Top 10 of 2020
No one needs me to be one more voice waxing eloquent on what a bizarre year this has been, or trying to frame an exhaustive list of all the factors that have made it hard and beautiful and unique. So let’s just get to the point, shall we? In the spirit of this naturally reflective season, and because it’s just what bloggers and blog editors are supposed to do in December or January, here’s a look back at the top 10(ish) Mosaic articles published in 2020. I’d love to hear which articles were standouts to you this year.
Also, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this roundup to find a shoutout to all 37 people who wrote something on Mosaic this year!
1. Our Political Allegiance Is to Heaven by Carson Reed
Okay, truth be told, this Top 10 list should really be about 80% Carson and 20% everyone else. But for the sake of inclusion and variety, let’s bend the analytics and devote just one top slot to Carson. Some of his other most popular articles were Anxiety and Its Antidote, Back to Normal or Toward New Possibilities, and Is Church Essential?
You can find all of Carson’s articles here, and if you’re not already subscribed to our monthly newsletter, be sure to sign up so you can receive his articles – along with other resources and news from the Siburt Institute – delivered to your inbox around the 24th of every month.
2. Three Things Church of Christ Elders Do Well by Jason Locke
Often congregational elders, or shepherds, face an enormous amount of criticism as they volunteer their time and energy for an oft-thankless set of responsibilities. Jason pauses to acknowledge three things he appreciates most about Church of Christ elders.
Even if you don’t read Jason’s article or the rest of my roundup, take a moment to call, email, text, or Marco Polo your elders to let them know something you appreciate about their servant leadership.
3. For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Elders’ Meetings Can Be a Difficult Place to Be by Amanda Box
Amanda began this series last year for shepherds leading their congregations through gender inclusion process, and has devoted most of her 2020 articles to continue the series. Drawing on her lived experience journeying through an inclusion process with her own church as well as her expertise in the field of communication, she offers a wealth of practical wisdom throughout the series.
This particular article highlights some of the struggles female leaders face as they are welcomed to previously-all-male meeting spaces, and offers suggestions for making these spaces more hospitable and affirming.
4. The Complexity of COVID-19 for Churches by Eric Gentry
As one of the first COVID-related articles on Mosaic, this post from Eric tackled questions we were all facing early on – and have continued to grapple with – about whether to suspend face-to-face services and how to continue being church while losing one of our most central practices. Though March can feel like it was several years ago, there’s still much wisdom in Eric’s words, like this nugget:
“In a time of global viral illness, the church exists in a tension. On one hand, we cannot live in anxiety for our own well-being, but on the other hand, we must prioritize the well-being of our neighbors and the most vulnerable in our community.”
5. A Journey of Inclusion (Part 1) by Jennifer Schroeder
More inclusion, you say? Most definitely. In this article, Jennifer shares insights from her congregation’s difficult and vital work of seeking to become more authentically inclusive around race, gender, economic status, and more. She poses and unpacks these questions in this article and its companion piece:
“What does a journey of inclusion look like within a church setting? And what are some of the necessary changes that must be made in order to ensure actual inclusion – not merely representation or assimilation?”
6. Leading Your Church Through the Pandemic by Jason Locke
Yep, more pandemic! It really is unavoidable, though. And I’m exceedingly grateful to Jason and others for thoughtfully reflecting on leadership, spiritual vitality, and congregational life amid this global crisis.
Speaking of leadership amid crises, that’s where Jason’s focus lies in this article. In it, he springboards off a New York Times piece by Stanley McChrystal and Chris Fussell, taking their insights about military leadership and remixing them for congregational leadership. For instance, “don’t hunker down” and “give up more authority than feels natural.”
7. For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Coronavirus Brought You a Gift by Amanda Box
With both COVID and inclusion in the mix, this article really hits the sweet spot of this Top 10 list!
Often a significant challenge for churches who have decided to be more inclusive, is figuring out how to begin integrating women more fully into Sunday morning worship practices traditionally reserved for men and boys. In this article, Amanda spotlights a few ways that the pandemic’s overwhelming disorientation actually provides some opportunities for integrating inclusive practices in ways that feel less jarring than they might feel a sanctuary full of people.
8. The Complex Questions of Reopening After COVID-19 by Eric Gentry
Published in early May as many churches and businesses in the U.S. were facing decisions about how or whether to reopen, this article offers insights. Eric contextualizes the questions within big-picture matters like identity, Christian history, and embodiment. And there’s even a beach metaphor woven throughout the piece.
If you are among the people who make decisions about how and where your congregation gathers, I also recommend checking out Eric’s article, Be the Church: An Onsite and Online Congregational Initiative for COVID-19 and Beyond, published in September.
9. How (Not) to Lose Your Soul by November by Adam Daniels
When Adam first sent me this article, I assumed it was oriented around the election. And it kind of is, but not really. It’s really about anger.
I’ll be honest: I’ve heard a lot of teaching over the years about how anger is not sinful in and of itself, but it’s what you do with your anger that makes it good or bad. Even so, the way Adam framed this article, and his use of the metaphor of anger as fuel or flame that can comfort or destroy, was incredibly insightful to me. As an Enneagram One with a complicated relationship with anger, I felt more seen and challenged by this article than by any other on Mosaic this year.
10. Leaning Into Leviticus by Mindi Thompson
Yep, that’s right. Leviticus made the cut. And yep, Mindi wrote her dissertation on Leviticus, so she knows a thing or two about how this ancient text shaped Israel long ago and continues to shape us today.
True, we may no longer turn to Leviticus for guidance on what to do with mildew or whether we should go see the priest about that rash, but the book still offers plenty of wisdom for our churches today. Specifically, Mindi highlights a few of the ways it speaks into the importance of worship and holiness.
Finally, let’s give a round of applause and thanks to all 37 of these people who donated their time and energy to write one thing or many things for Mosaic this year!
Drew Baker, Erica Ballard, Chris Benjamin, Amanda Box, Isabelle Box (with Amanda Box), Steven Brice, James Buce (with Amanda Box), Chess Cavitt, Wes Crawford, Tiffany Dahlman, Adam Daniels, Alejandro Ezquerra, Beth Ann Fisher, Gabe Fisher, Eric Gentry, James Glasscock, Randy Harris, Karissa Herchenroeder, Shawn D. Johnson, Jason Locke, Suzie Macaluso, Bret McCasland, Daniel McGraw, Phil McKinney, Tomya Peters, Tara Petty, Danlee Queen, Carson E. Reed, Steve Ridgell, Wilmer Rivera, Jennifer Schroeder, Rachel Slimp, Greg Taylor, Mindi Thompson, Fuzzy Volpitta, Anessa Westbrook, and Josh Yaeger.
