Several times each week, I jump over to the Big List of Children’s Ministry Blogs. I always find something worth reading and often some helpful ideas for my own ministry. But like everything kids ministry related, these blogs don’t get the respect they deserve. So, here is my attempt to set things to rights. I give you the Top 10 Children’s Ministry Blogs!
Update: We’ve compiled a larger list of the best children’s ministry blogs.
These rankings were determined by a number of objective and subjective standards. To first narrow the field, I compared Technorati reactions, Google Page Rank, and the age of the blog. I also considered posting frequency, statistics from Google Reader, and general design aesthetics. Finally, I took a peek to see who is famous for #kidmin on Twitter.
The Top 10 Children’s Ministry Blogs
#1 Jonathan Cliff’s Blog
Jonathan Cliff’s blog is the overall number one. This blog features a great design and even better content. His insights into ministry and life are always helpful. One recent example is his post on overcoming the fear of our own weakness.
#2 Jim Wideman’s Blog
Jim Wideman blog is an open book of leadership advice. His blog is very active, and you can find something fresh almost every day. Most of his posts are short and direct, check out what he wrote about leading through encouragement.
#3 The Kidologist by Karl Bastian
The Kidologist.com has been slow this month, otherwise he could have taken the top spot. I love the design and the encouraging posts. His blog is fun to read, check out this recent post about his shocking experience.
#4 Children’s Ministry Online by Kenny Conley
Children’s Ministry Online is the blog of Kenny Conley, who is also very active on Twitter. His blog has been going strong since 2007 and has a solid following. Check out his recent reflections on the Lock-in.
#5 Children’s Ministry & Culture by Larry Shallenberger
Children’s Ministry & Culture is another great blog that has been slow lately. But when Larry & co-writer Keith Johnson post about cultural trends that impact kids, it’s always worth reading. Check out their great posts on Children’s Ministry and the Great Commission.
#6 Kid Inspiration by Dave Wakerley
Dave Wakerley has been blogging about Kids Ministry since 2004, which makes his blog the most established in the niche. Plus he’s from Australia, which makes him cool by definition. I did like his old blog design better, but the new dark theme is growing on me.
#7 Sam Luce’s Blog
Sam Luce’s blog is a great place to get creative children’s ministry ideas. His recent series on Kids Ministry resources is worth checking out. You can also see a good sample of his writing on his tag archive about parenting. He is also one of the top #kidmin Twitter users.
#8 Children’s Ministry Magazine Blog by Christine Yount Jones
Children’s Ministry Magazine’s blog is just as good as you might expect, since it’s written by the editor of you-know-what. I would love to see them use the blog to showcase some of their older back issue content. Maybe they will read this post and give it a try.
#9 Elemental Children’s Ministry by Henry Zonio
Elemental Children’s Ministry is written by Henry Zonio. I like the way he adds humor to most of what he writes. I’ve seen his name on different the lineup for different children’s ministry conferences, but I have never met him in person. Check out this recent post on the importance of children’s ministry.
#10 Children’s Minister Blog by Don Stott
Children’s Minister BLOG at number ten beat out several other top contenders. But last is not always least. The whole field could have made a case for being higher up in the top ten. Be sure to check out his “games” categories.
What Do You Think?
There you have it, the top 10 children’s ministry blogs. Feel free to leave a comment below or refute my list on your own blog. Which of your favorite bloggers did I leave out? Who is did I over rate?
If you have a children’s ministry blog, I’d love to include you in my Big List (aka blogroll). Jump over to that page for more directions.