The top Christian blogs

This is the definitive list of the top 30 Christian blogs. By what criteria? I hear you cry. Page visits? Twitter followers? Facebook likes?

No, it is more arbitrary than any of these. These are the top faith blogs, simply because I say they are top – and I have impeccable taste.

So, as of March 2013, these are the people I ‘follow’ and come back to, time and again.
You may be surprised to see some ‘big names’ missing. My three criteria are: beautiful writing; in-depth theology or Bible teaching that makes my soul sing; conversation with commenters. The latter is because I am looking for relationship and interaction and dialogue, and I really value those who converse with me. This is perhaps why some of the bigger names are missing – it’s harder to interact when you have more commenters. I like people who reach into the brokenness and pull out gold. I like blogs to be beautiful, true and redemptive – because this is what I seek to do in my writing. These are people who do that.

Do tell me who else I should be reading – I’m discovering new great blogs every day!

Special mention: my favourite

• A Deeper Story/ A Deeper Church/ A Deeper Family. This cooperative deserves a little chart all on its own. I have loved every single post I have ever read on The Deeper Story. When I first started blogging and I thought I was the only one not writing theological rants, I came upon this group of writers and my soul breathed the fresh air. These people are my people. (Nish, Sarah, Megan, Seth – if you’re reading this – I’m your biggest fan! Deeper Story is the best! It’s my lifetime ambition to be a Deeper Storyteller!). Ahem. Sorry about that. But seriously – follow these three channels (Deeper Church is my very favourite-favourite of all.)

This is my top 30 – in alphabetical order:

• Abby Norman @ Accidental Devotional – I love Abby’s impassioned writing about making a difference in everyday life

• Addie Zierman @ How to talk evangelical. Everything, every single thing Addie writes is worth reading. She writes on my favourite topics: spiritual maturity, brokenness and redemption. She speaks my heart and does it with such effortless art that I am always left speechless; just whispering amen, amen.

• Alastair Roberts – PhD student in Durham, studying Old Testament, Alastair is refreshingly different and always makes me think.

• Alia Joy @ Narrow Paths to Higher Places – Alia’s prose flows like a trickling fountain. Her writing on depression is just outstanding – she captures emotion so well.

• Alice Buckley @ Play on the Word – Alice is one of the most lovely people you could ever hope to meet. She writes imaginatively on motherhood, adoption, teaching the word to tinies. Her life flows with Jesus, and so does her writing.

• Amber Haines @ the RunaMuck – Amber’s writing is not just ‘blogging-good’ but ‘literature-good’. She melds poetry and prose together with a deep digging into theology in a way that is breathtakingly beautiful. Start by reading her Lovesongs.

• Amy Young @ the messy middle – Amy is an American working in China. She writes with wit and humour, and I love her global perspective on giving glory to God in the mess.

• Cara @ whimsy smitten – I love the way Cara stitches together a metaphor throughout a blog post, and makes me feel it all.

• Cat Caird – Cat is lovely and I have the privilege of knowing her in real life. She has good things to say about Christian leadership and the importance of encouragement.

• Charity Erickson – I just like this girl’s quirky, sardonic take on life and church.

• Dave Bish @ the bluefish project – I keep returning for his insights on leadership and community.

• David T Lamb – Dave is a rarity on the Internet- he preaches without it feeling preachy. He writes short posts on the Old Testament in a compelling way, seeking to nourish rather than point-score. I always come away from his posts having laughed at his wit and humour and been enriched by his Bible teaching.

• Ed Cyzewski @ in a mirror dimly – Ed always has such great ideas for blog posts and series, and a knack of bringing the best people together. I love his thoughts on writing and creativity.

• Elora Nicole – Elora’s writing is arresting and I love her heart that fights for the broken.

• Emily Wierenga – Emily’s writing on anorexia, image and womanhood is so soft and gentle, and beats with a mother’s love.

• Emma Scrivener – Emma’s blog feels like a chat with a great friend. She says the things that people think and are too afraid to say – on anorexia, image and culture.

• Jenn LeBow – Jenn is brilliant at telling funny and engaging stories and has a great series on Mondays on mercy.

