The Top 30 Blogs Christian Leaders Need To Read In 2016

As a blogger, I am often asked about other blogs Christian leaders should also be reading.  The following is the criteria in which I recommend other great sites:

• First, my recommendations are my personal list.  They are writers which have a tremendous impact on how I personally learn and lead.
• Great blogs provide solutions to the issues Christian leaders face.
• Great blogs provide inspiration.  A great blog tells you you can make it and how to do it.
• Great blogs have credibility because they are written by proven expert practitioners.  There is definitely a difference between exposure and experience.
• Great blogs have consistent new content and are worth re-visiting on a regular basis.  This is a BIG deal.  Most bloggers go through extended periods of drought.
• Consistency is queen.  Content is king.  Great blogs have great content.  It rarely, if ever, disappoints.

With that as the criteria, the following are The Top 30 Blogs Christian Leaders Need To Read In 2016.  If some of your favorites were not included, be sure to check back on Monday, January 4th as I promote more great Christian writers with my Top 30 Christian Leaders You Need To Follow On Twitter In 2016.

Overall 

• ChurchLeaders.com – My favorite site on the internet.  This site does a tremendous job in aggregating the best Christian writings on a daily basis.  A must-read for all Christian leaders.
• Outreach Magazine – Each day I am privileged to have their resources emailed directly to me.  No site will equip you to grow your church numerically more than Outreach.
• Pastors.com – Founded by Rick Warren, Pastors.com is an invaluable resource for relevant content and resources.  There is not a more loving Christian leader than Pastor Rick.  There are few places you can go to draw more encouragement and wisdom than this site.

Pastors 

• Brandon A. Cox – Brandon is the Lead Pastor of Grace Hills Church in Bentonville, AR.  He is also the content coordinator for Rick Warren’s Pastors.com.  Whether it is church planting, church growth, scripture references or developing a biblical framework for the issues facing our country today, you need to be reading Brandon’s site.
• Kevin DeYoung – Kevin is senior pastor of University Reformed Church (PCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, near Michigan State University.  As a contributor to the great site The Gospel Coalition, he makes as logical an argument and defense of the Gospel in light of cultural issues as anyone on the web.
• Ron Edmondson – As pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church, Ron is passionate about planting new churches and helping established churches thrive. He also consults pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy, marriage, parenting and life.  To learn more about Ron can serve you, click HERE.  Trust me, no one will help you lead your family while leading your church better than Ron.
• Pastor Joe McKeever –  Pastor McKeever has been saved more than 60 years, been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ more than 50 years, and has been writing and cartooning for religious publications more than 40 years.  He put in 42 years pastoring six Southern Baptist Churches, followed by 5 years as director of missions for the SBC churches of metro New Orleans. He was the DOM when Katrina blew through the Gulf South and the resultant flooding devastated the City of New Orleans and destroyed so many neighborhoods and churches.  No site contains more wisdom than this one.
• Carey Nieuwhof – No one writes better Christian leadership content than the Lead Pastor of Connexus Community Church located just north of Toronto, Canada.  Simply put, the best Christian leadership blog on the web.  Make sure you also sign up for his incredibly popular podcast by clicking HERE.
• Perry Noble – The most raw and unfiltered pastor on the internet.  Also, no pastor uses a global platform to disciple his local church better than the amazing Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church.
• Charles Stone – Neuroscience, how the brain works, has become a focal point of discussion for pastors and Christian leaders.  Few are better equipped to discuss the topic than the Senior Pastor of West Park Church in London, Ontario, Canada.
• Clarence E. Stowers, Jr – As pastor of Mars Hill Baptist Church of Chicago, he is passionate about helping people connect life’s dots so they can live abundantly.  Pastor Stowers thrives on assisting people, leaders, pastors, and those in ministry think through life, leadership, goals, and strategy.  I have also had the privilege of meeting with wonderful Godly man.  Make sure you subscribe to his site.

Church Consultants 

• Tony Morgan Live – I have said it many times – Tony Morgan is simply the finest church consultant I know. He is the Chief Strategic Officer and founder of The Unstuck Group. He’s a consultant, leadership coach and writer who helps churches get unstuck and have a bigger impact.  He’s crazy smart and his book Killing Cockroaches is simply the best Christian leadership book I have ever read.
• Thom Rainer – Thom is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources.  Prior to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism.  One of the most important resources for helping pastors lead churches on the web.
• Ed Stetzer – Ed’s primary role is Vice President of Research and Ministry Development for LifeWay Christian Resources.  There is no one’s research and insights I trust more.
• Vanderbloemen Search Group – Founded by William Vanderbloemen, this is America’s leading search firm for church staff.  If you need to hire a pastor or staff member in 2016, let them know.  They also write an incredible leadership blog!

