Differences Between the Rapture and the Second Coming

Over the years I have had hundreds of discussions with many people about the timing of the rapture. Of course, I strongly believe that the New Testament indicates that the Church will be raptured before the tribulation. One of the key reasons I think this is because I believe the Bible teaches that the rapture is a distinct event from Christ's second coming to the earth. In any consideration of the truthfulness of pretribulationism this issue is of crucial importance...