In a SermonAudio podcast, the pastoral staff of Berean Baptist Church in Fayettville, North Carolina mocked those holding to a pretribulational view of the Rapture.
It was snidely remarked that most American Christians cannot handle the idea of enduring systematic global persecution.
Maybe so.
But unless this church offers survivalist training that includes the use of firearms and improvised explosive devices, aren't these pastors suffering profound cognitive dissonance as to what they profess to be coming?
Even worse, wouldn't they be guilty of an appalling degree of pastoral negligence in failing to prepare those subjected to their spiritual teaching?
Criticisms such as those enunciated by the pastoral staff are also thinly veiled insults that Americans have things too comfortable.
But what about this particular congregation?
For when the armies and operatives of the Anti-Christ besiege the nation, won't this church's sprawling entertainment center with its coffee bar and such make a tempting target?
For this church is so rich that, despite going out of its way to inform the world how much the pastoral staff despises the American flag, there isn't simply a single flagpole on their property but at least five in front of the entrance to this sprawling complex in its SermonAudio profile photo.
Frederick Meekins is an independent theologian and social critic. Frederick holds a BS in Political Science/History, a MA in Apologetics/Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary, and a PhD. in Christian Apologetics from Newburgh Theological Seminary.