2023 in Review: Your Favorite Articles

Center for Faith and Culture | December 22, 2023
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A few weeks ago, we asked you to nominate your favorite articles on the Christ and Culture blog. You flooded our inboxes with your picks, nominating dozens of different articles.

We tallied the votes. And, without further ado, here are your favorite articles of 2023.

1. Reimagining Apologetics in the Classroom

Young Christians are leaving the faith in record numbers. This trend, coincidentally, comes at the same time in which enrollment in Christian elementary, middle, and high schools is skyrocketing. Needless to say, Christian schools have an incredible opportunity to model effective apologetics in the classroom. So what can Christian educators do? Eli Kunkel offers suggestions in this article.

Here are some of your comments:

  • “As a teacher, VERY useful in seeing the needs of students in a contemporary context and addressing these needs by reimagining apologetics in a Biblically orthodox way — to the show the BEAUTY of the Gospel.” — James O.
  • “Serving Generation Z and Alpha generations that hears with their eyes and think with their feelings, requires today’s leaders to be interactive, prompting questions, living authentically, and encouraging students to think. Being able to share and discuss the difficult topics in open discussion while steering them to the truth is the challenge of this generation of leaders faces.” — Dr. S. L. S.

2. Yes, God is with You (and Other Truths for Anxious and Depressed People)

Anxiety and Depression—these words and the difficult realities to which they refer can seem omnipresent in our society. This article doesn’t address all the causes of the increase in mental health issues (e.g., smartphones, secularism, community distance, work/rest imbalance, etc.). Instead, Jonathan Darville explores how God’s presence, power, and promises provide a unique remedy for the dark night of the soul.

Here are some of your comments:

  • “I loved this article because it provided great scriptures to encourage believers in all kinds of struggles. Not focusing on all the reasons why, screen time, culture etc., cleared the way for the solution not the problem. We as Christians and conservatives are often ready with all the reasons why the world is in crisis, but we often fall short in the solution department. I love this toolkit for God’s promises and understanding and solutions! Kudos. I have worked in administration in secular behavioral health and have been led to move into biblical counseling for real solutions and this is very helpful.” — Laura C.
  • “Anxiety has not only been a personal struggle at times but one experienced by many friends. Jono’s article offers an antidote to this anxiety, not by some magic to-do list but by pointing us back to the One whose presence and power in our lives can be trusted. He gives us truths that I need to return to existentially—moment by moment. Doing so, will chase away the dogs of anxiety.” — Steve W.

3. Serving Jesus in Obscurity

Have you ever wondered if the work you do matters? Stephen Howard pens this article with you in mind. “I hope to offer a bit of encouragement, and a few suggestions, for those serving Jesus in obscurity,” he writes.

Here are some of your comments:

  • “Although the examples in this article are connected to church ministry, the applications of these ideas are broad. I think a lot about what it means to invest the talents God has given be so as to produce a return, alongside the truth that I can not make any seed grow but only the Holy Spirit can. The own obscurity at the outset is really freeing – I don’t need to be in any kind of spotlight; I need to show up faithfully where God has placed me and trust Him to do what he will.” — Erin S.
  • “This article beautifully demonstrates what many pastors and churches go through everyday. There are churches that are doing well but the majority is declining. Pastors need encouragement and hope. This articles lets them know that they are not alone.” — John A.

4. Lord of the Wardrobe

For art month, Jonathan Darville shared about his experience in the fashion industry. In this article, he considers three ways sin has distorted the sphere of fashion and three ways that grace restores the sphere of fashion.

Here are some of your comments:

  • “It’s refreshing to read about fashion and wardrobe in a Christian worldview that considers modesty and honoring the Lord, but also cultural context.” — Jillian D.

Outside the Top 4

More than 20 articles received votes. While we can’t share the full list, we wanted to highlight some of your thoughtful feedback on a handful of articles outside the top 5.

Joshua R. resonated with “Pastoring the Polarized” by John Welborn. He writes,

  • “I may be biased, but particularly in student ministry, you have a whole smorgasbord of personalities in your group, and it’s important to be reminded how to find unity amidst diversity, and how to pastor all of them well.”

Susan B. was deeply encouraged by “Therapy Dogs and the Grace of God” by Jennifer Bleakley. She writes,

  • “Jennifer said it eloquently, dogs provide stability and unconditional love and expect nothing in return. They are Gods angels in Fur Coats with Paws.
    Dogs are incredibly intelligent and intuitive, they know when people are hurting, they just want to be in our presence.”

Thank you for voting for your favorite articles. In our next post, we’ll share the most listened to (and most read) content of 2023.

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