Five Blogs to Inspire Purpose-Driven Leadership
CBN.com More and more, leaders are turning online for literary leadership resources to guide their mission and improve their techniques. In the past, access to the most prolific writers, theologians, pastors and thinkers was limited. Those interested in reading and learning from the leaders of the day could do so only through books, which naturally required a trip to the library, a bookstore or perhaps a newsstand.
Today, however, the prominence of the Internet has disrupted the old system entirely. The digital era has rendered much written content universally available and, for the most part, free. Many individuals and organizations have begun to self-publish and generate conversation via blogs — making leadership and teaching tools instantly accessible with the click of a mouse.
Here are a few blogs that will inform, encourage and inspire Christian leaders everywhere.
Desiring God (http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/)
Desiring God is a ministry established by John Piper to equip and train Christians to be satisfied in God. Piper writes on many topics relating to Biblical doctrine, pursuing God and living on mission for His glory. Piper is regarded as a thought leader in the world of reformed Christian doctrine, and his user-friendly blog is visited by thousands each day. In addition, he frequently features guest contributors. Christian leaders everywhere stand to benefit from the Desiring God ministry’s strong, detailed teaching on theology and faith.
I Am Second (http://www.iamsecond.com)
I Am Second began as a Web ministry that was carried out through intimate videos featuring individuals telling their personal stories of why God is first and they are second. The concept is very simple, but the message is powerful. As an example, groups of Christians have begun to form I Am Second groups in their communities and live out the ideas they re-encountered through the I Am Second videos. The takeaway for Christian leaders: Get creative with online content and inspire your constituency.
City to City (http://redeemercitytocity.com/blog.jsp)
Tim Keller maintains City to City, the blog of the church he leads in New York City. Keller is highly regarded in the Christian community for the books he has written and his talent for explaining Christian beliefs and the concept of the gospel to non-Christians. On his blog, he, along with some other bloggers, maintain a steady stream of content that is relevant to both believers seeking to grow in their faith and non-believers hoping to understand Christianity a little better. Keller provides leaders with an example of insightful and accessible teaching.
World Vision blog (http://blog.worldvision.org/)
As an international nonprofit organization, World Vision fights poverty and social injustice in developing nations throughout the world. Founder Richard Stearns and other contributors maintain a blog as an offshoot of the main World Vision website, publishing content relating to what the organization is doing, the people it is helping and the Christian mandate behind their actions. Through its blog, World Vision continually reinforces its position as one of the world’s main forces in the battle against global poverty, hunger and injustice — and inspires Christian leaders around the globe to join in.
Seeing Invisible (www.seeinginvisible.com)
Blogger Blake Mankin positions himself as a Christian leader through his creative use of digital content. He works for a nonprofit called Every Village that works to spread the gospel and promote community development in southern Sudan. Blake uses his blog, Seeing Invisible, and various other digital media to tell the story of what he is doing and generates meaningful conversations about significant subjects through his relevant posts. His blog encourages other Christian leaders to see how “the Invisible makes itself visible in beautiful ways.”
