"I cannot write on the issue (Comprehensive Grace), until Max finishes his work on Romans 9-11." (2004)

"Some “leaders” in the preterist camp have been asserting that you are a universalist, because of some of the aspects of Comprehensive Grace. Well, I should ask you plainly, are you a universalist? Do you subscribe to “some form” of universalism and do you believe that everyone will go to heaven after his or her physical death?" (Planet Preterist Interview)

Tim King is a leading voice of the fulfilled prophecy movement and one of the most energetic anti-apocalyptic organizers in the U.S. He serves as editor of Presence--the magazine of transformed living, as well host of the annual "Transmillennial™" national conferences.

Tim's passion is in the area of "applied eschatology" or helping people turn preterist doctrines into life-changing dynamisms. In addition to pastoring a local congregation, Tim regularly conducts seminars on "Covenant Eschatology" and speaks to national audiences of professionals, scholars and church leaders.

In 1998, Tim left a successful career in business to become the president of Living Presence Ministries, the founding ministry of the fulfilled Bible prophecy movement in modern times. LPM was launched by Tim's father, Max, an independent scholar and minister in the churches of Christ back in 1971. A year following the release of Hal Lindsey's Late Great Planet Earth, Max King quietly published The Spirit of Prophecy. This 392-page biblical bombshell claimed "eschatology", or the study of last things, properly understood pertained to the end of the Old Covenant world, rather than the end of time.

Living Presence Ministries is supported by Partners from all across the country, and is run by three-full time volunteers and a project associate. It distributes a widest selection of books and tapes, offers leadership training for "area ministries," hosts an active online Message Board and leads an annual study tour to Jerusalem.

(On The Spirit of Prophecy)
"It is easy to say now, looking back, this was the founding book of the eschatological revolution that will shape the religious revival of the third millennium" (Interview)

(On Transmillennialism™)
"In the summer of 1999 we invented a new word – "Transmillennialism." As a new term, this could stand beside ‘pre-,’ ‘a-,’ and ‘post-’ millennialism, the final forms that had developed in Christian eschatology.

Unlike traditional dogma, Transmillennialism™ sees Christ’s millennial reign in its first-century context, from the Old to the New Covenant, bringing about the transformation of the ages. It sees the thrust of the Bible’s speaking about how heaven comes to earth, not primarily about how one gets to heaven."

"Through The Spirit of Prophecy and all that has followed the last three decades or more, Max King can be credited with founding an entirely new field of Christian millennialism that, unlike other efforts throughout the ages, will not be snuffed out. To insure that Transmillennialism™ would not lose its inherent meaning through sectarian feuds (as "preterism" has), Presence Ministries secured a registered trademark on the term "Transmillennial®," particularly in reference to its use in conferences and study materials. Our intent is for this worldview to be studied and written about widely, but not to be redefined or misused by sectarian upstarts, seeking to forward their own interests." (The TM View)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAX KING
By Tim King

"For nearly twenty centuries the Bible has been a fulfilled book, and redemption a finished work. We, more than any generation since the apostles, have the insight and the resources to understand its full message.

"Hal Lindsey had released The Late Great Planet Earth, an end-time book predicting – and sensationalizing – the arrival of the second coming, the tribulation and the supposed end of planet earth. It would become the best-selling book of the 1970s. In contrast to Lindsey’s phenomenal success, The Spirit of Prophecy received little attention outside of Max’s immediate church tradition. Those who did take notice condemned it, much like the church had once done to Galileo for observing that the earth revolved around the sun."

"It is easy now, with thirty years’ worth of hindsight, to see Max’s book as the seminal work of the modern fulfilled prophecy movement. Check the copyright dates of any fulfilled prophecy author from last century – none are earlier than 1971. Not only that, but they will readily admit that the writings of Max (or someone who studied him) had a profound impact on their present-day view of prophecy. No one, certainly not Max King, thought this work could possibly play the role it is playing in shaping how we think of fulfilled prophecy in the third millennium."

