Some people want to find a church which not only teaches eschatology, but their particular brand as well. For example, we premillennialists want to find a premil church which teaches the rapture view we subscribe to.
The church I attend is Parkside in Cleveland Ohio. Its head pastor is Alistair Begg. Eschatology isn't a focus. In fact I think it's deliberately avoided. I get the feeling Begg understands how divisive and a distraction prophecy can be. Parkside has a Christological, Trinitarian gospel-commission focus in the tradition of the Puritans. And this is what I need. I can do the prophecy thing in my own time.
I love prophecy - it's a passion. It is important! But here's the thing; while prophecy may account for 25% (or whatever) of Scripture, let's not give it the larger part of our focus. I'm afraid this may be too often the case with those of us who love to study it.
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I'm aware that Dr. Alan Kurschner of Eschatos Ministries took issue with the above. A response is forthcoming...when I eventually get around to it.
Epic addendum: According to Eschatos Ministries- Those Who Avoid Biblical Prophecy Do Not Love God Rightly.
My original post was a result of introspection about how I spend my time. Secondly, how my online pretrib prophecy friends spend their time. Thirdly, I wanted to say something about recent comments from (pretrib) conference speakers bemoaning churches which don't get into prophecy. Finally, I've seen comments from people looking to find churches which teach their particular view of prophecy. Some even aspire to convert their churches to their brand!
The downgrading of biblical prophecy will continue as we approach the arrival of the Antichrist. This includes the false dichotomy between the gospel and eschatology, as if they can be compartmentalized. ~ Alan Kurschner.
Read carefully - for me it wasn't about avoiding prophecy; it was a matter of proportion. A thing may be important but wrong in too large measure. This should include all areas of our lives. The people I referred to aren't "downgrading biblical prophecy." Unless one intends that this downgrading involves taking the wrong rapture position.
Let's also not link the gospel with any particular view of eschatology in order to justify the latter. The gospel may be linked to eschatology within the bounds of the amil-postmil positions (Personal Eschatology and Cosmic); though they think it occurs within a different context. The love of Christ's appearing (and glorifyng God) may undergird everything we do. But everything we do ought not to be centered on prophecy.
How much more prophecy do people need? Prophetic resources are almost limitless. What happens if your church teaches a position you disagree with? Do you jump ship? There's far more to church than prophecy. Until the Lord returns there will always be differences, imbalances and protective stances on eschatology.
Parkside Church pastors (predominantly amil?) clearly realize that membership comprises of people of varying eschatological positions. When Alistair Begg ventures into Daniel or Revelation, I've appreciated his admission that there are differing views. He encourages people to study for themselves. Begg understands that there are historical and futuristic aspects to Daniel and doesn't impose himself onto the latter. He, like Spurgeon, finds lessons for the church in Daniel's living conditions in a godless culture. What is being avoided at Parkside (wisely I think) is a focus on prophetic (end times) matters.
Yet by "biblical prophecy" I infer that Dr. Kurschner means his brand. He has a vested interest in prophecy. Eschatos Ministries is set up to promote the premillennial prewrath rapture system. He aims to convert others. A considerable - even major - part of this involves polemics against pretribulationism. I'm taking the opportunity to address this.
Practically every proponent I've met believes pretribulationists are unprepared for Antichrist. Rosenthal called pretribulationism a satanically inspired deception. One Eschatos article invokes Corrie ten Boom and miraculous interventions. Kurschner applies the lesson to the Great Tribulation. He writes that the faithful can rely on God's providence. However he draws a contrast:
...I believe it will be the faithful who will be blessed by such miraculous deeds of God. Those believers who have been taught all their life that they will be raptured before this awful time, will be the very ones who will be fretting over their faith. At a time when they should be edifying the church, they will be confused and vulnerable to Antichrist’s schemes.Another person has stated that pastors who aren't preparing their flocks for potentially facing the Antichrist are failing in their roles as shepherds. How does one prepare, exactly - by changing rapture positions? What myopic self-elevating statements! While one can always find a bad example to use as a stick (I've seen them too), most sober pretribbers understand we're not spared tribulation.
Logically, then, if pastors such as James White, Mike Reeves, Sinclair Ferguson, Ian Hamilton, Paul Washer, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon etc avoid "biblical prophecy" or don't warn about the Antichrist, they also don't love God rightly and are failing in their roles as pastors - right? I wonder what their responses might be.
If you want to prep people for Antichrist, teach them to love Christ more than their lives. That's what I get from Parkside Church and the folk mentioned above. The Puritans may not have taught "biblical prophecy" but they loved Christ over all other things and taught others to do so. According to John Murray:
If we prize our life (that is our natural life) more than Christ’s honor and will compromise his truth and glory rather than part with life, then we are not Christ’s. ~ O Death, Where is Thy Sting? (p 181)These people do far more for preparedness than anything I've read in contemporary pious warnings of an incoming Antichrist.
See also Paul Henebury's Some Mud that Sticks...
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