GEL - Not Another Blog!

Not Another Blog!

Gel has changed it's direction and focus. Starting in 2007 it will become more of a personal blog of the editor, yours truly, Roy Hershberger. Originally, what I had in mind for Gel was to put together different articles from many different sources including my own writing. However, since there is more than enough resources on the net aimed at the people Gel was originally meant to attract, and what I have put together here is no longer unique, I feel a change of direction is called for. Not to mention the fact that I no longer have the time to keep it regularly updated in it's original form.
Recently I've felt a need to simply share my own story, my own spiritual journey in real time. This is more for my benefit than anyone else's, so if no one else reads this log it's not important. Though I hope many do, and find it encouraging and useful in their own journey. I will however, be keeping the original articles and book reviews listed much like they were, as I feel there is a lot of useful content represented. Below is an updated version of my original “Our Purpose” statement that this page contained:

     Gel is meant to reach out to people who have grown disillusioned with the current state of modern Christianity and are looking for something deeper. I'm here to share my own story of that quest. To honestly admit that I haven't found all that I'm looking for yet, and that I'm continuing the search for the deeper things of life.
     You see, I'm not convienced us Western Christians are really living up to our full potential in Christ. If that assessment is true, than how can we ever hope to effectively communicate a reality that we ourselves are not fully experiencing? We can preach, rant and rave, condemn modern culture for taking God out of the picture, but we will have little to no impact on society until our relationship with the Creator becomes more real, dynamic, and proactive.
     Many of todays “Christians” have been seduced into thinking that authentic Christianity can not be defended on an intellectual or philosophical level, so they have slouched into many different religiouzied forms of the real thing. We may find a hyper conservative, over simplified, legalism — a cold, died, unbelieving modernity — a hyper liberal postmodernism — or a complex combination of all of the above. As a result what they have to offer in terms of philosophy tends to be greatly lacking in depth and rightfully scorned by those who value intellectual integrity and a get real authenticity. Sadly, we have traded what should be a real and dynamic relationship with the living God, and his Truth, for all these different “religious,” human breathed forms of Christianity.
     The sad fact is that the modern institutionalized “church,” in all it's many diverse forms, is failing to meet the basic needs of believers who live in a post-Christian society. With gel I hope to challenge seekers of Christ to become more in tune to the reality of their faith, as I seek that process in my own life, and than share my experience.

“Love Truth Not Opinion”

One of the biggest problems with our modern culture (including the modern “Christian” subculture) is that we tend to be more interested in expressing our opinions than we are at really seeking truth. The key to getting over such a sorry state is to discover a little dose of humility and admit our own prideful tendency to hog the soapbox.
One thing we all can be sure of is that no one individual has all the answers, and we should all expect to go on learning and growing in our perceptions of reality. If we are not growing, if we think we pretty much have it figured out already, than we have a problem. We may believe a Christ centered worldview to be correct, but we should be seekers of truth not of man-made religion. If there is a Creator who is like the God described in the Scriptures, and if Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be, (the only one who can save us from ourselves) than reality can only be understood in light of these facts. Yet getting a grasp on the greatness and wonder of the Creator is something we should expect to be a lifetime journey.

A Need to Reflect the Reality of Jesus Christ?

     It is becoming painfully obvious that today's Christian culture has gotten lost somewhere in the maze of our modern secular culture. Sure there are mega “churches” and countless numbers of “Christian” organizations, but how effective are these at communicating the reality of God and the truth of Jesus?
     As Christians do we view our beliefs as the very foundation by which all reality can be correctly defined and practically understood, or do we view them as only “religion”? Do we approach our relationship to the Creator as something real or as a religiousized ideology filled with the traditions and doctrines of men?
     Many cry out for reform within modern Christianity. With gel I hope to respond to this cry with some down to earth practical solutions for the thinking Christian who wishes to move beyond the traditions of men and discover a clearer view of reality. I will probe the Christian mind and reach to define a definitive Christian Worldview. I will also explore less traditional forms of Christianity and more meaningful approaches to being a part of the body of Christ.

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