I did start from square one a long time. You see, I was a futurist too. I studied under the tutelage of other futurists. It got so convoluted and confusing, with pre-mil, post mil, au-mil, pre-trib, post-trib, etc., I gave up. Till one day, oh maybe 30 years ago, I read Rev. 1.3. That there was a blessing in reading and hearing the prophecy. So I started anew. I was not seeking to become a preterist. I just want to make sense of it all. One day, I stumbled on Matthew 16.27-28.
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. Verily I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." - ASV
That settled it for me. Verse 27 sounded like what I always learned to be the second coming of Christ. Verse 28 gave the approximate time for that coming. In the life time of some that were standing there. These 2 verses ended my days as a futurist. As it was, I was still a member of the Church of Christ, and I talked to the preacher about it. He didn't agree. But he did tell me about Ed Stevens. I contacted Ed, who told me about John Keesy, who gave me a copy of "The Parosia," by J.Stewart Russell. I think I got a third of the way through. It's a 900 plus page book. And it was getting redundant. So, now I just use it for research. John Keesy also told me about Luke Martin. And I have had many discussions with Luke, and still do. Plus, I did much study on my own as well.
That was the beginning. Today, I am firmly grounded in the theology of fulfillment. I really don't like the term "preterist." I prefer "fulfillment." The message of fulfillment is that all things are fulfilled in Christ, with no exceptions.
So, you see, I was a futurist, but it never made sense, and I like things to make sense. As Scripture states, "The truth shall make you free." I was set free from the daunting task of trying to figure out which brand of futurism was the right one.
I still don't have all the answers. So, obviously I can't give an answer for all the questions. But I believe I have shared enough for any truthseeker to understand. If one is firmly grounded in futurism, I doubt I will change their minds. That doesn't mean I shouldn't try. Only God knows for sure.