The internet today is filled with junk.
God willing, us CMB-ites can make the internet a better place.
In this post, I want to encourage you to check out some blogs that I’ve come to know and love. They’re fantastic sources of encouragement, and practical tips for my music making.
It’s definitely a variety.
Not all of them are musical. Not all of them are overtly “Christian” either. Some are all about your musicianship, some are about business and marketing, and others are purely sources to challenge you in your faith.
Either way, each of these will have a direct impact on you, and as a result, impact your creativity as well.
It reflects some of my top destinations on the web. I’ve gleaned much from each of these sites. All provide value of a different kind, but I’ll explain how each blog can benefit you and your music making along the way.
So here we go…
Top blogs for Christian musicians
15) http://musicclout.com
Music Clout is filled with helpful articles in a variety of subjects that are relevant to music makers. If you’re wanting to pursue a career as an artist, you’ll definitely get a lot out of this site. [read it here]
14) http://www.theblazingcenter.com/
I love these guys. It’s not every day you find a father and son blogging together. Mark and Stephen Altrogge provide wonderful insights for believers. Musical or not, you’ll grow in your faith, and be challenged in your creativity too! [read it here]
13) http://www.worshiplinks.us/
This is a newer site that I recently came across. The creator Brad is doing an outstanding job at collecting resources for worship leaders all across the web and sharing them with you. [read it here]
12) http://socialtriggers.com
If you’re terrible at sales and don’t have a clue about marketing, let Derek Halpern challenge you. Sometimes he gets a little out there, but I believe musicians have a lot to learn from this guy. His insights on blogging and building an online presence are extremely valuable. [read it here]
11) http://thegoodchristianmusicblog.com
My man Stephen Bradley from episode 10 (and future episodes in our podcast for the “New Music Segment”), is a great resource for discovering new Christian music that is fresh and inspiring. Already he’s exposed me to artists that I probably wouldn’t have found without him. Check out his site! [read it here]
10) http://www.musicianwages.com/about/
If you’re looking to figure out how to earn some income with your musical abilities, check out this site. It’s filled with all sorts of ideas on how to turn your musical skill into a marketable one. [read it here]
09) http://challies.com
Author and blogger, Tim Challies, is a strong voice within the evangelical church for understanding the issues we face in our time as Christians. We had him on the podcast for a great conversation about technology in CMB 034. His blog is a wealth of wisdom for believers of all kinds. [read it here]
08) http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/
CD Baby is a leading resource for independent musicians and artists. Their blog is always cranking out current insights into the world of do-it-yourself, musicpreneurs. [read it here]
07) http://mysonginthenight.com/
This is a great blog on songwriting by Bobby and Kristen Gilles. It is gospel-centered, practical, and chock-full of great ideas to equip you in your songwriting. [read it here]
06) http://www.doxologyandtheology.com/blog-pages/
We had Matt Boswell on session 9 of the podcast, and not only is his book fantastic for worship leaders and pastors, but his blog is also a wonderful source of encouragement for people who find themselves in music ministries at their local churches. GREAT. [read it here]
05) http://davidsantistevan.com
To keep things going in the church music vein, David Santistevan, author, worship pastor, and podcaster, has a ton of value each and every week at his blog. We also had David on the podcast in CMB 028. I’ve personally gleaned a lot from his insights on leading our own worship team at my church. Definitely check him out. [read it here]
04) http://michaelhyatt.com/
Artists and songwriters: If you’re looking to improve your blog, writing, and learn the very important skills needed to have an impact online, you should definitely learn all you can from Michael Hyatt. His book Platform is also a practical help to anyone who has a message that needs to be heard in this noisy world. [go check it]
03) http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/
If you’re wanting to glorify God more in your music (and I hope you do), you need to give yourself to the study of God’s word and how to apply it in today’s world. TGC has a vast arsenal of content to help serve you in this regard. There are several blogs here to check out, but generally speaking, this movement is an extremely important one to be aware of. [go check it]
02) http://blog.masonjarmusic.com/
Again, I can’t stress this enough: Learn from other musicians and artists who are great. What these guys are doing to bring fresh music and video together is incredibly inspiring. It almost makes me a little sick seeing how innovative they are… 🙂
01) http://theresurgence.com/
As long as I’m repeating myself, I might as well repeat this: Knowing Jesus is the most important thing in your life.
With or without your musical skills, you are always a Christian first. Your identity isn’t in your music making, but in Christ.
What makes this so freeing is that you can now leverage your abilities for God’s fame and glory. If you know me well, then you know that I’m somewhat of an Acts29 and Mars Hill junkie. These guys not only inspire me, but they remind me why I’m doing the things I’m doing: for the fame of Jesus… [go check it]
What about you?
These are only my picks for the top sites this year that every believing musician should be aware of. Perhaps you have a few you’d like to share?
Let us know in the comments below!!!
