Resources

Preaching Apocalyptic Texts
Third Bible and Ministry Conference
Calvin Theological Seminary
June 9-11, 2005

How do preachers and teachers address a culture in which the Left Behind books are bestsellers and apocalyptic is associated more with movies than with Scripture? How should pastors interpret and teach the apocalyptic texts of the Bible? This conference, co-sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary, explored these urgent questions.

The sermons and plenary addresses from this conference were published in the April 2006 issue of the Calvin Theological Journal (click for subscription information and online payment). They are reprinted here with permission.

Thursday, June 9
Opening Worship
A New Name (Rev. 2:12-17)
-Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., preaching
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First Plenary
Preaching Apocalyptic? You've Got to be Kidding!
-Gordon Fee
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Friday, June 10
Morning Worship
When Nightmares Cease: A Message of Hope from Daniel 7
-Daniel Block, preaching
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Second Plenary
Preaching Old Testament Apocalyptic to a New Testament Church
-Daniel Block
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Morning Seminars
A Critique of Left Behind Thinking (Popular Dispensationalism)
-Lyle Bierma
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Charting the Future or a Perspective on the Present? The Paraenetic Purpose of Mark 13 and Other Apocalyptic Literature
-Dean Deppe
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Reading Revelation for Preaching
-Carl Bosma
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Afternoon Seminars
Preaching through the Revelation: A Workshop
-Gordon Fee
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Solving the Riddle of Gog, the Monster from the North (Ezekiel 38-39)
-Daniel Block
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From Biblical Text to Sermon Manuscript in the Book of Revelation
-Gregory Beale
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Evening Worship
Suffering Witnesses: To What End? (Rev. 11:1-14)
-David Holwerda, preaching
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Third Plenary
The Symbols of the Book of Revelation & Their Function for the Church
-Gregory Beale
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Saturday, June 11, 2005

Morning Prayer
Strange Comfort (Mark 13)
-Mary Hulst, preaching
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Fourth Plenary
The Slaying of Satan's Superman and the Sure Salvation of the Saints
(2 Thess. 2:1-17): Paul's Apocalyptic Word of Comfort
-Jeffrey Weima
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Panel Discussion
How Not to "Leave Behind" What We've Learned
-Gordon Fee, Daniel Block, Gregory Beale, David Holwerda, Mary Hulst (moderated by Jeffrey Weima)
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Other Links
Conference Schedule
Conference Brochure
Speaker Bios
Suggested Reading

Related Sermon:
Between Two Advents: In the Interim (Luke 21:28) (www.religion-online.org)
Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

Related Essay:
Stewardship of Creation As Active Anticipation of the Second Coming
(excerpt from Bringing Heaven Down to Earth)
Nathan Bierma

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