Speaking into the internet is different than preaching because you can’t see who’s on the other side. At the end of the year, though, I like to check back and see what articles and videos gained the most traction. While I write for the congregation, certain posts attract broader attention (although in my case, not very broad!). This year, I compared the most-watched videos with the most read blog articles, took out anything from The Unstuck Life, and combined the results to form the top 10. This year, 3 of the top 10 related to Christian living and the gospel, 3 focused on predestination, and 4 dealt with the pandemic and mental health. Maybe there’s something you missed, or maybe there’s something you want to give another look. Here are the top 10 in ascending order.
Early in the pandemic, I thought I was taking a long-term approach to all that was happening. I knew that we couldn’t just hold our breath for a few weeks or months and hope that it would all blow over. I knew that we had to settle in for the long haul and develop long-term strategies to cope in the midst of an extended battle with COVID-19. We’re now well past what I had anticipated, and all reports are that we still have a long way to go. I want to share what I learned about how Christians are faring in the pandemic from The Fellowship’s recent national conference and suggest some areas where we need to pray and give attention.
We all know that Christian leadership is different than leadership in other areas. We’re not surprised to see certain requirements that you wouldn’t see, for example, in a senior management position. But there’s always been one requirement that seemed out of place. The qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 both list “hospitality.” Can you imagine being interviewed for an executive role and being asked about your grilling skills and the frequency of your dinner parties? Is that what’s required of an elder? Why is hospitality one of the essentials of Christian leadership?
