapolis and visit the place where my walk with Christ began.  I asked my wife Marilyn to go with me and we met Tom Adams (we were baptized the same year) and his wife Donna to make the pilgrimage with us.  When the preacher found out we were coming, he extended an invitation to me to preach.  I accepted. Read the rest of this entry »

During all of my college years and for most of my seminary years I believed that reading novels was a waste of time.  I had more important books to read: textbooks, commentaries, theological tomes, and countless monographs.  I was a snob, a bore. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by noodlepie

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

–Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

A few days ago Marilyn and I visited our two grandchildren, Carissa (nearly five) and Jocelyn (nearly three) in the lovely town of Pana (rhymes with “Cana” and in fact Carissa swears that Jesus once visited the town to attend a wedding!). Oh yes, we also visited our daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Joe.

As soon as we walked through the door both girls asked Grandma and Papa if we would make puppets with them. I still have not figured out a way how to say no to either girl, so I accepted their invitation. They asked us to sit down at the dining room table and after we did they began to place all around us puppet making materials — paper sacks, coloring pencils, markers, and a box of “Cool Foam Stickers” filled with colorful sticky-like shapes (hearts, lips, circles, squares, etc.). You can stick them (safely!) on anything, including paper sacks. So I began to create a puppet out of a plastic sack using the above ingredients. I really got into it. But then, when I play with Lincoln Logs or Play Doh, the inner child in me breaks out. After about thirty minutes I had completed my “Papa Puppet.” The Papa Puppet had earrings, a rather colorful shirt, and a visible heart showing through the fabric. Pens were sticking out of the pocket. The hair was black and not gray and the eyeglasses were rather striking. When I had finished I held it up for everyone to see. I was more impressed with it than anyone else at the table. Read the rest of this entry »