Here I list the ten most visited posts of 2016. As you will see, this list doesn’t correspond to the top stories of the year.
- The American College of Pediatricians versus the American Academy of Pediatrics: Who leads and who follows? – This 2011 post became popular again as a means of demonstrating that the ACP is a fringe group compared to the AAP. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I wrote this post to debunk a David Barton claim.
2. Open Letter to Gateway Pastor Robert Morris From a Former Member of Mars Hill Church – This 2014 post has been popular since it was published. When Robert Morris downplayed Mark Driscoll’s offenses at Mars Hill Church, he offended many former attenders of the church including the articulate author of this post.
3. NewSpring Church Won’t Deny Departure of Perry Noble (UPDATED – Noble Dismissed July 1) – After days of speculation, megachurch New Spring Church announced the departure of founding pastor Perry Noble during their regular Sunday morning worship service. Noble acknowledged alcohol abuse and said he would go into a counseling program.
4. Tullian Tchividjian Out at Willow Creek Presbyterian; Majority of Liberate Network Board Members Quit (UPDATED) – Tchividjian’s fall has continued to reverberate. Most recently, he was accused of multiple extramarital relationships and censured by an organization that has his brother and uncle as board members. His publisher David C. Cook is sticking with him.
5. Glenn Beck on Why Ted Cruz Will Win: We Have Almighty God on Our Side – Election 2016 overshadowed everything – real news, sanity, theology, etc. Although Beck is singing a different tune now, he was all in for Ted Cruz during the primaries, saying that God was on his side. Apparently, even God had to acquiesce to the Trump train.
6. Darrin Patrick Has Been Relieved of Pastoral Duties at The Journey – It was a hard year for megachurch pastors.
7. Former Chief Financial Officer at Turning Point Claims David Jeremiah Used Questionable Methods to Secure a Spot on Best Seller Lists – David Jeremiah largely dodged the scrutiny Mark Driscoll received over using deception to prop up their books. However, this post continues to attract reader attention. Jeremiah’s last couple of books haven’t made the best seller lists so he may have quietly put aside the schemes.
8. Mark Driscoll Announces Launch of The Trinity Church (UPDATED) – Rumored since early 2015, Driscoll finally started a church in Phoenix. Displaying his flair for the dramatic, Driscoll’s congregation went on the hook for a mid-century modern building which once housed a drive in church.
9. RICO Lawsuit Filed Against Former Leaders of Mars Hill Church; ECFA Named As Co-Conspirator – Although later dismissed, this lawsuit alleged mishandling of funds at Mars Hill Church, specifically naming Sutton Turner and Mark Driscoll.
10. A Major Study of Child Abuse and Homosexuality Revisited – This 2009 post has appeared before in my top ten lists. This study is often used by those who want to stigmatize LGB people. However, an error in the study report renders it nearly useless for scientific purposes.
Thanks for reading and I hope 2017 is full of blessings. After 2016, we need a breather.