10 Most Read Articles in 2018

12/11/2018

This time of year is a time of both anticipation and reflection—anticipation for the New Year, and reflection on everything God has done in the past year. 2018 has definitely introduced a lot of changes for the four of us! In this last year, Caleb was called to be the Senior Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Palm Bay, FL; Ben and his wife, Brittany, are anticipating the birth of their first child while he serves as the young adults pastor at Colonial Hills Baptist Church; Mike continues serving at Calvary Bible Church in Columbus, OH while adding on a couple seminary courses to his already busy load; and I (Aaron) jumped into leading the young adults group at Inter-City Baptist Church in Allen Park, MI and my wife and I will be closing out 2018 by becoming a family of 4!

So, if our articles have been a little infrequent and sporadic, that's why 🙂. But, despite the craziness, we have enjoyed continuing this blog as a way to develop our own writing abilities, stay connected with each other, and hopefully bring encouragement to others in the process. It is our burden and prayer that this blog is not used to air our own opinions or needlessly ruffle feathers (there is no shortage of that on the internet already). Although we are not always consistent in this, it is our priority to ground everything we write in Scriptural authority. The articles we write are simply the fruit of what God is teaching us, and God teaches us through his revealed word.

During this time of reflection, we look back on the 10 Most Read Articles in 2018 and we anticipate what God will teach us in the years to come.

10. You Don't Need Christian Camp to Grow Spiritually

Perhaps you’re missing the “magic” of summer camp. You’re missing the spiritual mountain-top experience and how close to Jesus you felt. Why is it so easy to grow spiritual at camp and so hard once you get back home?Let me say something that might surprise you: You don’t need Christian camp.

9. Pursuing the Will of God

No matter the path that lies ahead of you, embrace the loving truth that God’s providence has already taken into account your shortcomings and failures. He gives you the grace today to embrace His will and walk forward in faith. You have no need for a fleece, and you have no need to fear.

8. Dear Parents of Teens

As parents, I’m sure you feel the same (or more) pressure as your teenager does. You want your teen to succeed in everything he/she does and so if that means removing things from your calendar, then you are going to do just that. But can I encourage you to never remove church from your calendar of events?

7. How Valuable is Children's Ministry?

Thriving children’s ministries could have more of an impact on the church as a whole than any other ministry in the church. An effective children’s ministry can make a positive impact in a child’s life that will last for a lifetime. It’s time that our churches took this fact seriously.

6. Where Do Catholics Go When They Die?

I do think, hope, and pray that there are many Catholics confused about what the Catholic church teaches. Who, by simply reading their Bibles, and with the help of the Spirit, have come to right conclusions about salvation.

5. The Only Authoritative Spiritual Gifts Test

Taking a spiritual gifts tests might be less helpful than you think; In fact, it could hurt your involvement in your local church. Don’t be consumed with attaching “spiritual gift labels” to your name. There’s a much more authoritative spiritual gift test out there, and it’s The Church.

4. The Sunday Sports Dilemma

The rise of both youth and adult sports that play on Sundays has created a strange new conflict for Christians. Suddenly a decision must be made. We are forced to decide between sports and church. Increasingly, sports win that decision.

3. Are We Scaring Our Kids Into Leaving the Faith?

I think we paint a picture of the world that’s way too ‘evil.’ I say that as someone who believes in “total depravity.” However, in our attempts to expose the wickedness of the heart and promote righteous living to our children, we have left them ill-suited for functioning as believers in the world.

2. How to Have Personal Standards Without Being a Legalist

If you find yourself reacting against a legalistic past, be careful not to overreact to the point of reckless, careless living. Having standards is not the problem. As you seek to honor the Lord with your life, here are a couple observations that might help you form standards without becoming a legalist.

1. The Problem with Christian Trump Supporters

This is an article to Christians who voted for Trump (like myself). Since Election Day, I’ve seen something troubling among Christian Trump supporters. I’m sure you’ve seen it too.

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