"Largely self-taught but a diligent student of the Bible, Max began preaching at the age of 21. In 1962, after a decade of pulpit ministry, Max answered a call to move to Warren, Ohio. In addition to preaching on Sundays, he logged hours in his study tackling the Bible’s unsolved ‘Rubik’s Cube’ of eschatology."

"Anytime a new paradigm is proposed its detractors brand it heresy. This was true in the 16th century when Nicholas Copernicus first proposed a heliocentric solar system. It took more than 165 years, Galileo’s telescope, and Newton’s theory of gravity to complete what we now know as the Scientific Revolution. In the process, unfortunately, the Catholic church channeled its energy to suppress and condemn the new scientific paradigm. This fateful decision put the church on the wrong side of scientific inquiry for almost four centuries. In 1992, Pope John Paul II formally declared the Catholic church in error when it condemned Galileo." (The TM View)

When I became President of LPM in 1997, I had some firm convictions that the religious world in general had a far too limited perspective of God and all that He is doing to bring healing to the nations. I determined that LPM would take a transdenominational approach in everything it does. By transdenominational I mean that everyone, out of respect for the largeness of God, transcend his own particular label and work together in helping the world embrace the presence of the New Jerusalem and the grace of God among us.

Q2. Have you seen God honor this step of working across denominations?

Yes, definitely. At our annual seminar this summer, we had speakers as diverse as an American Baptist to an Episcopal Priest. We could not be more pleased at LPM with the diverse backgrounds of those who have chosen to join with us to build a transdenominational movement that is working to recover humanity's hope.

We are sincere in our desire to join hands with good people regardless of their denominational affiliation. As this message has gotten out, people have come out of the proverbial woodwork to build strategic alliances with LPM, the root ministry of the modern preterist revival movement. Gone is the day that people could say that LPM is only a church of Christ movement.

Q3. You mentioned in your journal that LPM began in 1971 with the publication of Max King's book, The Spirit of Prophecy. I still remember getting my hands on that book for the first time. It literally changed my life. Was it hard on your father to blaze a trail for this movement? Please share some of your early memories and give our readers some insight on the man behind the theology.

I was only twelve at the time Max's book first came out. It is easy now, looking back, to say that this was the founding book of the eschatological revolution that will shape the religious revival of the third millennium; but back then, the way forward was not so clear. The publication of The Spirit of Prophecy was not exactly welcomed with open arms. Some of the criticism was even personal. This affected each one of us profoundly. We lost fellowship with friends, churches and most painfully, flesh and blood relatives. At the time, Max stood alone. Max was Living Presence Ministries. There was no Don Preston, Jack Scott, William Bell, et al. There was just Max, his Bible and his firm convictions.

Few people stop to consider this, but at the age of forty, Max had hit his stride in his church affiliation and was in demand as a speaker (one year he had thirteen offers to fill preaching positions). By all rights he had more to lose than many who are in this movement today -- and he indeed did lose it. But he knew that what he gained was far greater. Like the Apostle Paul, he considered every confidence in the flesh a loss compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Nowadays, as I hear others who presently are crying 'foul' against their detractors, I wonder if they realize how much better off they are that they even have a 'movement' to complain to?! But back then, who could Max tell? He faithfully labored alone.

Q4. As the modern founder of the preterist movement, how did Max's struggles affect you?

Personally, the worst part is that at the age of twelve, all you know about such matters is that your father can't be right because the whole world disagrees with him -- but he also can't be wrong because he's your dad, the pillar of your entire life ... I was torn apart inside. For years I couldn't even study eschatology without getting physically ill. I didn't want to know -- but I had to know. My own journey was slow, arduous and more painful than most could imagine. I'm certainly pleased to have come out the other end with both an enlarged mind and heart.

What I gained from this was that First Corinthians 13 comes before First Corinthians 15. If we fail to understand the prior, we have no business spending time attempting to understand the latter. It is a lesson that I pray others will come to embrace as well.

At the time I never dreamed that someday the alienation we felt from those who differed with us would be replicated by those basically in agreement with us. There are those who for years have read Max's books, subscribed to our journal, attended our seminars -- only to turn around and write books that are almost verbatim from the writings of Max without ever once citing any of them. I am thinking of a newly released book in particular. Max deserves better than this ... Intellectual larceny never honors God, and has no place in His kingdom.

