Leaving for East Africa in 3 days

Upcoming trip

I will be leaving for East Africa on Tuesday morning and am scheduled to return on Oct. 25. While in East Africa I will be in Uganda and Rwanda. In Uganda I will be meeting at length with the Registrar of Kampala Evangelical School of Theology, doing a follow-up TOT hosted by Bishop Stephen Sempala in Mukono on 1 Timothy for selected participants who were with us in August and then doing a Biblical Stewardship conference. Ernest Mwilitsa is planning on coming in from Kenya to lead both sessions with me.

In Rwanda I will be with James Mulisa doing Biblcal Interpretation in Kigali and then going somewhere "in the bush" to do the same course with another group.

What has been happening

We have been busy while I've been home, including making revisions to our books on Biblical Interpretation and Biblical Stewardship and getting the latter translated into Kiswahili. The Kinyarwanda version of Biblical Stewardship is almost ready to be posted on the website (just one sentence remains to be corrected!). Hopefully that can be completed before I leave.

I also was able to speak to the good people of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Ripon, WI concerning ECLEA.

Please check out the "News" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/news.html). I have posted several reports from ECLEA-East African teachers about the all-African church leader conferences and TOTs they have been doing--including a recent trip to South Sudan!

This is all made possible by your prayers and tax-deductible financial support. With the year-end approaching, please consider making a special donation since our work is expanding and the results are manifest. Thank you much.  I will try to send a report while I am in East Africa. God bless you, Jonathan

Unsolicited comment from Kenya

I just received an email from a man in Kenya regarding ECLEA. Here is what he said:

"May I take this precious time to thank you for the tireless effort you are putting in to equip leaders who will then equip the Church through ECLEA COURSES. I must mention that indeed it has been a spiritual oasis to us."

Thank you, Samuel, for taking the time to write.

New sermon on ECLEA website

Last Sunday I preached on 1 Cor 7:17-24. The title of the message is "The Primary Versus The Secondary." In essence, Christ is primary; our circumstances are secondary. As we take into ourselves who Christ is, what he has done for us, who we are in him, and what we have in him, our lives can be profoundly transformed.

Both the audio and a PDF of that message are available on the "Sermons" page of the ECLEA website:  http://www.eclea.net/sermons.html

New review of Biblical Eschatology

While I was in East Africa, a lengthy review of my book, Biblical Eschatology, appeared on the blog "Spoiledmilks" by Spencer Robinson, a Bible teacher who lives "across the pond." After summarizing the book chapter-by-chapter, he concludes:

It’s a tall book, and Menn packs a punch. He holds to Amillennial eschatology, and he argues it well. Many will be challenged by this book, and they should be challenged. Some parts are dense, yes, but I was surprised at the clarity (mentioned above) in which Menn writes. There were some issues I had to read a number of times (especially the bit about the “‘first’ resurrection” and the “‘second’ death”), but I can say that I have a clearer view of the Bible’s overall structure. . . . This is a book that you will come back to for a long time. It’s long. There is a lot to read. There are more Bible references than you can shake a stick at. Menn has done his work, and this book will require a lot of prayer. Highly recommended.

The full review is available here: https://spoiledmilks.wordpress.com/2015/08/14/review-biblical-eschatology/ 

He also posted a similar, albeit not identical, review on Amazon, here: http://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Eschatology-Jonathan-Menn/product-reviews/1620325799/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=byRankDescending

Christianity and Islam: Theological Essentials

I just posted my ECLEA teaching book Christianity and Islam: Theological Essentials on the "ECLEA Courses" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/courses.html).

In it, I deal with Islam's major beliefs and how they are similar to and different from the major beliefs of Christianity. I quote primary Muslim sources throughout rather than simply quoting anti-Muslims who might misrepresent what Islam teaches.

One African to whom I sent this emailed me today and said, "Thank you for the great work. I have just done a quick preview on the book and most of the queries I have had to deal with in the field are covered."

Given the state of things today and the high stakes at issue, please check this book out. You can download it for free.

