I'm not saying The Millennium has come and is now going, or that The Tribulation is upon us. Rather, I use these terms in their broader symbolic sense, in which a "millennial season" signifies a period of favor for the church, and the advance of its message and ministries, while a tribulation-time symbolizes the withdrawal of that favor and the ensuing consequences.
The Christian Church in the West has enjoyed a millennial era for centuries, but now that sun is setting. Darkness increasingly drapes the bright sky under which the western church has flourished.
The Church of Jesus Christ in the West must now learn how to function in tribulation. Christian communities in America, Canada, and Europe must note the example of churches in Syria, Egypt, and other countries where tribulation is deadly rather than mere social and cultural ostracism.
Even better, the contemporary western church must note the model of the first century church in the Roman Empire, which we will examine in an upcoming column in this series.
Events in that early Roman era and current actions perhaps mark the dawn and sunset, respectively, of the millennial season for Western Christianity. Keep reading
Also see
Michael J. Ovey: From Moral Majority to Evil Disbelievers: Coming Clean about Christian Atheism
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