We teach the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:13), for the purposes of judgment of the unrighteous world (the day of the Lord – 2 Peter 3:3-13), will be immediately preceded, on the same day (Luke 17:26-30), by the rapture (or the “gathering together in the sky”) of Christ’s church from this earth (Matthew 14:30-31; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:11). However, the Rapture will not occur until after Christ “cuts short” the great tribulation by Antichrist (Matthew 24:15, 21-22, 29-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8), an event which therefore must occur sometime during the second half of the seventieth week of Daniel, and Christ’s glorious return with His saints on the first day of the Millennium (Revelation 21:1-2), Christ will reward believers according to their works (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 11:18).

The timing of the Rapture of the Church is a significant, but non-fundamental doctrine. Men of piety and scholarship have debated this issue for decades. Therefore, it should not be a divisive issue among brethren. Here is an area where Christian liberty should prevail and freedom to follow one’s conscience be permitted. One’s view concerning the timing of the Rapture of the Church (not the fact of it) is not a requisite for ministry or fellowship with Grace Church of the Valley. (The substance of this statement is taken from “Zion’s Fire, a publication of Zion’s Hope)