Salutations.
A few years ago, I started this blog as a place to practice my writing, using mostly fictional stories and characters from my comics. Later, I started to write more theological centered missives as I dove into various studies. For the last 15 months, these studies have featured heavily in my blog, focusing on looking at issues logically. A few months ago, I also started to journal my trek through the older Dragon Quest series.
When I started my blog, and made those decisions to change some of its direction, I did so with three goals in mind. First, I wanted to practice my writing in order to improve. For the most part, I feel that I have done well in that area over the years. Second, I desired to get some serious fictional writing done. Unfortunately, while I have completed some work, I still need better focus to making substantial progress here. Third, I published all of this on a public blog so that it may encourage others to walk closer with God.
Lately, I have studied the post modernistic mindset. For those who do not know, post modernism is “a late-20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism that represents a departure from modernism and has at its heart a general distrust of grand theories and ideologies as well as a problematical relationship with any notion of “art.” This movement, which started in the mid to late 60’s, impacts the way most people (under 50) think and process information. For example, a post modern person responds poorly to someone preaching truth to them, as they generally ‘distrust grand theories and ideologies.” Instead, they would find a life lived demonstrating that theology far more instructive.
The implications of this movement go much deeper than I could cover in a paragraph, or even several blog posts. For those who wish to learn more, I leave you to exercise your powers of Google-Fu. However, in praying about reaching out to this generation, and reading more on the subject, I feel I have a better idea of how I may attain my third goal which. The solution, in part, actually assists with my second goal, as well.
First, I will shift focus on my theological writings from ideological to more personal. A lot goes on in the world today. I turn on the news, and I see all kinds of social ills. The Bible has answers for them, and I have opinions…but, moving forward, you will see less of that on my blog. Unless an issue affects me directly, or some people ask me to do a Bible study write up on it, I will ignore those in favor of writing about those topics that more directly impact me. While I always back up my theological assertions with scriptures and reasons, the main thrust will also come from deeply personal experiences.
Second, studies show that a post modern audience learns more from drama than lectures. In particular, tales with plenty of emotional thrust drive points home better than any documentary or lecture using logic and reasoning. This provides me with further encouragement to refocus my efforts on fiction and comics to do just that. By getting back into that, I actually address two birds with one stone.
Lest some of my friends feel that I’ve ‘sold out’ to the masses or anything, I will, of course, provide some Biblical direction for this. First, I cannot help but note that Jesus used much allegory and drama in His own teachings to the masses. He certainly stood ready to defend His approach with scripture and logic when needed, but appealed to the heart and emotions just as much as he appealed to the mind. Furthermore, Paul understood the necessity to study, learn and adapt one’s approach to fit the context of the culture. He writes,
“19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
Nearly two decades ago, I chose the moniker “JCServant” because I wanted to be a servant to Jesus Christ and His children. So, today, I change to a post-modernist approach for the ‘sake of the gospel that I may share with them in its blessings.” Will you join me?
To clarify, I do believe that Christians should gather with other Christians. Clearly, Christians did so back in Biblical times, setting a pattern we should follow today. However, I tend to disagree with some who believe that the New Testament laid out exact rules on how those gatherings should look and operate. I also do feel that the institutional and traditional trappings have replaced much of the authentic fellowship experience God intended to have for us. I do agree with most brothers that if you have a Christian who never wishes to fellowship with other believers, you have a concern on your hands.
So, yesterday, I created a 
Lightwaves 