Monday Morning Insights

Photo of Todd
    .

    Oh Boy!  Another List!  (The 50 Most Influential Christians in America)

    Bookmark and Share

    This year’s most influential Christian in America, as chosen by the readers, is Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Pastor Osteen – who early in his church life never thought about being a pastor and preferred being in the background – pastors one of the largest churches in America, is a best-selling author and travels across the country speaking to packed arenas of people eager to hear his message.

    Always humble, Pastor Osteen gives credit to his wife, his staff and his church family for his success and the many blessings of Lakewood Church. Pastor Osteen has a gift for reaching unchurched people with his message of positive thought and God’s plan for our lives.

    The Church Report congratulates Pastor Joel Osteen and all of the nominees for the Most Influential Christians in America!

    2. BILLY GRAHAM
    BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
    Charlotte, N.C.

    Evangelist Billy Graham has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — over 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories. He has reached hundreds of millions more through television, video, film and Webcasts. Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in 1950, which was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., until relocating to Charlotte, N.C. in 2003.

    3. BILL HYBELS
    WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH
    South Barrington, Ill.

    Bill Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill. Willow Creek’s innovative ministries have made it one of the most-attended churches in North America. Hybels is also an author of several Christian books, especially on the subject of Christian leadership. His charismatic personality and sincere style have made Hybels one of the most popular faces of the modern evangelical movement.

    4. BISHOP T.D. JAKES
    THE POTTER’S HOUSE
    Dallas, Texas

    Bishop T.D. Jakes is the CEO of The Potter’s House, a nonprofit organization that has produced four major national conferences – The Pastors’ and Leadership Conference, ManPower, Woman, Thou Art Loosed (WTAL), and MegaFest. The outreach efforts of Bishop Jakes and The Potter’s House don’t tarry at the doors of the church, or even on the shores of the nation.

    5. JAMES C. DOBSON, PH.D.
    FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
    Colorado Springs, Colo.

    James C. Dobson, Ph.D., bestselling author and recognized advocate for the family, is founder and chairman of Focus on the Family, a nonprofit organization that produces his internationally syndicated radio programs that are heard in 25 languages on over 8,300 radio facilities in 164 countries.

    6. PAUL CROUCH
    TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK
    Santa Ana, Calif.

    Paul Crouch is an internationally recognized visionary in the field of Christian television. In 1973, along with his wife, Jan, he founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Under his leadership, TBN has grown to become the largest group owner of broadcast stations in the world. Crouch has received numerous television broadcasting awards, including the Telly Award, the Golden Halo Award and numerous Silver Angel awards.

    7. JOYCE MEYER
    JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES
    Fenton, Mo.

    Joyce Meyer is one of the world’s leading practical Bible teachers. Through her ministry, Meyer has taught on hundreds of subjects, authored over 70 books and conducts close to 20 conferences per year around the world. Her television and radio program is broadcast to most of the globe. In February 2005, she was selected by Time Magazine as one of the top 25 evangelical leaders in America.

    8. LEONARD SWEET
    DREW THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL
    Madison, N.J.

    Currently the E. Stanley Jones professor of evangelism at Drew Theological School (Madison, N.J.), and visiting distinguished professor at George Fox University, (Portland, Oregon), Leonard Sweet is the author of more than 100 articles, 600 published sermons and 27 books. Founder and president of SpiritVenture Ministries, Sweet is a frequent speaker at conferences in the United States and around the globe.

    9. JOHN PIPER
    BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH
    Minneapolis, Minn.

    John Piper is the pastor for preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minn. Piper is the author of more than 20 books and his preaching and teaching is featured on the daily radio program “Desiring God.” He and his wife Noël have four sons, one daughter and four grandchildren.

    10. ROB BELL
    MARS HILL BIBLE CHURCH
    Grandville, Mich.

    Rob Bell is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, located in Grandville, Mich. He is featured in the first series of spiritual short films called NOOMA and recently completed his first book “Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith.” Bell and his wife, Kristen, have two boys and live in Grand Rapids, Mich.

    It seems a new 'list' is coming out every week these days. This one is from The Church Report Magazine and is supposed to be the "50 Most Influential Christians in America"... As usual; I wonder where some of the names on this list came from. Check it out; here are the top ten...

    Comments

    if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.

    1. kent on Tue, January 09, 2007

      I agree with you about where did these names come from, and honesly it has to be somewhat subjective. The other question that comes to me is - so??? Okay so they are well known and all, so…


      If no other list ever came out would that be so bad? If all politics are local, isn’t the same true with churches? It is not the national figures that make the real difference it is people like Leonard and Peter Hamm and Dr.Bob and Daniel and Camey and all the other who populate this site and serve the kingdom in their locale. Well it is just a thought.

    2. Peter Hamm on Tue, January 09, 2007

      Okay, maybe he’s old news… but RW is not in the top 10? He’s still pretty influential, don’t y’all think?


      Oops…

    3. Peter Hamm on Tue, January 09, 2007

      and kent…


      I for one am glad I’m on no such list… Too much publicity. OUCH!

    4. Bart on Tue, January 09, 2007

      I would call the list the most well known, not the most influential.  On the most influential list I would put Joe, who overcame drug abuse to lead our kid’s fishing ministry, and Bob on our deacon board who at age 78 thinks like a 22 year old, and Ruth who took care of a friend dying of cancer.  They may not be well know, but to me they are the most influential Christians I know.

