Charles Spurgeon preached at least 14 sermons about the New Year in his 38 years at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Though many themes arise in his comments, belief is as pervasive as any.

Based on a year of unique page views, here are the ten most-read entries at FTC in 2017.

In the last 7 years I have planted 2 churches directly, led our church in planting 2 stateside churches, and helped coach and train dozens of church planters. I have learned many things along the way. Today I want to make 3 crucial suggestions for church planters.

We couldn’t reach up on the top shelf to get God, so God places himself on the bottom shelf—right within our reach—in the person of Jesus Christ, the carpenter from Nazareth.

When I’m prepping my sermons, I’ll write at the top of my notes, “Don’t forget the gospel, Doofus.”

Prayer for a faithful preacher is the key. Of all the things that Christians ought to pray for, this should be at the top of the list.

Walking in the light may sting a little, but it is far preferable to life in the dark. And on top of that, it is the only way to healing.

Your justification isn’t in the fact that you don’t post selfies or engage in over-the-top political comment streams. It’s in the blood of a murdered Son.

Don’t want to fool yourself into thinking you’re raising up leaders because you’re scraping the cream off the top. You want the whole cake to rise.

“No,” she pulls a blanket up over her head. I know you want to hide, I want to say. Confession makes us feel naked even with all of the weight of hiding on top of us. I know where she is, but I ask for her to show herself anyway. Coming face to face with the one you’re confessing to is important. I know it from the garden. I know it in my bones. Her six-year-old voice whimpers below the Anna and Elsa blanket. “You’ll be mad at me.”