I actually believe in the rapture, Ash. What else can be said in Matthew 24:29-31 or 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? But I believe the rapture will be after the tribulation (at the earliest).
As for the 7 year tribulation (providing you believe that), I believe the Church is going straight in and through it. There is no pre-trib rapture. I'm thinking a post-trib rapture, perhaps even a post-millennium rapture.
The gospel passages about the Son of Man coming on the clouds (Mark 13:26, 14:62, for example and Thessalonians 4:16-17) are about Jesus vindication, his coming to heaven from earth. The parables about a returning king or master (for example, Luke 19:11-27) were originally about God returning to Jerusalem, not about Jesus returning to earth.
But just as important...Paul was writing specifically to the Thessalonians at this time because they were led to believe that when Christians died before the return of Christ they would miss out on seeing the Kingdom fully realized on earth (this is why it's important to read scripture with historical context)
The entire point of the scripture is that the dead will not miss out on the resurrection as they originally thought. He was using scripture and phrases they would understand (cloud symbolism) to teach and correct them. It's easy to see how so many here in western culture had misunderstood that scripture. You really need to have some knowledge of OT word pictures, first century ideas of imperial coronations (crowning of kings), and an awareness of second temple Judaism to understand the imagery Paul uses in this passage.
The language of Jesus coming on clouds and everyone going up to meet him, should not be understood literally, but should instead be seen as a powerful image of divine kingship.
In the first century, kings would return to the city victorious from battle and be paraded back into his city.
You will recall that they actually did this to Jesus on Palm Sunday. The striking contrast is that Jesus was riding on a donkey, not a white horse; he didnt have an army, only a hopeful crowd of peaceful followers and fans.
The trumpets blasting indicate a victorious procession and anthem upon Christs return (v. 16). The clouds should rightfully be understood as exalting Christ as divine. In both the Old and New Testaments the cloud(s) speak of divinityGods presence.
You see this with the cloud by day which led the Hebrews out of Egypt, the cloud on Mt. Sinai that surrounded Moses when receiving the Law, the clouds of the Son of Man in Dan 7:13, the cloud enveloping Jesus during his transfiguration, and now here with the return of Christ.
Jesus will literally come down from heaven (Gods space), not literally float down from cumulus clouds, but a hidden dimension altogether.
The purpose of the dead rising to meet the Lord in the air is to mix the metaphors (as it were) in presenting this picture of a divine king coming to his city and being paraded back (to earth in this case) by his people. Its a beautiful image that ancient readers would have understood.
t:
It speaks of faith even during suffering and since I have chronic pain I find it can help me.
. They are part of what we may call building for God's kingdom.” 