It's worth it!

On Aug. 7 a new reviewer posted the following review of my book, Biblical Eschatology, on Amazon under the title, "You may not think it is worth it, but it is!"

"I checked this book out of our church library. It is the best thing I have seen on Eschatology. A detailed presentation and discussion of the major views within Evangelicalism is accompanied by convincing arguments for an Amillennial perspective. A great survey of the Book of Revelation is included along with important appendices that exegete the major texts of Scripture often marshalled in support of premillennial views. If you are of the premillennial persuasion, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Menn's work cannot be ignored!

My only regret is that I have yet to get my personal copy so I can re-read with highlighters in hand. I suppose the publisher, Wipf and Stock, is partly responsible for the price being over $50. But I encourage you to eat out one less time this month and put the $$ toward getting this book. I am. You won't regret it."

Thank you, Jimbo, for this review. You can find this and all other Amazon reviews here:

http://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Eschatology-Jonathan-Menn/product-reviews/1620325799/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=byRankDescending

New review of Biblical Eschatology

Ron Maness, the head of the library at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, TX, recently bought a number of copies of Biblical Eschatology for the library. Here is the review he posted on Amazon yesterday:

"This is book on eschatology, and the author is amillennial, but before you let that turn you off, let me tell you that the Foreword to the book and one of the strongest endorsements come from two theologians who hold to the historic premillennial perspective, but who recognize the extraordinary nature of this book and the excellence of Menn’s work.

So that should be an indication that this book is special, and let me assure you, it is. In fact, it is in a class by itself. And if reading a theology book about eschatology doesn’t do anything for you, then look through his chapter on why eschatology is important, beginning with the point that eschatology helps to integrate and tie together our overall theology.

It is not a book to necessarily be read straight through (although that is what I am doing), but for the reasons I will note below, it lends itself to be taken and studied in segments.

Summary Points:
1. When you pick up the book, you will note that it is large. It is oversize. But because of the way it is organized, it is a book you can take and focus on particular areas of interest.
2. The main text consists of 12 chapters, totaling 335 pages. Chapter 7 for example is on the Millennium, chapter 8 on the Olivet Discourse, Chapter 10 on the Antichrist, and Chapter 11 is a sweep through Revelation in 130 pages (representing a virtual commentary on Revelation).
3. Then there are 7 very important appendices totaling 140 pages. The appendices include one on Ezekiel 40-48, one on Zechariah 14, one on Daniel 9:24-27 (the 70 weeks), and one on Romans 11:25-26 (“and so all Israel shall be saved”).
4. So of the total 580 pages, the remaining 109 pages consist of bibliography and indexes.
5. The book is full of very helpful charts and tables, showing all kinds of fascinating comparisons. For example, a chart comparing Daniel 7 with Rev 4-5. Another chart has 5 columns comparing the Olivet Discourse with the Seals of Rev 6-8, the Woman and Dragon of Rev 12-14, the Trumpets of Rev 8-9, and the Bowls of Rev 16. The tables and charts alone make the book worth spending time in. And there are scores of them.
6. The chart comparing the four basic millennial views alone is 7 pages, going into much more detail than the normal summary charts of the main views.
7. The number of theologians that Menn interacts with and quotes, is incredible. And Menn is someone who was a lawyer until deciding to go to seminary in his 50s. He is currently the Director of an agency equipping church leaders in East Africa.

Don’t be deterred by the size (or the price). Your only problem will be tearing yourself away from all of fascinating information it contains once you open it. The book is an absolute delight. In addition to my personal copy, as church librarian I added three copies to the church library, and those who have checked it out have been highly impressed.

So don't let this one get away from you. It is indeed in a class my itself."

Thank you, Ron. You can find this and the 8 other reviews on Amazon here:  http://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Eschatology-Jonathan-Menn/product-reviews/1620325799/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt_lft?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=recent&reviewerType=all_reviews&formatType=all_formats&filterByStar=positive&pageNumber=1