Thomas J Gentry

Will heaven be boring? What will God and heaven look like? Will I enjoy heaven? Are animals in heaven? These questions, among others, often enter the hearts and minds of people envisioning their final heavenly home. Often, theologians and pastors have placed unnecessary restrictions on heaven, whereas others have claimed that heaven should not be discussed because of so many uncertainties. But is this helpful? Furthermore, is it even biblical? In the book Conversations about Heaven, Dr. Brian Chilton reflects on a conversation he had with a lady from Huntsville Baptist Church who asked some of the most challenging questions he ever received. They both discovered that if God is the greatest possible being and heaven is God's greatest gift, then heaven is a place that is far greater than anything ever imagined. Conversations about Heaven challenges you to vastly expand your thoughts on heaven, as heaven will far exceed even our greatest imaginations, and it encourages you to regularly reflect on the great things that lie ahead in your heavenly home.

Will heaven be boring? What will God and heaven look like? Will I enjoy heaven? Are animals in heaven? These questions, among others, often enter the hearts and minds of people envisioning their final heavenly home. Often, theologians and pastors have placed unnecessary restrictions on heaven, whereas others have claimed that heaven should not be discussed because of so many uncertainties. But is this helpful? Furthermore, is it even biblical? In the book Conversations about Heaven, Dr. Brian Chilton reflects on a conversation he had with a lady from Huntsville Baptist Church who asked some of the most challenging questions he ever received. They both discovered that if God is the greatest possible being and heaven is God's greatest gift, then heaven is a place that is far greater than anything ever imagined. Conversations about Heaven challenges you to vastly expand your thoughts on heaven, as heaven will far exceed even our greatest imaginations, and it encourages you to regularly reflect on the great things that lie ahead in your heavenly home.

What happens when Christians die? Some conclude that purgatory--a place of final purging and purification--is what awaits most believers after death in order to prepare for them to eventually fully enjoy God in heaven. But is purgatory what the Bible teaches? What are the theological implications of purgatory? Is purgatory, as some claim, a rational conclusion based on human freedom and moral transformation? In this introductory consideration to the topic of what Christians experience after death, it will be argued that there are clear biblical, theological, and rational reasons to reject any teaching of purgatory. Rather than anticipating a time of future purgation, the joyful expectation of every Christian is that, at the moment of death, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. ""This is a substantive and informative introduction to a doctrine that, to the amazement of many, is no longer relegated to the Catholic Church, but has been taken up by respected evangelicals. Dr. Gentry's defense of the traditional protestant view is concise, credible, and most welcome."" --James Kinnebrew, Luther Rice College and Seminary Thomas J. Gentry II is the senior minister at Fellowship in Christ Christian Church in Carterville, Illinois. His other books include You Shall Be My Witnesses: Reflections on Sharing the Gospel (2018) and Thinking of Worship: A Liturgical Miscellany (2011).

What happens when Christians die? Some conclude that purgatory--a place of final purging and purification--is what awaits most believers after death in order to prepare for them to eventually fully enjoy God in heaven. But is purgatory what the Bible teaches? What are the theological implications of purgatory? Is purgatory, as some claim, a rational conclusion based on human freedom and moral transformation? In this introductory consideration to the topic of what Christians experience after death, it will be argued that there are clear biblical, theological, and rational reasons to reject any teaching of purgatory. Rather than anticipating a time of future purgation, the joyful expectation of every Christian is that, at the moment of death, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. ""This is a substantive and informative introduction to a doctrine that, to the amazement of many, is no longer relegated to the Catholic Church, but has been taken up by respected evangelicals. Dr. Gentry's defense of the traditional protestant view is concise, credible, and most welcome."" --James Kinnebrew, Luther Rice College and Seminary Thomas J. Gentry II is the senior minister at Fellowship in Christ Christian Church in Carterville, Illinois. His other books include You Shall Be My Witnesses: Reflections on Sharing the Gospel (2018) and Thinking of Worship: A Liturgical Miscellany (2011).

You Shall Be My Witnesses offers several brief pastoral reflections on sharing the gospel. Chapters include a consideration of how evangelism changes the evangelist, the role of evangelism in broadening one's view of the kingdom of God, and how process and moment relate to evangelism. Readers will find encouraging stories, practical advice, and immediately applicable strategies for enhancing their individual and congregational evangelistic vision and practice.