The end times.
The Apocalypse.
Satan and the antichrist.
Jesus and His glorious return.
Biblical prophecy has taken center stage in mainstream culture like never before, and peopleincluding non-Christiansare talking about it.

It started with a book. No, not The Book. It was a novel (Left Behind) that flew off bookshelves, first in Christian stores, then Wal-Mart and Barnes & Noble. It spawned sequels, then websites and now a movie. Its page-turning appeal is a plot based, some believe, on Christs Revelation to John.

With 16 million copies sold, Left Behind is a commercial success and a cultural phenomenon for on mission Christians to notice, grapple with and possibly use. According to Tyndale House Publishers, 50 percent of Left Behind readers come from outside the traditional Christian marketplace. Of course, the books include fictional devices21st century high tech gadgetry, timeless romance, apocalyptic action. But central to the plot is the message that turning to Christ is essential. The good guys follow Christ; the bad guys follow Satan. Who could have predicted that fictionentertainment!would spark a substantial interest in the end times among an enormous population needing Christ?

As on mission Christians we want to bring the lost into the presence of God Who desires intimacy, a relationship and, yes, worship. So, worship motivates us. Does fear? Fear that our loved ones will be left behind? Guilt? Obedience? Gratitude? What truly motivates us to share Christ in the real world?

Editor

ny discussion of the end of the age inevitably stirs something in people. Some write it off as apocalyptic myth, while others embrace it as the "blessed hope." For many Christians, the prospect of Jesus return to earth amid fanfare and calamity sparks evangelistic fervor like little else. Whether from a sense of praise, or one of panic, these believers will likely respond to the current upsurge in prophecys popularity.

Walter, for example, loves to introduce people to the coming King. Walter is so awed by Gods glorious power and presence in his life that he wants others to experience it too. What could be more important than to help his friends become worshipers of the Lord of lords? But Walter didnt always see it this way; worship (as his primary motive) was preceded by fear.

Years ago Walter attended a prophecy conference. He couldnt get over how near the earths last days seemed, and frankly, it scared him. He decided that he should tell as many people as possible in order to "rescue some from the flames of judgment."

Since that conference Walter thought the world stage was set for Christs return many times, yet He didnt appear. Events often seemed connected to prophecy, only to become footnotes in history. Discouraged, Walter wondered if his fears for peoples souls were well-founded. And many he led to faith seemed to live as though they had merely purchased a fire-insurance policy.

Fear is a powerful motivator. Just ask anyone who has ever served in military combator played ball for certain legendary coaches. Yet as negative an image as it typically summons, fear is importanteven necessaryfor healthy, productive living, both physically and spiritually. There are many things of which reasonable people should be afraid, not the least of which is everlasting judgment. God has not proposed filet mignon for the blessed and cold bologna sandwiches for the condemned. The fate that awaits those who reject Christ is terrifying, and it would be wrong to minimize that.

But while fear of the future may cause some to turn from destructive lifestyles, the longer the feared consequence fails to materialize, the less intense the fear becomes. In other words, fear as a motivation for evangelism may well have some short-term effects, as Walter discovered. For long-term spiritual health, however, something more is necessary.

Like Walter, Matt occasionally delves into Bible prophecy. It interests him but is not his motivation for sharing his faith. What overwhelms Matt is the fact that the God of the universe not only saved him from the future consequences of his sin, but gave him a new lease on life in the here and noweternal life at that! Matt is so grateful for what God has done that he tells friends and family about it every chance he gets. Because Christ gave His life for Matt, Matt wants to give his life back in gratitude.

"Im forever grateful," is the sentiment of a popular chorus. And no one has more reason for gratitude than a "sinner, saved by grace." Yet even gratitude, as good as it is, has shortcomings as a motivation for evangelism. The sacrifices we make, the obedience we demonstrate, the acts of goodness we perform out of grateful hearts can easily become subtle (and perhaps unintentional) attempts at repayment of the great debt we owe. But such attempts actually denigrate the free gift of grace rather than celebrate it. God does not seek repayment. In fact, repayment is impossible.

Gayle rarely believes shes doing enough to reach out to people with the good news about Jesus. In fact, when she thinks about His return, she feels guilty about being a "slacker."

So she tries to strike up an evangelistic conversation with the airline passenger in the next seat. At times it surprises her just how attentive some people are, and she always feels much better for having made the effort.

Guilt is much maligned as a motivating force. But the truth is that we often experience feelings of guilt for valid reasons. Generally speaking, we feel guilty because we have sinned. And guilt often moves us in the right direction. But we cant make up for our sins and shortcomings any more than we can repay our debt to God through acts of obedience. The price has been paid. Atonement has been made. What we can do is turn from our sins, receive forgiveness and move forward in faith. In the long run, guilt is an unreliable motive for evangelism.

What motive is reliable? Luke 13:34 offers some clues in the sorrowful words of Jesus: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

In Disappointment with God (Zondervan, 1998), Philip Yancey writes, "It is wrong to speak of Gods need of love from His creation, but remember how God Himself expressed His longing for that love: like a father starved for some response, any response, from his rebellious children; like a jilted lover who, against all reason, gives his faithless beloved one more chance. Those are the images of God summoned up again and again throughout the time of the prophets. The deepest longings we feel on earth, as parents, as lovers, are mere flickers of the hungering desire God feels for us. It is a desire that cost Him the Incarnation and the Crucifixion."

God does not need our love, but He desires it. And nothing gives evidence of our love like obedience. When we love Him, we do what He has commanded. When He says, Go into all the world and preach the gospel, we do so not out of fear, guilt or even gratitude. We do so out of love. As Cynthia Heald writes in Becoming a Woman of Purpose (NavPress, 1994), "God in all His glory and majesty desires for us to know Him fully and to impart Himself to us because of His love, sacrifice, and great care for me, I want to respond to Him and prove my love to Him."

At its core, evangelism is an act of worship. We are inviting others to join us in Gods glorious presence, writes John Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions (Baker Book House, 1993). Piper told On Mission: "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak. Churches that are not centered on the exaltation of the majesty and beauty of God will scarcely kindle a fervent desire to declare his glory among the nations (Psalm 96:3)."

Whatever you may think of the current "buzz" regarding biblical prophecy and the end times, it may provide some unique opportunities to present the gospel message to friends, co-workers or family members. You alone will have to consider what to do with each opportunity and why. Does the "flame of worship" burn brightly in you? Or are you driven to evangelize primarily by your insecurities? Will you be content to follow the advice of a recent bumper sticker to "look busy" in light of Christs return? Or does a passion for God and His glory drive you to beckon others to worship Him too?

David E. Horton, an editor and author, lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.