Recent world events, along with Harold Camping’s spectacular fail, have placed the subject of Bible prophecy squarely in the public square. I don’t remember a time when so many people are talking about “the end of the world.”

Except in the Church. While other religious traditions and even secularists are discussing end-of-the-world scenarios, various Christian leaders seem embarrassed by it. This is probably due to credibility problems among some prophecy teachers, and pastors’ own thirst for affirmation from the world—something Jesus cautioned them about.

I attended a service yesterday, an evangelical church of some size, and the pastor’s sermon was titled, “The End of the World.” He mentioned it in his opening sentence, meandered into other subjects, then wrapped-up by mentioning it again. He recognized the huge amount of press coverage Bible prophecy had been given recently, but he still couldn’t bring himself to actually teach any of it.

It is quite ironic that the Church today (evangelicals have now joined the mainline and Catholic traditions in their disinterest in Bible prophecy) is moving away from prophecy teaching at the very moment it is heating up.

Forget Camping. His failed prediction had nothing at all to do with the Bible.

I will be in Israel next month, and would love to know what your questions are about end-of-the-world events.

I will walk through Jerusalem and meditate on the book of Zechariah, which predicts that at some point, the world will attack Israel. Given the rift between Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama, one wonders why Bible prophecy is so difficult for many to believe.