So far in our 2020 recap, we’ve highlighted your 5 favorite articles and 5 favorite podcast episodes. Today, though, we look at the cold hard facts: Which articles did you read the most?
Without further ado, here are the 10 most-read Intersect articles of 2020.
1. Neil Shenvi: Are Social Justice, Critical Theory, and Christianity Compatible?
Social justice. Critical Theory. Are these subjects compatible with Christianity, or not? Dr. Neil Shenvi joined The L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture in early March to discuss these topics. Thousands and thousands of you accessed the recorded lecture, making this our most clicked post — by a long shot.
Here’s an excerpt:
Critical Theory assumes an adversarial relationship between different identity groups that is profoundly antithetical to Christianity.
2. A Plea for Christians Facing the Coronavirus
In mid-March, the world was waking up to the reality of COVID. In this tense moment, with as little as we knew about the virus, Doug Ponder penned this wise, pastoral, truth-filled article. Many of his exhortations still apply today. He writes,
You believe in a God who raises the dead, but your neighbor might not, so keep loving them like Jesus—even if that means risking your own life.
3. How to Create a Financial Contingency Plan for Your Church
First came COVID. Then came the shutdown. And suddenly all of us — including churches — were wondering how we’d get by. It was in this context that Art Rainer wrote this helpful resource on how churches can create financial contingency plans. His advice was and remains tremendously wise. Here’s an excerpt:
A virus and decreased giving doesn’t stand a chance against His church. So be encouraged. God is already victorious.
4. 4 Biblical Truths for Your Coronavirus Fears
Are you sense a pattern yet? In the early days of COVID, we turned to Dr. Ronald F. Halbrooks. While his own knowledge of the virus was limited at the time, he was able to offer biblical encouragement to our COVID fears. He writes,
We don’t know what tomorrow will bring in our finances, our work, our lives or in the world. No one in Wuhan, China was thinking about the Coronavirus in November 2019, nor was it on the radars of the WHO (World Health Organization) or CDC (the United States Centers for Disease Control). Now, of course, the whole world is thinking about it. God, given his sovereignty, wasn’t surprised.
5. Science and the Christian Faith: Moments That Shaped History
Science and faith have a long, complex and storied relationship. We’re convinced that better understanding the past can help us better navigate the future. Early in 2020, we hosted a conference on this topic, and you took advantage of the recorded videos.
The idea that Christianity had a stifling influence on science and its emergence comes from enlightenment thinkers. — Peter Harrison
6. Black vs. Blue: A Nation Divided and a Hope for Tomorrow
“Whose side are you on?” Krystal Wilson is an African American and a former police officer. In this article, she urges us to see past the divides.
We must be careful not to allow the few to represent the whole in any case. We cannot see a few officers who have misused their power, operated with racial bias and assume that all officers adhere to such practices. We cannot see a few African Americans that committed a crime and assume that we are all dangerous and up to ‘no good.’
7. What Did Charles Spurgeon Think About Social Activism?
What would Charles Spurgeon think about today’s social justice debates? Both sides want to claim his legacy. In this article, Alex DiPrima highlights five principles that help us answer this question.
Spurgeon believed each individual Christian was called to engage in works of benevolence and to minister to the most vulnerable.
8. “A Bow Always Bent Will Break”: Reflections on the Vocation of Pastor
Veteran pastor Peter Dubbelman reflects on his vocation and urges fellow pastors to take a few practical measures to nourish their souls. Here’s an excerpt:
Many young pastors desire to do something “big” for God — often at an expense God is not asking them to pay.
9. “Where was this book when I was a seminary student?”
Each summer, we highlight our contributors’ summer reading recommendations. With a title like this, you really wanted to know how Ken Keathley would answer this question.
The result is one of the most readable and informative introductions to the New Testament ever written.”
10. Want to Read More? Make It a Habit. Make It a Joy.
Nathaniel Martin is an avid reader, and in this article, he offers some tips on how you can be one too. His words were practical and encouraging.
Habitual reading can be a source of intellectual stimulation and spiritual refreshment for tired people.
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