I had gone not knowing what the study would be about and learned it's on the book of Revelation. I assumed it would be dispensational in orientation and, after learning what the study was about, I decided to stay anyway, whether it was dispensational or not.
Sure enough, the orientation was 'standard' dispensationalism. My second week going, this past Wednesday nite; the pastor read from a Hal Lindsay book as a 'commentary' on verses we were studying.
At any rate, I asked Steve something like, "What would you do in such a study?" That is, what could I do to open up the possibility of seeing Revelation in a non-dispensational way? Steve suggested getting with the study facilitator (who isn't the pastor, though the pastor attends) and asking if they would like to continue believing in things that 'started in 1830' (dispensationalism) or if they would like to examine alternate views.
I'm not so sure they could 'take' this suggestion....
As a backgrounder: My first week there I said "I used to believe in dispensationalism like you guys do" (it's a men's study group). The pastor asked what dispensationalism is, I'm assuming in order to get me in on the study. (It could be he doesn't know himself?). I defined it briefly as, "The belief that God dealt with Israel in the OT and has put them on-hold till after the pretribulational rapture."
Then the pastor asked what my views are now. I said, "Wesleyan, basically" (this study is in a United Methodist church)! I went on, "I'm amillennial and see things how the Church has historically." The pastor replied, "I'll have to check to see if Wesley was pre-mid-or posttribulational" (in his views of the rapture). I didn't say anything---but---no one was pre or midtribulational in those days!
Btw, I've followed up studying Wesley's beliefs and though he was probably amillennial, he differs with myself and other amillennialists of today. He retained, in part, along with the Reformers, the belief that the Roman Catholic Church and/or an "apostate Church" has some 'configuration' in Revelation and/or prophecy. Wesley also believed two [literal] one 1,000 year periods are referred to in Rev 20 (which I won't go into). Otherwise, he believed in one general resurrection which will happen at "the end" of Revelation 20.
Anyways, I went back to the study this week and didn't say much. (The pastor didn't follow up on Wesley's views, so I didn't either): I didn't say say much this week. I did say, "Some people say they take Revelation literally but no one thinks Jesus is a 'little woolly lamb'" (borrowing one of Steve's illustrations from his Revelation mp3's). This brought up some conversation about the locusts creatures that looked like horses, with faces like people, and hair like women [Re 9:7-8]: One guy replied that this was possibly symbolic rather than literal, (as most of the other men seem to be taking the book).
To this no one said anything in reply...(I held back intentionally in order to not appear to be 'leading' the discussion)...and the pastor suggested we go on reading. We read a section: then comment (is the format, there's no prepared outline, it's an open discussion).
We'll begin with Rev 11 next week: "the two witnesses." The pastor gave a short preview and I suggested (with some reservation) that some have seen the two witnesses as referring to the Church. Pastor replied, "But that's impossible because 'we won't be here'!" (pretribulational rapture). I replied, "'Could be...'could be".
After the study I got with the pastor to say I might be getting a part-time job and may not be able to come back as a result (a job I really need!)....
Otherwise, I haven't said anything to the pastor or the facilitator about the fact that dispensationalism began in circa 1830 or if they would like to look into other views. I tried to imagine how a partial-preterist viewpoint, if I were to present it, would go over: Not very well, I'm quite sure!
Though these men are familiar with pre, mid, and post-tribulational views of the rapture, I don't think they know what amillennialism or postmillennialism is. I'm relatively certain they haven't heard of partial-preterism also. (I don't even know if they realize their own view is called "premillennial")!
I'm considering saying something about my personal history in the next study: How I essentially left 'Christianity' for several years after finding out dispensationalism is made-up. I wouldn't word it like that, but would say it was a view that wasn't held till about 1830. Btw, I left 'Christianity' after giving in to a temptation that, "If they made-up the PreTrib stuff, did they make-up 'God' too?"
My going to this study is something of a personal growth thing....
Not long ago, maybe 5 years back, I vowed to "not even darken the door of a Pre Trib church." This limited my fellowship significantly, as about 95% of the born-again Christians in my area are dispensational....
I could keep going to the study if I don't get this new job. It would be "fellowship" in that I'd be with other believers. However, it is very difficult to sit and listen to men saying things like, "If President Bush succeeds in having Israel and the Palestinians sign a peace agreement, he could be the AntiChrist!"
Maybe I just won't go back....
Is hearing this sort of nonsense (and not saying anything contrary to it) "fellowship"?
I LEFT man-made religion a long time ago (early 80s)...and after "recommiting my life to God" (a few years back)...I cannot get back into man-made nonsense again, EVER!
It's just not in my "make-up," so to speak....
Any thoughts or feedback?
Thanks,
) a long time ago, early 80s. No, I never came back to it so I have no need to abandon it!!! 
SUMBODY 
