Premillennialism is not a fundamental doctrine of evangelical faith. For example, the Bible certainly does not set it forth in the same unequivocal terms or give it the same central position that the deity of Christ, the vicarious atonement, or the second coming have. Yet to many evangelicals, premillennialism is not merely what the Bible teaches on some minor point. It has a special significance of its own among the "loci" of Christian faith. This view has increased immensely during the last century -- especially on the North American scene and on the mission fields strongly influenced by North American missionaries. - Foreword.