If this trend follows I’m going to really have to step up my game in 2067 to have the top 67 posts of 2067. Thankfully it’s only 2013 and I think I can find 13 posts that are my favorites from 2013. These are not necessarily the ones that got the most traffic, but the ones that were the most fun to write*.
13. Review of Medicated Meatballs New Album. I cannot stand music reviews. In my opinion the writing is terrible. But I have to confess making up a band and writing a review of their new album was about the most fun I’ve had in writing.
12. Is it Okay to Vent? This article came from a small group talk, apparently I hit a nerve as this one generated quite a bit more discussion than I typically generate here.
11. Conquering the Lonely Grave. The truth here has been very helpful to me in fighting depression. I believe it’s been helpful to others as well.
10. The Best Way to Improve Your Preaching. It’s simple but impossible apart from God’s work.
9. Why Jeremiah Steepek is a Terrible Pastor. I kept seeing articles talking about this stud of a pastor that played a trick on his congregation. I think he’s a terrible pastor. And he’s not real.
8. Why We’ve All But Lost the Gay Marriage Debate. Cultural narcissism is the root.
7. The Dangerous Pit of Uniqueness. This article I believe can be helpful to those battling depression.
6. Shedding My Wilderness Sandals. I don’t know that this article has been beneficial to anyone else. But it symbols something profound that the Lord is doing in my heart. It was a top post for me and I think will have a huge impact on our 2014.
5. The Gospel’s Root Work and Axe Work. I hope that we talk about sanctification more in 2014.
4. Why Ministers Need the Wilderness. Really all of us need the wilderness.
3. 7 Ways that Social Media Makes Pastoring More Difficult. This one has been shared, liked, and visited more than any other article in 2013. I don’t think it’s even close to my best one—but for some reason it found a wide audience.
2. 7 Reasons Husbands Should Pray For Their Wives. This one is here because it also inspired the P4W and P4S Challenge. The P4D and 31 Days of Purity will be in 2014. This became far bigger than I could have imagined.
1. Why I Wrote a Book on Suffering. The article itself isn’t a top post, but it’s what it signifies. I was honored to publish a book in 2013. Not sure that I’ll get one out in 2014 but maybe we’ll get the ball rolling on one.
Honorable Mentions:
Fighting for Cover
Is Your Heart an Idol Factory?
How Jonathan Edwards Wrecked My Soul
The Church Going Full Ninja (This was a fun piece to write)
—
*We’ve had several guest posts in 2013. And I’m excited that more writers have joined our team for 2013. The list does not include their articles—as good as they were—because my criteria for the top 13 is which ones were the most fun to write.
