WHAT IS FUTURE MISSIONS?
About me
Let me begin by introducing myself. I am a former pastor (25 years) and since 2017, have served with I AM A WATCHMAN, a discipleship and Bible prophecy-themed ministry. I am mainline and centrist in my theology—think Billy Graham. I do not set dates for the return of Christ, nor do I teach about things not profiled in Scripture (such as Planet X, Zetas, aliens, underground reptilian creatures, etc.). I preach readiness, encourage all to understand that almost 1/3 of the Bible is prophetic in nature, help people see that Bible prophecy can be a tremendous witnessing tool, and show how Scripture teaches there will be a Rapture.
Regarding the Rapture, I teach that we should be “watching and waiting,” aware of the signs that precede His coming, and strategically think about how we can support those who will be left behind. Under the FUTURE MISSIONS banner, I feel called to help the church finish well and prompt believers to share in the post-rapture revival Scripture promises will come.
Understanding the FINISHING WELL—FUTURE MISSIONS phrase
For several hundred years, under the banner of missions, the Protestant Church has excelled in addressing local needs (local missions) and bringing the Gospel to distant lands (foreign missions). I believe, ‘in such a time as this,’ there is a need to expand missional thinking to prompt more congregational engagement in the ministry of the local church, and strategic thinking regarding how to address the anticipated needs of future believers—those who will come to faith in the post-rapture world.
Understanding the ‘Great Commission’ directive
The ‘Great Commission’ in Matthew 28:18-20 is familiar to many. Verse 19 reads: “Go ye therefore and make disciples…” Many (if not most) believe our calling to make disciples ends when Jesus calls us home. There seems to be a logic to that assumption, but is it biblical? Are we to have a concern for others on earth after we are in heaven with Christ? Consider the keywords in Matthew 28:19 (“Go ye therefore and make disciples…”).
The phrase in the Greek text is interesting. Though the Greek text has specific tenses for verbs, which indicate if the action is in the past, present, or future, the primary tense in verse 19 is past and present. In The Greek text, the aorist participle “go” (πορευθέντες) indicates having gone before or as you’re going (past and present tense). It seems to indicate the disciples either fulfilled the requirement to “go” as they ministered with Jesus (as profiled in the Gospels) or that they would fulfill the requirement in the years profiled in the Book of Acts. Either way, some say that according to the grammatical structure of the text, the commission to “go” indicates a limited time frame, focus, and commitment.
However, the word “go” is not a stand-alone word. In verse 19, it is connected with (and subordinate to) the word “disciple” (μαθητεύσατε). In the original text, the aorist imperative form of the word “disciple” makes the “go…and make disciples” an absolute command, requiring the phrase to be viewed as a unit. The meaning is: And as you go [live, minister] as I have commanded you, you will make disciples… But there’s more…
Though the keyword “go” has a specific tense (indicating past/present), interestingly, the “imperative” and absolute nature of the dominant phrase, “make disciples,” indicates continuous activity. This is atypical. Generally, the tense of a word ties it to a point in time (past, present, or future), and the word “go” in verse 19 seems to limit the duration of the action. However, the dynamic command element in the complementing phrase, “make disciples,” aorist imperative in Greek grammar, elevates the meaning to transcend thoughts of a timetable or duration and ties the dominant command to the task itself. That is, we are not to strive to make disciples for a season, or even for as long as we live—our task is to strive to make disciples as long as there are people to disciple.
With this precept in mind, let us consider how to support discipleship efforts beyond our season on this earth. Let us be mindful of the lateness of the hour on God’s prophetic clock and think of what we can leave for those who will be left behind. How can we support their journey to come to Christ, grow in Christ, and become the next generation of leaders for Christ?
The Rapture is coming. Great persecution will follow, but a great revival will too. Pray about how God would have you support the incredibly important work of building disciples in the post-rapture world. Need ideas? Review the resources on this website, add your own ideas, and be a part of the greatest revival the world has ever known. The FUTURE MISSIONS field is white unto harvest (John 4:35; Matt. 9:36-38).
Status report for today’s Church
- The church is in decline. The average evangelical church in America has less than 80 members, recorded less than five baptisms last year, is under budget, and is smaller now than it was five years ago. Missions engagement is low, giving is down, and the number of people who share their faith or lead in ministry is declining. Approximately 70 evangelical churches close each week in America. The Church is in crisis.
