Josh McDowell An author and speaker, McDowell has written and co-authored 150 books, including Evidence that Demands a Verdict, named one of the most influential books on Christian thought in the last 50 years by World Magazine. Pastor Andy Ferguson @Pastor_Andy. Make Your Life Count, led to the founding of Do Something Church, an organization that helps churches implement outreach strategies. Among the prominent community leaders from the church were the late tuberculosis specialist Dr. J. W. Walker, former president of Livingstone College Dr. W. J. Trent (deceased), attorney Floyd B. McKissick, Sr., national director of CORE, and Dr. Albert Manley, President of Spelman College. Mike Milton says that through Coral Ridge Ministries and other media and ministry outlets, Dr. Kennedy became the most listened to Presbyterian minister in history. His Evangelism Explosion movement became a powerful influence for many years on how churches did personal evangelism. For more than 50 years, Billy Graham had his membership at the Dallas church. Dr. Jeremiah Wright had initially served the Marine Corps before joining the U.S. Navy as a cardiopulmonary technician. David Wise This youth minister also happens to be a gold medal-winning Olympic freestyle skier. 84. Mike Milton says: His messages are examples of solid, biblical exposition. While Wise was winning gold in Sochi, he and wife Alexandra caught the attention of the world for becoming parents barely into their 20s and for how they spend their off-time as youth ministers. Joyce Meyer A charismatic Christian author, Meyer has written more than 100 books and hosts a popular TV show, Enjoying Everyday Life, that teaches people how to live the Christian life and overcome their problems with faith in Christ and common sense. 74. Born in Atlanta, King is best known for advancing civil rights through nonviolence and civil disobedience, tactics his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi helped inspire. Though a great speaker, he has invited criticism for his controversial comments, such as when he suggested that white privilege was actually white blessing. Greg Laurie is an American pastor and author who is currently serving as a pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship. Listen to a 30 minute message from Gods Word. Philip Yancey He's the best-selling and award-winning author of books including The Jesus I Never Knew and Whats So Amazing About Grace? both of which were selected as books of the year by Christian retailers. His approach to verse-by-verse exposition has attracted many, and through his media influence and The Masters Seminary, which he established, MacArthur is preparing a new generation of young preachers for ministries focused on biblical exposition. Jim Wallis The founder and editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine, Wallis is a left-leaning Christian activist who advocates for peace and social justice issues. Creflo Dollar A popular African-American pastor and televangelist, Dollar incidentally preaches a gospel of wealth from his megachurches, called World Changers Ministries, from Atlanta and New York. Lewis, Roderick D Sr Rev Clergy Moore refused to endorse Donald Trump before the 2016 presidential election and encouraged Christians to vote for a third-party candidate. Nancy Lugo - Wikimedia Commons Warrens most significant influence on todays pastors may be through his creative use of the Internet, including his weekly newsletter that reaches more pastors than any other single publication or Web resource. She also holds conferences for women in the U.S. and other countries including Ireland, England, Singapore, Puerto Rico, and India. Steven Furtick is the head pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Gardner was an American actress and singer from a farming family near the North Carolina community of Grabtown. "Blue Like Jazz" was later turned into a film. Stott Hailed as the "Prince of Preachers",he was well respected by Christians of various denominations. 3. . Apart from authoring the New York Times bestseller Crazy Love, Francis has also penned childrens books such as Halfway Herbert and Ronnie Wilson's Gift. Donald Miller A best-selling author and public speaker, Miller wrote Blue Like Jazz and other memoir-style books about his faith journey. has led the Summit in a bold vision to plant 1,000 new churches by 2050. Anyone who wants to admire and envy the world's biggest stars needs only to look on Instagram. Daniel Chalmers, the 46-year-old head of Love Wins Ministries and an ordained pastor running the "Catch The Fire" church in Raleigh-Durham. He served twice as National Radio Preacher for NBC, delivered the 100th Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale and has lectured at many colleges and seminaries. William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist, a prominent evangelical Christian figure, and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well-known internationally in the late 1940s. 92. Friday, 17 November 2017 09:07 AM EST. 1. Charlotte (/ r l t / SHAR-lt) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina.Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County.The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populous city in the U.S., the seventh most populous city in the South, and the second most populous city in the Southeast behind . He launched the campaign Justice Together in 2015 to fight against police brutality. This includes the most prominent preachers of all faiths and famous Christian pastors, living and dead, both from America and abroad (if you're looking for famous children of pastors, we have that too). Peruse the list below to find out! . Jeremy Lin An NBA point guard, Lin recently kicked off his second stint with the Brooklyn Nets, but suffered a season-ending knee injury. Better known as the spiritual advisor to Donald Trump, Paula White became the first female clergy to deliver the inauguration invocation of a U.S. president. He is also closely associated with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, serving on the association's board of directors. 