Dimwitted Doomsayers

And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them. (Luke 21:8)

Paul T. McCain published a warning today at Cyberbrethren concerning some of the false prophets of this present evil age. Not only is the Mayan prophecy film 2012 opening in theaters this weekend, but the infamous Tim LaHaye is poised to fuel the fires of false prophecy once again.

Via Publisher’s Weekly, I learned that Tim LaHaye, co-author of the mega-selling Left Behind series, is switching publishers and in a partnership with lawyer-author, Craig Parshall, is now working on a new apocalyptic series of books. Zondervan has signed the pair to produce The End, described as “a series set in the near future chronicling political events leading up to the end times.” The first volume in the series will be titled The Edge of the Apocalypse, and will be releasing on April 20, 2010, with a first print run of 500,000 copies. LayHaye is quoted in the story as saying: “While my past works have piqued interest in biblical prophecy on a global level, The End series includes many prophecies that were not covered in Left Behind.” Please be aware and be warned that we can expect this series to repeat all the same millennialistic false doctrine the first series did.

Here are a couple of resources for addressing the end times phenomenon in your congregation:

“The End Times” from the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations

“What About …” Pamphlet on the End Times

Share in the comments any other good resources you know of for addressing these issues.