Some of the things I like to concentrate on has to do with "tools" and "resources" for getting good and accurate information, plus listing teachers, preachers, pastors and so on, who teach and preach on the Rapture (and other related things to that subject, which fit into it, too...).
With the Internet being what it is, and with it only costing about $10 and some change to put up a website... (LOL...), there's a whole lot of garbage on the Internet about Bible Prophecy.
And in saying that, I came across this a while back...
I've always thought about putting together a list of teachers of Bible Prophecy and what they teach, along with a brief description of them -- but -- someone else did it already... :-)
The following is a list of some well-known and recognized Bible Prophecy teachers -- and -- a "rating system" for them. I've looked it over and it looks fairly accurate and it does give one an insight into what someone is teaching and where they are coming from, if you wnat to know about them. It's a very useful tool.
AND, if you have a name of someone and they are not on this list, then that means they are not well-known enough to be considered. But, you can also send in their name to be considered for this list, too (if you think they should be on the list). At any rate, I would say that if they are not on this list, then it's "buyer beware"... :-)
The individuals listed below are Christians (past and present) who are compassionate about their faith. Some are recognized pastors, scholars and teachers of Bible prophecy and eschatology (study of end-times) who also belong to various denominations. Also listed here are those from pseudo-Christian organizations (so-called Christian groups that adhere to doctrines outside mainstream Christianity). This comprehensive list of individuals is meant to help you identify sound teaching on Bible prophecy and prophecy topics only. Some have devoted their entire lives to teaching Bible prophecy. Not all are always in agreement, and not all are sound in their doctrines. Therefore, study for yourselves, and use this as a guide only.
Though there are many good prophecy teachers, some should be avoided. With that in mind, remember that we are commanded to pray for those whom we take issue with. Please don't confuse this list with those who claim to be prophets or those with prophetic revelations, dreams, visions or other so-called prophecies.
The below "apple" rating is solely for the teaching of Bible prophecy and prophecy topics, not for individual ministries or personal lives of those listed. You might find some listed here who teach sound Bible prophecy, yet to support other doctrines you disagree with. Their teaching on other important Bible doctrines should not necessarily be confused with the comments here. "Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7.
See the list on this webpage for all the names ...
Clarifying the confusion of the word "rapture" being found in the Bible:
Is the word "rapture" found in the Bible? Yes, in the original Greek. The Greek "harpazo" or "harpotso" means "to seize upon with force" or "to snatch up." Harpazo was rendered in Latin as "rapere," "rapus" or "rapiemur;" both verbs meaning "to seize." In the fourth century A.D., the Latin Vulgate used "rapiemur," as translated by Jerome. Other verb forms in the Latin Vulgate are "raptum", "raptus" and "raptura or rapturo." The Latin "rapiemur" (or rapturo) is root of the English and French term "rapture." The French meaning is literally "abduction" or "to carry off." The English meaning is "caught up," equivalent to the Greek "harpazo," and the Latin "rapiemur."
Described precisely in the original Greek, living believers will be "caught up/raptured/rapiemur/harpazo" in the air, translated into the clouds, in a moment in time to join the Lord. It's a sudden, rapid change. Other Latin words had similar meanings. For example, the English word "rapid" comes from the Latin "rapidus," meaning "hasty, snatching," which is from the Latin "rapere," meaning "hurry away, carry off, seize, plunder," where, again, we get the English term "rapture."
The word "rapture" is unquestionably a Biblical term. For those who say the term "rapture" is not in the Bible, they are saying the term is foreign to the Bible itself, which it is not. That also leads to the wrong conclusion that the doctrine itself is not Biblical since they suggest the term is entirely foreign to the Word of God. The truth is that the term is there, in plain Greek, Latin and English!
Almost all words in our English Bible are translations of Greek or Hebrew expressions, and are not always in the form we know them. For example, "Jesus" is a good translation of His name "Yeshua" ("Joshua," "The Lord Saves," in Hebrew). In the same way, the English word "rapture" which means "caught up" is an excellent translation for the Greek "harpazo." Because God's Word was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, one could say that all English words are not in the Bible.
For those who erroneously claim the word rapture is not in the Bible, they also claim that nowhere in the Bible does it say that the Church will be raptured before the tribulation period. Obviously we could follow that logic by saying neither does the Bible directly say the Church will go through the tribulation period.
Conclusion
The removal of the Body of Christ before the tribulation period (Daniel's 70th week) is a self-evident promise in Scripture. If we study and comprehend the differences between the Church and Israel, and the differences between the rapture and the Second Coming, then other prophetic passages will be more understandable.
References:
Dr. Dave Reagan
The Origin of the Concept of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, From Man or the Bible?
http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_viewpoints7.php
Dr. Thomas Ice
The Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:3
http://www.pre-trib.org/article-view.php?id=165
Todd Strandberg
Defending the Pre-Tribulation Rapture
http://www.raptureready.com/rr-pre-trib-rapture.html
Jason Hommel
Bible Prophecy Study: Pre-Tribulation Rapture
http://www.bibleprophesy.org/
Matthew McGee
Four Views of End Times Prophecy
http://www.matthewmcgee.org/rapture.html
Jack Shelton
The Rapture
http://members.tripod.com/sheltonjack/id38.htm
John Fok
Reasons Why The Church Will Not Be In The Tribulation Period
http://www.gospeloutreach.net/pre-trib2.html
BIO for the author
Tim Osterholm has a BA in Business Administration & Human Resources Management, and enjoys studying Christian apologetics, eschatology and theology. With the belief that we are truly living in the "last days", his goal is to reach the "scoffers of the last days" (2 Peter 3:3-7), those who are convinced their own education and knowledge is enough:
Down through history, God has increasingly revealed information that allows us to know more about the things we read in the Bible; and now irrefutable evidence as to many of the accounts described in Biblical records. We can now see with our own eyes the evidences that human wisdom requires as proof of these events. The sad thing is that even though there is overwhelming evidence as to the accuracy of the Bible, many people still believe that Biblical accounts, such as that of Noah's Ark, are only fiction. We are told that would be a sign of the last days.