15. He is the chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He established the Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan in his late 20s. 8 John Allen Chau Pastor J.D. He serves as chancellor and CEO of Regent University and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). They are also the ordained leaders and speakers of large Christian congregations and churches. Kay Arthur An international Bible teacher and award-winning author, Arthur has helped thousands of people study the Bible in a systematic way through the Inductive Bible Study Method with Precept Ministries International. Here, then, are the 25 most influential pastors of the past 25 years: #1 Billy Graham Soldiers and their families for their service to the nation during his inspirational speech at 131106-A-PP444-045.jpg Photo by Staff Sgt. The pastor of a North Carolina megachurch is blessing the Lord for just that claiming that the $1.7 million mega-house he's building is a gift from his creator. The author of the New York Times bestsellers The Prodigal God and The Reason for God, Timothy J. Keller also chairs Redeemer City to City, which establishes new churches and trains pastors. During his pastorate, the membership of the church grew from 9,000 to 29,000. #5 John MacArthur 82. He was the author of several books, sermons, and commentaries. Sproul The writer of more than 100 books, including the highly praised The Holiness of God and Not a Chance, Sproul also hosts the widely heard radio program Renewing Your Mind. His Ligonier Ministries, which produces the show, is based in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area. Charles R. Swindoll is an evangelical Christian author, pastor, educator, and radio preacher. Jakes The pastor of the nondenominational megachurch The Potters House in Dallas, Texas, Jakes is also an author and filmmaker with a passion for womens issues and abstinence for single Christians. Many are regarded as the most influential pastors and all are known for leading their followers to pursue their faith and gain a deeper understanding of their beliefs and tenets. A prominent tactician and theoretician of nonviolence, Lawson played a major role during the Civil Rights Movement. #7 Haddon Robinson 25. He is one of the most popular televangelists in the world, with his televised sermons being watched by millions of people every week in over 100 countries, including 10 million viewers in the US alone. Here are 30 well-known pastors of today that speak the truth of God and who believe every single word in the Bible. The son of evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin Graham followed in his father's footsteps to become a missionary and an evangelist. Report this video! Televangelism is the religious practice in which a Christian Minister largely utilizes television broadcasting to spread his gospel. His influence has been noted by Christianity Today, Reader's Digest, and The New York Times. Michael Jordan grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina and won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls. 41. List of famous televangelists (also known as "TV evangelists"), with photos where possible. Televangelist and religious leader Jerry Falwell Sr. was also a co-founder of the Moral Majority, a political platform for the promotion of conservative Christian ideals. His son Joel Osteen followed in his footsteps. Michele Bachmann Bachmann was the first Republican woman to represent Minnesota in Congress, and later ran in the 2012 presidential election. 73. He is an advocate of Christian family-friendly Hollywood movies, and has received five Angel Awards from Excellence in Media. ", 64. Sarah Palin The former governor of Alaska and vice-presidential running mate of John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, Palin was very open about her Christian faith but was also strongly targeted by the media and the left for her conservative religious views. Hopefully, one day humans will explore the entire universe. The church grew from 7,800 to 25,000 during his pastorate, at one point becoming the largest congregation in the world. Alan Sears As general counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, he has won many lawsuits on behalf of conservative Christians. The best-selling author of "The Martyr's Oath: Living for the Jesus They're Willing to Die For," Moore also owns The KAIROS Company, which does PR for many Christian organizations and personalities. There are plenty of famous people from North Carolina, including several athletes. 91. A NORTH Carolina pastor was placed in custody after he was accused of urinating on a woman on a plane. He founded Criswell College as a place to train a new generation of Bible preachers. He was also a member of the '84 and '92 U.S. Olympic teams. Matt Walsh A millennial blogger and nationally recognized speaker on conservative cultural issues like abortion, pornography, and LGBT issues. 57. ), As a professor of preaching at three prominent evangelical seminaries, Robinson further influenced many of those who now teach preaching in colleges and seminaries. Through his leadership at the Catalyst conference, he continues to influence thousands of young pastors in shaping their own ministries. He has spoken in front government leaders, army men, and corporates. He was cited by Ebony as one of the nations best Black preachers and was in constant demand as a speaker and evangelist. 81. He also founded The Resurgence, a theological cooperative, and co-founded Acts 29 Network, a parachurch organization. 95. Ted Haggard is an evangelicalpastor who founded New Life ChurchinColorado Springs, Colorado. Ted Baehr As chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission, Baehr is also a publisher of "Movieguide," a journal that evaluates movies and other forms of entertainment from a Christian perspective on suitability for family consumption. Samuel Rodriguez A popular Assemblies of God pastor, Rodriguez founded of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which is the largest Hispanic evangelical organization in the world, according to The Christian Post, with more than 40,000 members. Later he became a pastor and fraud investigator, concurrently continuing with his illegal dealings, resulting in another confinement and a sentence to pay $612 million in restitution. John Piper One of the most prolific Calvinist writers of our time, Piper has authored more than 50 books on Christian faith. He can be characterized as being a megachurch leader since his congregation reaches over 14,000 on a weekend. 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