In today's episode, Craig and LaDonna continue their review of why they believe in the PreMillennial, Pre-tribulation rapture of the church position, which is based upon the literal translation of Scripture instead of the allegorical understanding of prophetic teaching of the Bible. They believe it important at this point in their extended series on the prophetic teaching of end times found in God's Word. As that literal hermeneutic (the art and science of interpreting God's Word) guides them, they help give clarity to the important differences between the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture of the Church. As an example, in Revelation 1, the word "church" is mentioned 19 times alone, and then is never mentioned again until Revelation 22. Why such a huge gap? The reason is because Revelation 4-21 speaks of the Great Tribulation period. If there's no mention of the church in these chapters, then its obvious the church will not be present during the Great Tribulation. Where will it be? The only answer that makes sense is the church will be in heaven because it will have been raptured (caught away) by the Lord and taken to heaven to await returning to the earth with the Lord when He comes back at the second coming at the end of the Tribulation period. That is when His Millennial reign will take place on earth, with us as the church with Him until the end of time as we know it will happen after the Millennial reign. We will be with the Lord throughout all eternity in what the Bible describes as a new eternal state that will go on throughout the ages to come and never end! What great promises await the church when the rapture begins this amazing new fulfilled life with the Lord who saved us through His shed blood on the cross! Be blessed, dear friends, by the truths of God's Word as Craig and LaDonna Smith continue their review of end time events, right her on Indigenous Faith!

Today Craig and LaDonna takes a brief break from the seven churches in Revelation 2&3 to provide an all-important review of where they stand on the issue of the Rapture, Second Coming of Christ, the Great Tribulation Period, the Millennial reign of Christ on earth, the Great White Throne Judgement and the eternal state promised in God's Holy Word. They do so because of the recent growth of the Indigenous Faith podcast both in the United States and around the world. The Smiths want to make sure their listeners understand the Smiths are presenting this teaching on Bible prophecy from the conviction of a Pre-Millennial Pre-Tribulation rapture position which is based on a literal translation of prophetic passages in God's Word. They hope this review will be helpful to all listeners, both new and those who have followed the Smiths teaching in the almost five years since they launched the Indigenous Faith broadcasts. People in over 102 nations are now accessing this programming, and it will continue to grow as God allows. That is, until He comes for us in the rapture, which could be this very day! Are you ready, friend, should Jesus come for us soon! Be ready. Eternity depends on the choices we make today.

In today's episode, Craig and LaDonna finish up their study of the first Church Jesus told John to write to in His words to the seven churches in Asia Minor. It was the church in Ephesus. The Smiths continue to help us understand how we, today, can be like the Ephesian church, by continuing to preach and teach sound doctrine all while guarding our local church against the false teachers of today. When false doctrines, like weeds, try and sprout up in our churches today, they are to be confronted by the leaders of the church and by exercising what is called church discipline on those who bring such teaching in. Craig goes the extra mile by including some important thoughts about the legalities church discipline needs to operate under, especially in such a litigious environment like we find ourselves in today. He addresses what the church should do if and when someone goes as far as suing the church in civil court. Drawing upon his years of leading the Native Ministries of The C&MA, and the training he received while in that role, Craig helps bring out the importance of the church today in covering itself legally should something like that happen today. It all centers around Christ's affirmation of the leaders in Ephesus for doing the hard work of protecting the church from false teaching. He commends them strongly for doing so. But Christ also shares with the folks in Ephesus that there were some things He was not happy with in what He observed in this congregation. Specifically, was the fact that they had left their first love for Christ. Thankfully, Christ gave them three things to do to recapture that first love, and Craig takes the time to unpackage those items to you, his listeners, today. Those three things are, Remember, Repent, and Return. You'll be encouraged by both Craig and LaDonna's teaching on how we can even do that today. Great words of encouragement to all listeners, once again, right here on today's edition of Indigenous Faith!