    5. nora on Tue, January 09, 2007

      Lists like these may do more harm than good, IMO.  I’m not sure that we as Christians should be making up lists of who’s first and who’s last.  Seems to me like Jesus said something about such things a time or two.  Secondly, there’s bound to be disagreement, and possibly even hurt feelings over the placement of people on the list.  And thirdly, it does absolutely nothing to advance the Kingdom.  So why do it?

    6. David B. on Tue, January 09, 2007

      Note that this is a vote of the readers.  My hunch is that Rick Warren is not on the list because he’s unpopular among a significant chunk of the voting readers.  Between questionable doctrine and his most recent actions (on global warming, etc.), which ticked off some politically conservative evangelicals, he probably managed to be left off some lists altogether.  He’s still “influential,” but a lot of people probably didn’t vote for him because they’re mad about one of those things.  I disagree with him profoundly on all sorts of issues, and I’d still probably put him ahead of Osteen.

    7. Dan Moore on Tue, January 09, 2007

      Joel Osteen is number 1?  It should be his father…he is the one who built that ministry, Joel just inherited his father’s work.   But that is just my opinion.


      As for the rest?  Hmmm.  Influence.  I’ve read Sweet’s and Piper’s books.  They’re okay I guess.  Billy Graham…Yes!  Bill Hybels…well if you count all the church splits that resulted from anxious church leaders tyring to imitate Willow Creek as influence.  


      Where’s Pat Robertson?  O he prophesied that he wouldn’t make the list, right?


      I’m with Bart.   I have a dozen or more saints in my church and my history that have really influenced me.  But I guess they are in the minority.

    8. kent on Tue, January 09, 2007

      As you have all said ministry and the kingdom is local. Well known does not equal influential.

    9. Joe Myers on Tue, January 09, 2007

      Yah the mother of the sons of thunder wanted Jesus to make a list and He said it is not up to me and you don’t even have the slightest clue what you’re asking (Matt 20:20-28).  And then the disciples had asked for a list and He directed them to be self-disciplined and to care about other believers as God cares for them - love your brother in Christ by not causing them to sin and confront/consul them in their sin in order to win them to repentance (Matt 18).


      It doesn’t suprise me that people are making a list because most Christians are reading these authors books instead of the author of the bible.  So guess who gets credit to be the most influential in their life and the world’s when asked.  I don’t know if the voters are given a list or if it is fill-in-the-blank but if it is a list then the list-makers are not being very discerning.

    10. Camey on Tue, January 09, 2007

      “This year’s most influential Christian in America, as chosen by the readers” - know your audience….. or judge as the case may be.


      There’s a board game called Apples to Apples. The individuals playing have to know the judge when selecting which card they might pick to go up against the others cards. The judge then decides according to their own Opinion/thought process the winner. Say the word is: “Influential” ..... One judge might pick the card “James Deen” out of Preacher, Musician, Politican, James Deen,… you get the point. If you can find this game - buy it. Wow! Talk about eye opening.


      And Kent….. I read what you wrote before going to a meeting this morning. A meeting where I could have had a very different role. That role is not mine. At the back of room my chair was warm because of your thoughts.,,,, more importantly because of the power of the cross. Thank you.

    11. Archangel on Mon, January 29, 2007

      I have often wondered about this publicity thing among Christians, especially pastors, evangelists and theologians. Jesus said, the greatest shall be the least and the least shall be the greatest. I have heard different ones say, who knew both men personally, that Billy Graham’s brother was the greatest Christian they had met. To my knowledge, he appeared in only one of Billy Graham’s telecast. But then, what about BG’s parents? Joel O’Steen’s parents? Or what about their child hood pastors and Sunday School teachers. What about the man who led Dwight Moody to Christ?


      I wonder if all this publicity and notoriety down here will take away from our reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ.


      Jesus will judge us honestly, fairly and completely. We have a mentally retarded boy in our church. He sings the best he can. He prays the best he can. He plays on the church softball team and helps the men cook breakfast each month at our Men’s fellowship breakfast. I have been his pastor most all of his life. He came to us when he was three years old. I just wonder if he will not have a greater reward in Heaven than I will have. He is always smiling and always has a good word for the Lord and for everyone he meets. I would say this fellow would be an hard act to follow at the Judgment Seat. I have already asked the Lord to let me in line in fron of him.


      I did not know all the people listed on the top ten most influential; but those I know probably do deserve to be there. I just have a problem with publicity and preacher/teacher worship. Had I been allowed to vote, I probably would have voted for John Hagee or Charles Stanley or David Hawking for number one. They have been the most influetial in my life, with Charles Stanley at the top. However, each of these men have experienced severe trials in their families. Mark Lowry sings an interesting song that goes something like this, “I cannot dance tonight or any other night, becaus I am Southern Baptists” Well none of the names I mentioned could possibly be a candidate for number one because each of them have either been divorced or legally separated from their first spouses. whether it is your fault or not, if you are divorced, you are forced to take the number two seat. I am not divorced, but it is only by the grace of God I am not. Besides, I feel that any or all of those listed have made a larger and better impact on Christianity than have I. So good luck with the popularity contest among Christians.

    12. Jim Goble on Thu, April 26, 2007

      This is a nice list.  Only problem: 9 out of the 10 listed persons represent a fundamentalist or conservative evangelical position.  The traditional Protestant churches are barely mentioned, to say nothing of Roman Catholic and Orthodox leaders.


      What about Jim Wallis and Sojourners magazine?  What about the evangelicals who have broken from the pack on global warming issues?  What about the Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World?


      As has been mentioned previously, maybe each of us should ask ourselves how influential we are.

    13. Page 1 of 1 pages

      Post a Comment

    14. (will not be published)

      Remember my personal information

      Notify me of follow-up comments?

    Sponsors