Several of years ago our church family lost a precious sister named Jesse Clark. Jesse and her husband Earl were pastors in the Foursquare Church for many years. Jesse shared with Kathie and me many stories from her and Earl’s early years in ministry. Once while telling us one of these stories, Jesse said something almost in passing that stood out in my mind and I shall never forget. As she was describing what it was like for her and Earl to be in Bible college during the 1930’s, she said:
“Earl and I, and the rest of the students, were sure we wouldn’t graduate from Bible College before the Rapture.”
Like many other Christians during that time, world events loomed, making them certain the Lord would return at any moment. A brief look at Church history will find this sense of the imminence of Christ’s return was in much of the Evangelical Church for most of the 19th and 20th centuries. The urgency they felt produced some of the most impactful efforts for the Gospel. After all, in their minds Jesus was coming any moment and many people had still not heard of His love for them.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that splinters within sectors of the Evangelical Church, which had historically believed in the soon coming of Jesus Christ and the Rapture, began questioning the idea and teaching, even making fun of the notion. One famous teacher who had a profound effect in this movement went on record saying:
“We’ll never impress people with the God of the ‘sweet by and by.’ We’re called to teach people about the God of the ‘here and now.’”
What distilled from that approach, in my humble opinion, has been tragic. Many Pastors have vowed to never teach on biblical prophecy. As a result, Christians have little or no understanding of end-time events, nor what the Bible has to say about them. Many are caught up with the good things of this life, neglecting genuine Christian fellowship, and not really longing for Christ’s return.
However, there are many Christians in the world who are experiencing suffering and persecutions, who’s walk with Jesus is vital and deep. They have a more intense longing for His return and they know this world is not their home. They are looking forward to His appearing. Me too! How about you?
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