It has become de rigueur to offer a rundown of the most read posts of 2017. So, here are the most read posts from this site. If you are searching around for a reason why these are my most read I suspect we can answer that in two words: Tim Challies. Whilst these are not the only posts to feature, the common theme for my top posts is that all have been listed on Challies A La Carte feature, which always provides a welcome boost to my meagre stats.

In order of most views, here are the most read posts of 2017 on this blog:

Five beliefs upheld by Calvinists that don’t undermine the doctrines of grace

A post addressing five common presumptions about Calvinism. It was the most read post of 2017. One of the points also caused a bit of stir, with a few people taking issue with the use of the word ‘good’. There were a couple of clarifying follow up posts.

Don’t be weirder than you have to be

A story appeared in national newspapers describing major rail disruption as people began jumping off trains fearing an imminent terror attack. It turned out, somebody was embarking on the worst evangelistic effort you are ever likely to see. The post made a plea for Christians not to be any weirder in sharing the gospel than we have to be.

What should we expect of our church members?

This post is drawn from the section of the Oldham Bethel Church membership document outlining what we expect of our church members. There are 6 key things we expect of all members as a basic bottom line.

What to do when people are disappointing and the church lets you down

As a room full of sinners, welcoming sinners like ourselves, opportunities to feel let down and disappointed abound in the church. If we aren’t to fall into the trap of upping sticks everytime we feel aggrieved, how do we respond when we feel let down by the church and its people?

How can I know I’ve been called to pastoral ministry?

Many people want to know whether they have been called to the ministry or not. But how can we know for sure? Is there a way we can be certain? This post wants to help you answer that question.