With the release of Hal Linsey’s “The Late, Great Planet Earth,” and the “Left Behind” series by Jerry B. Jenkins end times prophesy went mainstream in ways seldom before seen in Church history. While some of the fervor has died down, the subject remains widely popular within conservative evangelical circles. Indeed, there is a whole subculture surrounding the relatively new doctrine of dispensational eschatology as espoused by Linsey and Jenkins. Through books, conferences, podcasts, and radio and television programming a dedicate cadre of teachers inform many thousands of believers of what is soon to come. They are very focused on putting together a definitive timeline, and forecast precise event. They call for preparation, and that call has a decided bent towards acceleration.
From time to time there have been fringe elements in or near Christiandom which have felt they could bring about the second coming through some action or other. Much as some philosopher believe they can hasten the collapse of civilization in order to rebuild it better than it is, so these theologians believe they can bring on the second coming. Some focus on zealous prayer, others on cultural conquest, and others on destruction. All of them believe they are doing something good, even if their acts have little or no biblical justification.
While the original thread of Chrisitan accelerationism was formed around a dispensational, pre-tribulation, pre-mil framework the impulse is now most widespread through the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) with its notion of conquering the major mounts of human culture which will usher in the millennium. The triumphalist perspective sharply contrasts with the grim prospects put forward by the dispensationalists. The NAR borrowing somewhat such men as Bill Gothard put victory within the grasp of mere mortal, which is very appealing to mortal pride. The theology is obviously lacking, as the focus is way off center more on man than God. Nevertheless, the ideas have reached far into evangelicalism through the music of Hillsong, and Bethel: with Elevation beginning to make headway as well.
This is concerning, but more concerning still is the rise of post-mil accelerationism within the most conservative of theological circles. A small, but growing group of staunchly reformed, zealous teachers have begun to push the vision of a triumphant Church through rigorous theological teaching. They see the coming of a great theocracy through simple and direct ministry defying the worldly powers, and the culture. It is an appealing vision because it biblically grounded, but it is quite focused on results. Achieving those results might become an overriding priority, and there are some signs it is already happening.
There are many theological routes which lead to Chrisitan accelerationism. None of them are correct, nor is the idea of speeding up God’s plan. It is of course impossible to do, but acknowledging that as truth does not prevent us from trying to do it anyway. We simply say that God’s timing is evidently our timing and go right along. We lose sight of God, and once that has happened there is no end to the evil that might befall.
