For Dulin’s Grove Church, 2023 was a year of transition. We had people transition out of specific roles and leadership positions, and we had people transition in to take their place. We had people transition out of fellowship, and we had people transition into new ministries.
Transition times can often feel like seasons when everything is put on hold. However, God’s sovereign plan is never put on hold. He didn’t stop working in 2023 and continued to change lives through His church’s ministry—including this blog. Last year, we saw an 80% increase in visitation with over 100,000 people from over 185 countries reading our blog posts and being exposed to the good news of Jesus Christ.
Below is a list of the five most popular posts in 2023. A big “thank you” to our writers, readers, pray-ers, and supporters!
#10
Proverbs 3:3-4 | Wisdom & Loving Faithfulness
Generally, if you are loving and true, you will be favored and successful. “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4).
#9
Jesus Calls Ordinary People to Follow Him – Mark 1:16-20
Jesus doesn’t pick disciples because they are extraordinary, but because He is extraordinary. The first people Jesus called were fishermen – common men working a common trade.
#8
She Did What She Could | Mark 14:3-9
We may feel inadequate and lacking in resources, but God knows when we “do what we can” in love and service for Him.
#7
Matthew 5:14-16 // What Does It Mean to Be the Light?
Just by taking one look at the news, you can see horrifying anger, crime, terror and disease. Politics is dark. Entertainment is dark. Social media is dark. And with all this going on around us, we can be tempted to shake our fists at God and cry, “Where are you in all this darkness? We need light!” If we did so, God would likely grip our shoulders, look us in the eye and say, “You are the light.”
#6
3 Steps to Prayer & How God Answers | Matthew 7:7-11
In Matthew 7:7-11, there is so much to learn about prayer. But, there is even more to learn about how God answers prayer. He answers in His way, in a perfect way and in a loving way, and He gives us so much more than we ask or imagine.
#5
Strength in Our Weakness – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
We can be content with our weakness because the Lord’s grace is sufficient for us. And we can boast in our weakness because that’s when Christ’s power is made perfect. For when we are weak, then we are strong.
#4
Proverbs 3:13-18 – What is Wisdom and Why Should You Pursue It?
What is one thing that you would stop at nothing to get? What’s at the top of your list of things to persistently pursue? In Proverbs 3:13-18, we’re told that “wisdom” should be put at the top of that list.
#3
Proverbs 3:9-10 // How to Honor God with Your Wealth
Wealth is for worship. When you worship well with wealth, generally you’ll find that you grow more wealthy so that you can use even more wealth for worship.
#2
How to Identify & Deal with Divisive People – Romans 16:17-20
This is a warning from a pastor to the church: THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH TO AVOID. You may think that this contradicts the second most important command to love your neighbor as yourself. But it doesn’t. Sometimes service to others demands that we avoid certain people.
#1
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 // What Does “Unequally Yoked” Mean?
A lot of the time, people read “unequally yoked” in 2 Corinthians 6:14 and immediately think of marriage. But that’s actually not the primary focus here. The focus is on the believer and his or her spiritual life. When we’re unequally yoked with an unbeliever, it can cause us to be led astray from the Lord.
