A Dispensational Discourse: An Introduction

By PAUL J. SCHARF, M.Div.

Editor in Chief

Any time you interview someone, you are entering into a relationship of trust. The writer is trusting the subject to provide accurate information—on everything from their identity and the details of objective facts to their sincerity regarding the opinions that they express.

As for the subject, he or she is trusting the writer to handle that information—be it one’s views on a specific issue or an entire life story—with “integrity” and “skillfulness” (Ps. 78:72). Often, the person being interviewed will share some details off the record to add context. Surprisingly, once they begin talking they may even share information that is strictly confidential. They expect, however, that the writer will take the role seriously and handle the entire process with the utmost of care.

There are always tensions when conducting an interview. Is this question too easy? Do I dare ask that? What would the readers want to know? What do the readers need to know?

The dynamics listed above are some of the reasons that I really love doing interviews. I have long enjoyed telling the stories of fascinating people, and I believe that God has given me a gift for doing so.

In our quest to become the “go-to” source for Biblically-based information from the dispensational perspective, Dispensational Publishing House is launching a series of interviews for our website. The heading for this recurring series will be, “A Dispensational Discourse.”

The subjects will be as varied as the stories that they have to tell. Some will be well-known, while others may be unknown. Some will be historically significant. Others may have a fascinating point of view that they are eager to share. We may even talk to a Christian leader or two who you never before thought of as a dispensationalist. Some will lead large organizations, while others may labor in relative obscurity. There will be newsmakers, trendsetters, opinion shapers and other people of influence. .

If you are interested in the history, direction and impact of dispensationalism and dispensationalists, this series is made for you. We will introduce you to people you do not know, take you places where you would not be able to go and share information that you will not find anywhere else. More than likely, we will all learn a thing or two along the way.

As always, your feedback will be invaluable. Please leave comments on our blog posts, use our social media pages to respond or email me with your reaction to these interviews or to share ideas about people that we should talk to or ways in which we can improve.