So Ed “15 Angry Calvinists” Stetzer plug an article that listed the Top 30 Blogs Christian Leaders Need to Read in 2015. I clicked the link and scanned the suggestions. Nearly all of them I had never heard of, and of the ones I had heard of, like Rick Warren’s Pastors.com, I would never recommend to anyone as a resource being afraid that folks would be led into a spiritual slough of despond if they did so.

The author wrote up a list of criteria he thinks makes the kind of blog a Christian leader needs to read.

He lays out 6 points that identifies a “great” blog.

Great blogs provide solutions to the issues Christian leaders face.

Great blogs provide inspiration for Christian leaders to keep paying the price to move forward. A great blog tells you you can and will make it.

Great blogs have credibility from being written by proven experts.

Great blogs have consistently new content and are worth re-visiting on a regular basis.

Great blogs have great content. It rarely, if ever, disappoints.

There are also some bloggers listed below who may be well-known yet but should be on your radar.

Again, none of the blogs listed really match the criteria he lays out here. In fact, he list’s Perry Noble’s blog under those criteria and people would only get stupider if they read it on a regular basis.

With that list in mind, I thought I would offer up my own suggestions of blogs I think would be of greater benefit for Christian leaders to read than any of the ones mentioned. Furthermore, I think my list matches, if not excels over, the stated criteria for a “great” blog. They are all an inspiration, are written by proven experts, and have consistently new content that is worth revisiting. In fact, the content is actually helpful in that it addresses issues and makes a statement of committed, biblical clarity rather than some lame, wishy-washy “let’s build a consensus” conclusion.

Probably the only thing different about my list is the last item in the criteria. None of the bloggers are particularly “well-known.” There are a few, maybe; but even they are marginalized or ignored. If they happen to blog in some prescient fashion on a subject that makes them unpopular, say like the disaster that was Mark Driscoll, and when their warnings come to fruition, their detractors wonder why no one previously ever wrote about those problems. If they raise their hand and say, “we did,” then they are accused of gloating.

My list is in no particular order and may not be entirely comprehensive. Meaning, I may miss a few good ones here and there.

Pyromaniacs Originally started by Phil Johnson who is the executive director of Grace to You radio ministries. Now maintained by Dan Phillips and Frank Turk and the occasional reposts of the best of Phil, who retired from blogging a couple years ago. The writing is engaging, pithy, biblical.

The blog always has great content, never disappoints, should be a must read for any biblical leader.

The Cripplegate A consortium of writers, most of who are students and graduates of the Master’s Seminary. A number of them currently pastor full-time. They cover a full range of subjects of interest to the average pastor, like problematic doctrinal issues, book reviews, and even once an article about shaving.

Alpha and Omega Ministries The blog showcasing the ministry of apologist James White, who has written a number of important books that every leader should read or at least have ready access in their library when they are confronted by apologetic issues like engaging Muslims with the Gospel or interacting with fanatical King James Only advocates.

His twice-weekly Dividing Line podcast ought to be on the rotation play list of all serious-minded believers.

Canon Fodder The blog of Michael J. Kruger who is swiftly becoming one of the leading scholars on early NT textual studies. His books are top notch and must reads for all Christian leaders.

Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary The blog where the profs and grads of DBTS provide excellent articles on a variety of topics from a fundamental, evangelical Baptist perspective. Their journal is outstanding, also.

Domain of Truth Ran by Jimmy Lee, a TMS grad and pastor in SoCal. He and the contributors he has assembled provide a number of excellent apologetic resources, including his weekly links highlighting the better blog articles addressing presuppositional apologetics. You will also find insightful reviews of books and links to wonderful, but otherwise unknown theological sermons, lectures, and series.

Shadow to Light I just recently started reading this blog around Christmas time. Not sure who the author is, but the emphasis is upon interacting with and exposing the “new atheism” of such notables as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. There is lots of good stuff here. A tremendous resource for the youth pastor or pastor who may have some youth apostate and become angry church haters after attending their first semester at state college.

Dr. Reluctant The blog of Paul Henebury, who is a masterful writer on various theological subjects. He also runs Telos Ministries, where folks can find lots of excellent resources in print and audio.

MennoKnight The blog where you will find the insightful, witty, and always fun writing of Lyndon Unger. He also blogs at Cripplegate.

Gatestone Institute It is more of a website, but the writers/reporters talk about the state of the world outside of the US. Their particular focus is Europe. A great site for us soft Americans who tend to live in a bubble when it comes to events in the world.

Answers in Genesis and Creation Ministries International Sister ministries with the focus upon the worldviews of creationism and evolution. Not only do they keep the crucial issue of origins in the forefront, but both ministries consistently address it with clarity, fact, and Scripture. Some of the best apologetic material you can get when confronting skepticism in the church.

Triablogue I have had my tussles over the last year or so with Steve Hays, the principle writer at Triablogue, but in spite of our profound disagreements with each other, he and his team consistently put out good material that is challenging and polemic in defense of biblical Christianity. His atheist take downs are always worth visiting.