Question:  Greg,

            My friend is an ardent admirer of Jack van Impe ministries.  I have watched the program a couple of times.  It is interesting, but I am not sure what I think about it.  I don’t want to be led astray by unsound preaching.  Could you please give your own opinion of this ministry?

            Thanks,

            Bonnie

Answer:  Dear Bonnie,

            Ministries like that of Jack van Impe are based upon predictions and prophetic interpretations.  Ministries like that of Jack van Impe’s have, over the years, been riddled with prophecies that have not come to pass.  To my knowledge, such ministries have not apologized for that fact, and continue to issue the same kinds of statements.  People enjoy, support and underwrite this type of ministry because of a fascination with prediction—prediction addiction.  The Bible does not have good things to say about those who speculate and predict, only to have those prognostications fail time after time.  One of the reasons is obvious—people tend to lose faith in God when these predictions do not come to pass, when instead they should lose faith in the humans who have misunderstood and misrepresented God.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht