Outreach Magazine compiles a list of the 25 most innovative churches in the United States every year.
The 2008 list, arrived at by a selected panel, can be found here. You can read the article yourself to find out about the criteria used for getting on the list.
Since the diffusion of new innovations is a focus for me, I often ask pastors I meet, if they blog. I get a wealth of answers and contrary to what you might think, I'm not of the persuasion that every pastor should blog.
But, I do know a pastor has completely missed the opportunity available to them if they say this, "Blog? I don't have time to blog!".
If you view the New Media with disdain, reproach, or fear, you will always see it as an expense rather than an investment.
In case you're a pastor and you're investigating the value of blogging, you might be interested in this snippet from the top 25 list. I was curious how many senior pastors (those linked) actually blogged.
1. Craig Groeschel
LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, OK
2. Mark Driscoll
Mars Hill Church, Seattle, WA
3. Mark Beeson
Granger Community Church, Granger, IN
4. Troy Gramling
Flamingo Road Church, Cooper City, FL
5. Greg Surratt
Seacoast Church, Mount Pleasant, SC
6. Rick Warren
Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA
7. Erwin McManus (not really interactive)
Mosaic Church, Los Angeles, CA
8. Ed Young
Fellowship Church, Grapevine, TX
9. Andy Stanley (?)
North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, GA
10. Bill Hybels (?)
Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, IL
11. Mark Batterson
National Community Church, Washington, DC
12. Perry Noble
NewSpring Church, Anderson, SC
13. Dave Ferguson
Community Christian Church, Naperville, IL
14. Steven Furtick
Elevation Church, Charlotte, SC
15. Dino Rizzo
Healing Place Church, Baton Rouge, LA
I ran out of hyperlink steam to complete the list, but you get the idea.
Recently, the Swerve blog featured The Digital Sanctuary as it's blog of the week and as reported here, my traffic soared. No wonder, since Craig Groeschel pastors what's considered the most innovative church in the US, LifeChurch.tv. Ironic, isn't it? Since I left Edmond, Oklahoma some 25 years ago to find a church where there was "something innovative" happening. Guess some people just can't see opportunity when it's right in front of them.
Here's 40 more reasons to consider blogging. And did I mention - free?
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I recently subscribed to your blog…love it! Thanks for the blogging kudos you gave these pastors (mine, Pastor Gramling). Hopefully it’ll inspire more to do the same. As churches grow, blogging allows the pastors and their churches to still feel small and quaint.
I started blogging in 2005 after reading an article about pastor’s who blog in Ministries Today magazine.
It’s been an interesting ride since!