The poll, released this week, found that 13 percent of those surveyed are amillennialists - believing that the non-literal millennial reign of Christ is happening now as Christ reigns at the right hand of the Father.

Four percent believe Christ's second coming will occur after the 1,000-year period during which the nations will be progressively converted to Christianity. This is postmillennial theology.

Seventeen percent, meanwhile, identify with "other" end times theology.

While most of the evangelical leaders hold to a premilliennial belief - in which the 1,000-year period is one of worldwide peace and righteousness and precedes the end of the world - even within this belief system there are variations. Premillennialists disagree on the timing of the rapture, whether Christians will rise and join Jesus during or after the tribulation period - which comes before the return of Christ.