Bringing more joy to the blog!

So as I read through my own postings, I see that I’m sounding pretty morose. I admit it’s easy for me to slip into that sin, so I need a frequent dose of joyful Christianity in my life.

On to The Jolly Blogger by David Wayne, a PCA pastor in Maryland. He comes to my rescue with some wonderful points by a favorite author, G.K. Chesterton. Pastor Wayne links to an article in Gilbert Magazine called “Bad Christian Journalism and the G. K. Chesterton Remedy,” by J. Fraser Field. Here’s his whole comment, which is worth the read for me:

Jollyblogger: Advice to Christian Bloggers from G. K. Chesterton

But here are a few quotes:

The “bad Christian journalist” seems to write from a worried, panicked, mindset. The sky seems to be falling to him. Secondly, where is the “face of Christ” in this? There is no sense of “Christ the overcomer” in this, only “Christ-and-His-cause-are-about-to-be-defeated-and-we-better-do-something-now-or-we’re-all- gonna-die, . . . aaaaahhhh!!!!” Third, this is a definite rant. Fourth, no joy and hope here, and this writer definitely isn’t detached and playful - he’s dreadfully serious.

I think Chesterton, or his interpreter, J. Fraser Field, is on to something here, but it also seems to me that there is a place for deadly serious writing from Christians. As to “ranting,” well, Matthew 23 sounds alot like a rant to me, straight from the lips of Jesus. And how about the book of Galatians as a rant from the apostle Paul, especially when he says that he wishes the troublers would, . . . um . . . well, read the book and you’ll see what he wished they would do to themselves.

On the other hand, with those caveats I think I mainly agree with Chesterton/Field here. The “bad Christian journalist” has a tone to his writing that is one of weakness and victimization. A sense of victimization is pervasive in Christendom today. And the truth is we are victims of the world’s animosity, its just that, per I Peter 2, we’re not supposed to act like victims.

Good stuff, and thanks for the reminder, pastor.

Here are some other good blogs that I must put in my favorites on the right side:

* One is GetReligion, a site that examines religion coverage in journalism. And it’s not usually pretty.

* Another is a blog by Bunnie Diehl, a young Lutheran who works at an undisclosed media establishment somewhere around D.C.

* The third is The Dawn Treader by a fellow PCA member in Roanoke, Va.

I’ll comment on them all at later times.

Possibly related posts:

• The truth is personal
• links for 2007-03-11
• Welcome to The Good City