Dr. Todd Perla is a retired Captain in the United States Navy who practiced the full scope of Family Practice, including inpatient and outpatient services, as well as obstetrics for 24 years total military service. Dr. Perla has delivered over 800 babies in his career, and it is there where he is particularly appreciative of divine intervention. "I’ve never had a newborn or mother die, despite some very challenging circumstances, thanks to the grace of God." Currently he works in his home state of Florida in Emergency or urgent care clinics as an independently contracted physician.

Personable and easy to like, Dr. Perla’s soft southern accent makes his bedside manner even more appealing; his concern for his patients is evident in his attention to detail. His favorite patients? The indigent, which are often on Medicaid or without healthcare insurance. "I like to think I can make a difference to those who are down and out, as they often don’t get the best of medical care, and these are the patients which are often most open to the Gospel."

Medicine isn’t Dr. Perla’s only discipline; for the past 23 years, he has devoted himself to intense study of scripture with an emphasis on eschatology. He has struggled with today’s commonly preached doctrines of the end-times, which all have significant contradictions in Scripture. In the past five years he has developed a viewpoint, which harmonizes with Scripture, and more closely parallels that preached in times past.

Specifically, Dr. Perla’s research has led him towards previous great teachers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, William Tyndale, and John Wesley. Christians won’t be spared from the sufferings at the end of the age, says Dr. Perla. Instead, we will be subjected to suffering and possible martyrdom. Too many Christians think they’ll be spared difficulties and hardships, yet that’s not what the Bible teaches. Instead, he believes the doctrine of Jesus’ return has been doctored to suit the desires of Christians who have preached "what their itching ears want to hear."

In his world travels as a physician with the United States Navy, Dr. Perla has had a number of experiences with Christians all over the globe and has personally attended denominations ranging from Catholicism, to Presbyterian, Covenant, and Southern Baptist. But the differences between people groups, Dr. Perla notes, are less about denomination and more about life experiences; in countries where people have been persecuted for their faith and have endured many hardships, they tend to be more receptive to a message of a different rapture paradigm that emphasizes suffering prior to a rapture.

For many believers in America, the message of suffering and persecution of the tribulation occurring prior to the rapture is met with skepticism and denial, often eliciting fear or anger responses. "They don’t want to hear about persecution and suffering for Christ, and are very content in the health, wealth, and prosperity doctrine paradigm that they have lived through and have learned to expect."

A doctor’s job involves looking closely at a problem area, making a diagnosis, sometimes giving bad news and then the instructions towards taking steps to remedy the situation. Dr. Perla likens his quest for a spiritual cure much like that of a physical cure.

"Medicine has taught me the need to analyze things deeply and to pay attention to detail. One of the most important aspects in medicine is listening to the patient and asking the right questions. As I study for Bible truths, I get into the minute details of Scripture. It is here where the answers are found to many of the tough issues of doctrine."

A patient with heart problems tends to display signs such as low oxygen, difficulty breathing, chest pains, and cold extremities. In order to make a proper diagnosis, you have to research the patient’s history and closely examine those signs. A church with heart problems manifests in much the same manner, says Dr. Perla.

"When I look at society right now, at the Christian church in America, I see signs of compromise, apathy, and marked deterioration." His observations are more obvious after he’s been overseas. "Studies show that 90 % of Christians are going to church but they aren’t living any differently than the unsaved world. It’s my belief that American Christianity is suffering from spiritual heart problems."

In his book, End Times Church Deception (WinePress, 2008), Dr. Todd Perla examines end times questions through the lens of Scripture and teachings of great historical men of faith. He writes to encourage, not to judge. "Knowing the truth about the end-times prophecies should give encouragement to the tribulation saints. The book of Revelation will be a blessing to those who understand: "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Rev. 1:3 NIV)

"My passion comes from the deception and how it plays into Satan’s hand. If we are indeed in the last days, then the church in America is unprepared for what may be ahead. Those not prepared will more likely be deceived and tempted to compromise their faith once the persecution begins."

Much like a doctor prepares his patient for a difficult course of treatment, Dr. Perla seeks to help Christians to be more prepared spiritually, emotionally, and physically for the "end-times challenges" that will likely be ahead. And he’s had personal experience with the prescription.

"I’ve had many physical and situational and inner struggles, but the victory is still in Jesus and I still have the inner peace and contentment and purpose for living. I'm a Christian medical doctor; I seek the truth and am willing to tell it like it is, no matter the cost, or whether I like it or not. The true diagnosis is that the American Church is very sick spiritually. However, there is a cure and it is found in the Lordship of Christ Jesus and in His Word."

Copyright Jenn Doucette

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Jenn Doucette is a freelance writer from Snohomish, Washington