There is only so much room available on our print version of the OUTLOOK, which means that there are many topics we don’t get to cover often. Thankfully, the interwebs provide a platform for in-depth articles, interviews, and your thoughts to be read and heard.
When we say we are extremely proud of our blog team at OUTLOOK we are not exaggerating or boasting. Our bloggers have always provided a window into the minds of other everyday people you might encounter in quotidian exchanges. In fact, the most visited pages on our website are consistently blog posts. Teresa Thompson is the most popular by far, her Sabbath School lesson plans regularly reaching over a thousand readers from around the world.
To guide your reading tour of 2017, or simply revisiting old favorites, our staff put together a list of our favorite blog posts this year. Enjoy!
Brennan Hallock, designer/ad manager:
- Let’s Talk About That: A Conversation About Mental Health, Slade Lane August 17, 2017
This post shines a light on a struggle we try to bury, ignore or pretend doesn’t exist. Mental illness affects every one of us, whether directly or indirectly. Slade argues in this post that as Christians we must be willing to “pick up the phone” for our friends. In other words, we must be available and willing to listen, rather than treating mental illness as a stigma or attention-grab. - The Roots of our Disunity, Ed Dickerson May 3, 2017
The Seventh-day Adventist Church was born from some profound insights by the early leaders. But these early leaders were also humans, and there were beliefs or traditions that were accepted without evidence. Ed Dickerson points out that some of the issues we battle with today in our church arose from these weak spots in the theological foundation. - I Will Praise You in the Storm, Rachel Ashworth September 9, 2017
2017 was a year of tragedy and violence for several parts of the United States, including Las Vegas, Houston and Sutherland Springs. In tragedies like these, the best and worst of human nature is on display. Rachel writes about the beauty and true Christianity that shines through in the midst of tragedies like Hurricane Harvey, and points out how little our political, religious or social views matter in the middle of a disaster.
Pablo Colindres-Moreno, digital media manager:
- En El Dia Internacional de la Niña Emora Colindres October 11, 2017
Now, the author might be my mother, but it’s exciting to have content in Spanish for our constituents who speak the language that Cervantes built.
This particular post was published on International Day of the Girl. The core of this article is a list, a bill of rights, if you will, for the girl. They state that all girls (and women) have the right to be respected, be educated, be free from discrimination and, most importantly, they have the right to be happy. - I Will Praise You in the Storm, Rachel Ashworth September 9, 2017
“We slip our humanity into our pocket for safekeeping,” says Rachel, “and sometimes forget to bring it out.” Throughout the rest of the blog, Rachel brings out how through 2017’s disaster-prone time, examples of how people stood up for, helped and even saved their neighbors exemplify how our humanity shines through “when the waters rise.” - We Must Find a Better Way, Ed Dickerson September 13, 2017
I once heard that if an argument lasts more than 5 minutes, both sides are wrong. That’s obviously hyperbolic, but the fact of the matter is that simply arguing for the sake of arguing is counterproductive. This post, published just before the unity document’s release, presents a strong case for all those would-be debaters to find a better way to posit arguments, instead of just “rehashing” the same point over and over again.
Brenda Dickerson, editor-in-chief:
- The Divide Between Rural and Urban Christianity (and the Need to Listen to the Other Side), Brennan Hallock November 7, 2017
In this well-researched and thoughtful article, Brennan explores the causes of America’s political, social and religious divisions and concludes that while the challenges are huge they are not insurmountable. Brennan points out how, in truth, all sides desperately need each other to survive and offers hope and practical suggestions for building bridges to span the gaps between us. - Worry: Faith vs Fear, series, Connie Nelson July 4, 2017
In this 10-part series of short posts, Connie unwraps the many ways that fear, worry and anxiety can take over one’s life. From her personal experiences, Connie draws practical lessons about how our values can make a difference in the way we deal with worry, and how remembering that God is God is the strongest antidote to fear and anxiety. - The Teacher’s Notes—The Personality of the Holy Spirit, Lesson 4, Teresa Thompson January 21,2017
In her perennially popular series that offers additional insights on the weekly adult Sabbath school lesson, Teresa examines Jesus’ description of the Holy Spirit, what comprises “personality,” and how we are limiting our capacity to love God when we misunderstand or casually dismiss one-third of who He is. She also discusses how the Holy Spirit is our caregiver and impacts us physically, mentally and emotionally as well as spiritually. - Does All That Adventist Truth Fit Together? (Or is it a hopeless mess of disconnected doctorine?), Bryant Rodriguez January 17, 2017
Based on his time spent in a wide variety of “Adventist scenes,” Bryant explores the question, What is Adventism? and concludes that the answer is less complicated than trying to discern between traditions, policies, sayings and beliefs. There is only one thing that is strong enough to hold the wheel of Adventism together—a desire to do whatever it takes to get to know Jesus better. - Bonus:Loving Loudly in the Time of Anger (A guide to living out loud), Pablo Colindres-Moreno May 24, 2017
James Mello and his wife Kyra are ordinary people living in extraordinary ways as they shower massive amounts of love on hurting kids of all ages. “You’ve got to live as out loud as possible,” says James. “Every moment is an opportunity to speak truth by your actions and words. This can only happen as you let God take control of your life. How can you portray someone you don’t know?”
