Monday, November 10, 2008

The Next Great Disappointment

In one or two Adventist churches in South Florida people are making plans to leave for their countries of origin or moving to remote wilderness locations in preparation for what they feel is the arrival of the Time of Trouble. All these folks can't be mistaken or can they?

If, for whatever reason, the Time of Trouble fails to arrive along with its related event, the End of Time, what will become of all these folks? Will they realize that they were over eager or will they be sorely disappointed? Will many leave the Adventist church if these two related events fail to materialize in the near future? Their number seems to be growing more and more with each passing day.

Is this the beginning of a major fanatical phase within mainstream Adventism? Or is it the beginning of a branching off of some of these folks into an alternate Adventist church? Or will this subside in time?

If what all these folks expect to happen does not happen what will be effect on Adventism in this country and in other countries?

Has this happened before around the time of the Great Depression or is this a unique phenomenon?

In my local church --as well as in other Adventist churches all across America--several members have sold or are selling personal belongings, donated one of two family cars, or cleaned out their life's savings and turned it all over to their church for the advancement of the gospel.

This just might be the real thing we are witnessing, just like it was the real thing in the apostolic church when similar things started happening.

If it is not, may God have mercy on all of us.

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