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 have searched high and low for a good, Bible-based church with loving people and I believe I have found it. I also would like to hear teaching on end times prophecy. What should I do?
You didn’t say 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 in the here and now, rather than be concerned about 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.
By the way, the best response I ever heard from a pastor who was asked about the qualifications for church membership was this: “You can’t join the church. You have to be born into it.” Amen.