Preaching the Rapture: Nine Sermons on the Pre-Tribulational Return of Christ for His Church

With the exception of a few ultra-conservative churches, a handful of websites, and some modestly populated Facebook communities, the "Pre-Trib, "Pre-Mill" view of eschatology has become a peculiar theological pillar on the vast evangelical landscape. While many pastors, especially those over forty, still believe in this brand of theology, very few preach about it. It has almost become an embarrassment for some. In some cases, this is for good reason. Pre-Millennialism has often been presented in the Christian and secular media as a caricature. Slick-haired and gaudily-bejeweled televangelists dominate the airwaves, referring to their nine-foot long prophecy charts and speculating about who the antichrist is. Making even the most mundane and trivial event a major episode in the prophetic countdown, these self-proclaimed prophets identify dates for Christ's return, and virtually set their watches by their overly-detailed timelines. But if the Bible does teach the Pre-Tribulational, Pre-Millennial return of Christ, we must preach it. If Dispensational theology is Biblical, then it matters, and if it matters, we must teach it. That is why I wrote this series of sermons on the Rapture of the church. Using these sermons as a template, you can build on them and really develop a platform from which to teach your congregation the vital truths of end-times prophesy. I believe that you will find these messages thorough, relevant, and interesting; your people will, too. So as we look for that "blessed hope" in Christ's return, Biblical teaching on the imminent return of our Savior will move our people toward a holier life, and amplify their aware of and concern for the state of those without Christ. Teaching on this exciting future event will actually make a positive impact in the here-and-now.