That the so-called 'rapture' will occur without the presence of Jesus returned and that life on earth will go on in a semi-usual manner but with all the tribulation and second-chances. This is simply not scriptual.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NIV)
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
I really don't have time to debate these books nor do I need to. Although they are interesting, they seem to use the Second Coming as a vehicle for a story that may be well-intended but is not scriptual. As I stated earlier, I'll stick with the Bible.
7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back...
This is The Holy Spirit, who is embodied in the souls of US, THE CHURCH...
... will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
THAT is the Rapture!...
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,...
This references the AntiChrist, spoken of in great detail in Revelation...
whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming
THIS is the 2nd Coming. Let's review...
First the Rapture of the Church, THEN the Antichrist during the seven years of the Tribulation, THEN the 2nd Coming, which will destroy the antichrsit.
Isn't this pretty much what the "Left Behind" series portrays? Of course they take some artistic liscence, (because no one knows the hour-by-hour outline of every thing that will happen) but isn't that essentially what the L.B. series portrays?
The Left Behind series is getting tens and tens of MILLIONS of souls to think about End Times, (which will lead many of them to the Bible and many eventually to the Lord) who would otherwise be curled up with some kinda meaningless Steven King escapism. That's not a good thing?