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The sky is falling! The end is near! Prepare now for doomsday! Throughout history, individuals have foretold the end of the world or other catastrophic events, prompting many to make preparations. Referred to as preppers, these individuals are recognized for accumulating provisions such as food, weapons, and supplies in anticipation of doomsday. Even within the Christian community, there has been a fascination with end-time prophecies, intertwining biblical predictions with anxiety and current affairs. Some Christians feel compelled to make physical arrangements for Armageddon, the second coming of Jesus, or a potential World War III—whichever occurs first. While it is certain that Jesus will return and the world as we know it will eventually cease to exist, the question remains: should Christians engage in prepping? Does the Bible address the concept of doomsday prepping?
Prepping has become a significant industry, with numerous websites, publications, and products offering insights into imminent disasters and guidance on storing, preserving, or dehydrating food, as well as purifying water. The Y2K scare in the late 1990s initiated the current prepping trend, which has persisted as global events become more tumultuous. During the Y2K hysteria, many individuals sold their homes and constructed shelters for their families in anticipation of a nuclear or chemical attack, or a worldwide financial collapse. In certain areas, the prepper mindset remains prevalent, occasionally resulting in confrontations with law enforcement.
Some individuals aim to lead more self-sufficient lives by utilizing solar power, cultivating their own food, and raising livestock for dairy and meat products. They view it as prudent to reduce reliance on utility companies and supermarkets for daily sustenance, yet these individuals are not driven by paranoia or fear. They do not fit the traditional prepper mold but instead prioritize simplifying their lifestyles. Numerous Christians have embraced this approach to varying extents, particularly within the homeschooling community.
ng community. They find that raising crops and livestock is a better lifestyle for their families and consider it a bonus that they are also prepared in the event of most emergencies, ranging from power outages to terrorism.
To be considered a “prepper,” a person must be preoccupied with thoughts of preparing for an impending disaster. Some extreme preppers have quit their jobs, burrowed into underground bunkers, and gone completely off the grid to await the end of all things. They see every negative news story as evidence that they are right and doomsday is just around the corner. For Christians to behave this way means that they have lost sight of our mandate to “go and make disciples of all nations” «Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: », (Matthew 28:19). They have also lost sight of the fact that God’s people are not to live in fear (Isaiah 41:10;Matthew 10:28). First Peter 3:14 says, “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’”
When fear or self-centered survivalism is the motivation for prepping, it becomes a lifestyle that cannot be supported by Scripture. We are to live wisely in this world, while remembering that this world is not our home «For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. », (Hebrews 13:14). And we are to love others as we love ourselves (Galatians 5:14;Luke 10:27). Preppers, for the most part, have self-protection as their highest goal. They stockpile for themselves and their families. But what about their neighbors? What about those who may be in need?To be in need in a time of crisis? What are the guns for? Are they prepared to shoot hungry families who come knocking on their barricaded door? The doomsday prepper mindset can take on a desperate life of its own and lead Christians down a decidedly non-Christian path.
Some Christians have embraced a prepper lifestyle with the aim of being able to support the community in case of a catastrophe. They may have extensive storage facilities from which they already sell produce and view their food cache akin to Joseph’s storehouses (Genesis 41:46-57). Some individuals have even established community gardens and neighborhood livestock barns and have relished the camaraderie of their neighbors in this collaborative effort. Such motivation is pleasing to the Lord because it is not self-centered «Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. », (Philippians 2:4).
A Christian may engage in prepping if the Lord is guiding that action as a means of advancing His kingdom and ministering to others (1 Corinthians 10:31;Matthew 6:33). If one’s heart motive is love and a desire to utilize what God has provided in order to share the gospel and care for as many people as possible in times of need, then prepping is a biblically sound choice. However, most prepping is driven by fear and self-preservation. It is fueled by a lack of faith, and Romans 14:23 states that “whatever is not from faith is sin.” The reasons why a Christian engages in doomsday prepping are what determine whether or not God approves.