Women 

• Mary DeMuth – Mary’s popular site is an inspiration to those who have suffered sexual abuse.  As she has said, “I’m no longer the little girl who shuddered at the thought of death… I’m not the girl who experienced repeated rape at five. I’m not the daughter who lost a father to the specter of death. I’m not the teenager bent on destroying herself. I’m not the look-at-me-notice-me young adult who needed success to be her god.  I’m simply Mary, loved wildly by Jesus. And my greatest desire and joy is to share that message of hope with you, to see you experience the Everything Life Jesus wants to give you.”
• Margaret Feinberg – Margaret is a popular Bible teacher and speaker at churches and leading conferences such as Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy. Her books, including The Organic God, The Sacred Echo, Scouting the Divine, Wonderstruck, Fight Back With Joy, and their corresponding Bible studies, have sold nearly one million copies.  She was recently named one of 50 women most shaping culture and the church today by Christianity Today, one of the 30 Voices who will help lead the church in the next decade by Charisma magazine and one of 40 who will shape Christian publishing by Christian Retailing magazine.
• Lysa TerKeurst – Lysa is a New York Times bestselling author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, she has led thousands to make their walk with God an invigorating journey.

Money And Finance 

• Joseph Sangl – Joe’s passion and mission “to help people accomplish far more than they ever thought possible with their personal finances.” He firmly believes that when people are financially free, they are much more likely to go do exactly what they have been put on Earth to do – regardless of the income potential.  He is the founder of I Was Broke. Now I’m Not., an organization that provides financial teaching through live events, print and web resources. He is also the President and CEO of INJOY Stewardship Solutions where I happen to work.  Make sure you check out all the free budgeting tools on his site.

Church Staff 

• Rich Birch – As the writer of UnSeminary.com (everything you wished they would have taught you in seminary), Rich also serves as Operations Pastor at Liquid Church in the Manhattan facing suburbs of New Jersey.  At Liquid he oversees communications, weekend service programming, campus expansion and special projects. Rich has also given point leadership to Liquid’s international clean water efforts, family ministry and various other departments.  As applicable a site as you will ever read.
• Jenni Catron – Jenni is a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best.  She became one of America’s most recognizable Christian leaders while serving on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, CA and Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN.  Her new book The Four Dimensions Of Extraordinary Leadership is an absolute must-read for any Christian leader.
• Tim Challies – Tim serves as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, where he primarily gives attention to mentoring and discipleship.  He is a book reviewer for WORLD magazine, co-founder of Cruciform Press, and accomplished author.  If you want to know anything about Christian books, Tim is the perfect resource for you.
• Dan Reiland – Dan is Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia.  The purpose of his blog is to pass on leadership insights he has collected over his career as a pastor. Dan’s insightful content is relevant to today’s ever changing ministry realities. If you are a pastor or church leader that wants to grow your leadership skills, then his blog is for you!

Worship Leaders 

• Chris From Canada – Chris Vacher is the Worship Pastor of C4 Church in Ajax, Ontario near Toronto.  As Founder of WorshipRises, his blog is for sharing resources with worship leaders to help them get better.

Small Groups

• Mark Howell – With over 25 years in ministry, Mark is the Pastor of  Communities at Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.  He is also the founder of SmallGroupResources.net, offering consulting and coaching services that help churches across North America launch, build and sustain healthy small group ministries.  There is not a better small group resource on the web.

Leadership Resources

• Jon Acuff – For 18 years he’s helped some of the biggest brands in the world tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, Staples, and the Dave Ramsey Team.  In addition, Jon is also a big proponent of social media with blogs that have been read by 4 million people and more than 250,000 twitter followers.
• Lolly Daskal – Lolly is the founder of Lead from Within: a successful leadership firm that offers custom made programs in leadership and organizational development. She is recognized as a Top Thought Leader In Business.  She is also an advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs and boards andone of the top executive coaches in the world.  Her insights will make your church better.
• Michael Hyatt – Michael needs no introduction to anyone in the Christian blog community.  He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World.  Michael is also the founder and CEO of Intentional Leadership, an online leadership development company.  He helps overwhelmed high achievers get the clarity, confidence, and tools they need to win at work and succeed at life.
• Paul Sohn – Paul is a dear friend and a social media giant.  He was recently ranked #15 of the world’s top 50 Christian leadership bloggers and has over 30,000 followers on Twitter. Make sure you connect with him as well.

Communications

• Steve Fogg – Steve is passionate about sharing with churches what he knows about branding, communications, marketing and all things digital.  He wants to help you communicate clearly and simply. So that you are able to tell your story in a way that connects with your audience.

Well, that is my list of 30.  What other great sites do you read on a regular basis?

Leadership comes with a microphone.  To learn partly why Perry Noble, Carey Nieuwhof and Jon Acuff are such great leaders, I want to make you aware of a FREE January 14th online coaching opportunity.  Preach Better Sermons will help you learn sermon prep and delivery from those three and many more of the best preachers in the world.

Sign up here or on the image below. Availability is limited.