- A growing number of pastors in America have limited seminary-level training and serve in “solo” or bi-vocational roles. Many would like to teach on Bible prophecy but have not taken classes on the subject. As the subject is vast and potentially divisive, many are unsure of how or where to start.
- A rapture of the Church is coming, but most pastors do not preach or teach on this subject. Most congregants are unaware of the lateness of the hour on God’s prophetic clock and are ill-equipped to share or witness intelligently on the subject.
- Though many churches excel in supporting foreign missions, there is little thought regarding the need and opportunity to support FUTURE MISSIONS—those who will be left behind when the Rapture occurs.
- Scripture indicates there will be a great revival during the Tribulation (supported by the two witnesses, the Gospel Angel, and the sealed 144,000). Revelation 7 notes that the number of those “coming out of the Tribulation” (likely a reference to those who come to faith after the Rapture and die as martyrs for Christ) was such that “no one could number” (Rev. 7:14). Revelation 9:16 numbers the troops that march from the east at 200,000,000. If the number of troops is countable, but the number of some (not all) who come to faith during the Tribulation is not, then what is coming will be the greatest season of revival the world has ever known. I want to be a part of supporting that revival. The FUTURE MISSIONS initiative is a way for you to do that.
The FINISH WELL-FUTURE MISSIONS initiative is designed to spark renewal and revival in today’s church by expanding missional thinking. In support of this goal, I ask you to join me in praying for three things:
Pray that these resources will encourage and equip Christians today to engage in Christian service: All believers receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:28) and at least one spiritual gift from the Spirit (1 Peter 4:10). Believers are to draw on the power and attributes of the Spirit (Acts 1:8; Gal 5:22-23) and utilize their gifting from the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7-10; Eph. 4:11; Rom. 12:6-8) to serve, witness, and actively engage in supporting the ministry of the local church. FUTURE MISSIONS Resources will equip believers to witness, defend the faith, and lead small group studies. Discipleship, apologetics, and student and leader workbooks are available.
Pray that these resources will aid and prompt pastors to teach and preach on Bible prophecy: Most churches in America do not teach (or minimally share information) on the Rapture, Bible prophecy, or eschatology. I have prepared a Pastor’s Kit resource to encourage and equip ministry leaders to teach on these important subjects. The resource is profiled at PastorsKit.com
The Pastor’s Kit resource is a 32 Gig Flash Drive uploaded with 27 Gigs of information designed to encourage and equip ministry leaders to teach with boldness on the topics of eschatology and Bible prophecy. The Kit includes research documents, graphs, PowerPoint files, teaching outlines, coaching audio files, and teaching video samples.
And pray that many will engage in strategic thinking regarding how to leave resources for those who will be left behind. Consider: In the post-rapture world, today’s church will be gone, Bible colleges and seminaries will close, and Christian books, gatherings, broadcasts, and online sites will be banned. There will be profound miscommunication, lies, confusion, and persecution. How will those left behind come to faith in Christ? How will they grow in Christ? How will some become the next generation of ministry leaders for Christ? What will you leave behind to help these tribulation-era saints? A few ideas to help you reach into the post-rapture world follow:
- Use the information on this site to learn about Bible prophecy and use that knowledge to tell unsaved people about the coming Rapture. Tell them what is coming—share what will happen during the Tribulation and tell them what they need to do if they are left behind (the two resources can be helpful in this work).
- Consider preparing and nicely storing resources in a clearly marked box/container marked, “Open this box if millions are missing” or, “For those left behind.” Include information on how individuals can utilize your resources (home, vehicles, camping gear, food, money, etc.) to help them survive in the post-rapture world. Remember to include spiritual information, such as the resources below.
- The Rapture Kit Flash Drive: This 32Gig Flash Drive (PC and Mac compatible) comes in a nice foam case and is preloaded with 26+ Gigs of content that those living in the post-rapture world will find helpful. Contents include coaching video files, information on what happened (the Rapture), key doctrines, an overview of what Bible prophecy notes is coming, and suggestions regarding the best next steps. These Drives are customizable, allowing the giver to upload personalized content (text, photos, videos, etc.). Click HERE for additional information on the Rapture Kit resource. Click HERE to order your KITS today.
- A Handbook for those Left Behind. This 212-page book provides practical, spiritual, and inspirational information for those left behind. The material is designed to help people grow in Christ and be aware of (and prepared for) what they will face during the Tribulation as new leaders for Christ. https://online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/part-7–a-handbook-for-those-left-behind-1ytgjo2tb3. Click HERE to order physical copies of the book.