A Bible Based Church Without Prophecy?

I have a question about a church I am attending. It is a wonderful, Bible-based church, and after quite a search, I have settled down into it. What is holding me back from membership is that I noticed the Pastor never mentions the Rapture or end-time prophecy.

Q. I have a question about a church I am attending. It is a wonderful, Bible-based church, and after quite a search, I have settled down into it. What is holding me back from membership is that I noticed the Pastor never mentions the Rapture or end-time prophecy. He does say general statements such as “When the Lord returns,” but that is about it.

I decided to test the waters a bit and asked him (in a group setting) what he thought our glorified bodies would be like at the Rapture. He began by saying, “Well, that assumes you are a pre-Millennialist.” My impression is that he doesn’t accept the Rapture.

I have searched high and low for a good, Bible-based church with loving people and I believe I have found it. I also believe in the Rapture. Would you let this one difference stand in the way of church membership? Your thoughts would be so appreciated.

A. You didn’t what kind of church this is so I don’t know what your pastor was taught about the End Times in seminary, if anything. Most seminaries don’t focus on prophecy, and some don’t even mention it. They want their pastors, and the congregations they lead, to be focused on the things they can do for the church here, not on what’s coming next.

As long as your pastor is born again and what he does teach is based in a literal understanding of Scripture, then I wouldn’t worry. You can always supplement his teaching by studying prophecy on your own or in a small group. But if he’s not born again, or if he subscribes to an allegorical view of prophecy and won’t allow views that differ from his, then you have a problem.