Q5. Many of us who have studied Covenant Eschatology and see the fullness of what God did to restore humanity in Christ have had great hopes that this theology would help bind the church together, but we have seen just the opposite effect. There is much dissension between the different denominational viewpoints which are embracing preterism and that are being brought into this understanding. There have even been some mean-spirited attempts to undermine the message from within the preterist community. Do you think that Covenant Eschatology will ever produce a greater work of true biblical unity?

Great question. First, let me say something on behalf of Living Presence Ministries. In the words of James, "For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle" (James 3:2). We have and will make mistakes in judgment in our writing and speaking? we're just not perfect.

Max wrote The Spirit of Prophecy almost thirty years ago. Even The Cross and Parousia is now some fifteen years old. There are things in both books that he would say differently today. People need to realize this and be a little more forbearing. That being said, we are trying hard to lower the rhetoric and bring all parties together. For the times we have failed in this effort, we apologize. I think the heart of LPM as a ministry is a great one and I am proud to be associated with everyone involved. Together, we steward 30 years of history, which holds great promise for the 21st century church.

Second, I think we really need to reframe this issue of unity on a much broader basis. The issue in my mind is not one of 'unity,' rather, it is one of 'integration.' Let me explain. The entire basis for life is found in the observation of what takes place in a single cell (zygote). If it is healthy, the one cell becomes two, then four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, etc. However, as the cell divides, it also integrates. Eventually, this cell has turned into millions of integrated cells, all of them perfectly working together -- we call this the human body.

It seems to me that Paul saw the body as having many members, yet the body was one integrated body. Biologically, the many members were made up of millions of cells (we'll call these cells 'personal faith convictions'). If this movement is going to succeed, it will take leadership that is willing to say, Let's not get caught up in the issues which formed modern denominationalism. We'll leave that up to God and the personal faith convictions of each person. We can differ(entiate) and at the same time be highly integrated. This is the beauty of life. If God uses this principle to bind his natural creation together, why not his redemptive work? I believe He does, and this is the only way to build a movement that will change the world.

Even in God's natural creation if a cell differentiates yet fails to integrate, you have a pathology; you have a cancer. Paul is clear about what to do with those constituting a cancer in the body. This is where I draw the line as well. The greatest loss is not in disagreeing, it is in refusing to integrate into the overall effort and mission for the growth of the kingdom. Ephesians 4:3 is pretty clear in saying that we are to make "every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." As long as we seek total theological agreement (uniformity), the billions who do not believe never will believe -- the world is watching and we must not take this lightly.

I firmly believe that Covenant Eschatology will bring about a greater sense of unity, but only through the God-given growth, the integration of the highly differentiated body of Christ. That, after all, is the beauty of life.

Q6. Back in the '80s, LPM coined the term "Covenant Eschatology." Please explain this term for our readers. We know that you have felt the term "preterism" now has a limited shelf life.

Covenant Eschatology is about the transition of God's relationship with humanity in and out of sin, and in and out of time. It is the covenant plan born in the mind of God before time began and living in the mind of God beyond time as we know it. All eschatology is tied to God's covenantal working. Once you leave the sphere of the covenant, you have been cut loose from eschatology's theological moorings.

Covenant is to eschatology what gravity is to the earth and humanity. Once you remove it, who knows where you're going to fly off to! I think this is what is happening in the current debate regarding individual versus corporate resurrection. When you step off the path of covenantal transformation, there is no landing place in sight. Covenant is corporate and has many implications for the individual -- but when you reverse this, you are running against the grain of Scripture.

As to the term preterism, it has become simply too loose a term. Any eschatological phrase allowing people to believe that the New Jerusalem is still future is not a term that will cut the mustard in what we are trying to accomplish. We are called to be civilization builders -- not just theologians. The civilizations of tomorrow will build outward from the New Jerusalem at their center. Either the entire paradigm changes or it does not. To have partial this and partial that is not going to build the necessary momentum to bring healing to the nations.

