Our student ministry originally planned to go to Alpine Christian camp this summer. We held a bagel fundraiser in May and the church gave generously. Then sadly almost every student backed out due to other commitments like summer school.

Our youth director Andrew and I scrambled to come up with a “Plan B” and settled on taking a smaller group to an Airbnb in Crestline for three days and two nights. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise and we had a great time the past few days building relationships, having lots of fun, and studying God’s Word together.

I just wanted to thank everyone for their prayers, generosity, and flexibility, plus to brag on the students for doing a great job this weekend listening during chapel times, pitching in during meal cleanup, and showing kindness and respect toward one another.

Regular camp is still special but I think this will be a good memory for the students and who knows, we might just have to do something like this again sometime in the future!

Thank you for your prayers this week for our Vacation Bible School. Last night we capped things off with over 100 attending our Family Fun Night and Closing Ceremony.

I think this was one of the better years of VBS I have experienced and we give God all the glory. We had a great turnout of children, met several new families, and saw a lot of spiritual interest.

It was fun to watch our team of more than 30 volunteers serve in different ways and use their spiritual gifts. It was like watching a Ferrari driving at top speed, firing on all cylinders, a thing of beauty doing what it was built to do.

My kids grew up attending VBS and it brings me joy to see them now giving back to others, sharing the love of Jesus with the next generation. Thank you Calvary Church for being used by God this week! May he continue to bear fruit from the seeds that were planted!

Before I put this book back on my shelf, I thought I’d share a timeline for anyone interested in knowing how the rapture, tribulation, and return of Christ all fit together.

One of my go-to resources when preaching on biblical prophecy is Understanding End Times Prophecy by Paul Benware. We used the book in seminary, and I always appreciate his clear and fair treatment of the issues. I know dispensationalists get teased for their complicated graphs and charts. But there’s nothing to be ashamed of for using a visual aid now and then to help visualize and harmonize complicated passages of scripture.

If you don’t believe in the rapture or a literal seven year tribulation, you still have to grapple with what the Bible means by the many passages of scriptures that seem to teach these things.

So much of this is hermeneutics — your method of interpretation — and whether to take these prophecies literal or figurative. I prefer to err on the side of being literal with biblical prophecy (rebuilt temple, antichrist, seven year tribulation, thousand year reign, etc), though obviously we know there is figurative language in the Bible and we have to account for that.

This morning I preached on the antichrist and his eventual demise at the arrival of King Jesus.

It’s been fascinating to study 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and see how they fit into other sections of biblical prophecy like the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation.

I’m firmly convinced that Jesus’ return will be pre-millennial, and that before he can return, a terrible seven-year period of time of tribulation will come across the world, including the ascent of an evil antichrist.

Will Christians be here during that time and be forced to endure the tribulation? I believe the answer is no. I think we will be raptured and taken away prior to the arrival of antichrist. That’s why Paul listed himself among those who will be “alive and remain and caught up together in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17) and why “he who now restrains the man of lawlessness will do so until he is out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7).

I wish the Bible was clearer on the doctrine of the pre-tribulational rapture, but I do believe it’s there, both explicitly and implicitly, and that it gives us hope as believers that the very next event on the eschatological calendar is God whisking away believers just before the start of the tribulation.

The lesson is clear. Be alert! Be ready! Make peace with God now — before it’s too late. God is so gracious and patient. But at some point, it will be judgment day.

Happy Reformation Day! I wonder, in what areas does the modern church still need reforming? What dangers and blind spots do we face? A few that come to mind…

• Lack of reverence for the Lord’s Day
• Self-centered theology in our songs
• Pragmatism in our church growth
• Mysticism that supplants the Word of God
• Ignoring biblical male/female roles
• Prayerlessness
• Earthly mindedness
• Politicizing the pulpit
• Underemphasizing the Second Coming of Christ

The Reformers used an expression, “semper reformanda,” meaning “always reforming.” We always have room for growth. As Jesus said to the church in Sardis, “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God” (Revelation 3:2).

Which of these do you think is a major problem? What would you add to the list?