by D. Collier Brown
Upon graduation from seminary in May of 1973, I had not even heard of New Covenant Theology. In fact, it would be another almost ten years before that title would be associated with what it has now come to represent. My theological world in those days was influenced primarily by a school which taught Dispensational Theology, and in due time I wholeheartedly embraced the view for myself. As for Covenant Theology, the other option available at that time, I considered its major tenets, but found no biblical support for the vast majority of them.
With seminary training behind me, I began pastoral ministry in a church in Junction City, Kansas, assured in my heart that my adopted theological framework was both sound and biblically-based. I anticipated no problems expositing the Scriptures from this perspective and experienced none during my early years of ministry. But then, as I continued to study the Bible on my own, and preached expository messages consistently year after year, questions arose and increased with the passing of time. Some of the questions which surfaced were the following—Where was the New Testament support for a future earthly Kingdom for the physical descendants of Abraham? Why would there be such a Kingdom with a restored Temple, a Levitical Priesthood, and animal sacrifices when Christ, the anti-type, had come and fulfilled all that these types represented? In other words, why would there be a return to the shadows when the reality had arrived? Why was Abraham looking for a heavenly Kingdom instead of an earthly one? Where was solid evidence for the pre-tribulational rapture? And, why could I find no biblical evidence for two different spiritual peoples of God?
All of these questions, with many more like them, began to cause some serious cracks in my Dispensational Theology foundation (Covenant Theology failed to provide adequate answers as well). My struggle would intensify and continue through two more pastorates and a number of years.
Finally, in the winter of 1994, answers appeared on the horizon. It took a call from a church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a move of almost 1,800 miles for things to began to open up for me. Shortly after arrival in my new place of ministry, God brought me together with another student of the Bible who was also a graduate of my former seminary. As we became acquainted, I discovered that like me, he had struggled with his Dispensational background and also with Covenant Theology. The good news, however, was that we were not alone. He and other men of like mind had met in Dallas, Texas, in the early 1980’s and had forged the beginnings of what has become known as New Covenant Theology.
I spoke often with my new friend about the major tenets of New Covenant Theology, and found them to be supported by the Scriptures. I read much as well. One of the books which was most helpful to me was Abraham’s Four Seeds by John Reisinger. It provided solid biblical answers to my questions and exposed the weaknesses and faulty interpretations of both Dispensational Theology and Covenant Theology. I have read through it several times now and have recommended it with great joy to a number of friends and fellow travelers. Several have commented after reading the book and digesting its contents, “I knew before reading the book that I was not fully within the camps of either Dispensational Theology or Covenant Theology. I had no name or framework by which to describe my view. But after reading the book, I know where I fit and I know that there are others of the same persuasion.“ Such could be said of me.
My journey took more than 20 years in all, and it has been invaluable. It has been worth the long periods with unanswered questions. It has been worth the long and arduous periods of studying the Scriptures. It has been worth the broken fellowships which have occurred with some from my former theological background (with much heartache). To finally see how the two testaments really fit together and should be interpreted, and that Christ is the central theme of both, has been worth it all. If you are one that is questioning as I did, and have found the answers of both Dispensational Theology and Covenant Theology to be inadequate, I recommend the journey to you. If I can personally assist you along the way, I would consider it to be a privilege.