Pastors don't link world events to speeding up return of Christ
The Doctrine of Eschatology is falling on hard times in this age of the church. Mention the Study of Last Things or Bible Prophecy today and most evangelical pastors will look at you with either a blank stare (because they haven't a clue what you are talking about) or they will think to themselves, "this guy is a kook."Some of this, unfortunately, is well-earned. Rather than look to the Bible and read what the Bible says about prophecy many Christians let the world define what prophecy is and is not, and, too often, the world highlights genuine false prophets like Harold Camping or Edgar Whisenant. Add to this the reality that there are pastors and churches who have made the study of prophecy their entire focus, disregarding nearly everything else the Bible has to say, and you can see how quickly the church can become unbalanced.Where do you fall when it comes to teaching eschatology? Do you avoid the topic altogether or do you spend weeks and months preaching on the meaning of the first seal from Revelation?I like how Millard Erickson presents a balanced view of eschatology:
Somewhere between the two extremes of preoccupation with and avoidance of eschatology, we must take our stance. For eschatology is neither an unimportant and optional topic nor the sole subject of significance and interest to the Christian. We will find an appropriate mediating position if we keep in mind the true purpose of eschatology. At times eschatology has become a topic of debate, resulting in accusations and acrimony among Christians. This is not the purpose for which God revealed eschatological truths. Paul indicates in 1 Thessalonians 4 his reason for writing about the second coming. Some believers whose loved ones had died were experiencing a grief that was, at least to a degree, unhealthy and unnecessary. Paul did not want them to sorrow like unbelievers, who have no hope for their departed loved ones (v. 13). After describing the second coming and assuring his readers of its certainty, he counsels, “Therefore encourage each other with these words” (v. 18). It is sometimes easy to forget that the eschatological truths in God’s Word, like the rest of his revelation, are intended to comfort and assure us. [Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology., 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1998), 1159–1160.]
For a current view on how pastors view the return of Christ, LifeWay recently conducted a survey on the topic. Here are some of the findings:
- Pastors are three times more likely to believe Christians can speed up the return of Christ by the spread of their faith than by backing certain geopolitical changes, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.
- Around 1 in 8 Protestant pastors (12 percent) believe Christians can speed up the second coming of Jesus by supporting geo-political changes mentioned in the Bible, with 5 percent strongly agreeing.
- Four in 5 pastors (80 percent) don't believe their support will have an impact on the timetable of Christ's return, including 61 percent who strongly disagree.
- During heighted conflicts with Syria, a 2013 LifeWay Research study found many Americans were likely to link global conflict with end times.
- Almost 1 in 3 saw the conflict as part of the Bible's plan for the end times. One in 4 thought a U.S. military strike in Syria could lead to Armageddon. And 1 in 5 believed the world would end in their lifetime, including 32 percent of evangelicals.
- White pastors (11 percent) are less likely to believe backing geo-political events will hasten Jesus' second coming than African American pastors (20 percent) or pastors of other ethnicities (22 percent).
- Pastors 65 and older (16 percent) are more likely to agree than those 18 to 44 (9 percent).
- Close to 2 in 5 (41 percent) believe Christians can hasten Jesus' second coming through world evangelism, while around half (54 percent) disagree.
- Denominationally, Pentecostal pastors (66 percent) are the most likely to agree Christians can speed up Jesus' return by sharing the Gospel with all people groups.
- Those with no college degree (56 percent) are more likely to agree than those with a degree.
- Whenever the second coming of Christ may be, most Protestant pastors believe immorality will be more common until Jesus returns.
- Almost 7 in 10 (68 percent) agree "culture will increasingly get less moral until Jesus Christ returns." Around a quarter (26 percent) disagree.