Too close to End Times?

[ZiSunka]

Are we so close to the End Times that we shouldn't worry about the environment, oil or anything else but evangelism?

[Danfrey]

Are we so close to the End Times that we shouldn't worry about the environment, oil or anything else but evangelism?
This is a subject that gets heated around many Mennonites in the Christian camping world. It somehow has become part of the Mennonite identity to save the planet. I think far too much time is spent worrying about the carnal and not enough time spent focusing on the eternal. I believe we need to be good stewards of what we have been given, meaning we shouldn't be hording wealth while the elderly choose between medicine and food.

[MrJim]

Are we so close to the End Times that we shouldn't worry about the environment, oil or anything else but evangelism?

Interesting thought...

[MrJim]

Talking about end times--I was thinking today what with the continuing bad news from middle east & the terrorists--wonder if this really could be the time for Jesus to return...and it prompted an uneasy feeling within me...

[ZiSunka]

Uneasy?

[MrJim]

Uneasy?

Yeah, I've had a sense that time is passing very very quickly. Then with all the new (?) developments in the mideast it just makes me wonder if I am spending my time wisely-if I'm prioritizing wisely-like the original post points toward.

[Andyman_1970]

Are we so close to the End Times that we shouldn't worry about the environment, oil or anything else but evangelism?

From the Hebraic point of view our job is to repair (tikkun olam) is a concept closely tied with repentance (t'shuvah), the idea is when a person repents it in a small way repairs creation back to how God intended it to be.

I think the predominate thought in evangelical circles is (and has been for the last 150 or so years) the world is going to hell in an hand basket and the church is like some life boat where we encourage people to get saved and thus they are in the life boat and one day get to leave as things get worse.

The problem is, this runs counter to both historic Christian orthodox faith (please note the lower case "o") and the understanding the Jewish authors of the NT would have held. The church exists for the world, not to gorge itself with converts, but to serve the world, being Jesus' literal hands and feet to make it as close to how God wants creation to be as we can this side of the Messiah's second coming.

IMO to only focus on evangelism, getting people saved, thus emphasizing the spiritual over the physical needs right here and now is to give in to an influence the church has for years that is Gnostic in origin.

[ZiSunka]

The church exists for the world, not to gorge itself with converts, but to serve the world, being Jesus' literal hands and feet

Amen!

That's one of the reasons I appreciate MCC so much. Their evangelists are engineers and doctors and teachers, farmers and so on, meeting real needs and bring life to the gospel by being Jesus's hands, feet and voice. :)