Dear RENEW.org friends,
A recent study by Pew Research found that about four in ten U.S. adults believe humanity is “living in the end times.”[1] Their research found that Christians in America “are divided on this question, with 47% saying we are living in the end times, including majorities in the historically Black (76%) and evangelical (63%) Protestant traditions.” Those percentages tell us that a lot of Americans, especially Black and evangelical Christians, not only believe in the reality of end times, but that we are living in those times.
How about you? What do you believe?
We at RENEW.org want to help you by providing guidance in what Scripture teaches about the end times.
We have launched a new season in one of our podcasts focused on this topic, and we just released a new free eBook on end times. But before we tell you more about these resources, we want to remind our readers that in Scripture there are clear and essential elements (“first bucket” issues) and other elements that are secondary (“second bucket”) or even peripheral (“third bucket”). This is why we made the decision that our podcast and eBook would focus first on that which is clear and essential (“first bucket”), but then, especially in our podcast, over time we will delve into the more disputable topics, in a way that shows respect for the differences that exist among godly, competent Bible students and scholars within the RENEW.org Network.
From these resources, you will gain clarity on the essentials and an in-depth exposure on some of the secondary and third-level teachings.
What the Bible says about End Times (Podcast)
Anthony Walker, a personal friend and minister/pastor, joins with me in a podcast called Scripture in Black and White. The title of the podcast has a couple meanings. First, we are two ministers, one of us black, the other white. Secondly, we talk about how many of the teachings of Scripture are more black-and-white than the average person realizes. We often spend 45 minutes each week diving deeply into what Scripture says. Here are five of the early topics we will discuss during our weeks discussing end times: the Second Coming, the Resurrection of the Dead, the Final Judgement, Hell, and the New Heaven and New Earth.
You can find these podcast episodes in the following places:
For the Audio, click HERE (Podbean link).
For the Video, click HERE (YouTube link).
What the Bible says about End Times (Free eBook)
I cannot adequately explain in an email how sober-minded I became in the last month as I reviewed the scriptures to prepare for and create these podcasts and the eBook on end times. (The eBook goes with the podcast series and/or can be studied independently.) I will summarize my mindset by simply saying this: we must earnestly attend to these doctrines in order to honor God’s holiness and prepare for eternity. We must disciple the minds of the people in our churches on the Bible’s essential teachings, for the eternity of countless people depends on it.
Check out the eBook HERE.
The following is a video describing the eBook.
I hope you find these resources helpful as you disciple people into the essentials of the Christian faith.
For the King and His Kingdom,
Bobby Harrington
[1] Jeff Diamant, “About four-in-ten U.S. adults believe humanity is ‘living in the end times,’” Pew Research Center, December 8, 2022, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/12/08/about-four-in-ten-u-s-adults-believe-humanity-is-living-in-the-end-times/.
