There are a lot of Christian blogs out there; a person could easily spend their whole time reading them (and some apparently do!). How do you choose which ones to read? Which ones are your favourites? Here are my criteria.
I like blogs that have a gospel (‘good news’) to proclaim. Not just a gospel that God loves everyone, but a gospel that by the power of Christ, things can change, for us and in us, and for and in our world. A gospel that gives us hope and encourages us to trust Christ and follow him.
I like blogs that have a broad range of interests. Some Christian blogs have two or three axes to grind and they grind them, over and over again. I like blogs that cover a lot of ground and that demonstrate Christian thought on a broad range of subjects.
I like blogs that are unpredictable. With many blogs, I can pretty well predict what the author is going to think on any given subject. I like it when I’m proved wrong, and when the author demonstrates that they aren’t just blindly regurgitating the party line.
I like blogs that give me reasons for wanting to be a Christian, rather than making me wonder why on earth we bother if all it’s about is Christians getting angry and fighting other Christians.
I like blogs where I learn something I didn’t know before, rather than just reading the author’s editorial opinions, over and over again ad nauseum.
I like blogs that take the teaching of Jesus seriously and help me think through what it means to live it out, rather than trying to protect me from the teaching of Jesus in order not to hurt my feelings. I’m a big boy now; I can take it!
Here are a few of my favourites:
Peter Kirk’s Gentle Wisdom
David Keen’s Opinionated Vicar
Philip Yancey’s Blog (occasional, but wonderful).
Rick Mansfield’s This Lamp
A Simple Desire (from the good folks at Third Way Café)
Philip Ritchie’s Phil’s Treehouse
For a touch of humour…The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley
And finally, with love for my late dear friend Joe Walker: Felix Hominum, my all-time favourite blog.
Faith, Folk and Charity 
Thank you, Tim. As I read this I was wondering how my blog measured up to your criteria. When I saw its name first on your list of favourites, I realised that you probably think it measures up well. It is also good to see that two of your top ten are from this one parish of Great Baddow – although I have never actually met my Team Rector Philip Ritchie.
Humbled
And you are also associated with a third blog on my list, Peter, the Better Bibles Blog (which is how I found your blog in the first place), so actually you are well represented!
It’s a well deserved recognition, old friend.
Thankyou Tim, that’s very kind. If I do ever start to not do these things, please let me know!
You’re very welcome, and thanks for all the good reads!
With many blogs, I can pretty well predict what the author is going to think on any given subject.
Tim, you might want to work on being a bit more mysterious yourself. 😉
I don’t deny it! I didn’t claim that my own blogging was up to the high standard set by my favourite blogs!
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Humour? “Gritty religious slice of life”, is how I see it.