When it comes to the end times, many believers imagine the greatest danger is deception from the world, persecution or even the rise of the Antichrist.
But according to bestselling author and ministry leader John Bevere, one of the most dangerous errors isn’t out there — it’s in the church.
“What is one belief that most Christians have about the end times that you think is dangerously wrong?” interviewer Mike Signorelli asked.
Bevere didn’t hesitate.
“They make conclusions on the catching away of the church without really investigating it in the Scripture,” Bevere replied. “What upsets me is they say, ‘Well, the rapture… was initiated by John Nelson Darby in the 1800s,’ when in reality I’ve got early church fathers who wrote on the catching away of the church before the outpouring of judgment.”
Bevere noted that many Christians hold strong opinions about the timing of the rapture: pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post-tribulation. Yet, few have earnestly prayed through or researched the Scriptures themselves.
“When people really get dogmatic about this, I find they really haven’t researched it… they haven’t prayed and inquired,” he said.
To Bevere, the focus on timelines and charts has become a distraction from something far weightier: the condition of the bride of Christ.
“The focal point is not timelines… It’s a bride and a groom who have been longing for each other being united,” he emphasized. “He is — if I can say it — a lovesick groom.”
Bevere compared the urgency of the return of Christ to a fiancé waiting for his bride after months apart. The issue, he said, is not simply when Jesus returns, but whether believers are preparing for that day at all.
“The Bible says the marriage of the Lamb has come and the bride has made herself ready… Not God made her ready — she made herself ready.”
The danger of getting end-times doctrine wrong, Bevere warned, isn’t merely theological — it’s spiritual lethargy. In his view, poor eschatology produces apathy, escapism, entitlement and even lawlessness.
“When eschatology is improperly preached, it creates slothfulness, laziness, escapism,” he told Signorelli. “When it’s properly preached, it creates urgency.”
For Bevere, the greatest threat isn’t a wrong timeline — it’s a wrong heart.
“We will actually rule and reign with Jesus forever. Our job positions are being established right now in this very short life.”
As we approach the coming return of Christ, now is the moment to ask ourselves: Are we ready to meet Him face-to-face?
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
