Marrion, thank you for taking the time to talk to your pastor about this. Did you, by chance, show him why I feel that a temple in Jerusalem is not necessary?
I am somewhat familiar with the line of reasoning that Christians with his point of view have.
Just because we do not hold to the same point of view in this regard doesn't mean that either of us are non-Christians. We just have a different understanding on something that doesn't pertain to salvation.
He believes what he has been taught and may not have researched to find out why he was taught that or where that teaching came from.
There was a man by the name of Charles Darby who lived in the 1800's who helped to make the pre-tribulation doctrine popular although I don't think it originated with him. That is the doctrine that your pastor apparently believes. As far as Christianity is concerned the 1800's, when Mr. Darby lived, is relatively new. So that concept has not always been popular among Christians.
The prophecy that Jesus gave in Matt. 24, according to my understanding, has already been fulfilled. Jesus said it would be a time such as had never been before and would never be again after that. There are historical records of a great tribulation that took place among the Jewish people when the New Testament church was just beginning. The first Christians gave or risked their lives when they converted from either Judahism or paganism to Christianity.
Think about Saul whose name was later changed to Paul, how he delivered a lot of Christians up to be tortured and killed.
Jesus even mentioned in His prayer recorded in John 17 that his disciples would be hated of all nations because they were not of this world even as He wasn't.
As far as the Jews needing to build a temple in Jerusalem, we must remember that salvation is offered to all nations, tongues, and people through Jesus Christ so that would include the Jews! It would also include the Muslims if they would only come to an understanding faith in Jesus Christ.
God promised Abraham that in his Seed [meaning Jesus Christ as Paul explained in Galatians] all nations of the earth would be blessed.
Paul also explained in Galatians that it is only by faith in Jesus that we are Abraham's children and heirs according to the promise.
If anyone is interested in doing more research on the pre-trib rapture theory, I recommend that you go to http://www.wcg.org and click on the "Search Our Site" bar then type in "pre-tribulation" or "post-tribulation" or "1000 year reign" or "thousand year reign" or "rapture" or "left behind" or any other key words you might think of along those lines. Be sure to click on the radio button to search google within the WCG website. I know there has been much research done on the subject fairly recently.
Also you can read articles that have been archived on the http://www.ptm.org website as well as "Ask Gregg" where you can either submit your own questions or read answers others have asked or both.
May God bless us all to know what He would want us to understand correctly.
Love and blessings,
J.V.