I know I didn’t make a big point of this, but it’s worthwhile to say. The church I go to — belongs to the “Southern Baptist Convention” and yes, I go there, but I don’t consider myself to be anything other than just a Christian who believes what the Bible says, in being the very word of God, Himself.
The way I look at it, that doesn’t make me a “Southern Baptist” just because I go there (although I don’t have a big problem with them).
AND ... the “naming conventions” ... like dispensational or pre-millennial or pre-tribulational are just that - “naming conventions” and not something to adhere to directly - in and of themselves. They’re merely a “shorthand designation” for what the Bible says.
It’s a way of categorizing things and labeling them so you don’t have to read out loud a whole series of Scriptures to then say — “that’s what I believe”. If you do that - you might as well read the whole Bible out loud - FIRST - and then say - “That’s what I believe and what I am.” ... :-). However, that would take several months to read out loud, and most people would not stick around to find out ... LOL ... so ... you just use these “short-hand desginations” for conversational purposes.
SO ... these are just “naming conventions” [the “dispensational” designation, the “pre-millennial” designation and the “pre-tribulational” designation]. They are not - in and of themselves - something to be “adhered” to. They are “explanations” in short-hand form of what an entire study of that subject area in the Bible, from many scripture passages - would say on its own - directly from the Bible.
At one time, it was sufficient to say, simply, “I am a Christian.” But, then it progressively became more complicated, as others started to ignore what the Bible said about various subjects it addresses - and people still called themselves “Christian” - when they were actually departing from the faith - and not really “upholding” it.
SO ... it began to be said that “I am a Christian” - with a proviso added - whatever was needed for that day and age to distinguish from the false teachers and the false Christians.
At this point in time - for “this day and age” - if one adds the provisos of - “dispensational” (which usually covers pre-mil and pre-trib), plus a reference to the “Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy” - then they can “cover all their bases” and be clear on the true Christian message - which comes from the Bible.
Thus there’s several things here. One is that you’re not a Christian based on any church you go to. It has nothing to do with any church you go to. No church membership counts for ANYTHING in being a Christian. Thus, that’s one reason why I don’t emphasize church membership - unless someone really wants to know - then I tell them.
Then it has to do with “identifying oneself” in what a Christian really is - having to do with the Gospel according to the Scriptures - in which the Scriptures are the only basis and authority for the Christian (that’s the “Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy” designation) and then it has to do with clearing up the position of what the Bible teaches - by specifying the “short-hand notation or “designation” of categories - called “pre-millennial”, “pre-tribulational” and “dispensational”.
Thus, none of this supplants or replaces the Bible but is simply a “short-hand notation” to let people know what the Bible says - without reading it out loud to them for several months, continuously ... :-)
And, just which church is that? I know of one that makes a big deal out of claiming to be the "only true and living church on the face of the earth"....and it darn sure isn't!