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When Leadership Feels Heavy: Faithfulness in the Middle of It

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  by Bart Denny There are moments in ministry that feel full. Full of joy. Full of momentum. Full of visible fruit. And then there are moments that feel heavy. Not dramatic. Not headline-worthy. Just heavy. The kind of weight that comes from complicated situations, unclear facts, strained relationships, and decisions that don’t have easy answers. If you’ve led in the church for any length of time, you know this weight. It shows up when you’re trying to care for people who are hurting while also protecting the rest of the flock. It shows up when you’re holding pieces of a story, but not the whole picture. It shows up when you’re expected to lead with clarity in situations that feel anything but clear. And often, it shows up quietly. You still preach. You still smile. You still lead. But underneath, you’re carrying something heavy. The Reality We Don’t Always Talk About Spiritual leadership is not just about vision and teaching. It’s also about burden-b...
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Did the Early Church Fathers Believe in a Pretribulational Rapture?

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by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D., Th.M. I wrote this article years ago, and while I still see value in some of the arguments presented, my view has become more settled with time. Let me say it plainly: No, the early church fathers did not believe in a pretribulation rapture —at least not in the way John Nelson Darby and modern dispensationalists since the 1800s have taught it. They didn’t believe in it for one very good reason: the Bible didn’t teach it that way , and they were far closer—both chronologically and culturally—to the apostles than we are. But what did they believe? Let’s explore. Reading the Fathers with a Clear Eye Some scholars and popular writers have tried to find early traces of the pretribulation rapture among the church fathers. The argument often goes like this: If these early Christians believed in the imminent return of Christ and held to a millennial reign, then maybe—just maybe—they also believed in a secret rapture of the church before a Great Tribulation. Sounds in...
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