The fact that we have the terms 'partial' versus 'complete' or 'full' preterism proves this point. When the term 'preterist' was first used, there was no such thing as today's "full-preterism." In other words, the term is being stretched from its original meaning and usage. Post A.D. 70, there is no such thing as 'partial' Covenant Eschatology. God's covenantal plan is completely in place. All of it. No exceptions, no confusion. I believe this is a clearer way to approach it.

I have started to use Trans-millennialism as a term that could stand beside 'pre,' 'a,' and 'post' millennialism. Adherents of Trans-millennialism or Covenant Eschatology realize that the millennial reign of Christ has trans-formed the Old Covenant and that they are now in the eternal reign of the God --who is all in all (1 Cor. 15:28), and who is now transforming all things. Perhaps the term Trans-millennialism will catch on because it maintains the word "millennial" as a descriptive term. I think you will see this term used more and more by LPM in our writings and in the national media. I presently am defining this field of applied eschatology as Trans-millennialism in a new book I am co-authoring with Jay Gary, to be entitled, Recovering Humanity's Hope.

Q7. Our ministry has chosen to remain independent from any denominational group in order to produce a newsletter which will cross denominational lines. We have been criticized for this on many occasions. Your ministry basically evolved from the "churches of Christ" movement. Even though LPM is now trans-denominational, some detractors have claimed you still promote "baptismal regeneration." How do you respond?

LPM does not promote any single denominational 'distinctive' over and against another. If any of us has a bad heart, it doesn't matter what the issue is, we will use it to harm the kingdom efforts of each other. This was the tragic story of Absalom, David's son (2 Samuel 15). He used people's complaints to gain a personal following to overthrow the reigning King. The next time your readers come across a writing that slams someone (whether LPM or another ministry), they need only to ask, Is this the spirit of Absalom or the spirit of God? The spirit which is from God always has love for others (1 John 3:10). If it is the spirit of Absalom -- get away as fast as you can; "For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind" (James 3:16); and who wants to be associated with that?

Lord, save us all from ourselves, and sowing discord in the family of God.

Q8. After attending LPM's Annual Seminar in July, we stayed over to attend Parkman Road Church and noted that you are making attempts to have different types of worship to include even unchurched people. Tell us about this ministry.

Since accepting the role of the full-time minister of the church in Warren, I have implemented several changes. First, the message of eschatology is not just found in the Bible, proving its points -- it is found in the application of its truths. In other words, the writing of God moves from head to heart to hand.

As a congregation, we have a community outreach that includes support groups I run for divorce recovery, singles support and grief support. James says that true religion is to watch after the widows and orphans. In other words, true religion is about mending broken relationships. The counseling I offer to the community is free. We want only to bring the sick to the Great Physician.

As a result, our church has begun to offer an informal worship for the unchurched. This service is casual and consists of very practical yet powerful lessons on connecting with God and each other. As we like to say, we aren't much for religion, but we sure love God. Religion divides. God (relationship) unifies. Religion is worried about the externals. Relationship looks only at the inside. Religion has labels that separate. Relationship has but one label -- family.

If we cannot live our eschatology, who cares whether it is right or not? If it does not lead us to a high degree of integration in the midst of massive differentiation, then maybe we have yet to discover the true outcome and intent of Scripture?s fulfillment.

When I read some of the rancor produced on the Internet, I wonder when the last time was that the author sat down with the mother of a murdered child, a widowed spouse; the mother of four abandoned by her husband, a pregnant teen who is single and has been thrown out of her family. You just don't live in the trenches and write with a poison pen.

God always has responded to the humble and resisted the proud. He couldn't care less if someone has memorized Scripture in its entirety and has all the answers yet still 'passes by on the other side of the road' of those in need. When will we learn this? What will it take?

The call of LPM is to those who live in the trenches; the call is to those who want to use the next great theological revolution to bring about a social one of love. The world needs God and the message of His fulfilled redemption. Are we going to take it to them or just stand around arguing among ourselves over who is right and who gets the credit? It is time to move. It is time to lead.