If the world is ending, why bother with missions?

This week, Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford are joined in the ABWE studio by Benjamin Vrbicek, lead teaching pastor of Community Evangelical Free Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and author of The Restoration of All Things (Baker Books). For most Christians, the doctrine of last things produces anxiety, charts, and headline-watching rather than comfort. Benjamin came to the subject the hard way, studying every major view of Christ’s return for his own ordination, and came out the other side convinced that the biggest truth in Scripture ought to be the brightest one.

Together they trace what that hope does to the missionary task. If history is moving toward a designed conclusion rather than circling endlessly, then the work we leave unfinished is not brass polished on a sinking ship but the beginning of something Christ will complete. They talk through why the classic rapture passage lands on “therefore encourage one another,” how the promise of final justice gives wronged and weary believers room to forgive, and how to live ready for Christ to return today while still planning to disciple the nations for generations.

• Why studying every major view of Christ’s return for his ordination made the biggest truth the brightest truth
• How a designed end to history, rather than an endless cycle, reframes the missionary task
• Why 1 Thessalonians 4, the classic rapture passage, lands on “therefore encourage one another”
• How the promise of final justice helps suffering believers and abandoned missionaries forgive and endure
• Holding imminence and long-term faithfulness together: living ready while planning to disciple the nations for generations
• How to pastor people away from newspaper eschatology toward the blessed hope of Christ’s presence and the resurrection of the body

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