Pastor Keith Wardlow is on the stage in front of his Tuesday evening Bible study group. The Pastor is agitated. He paces back and forth working to gather his words. He's holding a book in his hand, and it's not the Good Book. Pastor Keith is a lanky, fifty-four-year-old, white Mid-Westerner. His face is wrinkling and showing his years. He wears Levis and cowboy boots. His plaid flannel shirt is untucked. He dresses this way even for Sunday service.
The people of Burwell, Nebraska, are regular working folk. So is their pastor. The most striking thing about Pastor Keith is his Jesus' hair, as some people call it. He knows his long hair, once dark brown, now almost pure white, might be offensive to some, so he wears it in a ponytail. Pastor Keith grew up in this town with these people. He has been a man of God since he was a teenager.
"It's come to my attention several members of our church have been reading this book." He holds up the book Straight Up: Ten Ways for Christians to Prepare for the Rapture. Pastor Keith wants to say, "How can you people be reading such crap?" but he bites his tongue. Several of the Bible study group of thirty souls nod their heads in confirmation. Pastor Keith shakes the book at his congregates. "Some of my lambs have strayed. God spoke to my heart. He said, Gather the stray lambs of your flock. They are in danger! A-men!"
He looks at the cover of the book. "I know books like these are written by well-intended Christians. A famous pastor, out in California, wrote this one. But I tell you. The Devil got hold of that man's mind. People let me ask you. Do you know what's wrong with this book?"
There are murmurs among the congregation until an older woman named Beatrice shouts, "Tell us, Pastor."
"Bless you, Bea. Books like this cause people to be nervous and afraid." Keith studies the book, turning it over in his hands. "Not to mention, it's an actual printed book! With the book tax, these things cost a fortune. But I'm not here to mind your pocket. No, ma'am!"
He holds the book over his head. "The problem with books like this: they ask you to focus on things we can't know and cannot control. What good comes from studying signs, warning of the end times, or predicting when the Rapture will occur? Will knowing such a thing help you prepare? Will it help you live your life better? I say no!"
Pastor Keith points to the crowd. "And Frank Brown, if you spent more time taking care of your wife instead of building that submarine. I can't imagine what got into you, thinking the Earth will flood and a submarine will save you in the middle of Nebraska." The study group laughs. Frank sits in his pew, arms folded, wearing a tight, grim face.
It was quite an event when the TV show, Doomsday Daredevils, came to film Frank and his submarine. The show's host seemed serious during the filming, but when the episode aired, Frank appeared ridiculous and crazy.
Pastor Keith continues, picking up his Bible. "Frank, if you just read the good book instead of reading books like this rapture nonsense, you'd know God promised there will be no other floods."
"I didn't buy any stupid rapture book, Keith." Frank looks to his wife, Debbie. "God spoke to me, just like he does in the Bible. Laugh if you like. I never said the Earth will flood. I didn't question God, and I don't have to sit here and take your crap." He stands and holds his hand out to his wife. "Come on, Debbie doll. We're leaving," he says. Debbie stands, stepping sideways between the pews to the aisle. Frank and Debbie walk out of the small church. A copy of the rapture book is on the pew where Debbie sat.
Pastor Keith waits for Frank and Debbie to leave before continuing. "Frank and Debbie are our friends. Most of us have known them our whole lives. I'll have to apologize to Frank, and I will do that. Wandering from the word causes trouble and confusion. We must focus on the word."
Keith gauges his flock. Are they upset about the episode with Frank? He doesn't sense any tension, so he continues. "Well, just so happens, tonight is Bible study. We're here to learn and study the word."
Keith sits on the edge of the stage, looking through his notes. "The Book of Revelation tells us mankind will go through a terrible time of tribulation. Who wouldn't want to avoid this time of death and misery if you can escape it? The idea of a pre-tribulation rapture, however, is not biblical. The rapture concept was created and promoted in the early nineteenth century and is a myth. This lie was repeated, written about, and promoted to the point most Christians don't question where the idea came from, or if it's biblical. The word rapture isn't in the Bible. It's a made-up word; a bad translation."
Keith now has their attention. "Books like this scare good Christians, like y'all here, into believing you aren't good enough, or righteous enough, to be saved. They say you need to be more than a good Christian to be saved. This is false teaching by false prophets, as Jesus warned."
The old woman, Beatrice asks, "If there is no rapture, when will we be taken up to be with Jesus?"
"Yes, when?" asks another voice in the crowd.
Pastor Keith sets his notes beside him on the stage and stands. "Concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. That is Matthew 24, verse 36."
Pastor Keith watches the congregation's reaction. He doesn't want them to lose hope.
"We must wait until the end of tribulation. We must wait for the second coming of Christ, and that does not happen until after great tribulations. So, when will Jesus take us up with him? In John 6, verse 40, Jesus tells us. And this is the will of him who sent me… that everyone who sees the Son and believes on him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. So, we must all be patient in our faith until that last day, when Christ returns."
Pastor Keith walks to his pulpit and again picks up the rapture book. "So, you don't need this book. You need not follow silly rules written by false prophets scaring you into spending your hard-earned money."
Beatrice takes the rapture book out of her purse, stands, and tosses it in the aisle. "Thank you, Pastor Keith. I don't need this book. I was led astray, Lord forgive me." The woman sits down, repentant.
One man tosses his rapture book in the aisle, then asks. "But, what about the signs? The signs show the end times are near. I've heard said the Four Wars are the four horsemen. What do you say about that pastor?"
Pastor Keith waves his hand in a downward motion, signaling the man to sit down. "Douglas, we don't need a list of signs. If we read the Book of Revelation, we can see what will happen. There is nothing to interpret. Revelation 6, verse 13. And the stars of Heaven fell unto Earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind. This is the start of tribulation. So, when the stars in heaven fall on Earth, that will be the sign you can believe."
Keith wants to wrap things up. "Since this is a very interesting topic, let's all read Matthew 24 and Revelation. Get through as much of it as you can—Revelation can be a tough one. We don't spend enough time on that book, which has become clear tonight."
Pastor Keith concludes the Bible study with a prayer, followed by handshakes and hugs. Later, he gathers the rapture books from the floor and tosses them in the trash bin.