The Top 10 Posts Of 2024
For the past couple of years, I have done a year in review in which I take a look at the most popular articles from the previous year. Most of the time, I am surprised to find that the articles that I think will be the most popular are not usually the most popular. It is also fun to compare the rankings between the previous year and the current year.
The way these rankings work is simple: We are counting down the top 10 posts based on the number of times they were viewed over the course of the previous 12 months. This does give an advantage to the posts that are written earlier rather than later. However, it is also interesting to see which posts remain in the top 10 year after year. If you would like to compare this year's ranking with the rankings from 2023, you can find last year's post here.
10. The Holy Spirit
Taking the number 10 spot this year, having been viewed around 100 times, is an incredibly early article on the Holy Spirit. This article has replaced 2023's number 10 spot, I Read The Bible In 20 Days. This Is What I Learned. It is honestly refreshing to see that people are interested in reading about the Holy Spirit. He is often the Person of the Trinity who is the most neglected. While I am saddened that I Read The Bible In 20 Days is not longer on the top 10 list (it was one of my favorite articles to write), I am glad to see that it has been replaced by this Article.
This Holy Spirit article provides a brief overview of the Church of the Nazarene's third Article of Faith, which explores our denomination's orthodox understanding of the Third Person of the Trinity. We hope and pray that it blesses you.
9. What People Get Wrong About Repentance
This article has received around 150 views in only around 3 months. This was one of the articles that I wrote later in 2024, so I am pleasantly surprised to see this article in the top 10 in such a short amount of time. I honestly did not expect it to be so popular, since I wrote it as a one-off article, not part of a series, and didn't think that this would be a topic that many people would be asking about.
This is an article that I wrote to explore the biggest myth around repentance: That repentance boils down to nothing more than saying "I'm sorry." The fact is that repentance involves more than an apology. It is a change of heart that leads to a change in the way we live. For more, check out the article.
8. Psalm 12 And The King James Only Controversy (Part 1)
In the number 8 spot is one of the first articles that I published this year in the King James Only series. We will see other posts in this series pop up in this list later. This particular series is still ongoing, with a few more posts to come out in 2025. The posts that have been published so far in the King James Only series have been well-received, so I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
Many people in the King James Only movement turn to Psalm 12 as a prooftext for the authority of the King James Version--and only the King James Version--when it comes to the Bible. However, it is important to carefully examine the text to make sure that we are properly understanding it. I won't spoil the article, but I would encourage you to check it out if you are interested in the relationship between this passage and the King James Only movement.
7. Atonement
This is another one of my early articles that has made its way into the Top 10 for the second year in a row. In 2023, this article was the second most popular article on the entire blog. This year, it has slipped down to number 7, but still remains one of the most popular articles that I have written for this blog. As one of the earliest articles that I have written, it holds a special place in my heart.
This article on the Atonement provides a brief overview of the Church of the Nazarene's Article of Faith regarding the Atonement, and provides a brief commentary on the Article of Faith. This article on the Atonement is one of the reasons I followed up by providing my own thoughts on three different models of the Atonement. If you would like a simple and straightforward overview of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, consider checking out the article in our #7 slot.
6. The Trinity
I have written several articles on the Trinity for Nazarene Caffeine. However, it is the original article on this important doctrine which earns the #6 slot for 2024. As with the articles on the Atonement and on the Holy Spirit, this article was part of a series over the Church of the Nazarene's Articles of Faith. While this post did not attempt to answer every question about the Trinity that could possibly arise (and who is capable of doing such a thing?), this article does provide a brief overview of the Trinity.
I am glad to see this article making the list this year.
5. Inspired In English? The Implications Of Peter Ruckman's Claims.
This is another article published in October of this year and another article in the King James Only series. This article explores Peter Ruckman's claim that the King James Version is a "re-inspired" Bible that is so perfect that it can even correct the Greek and Hebrew. I point out that Peter Ruckman's zeal to defend his doctrine has some unintended implications. While I appreciate Ruckman's zeal for the Bible, I do not think that he fully understood the implications of his view.
If you follow Peter Ruckman or are curious about his views and what they imply, feel free to check out this article.
4. Justification, Regeneration, And Adoption
In our #4 spot is another one of the early theological articles that I have written on yet another of the Church of the Nazarene's Articles of Faith. This time, I explore our Article of Faith the covers several aspects of salvation. Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption are three aspects of salvation that I think are important for Christians to understand.
I am glad to see an increasing interest in this topic.I think that this is indicative of what some recent surveys seem to indicate: that there is an increased interest in spiritual matters, including salvation in Christianity. I hope this article blesses you.
3. The Nicene Creed: A Short Commentary
Besides my article on the Atonement, this is the only article to be in the Top 10 in both the 2023 and 2024 list. Unlike the article on the Atonement, this article has not slipped down the rankings. It holds the #3 spot on our list, exactly the same place that it held last year. It is a pleasant surprise to see this article maintain its spot from last year.
The Nicene Creed is a foundational summary statement of Christian belief. It has served as a brief theological statement that expresses the most fundamental beliefs held in common by all of Christendom. Because of the foundational nature of the Nicene Creed, it can be used to test the orthodoxy of certain beliefs. In the #3 article, I provide a brief commentary on the Nicene Creed. If you are looking for a brief overview of this creed and its importance to Christendom, I hope this article serves to bless you.
2. Psalm 12 And The King James Controversy (Part 2)
In our #2 spot is another article from the King James Only Series. We saw part 1 to this post in the #8 spot. Honestly, I wasn't expecting so many people to express interest in my exploration of the King James Only movement. Yet in only 9 months, this article has soared to the #2 spot, overtaking articles such as Why I Believe in God (But Not Unicorns) and Which Bible Translation Is Best?, both of which I expected to outperform this article.
I am glad to see the popularity of some of the recent articles I have written. It means people are asking questions about the Bible. I am glad that I am able to provide some answers.
And Finally..............
For the second year in a row, our #1 spot goes to an early article I wrote where I compiled the location of free Christian magazines that people could order. Some of the rankings in this list were close. This one wasn't. This article has been viewed more than 2,300 times this past year, averaging almost 7 views per day. Even before I did the Year In Reviews at the end of each year, this article was always the most popular.
I actually wrote this article to encourage reading. I think that, as Christians, it is good for us to read the Bible and read about our faith. Some of these magazines are really good in that regard. If you are looking for something to read, I would encourage you to check out these free Christian magazines.
Conclusion
And those are our rankings for 2024. In reflecting on the interactions that I have had over the course of the past year, I realize how blessed that I really am. I never imagined that any of my articles would receive more than 2,000 views in a year. I never imagined that it would happen more than once. I am truly grateful for everyone who has made this possible.
Thank you everyone for the support, and I will see you in 2025!
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