Description
Over the past several years prepping, along with all its corollary offshoots, has grown into a multi-billion dollar conglomerate of industries. There has been an enormous increase of interest within the general population in matters having to do with apocalyptic and cataclysmic events related to “last days” scenarios. Hollywood is rife with catastrophe-themed offerings overwhelmingly embraced at the box office. Within the Christian community particularly, there has been a resurgence of interest in prophecy and writings having to do with the last days. The end time series, Left Behind—a series of 16 bestselling books and four films—has sold millions of copies and utterly sold out at the box office, all of which attests to the incredible interest in apocalyptic events.
Although a significant number of Christians believe in a last days pre-tribulation rapture—a dubious theory lacking biblical support and originating from one woman’s vision in the 19th century—there still remains palpable interest within the Christian community in preparing for potentially difficult times in the near future. Although the word “rapture” doesn’t appear a single time in the Bible, some form of the word “prepare” occurs at least 46 times in the New Testament alone. Additionally, the word “ready” is used numerous times in the N.T. in the context of the Lord’s second coming. In anticipation of the Lord’s first coming, a significant ministry—John the Baptist—was launched with the specific purpose to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Probably one of the greatest biblical examples of preparing for difficult times is the Old Testament story of Joseph in Egypt.
All of the biblical focus on preparation notwithstanding, there remains a great deal of reticence and false guilt among much of the Christian community regarding the concept of “prepping.” This book is an effort to realistically examine prepping from a truly Christian perspective. It sorts through many aspects of the subject seeing it through an analytical prism that reflects the biblical, theological and historical understandings of prepping. In doing so both spiritual and temporal prepping are thoroughly examined. The volatile concept of “hoarding” is addressed with harmful myths being shattered. The whole idea of self-protection including the place of firearms in the Christian’s life is deeply reviewed. The place and necessity of community life is researched as well.
The goal of this work is to help believers come to a faithful and biblical understanding and response to the realities being confronted in these last days as they anticipate Christ’s second coming. Is realistic preparation a faithful or even a mandated response given the multiple challenges and potential dangers facing our world today?