• Jon Marlow @ recurring themes – my husband’s blog posts are always worth reading for his thoughtful insight.

• Joy Bennett @ joy in this journey – I love this feisty lady. She writes about the raw parts of suffering, the bits the church is afraid of.

• Kath Cunningham @ the long walk home – every post really does feel like a companionable stroll, fighting for joy in the grey of life.

• Kimberly Coyle @ find time for tea – living in Switzerland, about to return to the US, I love the way she paints a picture and embeds an emotion right in the middle of it all, without you looking.

• Leigh Kramer @ Hopeful Leigh – Leigh is an encourager, and I always feel uplifted by her writing. Love this girl – she’s a kindred spirit.

• Lore Ferguson @ sayable – I like the way she digs deep into theology stuff. You can’t box her, she wriggles out.

• Micha Boyett @ mama monk – Micha writes of the sacred in the everyday – so gently, so beautifully. She is teaching me how to worship God.

• Nick Parish @ longing to be holy – Nick writes of spiritual disciplines in a way that makes me want to do them. This is a high compliment.

• Preston Yancey @ see Preston blog – I love Preston for his dramatically compelling writing and theological twists. He makes silences speak loud.

• Sarah Bessey – Sarah dances prophetically with her words, and every post makes me want to get up and dance too.

• Seth Haines – when I want to know how to live better, do suffering better, think better of God, I go to Seth’s writing. He is wise.

• Susannah @ the smitten word – this girl merges poetry, worship and feminist and pacifist thought. Brilliant stuff.

• Vicky Beeching – a dear friend, Vicky comments on culture, technology and theology with provocative intelligence.

Making these kinds of lists is fatal. So – whoever happens to be the obvious person I should have listed – I am really sorry: I LOVE your stuff, I read it all the time, and your writing is brilliant. I am just very, very forgetful. Thanks for your grace!

In alphabetical order, here are 70 or so more blogs I stop by, making this a top 100-ish, if you should want more recommendations:
Abby Barnhart

Alece Ronzino Grit & glory

Alise Wright

Andrew Dunlop

Andrew Evans

Andrew Wilson

Anita Mathias

Ann Voskamp

Antonia Terrazas

Ashleigh Baker

Ashley Larkin

Big Bible

Blue Cotton Memory

Brandee Shafer

Brandy Walker

Caris Adel

Chine Mbubaegbu

DL Mayfield

Danny Webster

Daniel Blanche

Diana Trautwein

Dianna Anderson

Donald Miller

Eddie Arthur

Elizabeth Esther

Elizabeth W Marshall

Emily Maynard

Emily P Freeman

Enuma okoro

Esther Emery

Fragmentz

From two to one

Gareth Leaney

Genevieve Thul

Glen Scrivener

God and politics UK

God loves women

Guy Delacambre

Hannah Mudge – we mixed our drinks

Helen Murray – are we nearly there yet?

Her.meneutics – CT women

Holly Grantham

Idelette McVicker

James Prescott

Janice @ in the tangles

Jason Boyett

Jeff Goins

Jessica Bowman

Joe Bunting

John Blase

Joy Lenton

J R Goudeau

Kate Wharton

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Kelli Woodford – Chronicles of grace

Laura Krokos

Lisa-Jo Baker

Malcolm Guite

Marcus Honeysett

Margaret Felice

Mary De Muth

Melanie Gilchrist

Mia de Vries

Nicole Romero – 1000 strands

Nikki @ simply striving

Nish Weiseth

Nontwisted knickers

Pam’s perambulation

Penelope Swithinbank

Prodigal Magazine

Purple Arabesque

Rachel Held Evans

Relevant Magazine

Robin Dance

Ruthie Davies

Ruth Povey

Sam Allberry

Sara Batts – running life

Scot McKnight

Shelly Miller

She Loves Magazine

Tamara Hill Murphy @ this sacramental life

The Alethiophile

Tanya @ truth in weakness

The Vicar’s Wife

The High Calling

Threads

Timothy Willard

Trystan Owain Hughes

Wendy Beech-Ward

Wendy Van Eyck
Over to you:

• Who else should I really be reading?
• Who are your top five favourites?

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