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Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/11/2008 7:36:59 PM
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HansC
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Who do you think are today's most influential evangelical Christian leaders? I was hoping to put together a list of the top 100.
Please note, this is not a question as to who is right, wrong, secret heretic etc.
For example, I think T.D. Jakes would be in that list, although, I have some strong theological problems with him, and would even block him in certain sections of CWS, yet, still, in the broad sense of the term he is within evangelical Christianity. As far as that goes, so is Benny Hinn, although I also have trouble with him.
My question I guess is, Who does society in general consider the top influential evangelical Christians?
Hans
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/11/2008 7:53:26 PM
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earthless
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Two false teachers on your list? One that denies the Trinity (denies the God of Scripture) and preaches 'name it and claim it? And another that is a documented false teacher and false prophet?
Goodness. God have mercy on America.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/11/2008 11:03:26 PM
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ta_mosquito
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Per the OP:
Please note, this is not a question as to who is right, wrong, secret heretic etc.
Please honor that request.
Thanks!
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/11/2008 11:21:51 PM
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makarizo
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quote:
ORIGINAL: HansC
Who do you think are today's most influential evangelical Christian leaders? I was hoping to put together a list of the top 100.
Please note, this is not a question as to who is right, wrong, secret heretic etc.
For example, I think T.D. Jakes would be in that list, although, I have some strong theological problems with him, and would even block him in certain sections of CWS, yet, still, in the broad sense of the term he is within evangelical Christianity. As far as that goes, so is Benny Hinn, although I also have trouble with him.
My question I guess is, Who does society in general consider the top influential evangelical Christians?
Hans
the first name that popped up was Bill Graham, but that was longer ago... hmmmm, not saying he is right or wrong or true or false, Benny hinn is so out there, around the world, dedicated to his calling..... despite the criticism, If people are giving their lives to Jesus because of his ministry..... that is call fruit. lots of it!!
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 2:36:06 AM
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HansC
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Thanks ta_mosquito for the heads up on the OP. Just to clarify the purpose. This is not much different than when Time magazine did the "25 Most influential influential Evangelicals" I am writing a post graduate thesis on the state of the church in America and changes that may be coming and simply need to know who are considered as major influences. Once I have a good list, I am going to try and contact the people on the list. Regardless of my own views on doctrine, if I leave out major voices, the research will not be considered as rigorous as it needs to be to pass the academic review board.
For example, T.D. Jakes, I have a strong difference of opinion with him on the nature of the Godhead, he's oneness and I'm trinitarian, however, in a recent survey he came out in the top three of influential Christians, so even though I disagree with him, I can not really do a through job of research if I cut out major voices. I will have to defend my thesis before an academic review board in a secular university and they are real tough and through.
Thanks, Hans
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 2:41:11 AM
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BugLady
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Rick Warren has been pretty influential.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 4:31:13 AM
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RJR_fan
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quote:
I am writing a post graduate thesis on the state of the church in America and changes that may be coming and simply need to know who are considered as major influences. Once I have a good list, I am going to try and contact the people on the list.
Is this going to be a Master's thesis?
Let's distinguish between revival and reformation.
"Revivals" come and go. They tend to burn out quickly, and burn out the credibility of the gospel as they go. Rick Joyner, a guy I really had little respect for, astutely pointed out that churches are usually worse off after revival than they were before. Revivals, in the name of appealing to "the heart," usually short-circuit, hot-wire, bypass "the head," and end up engaging "the loins." As Charles Steinbeck wrote in The Grapes of Wrath, revival meeting provide golden opportunities for seducers! At the peak of the first Great Awakening, 1750, half of the first babies came less than 8 months after the wedding. Charles Finney himself confessed that the areas he'd "revived" with his ruthless stage hypnotist act were left in a hardened, embittered, and skeptical condition afterward. Billy Graham's own organization's research confirms this. 96% of those who "went forward" at his "crusades" apparently only got vaccinated against real conversion. Only 4% of those who responded to BG altar calls went on to live visibly fruitful Christian lives. Those are his numbers.
Reformations begin when scholars bring a fresh Biblical insight to some aspect of life. Reformations take a century or so to get up to speed, and leave the cultural landscape permanently changed.
The late R. J. Rushdoony combined several neglected elements of standard Christian doctrine to bring fresh light to the situation of Christianity and its rivals today. RJR coined the term "secular humanism" to describe the official ideology of America and the modern world. He's been called "the godfather of the home schooling movement," since his trenchant scholarship demonstrated, irrefutably, the religious passions animating the "common/public school movement." Now that he has done the work, Christian parents have no excuses for supporting public education. We now know that all education is religious education. And if that religion isn't Christianity, then it isn't leading our children towards heaven.
RJR's insights were frequently incorporated, without footnotes, in Francis Shaeffer's work. Shaeffer did well, in that he took seriously the cultural landmarks of the day.[1] His eschatological pessimism, however, undermined his work in the long run. His two most famous disciples, C. Everett Koop and son Franky Shaeffer IV, became apologists for the sodomite agenda and for eastern orthodoxy, respectively. Ideas have consequences. Our children have to live in the future we surrender.
RJR's son-in-law, Gary North, writes faster than RJR, but not nearly as well. RJR literally penned his books with a fountain pen. Gary North stockpiles old-fashioned keyboards and wears them out using WordPerfect 5.1. North has undertaken an economic commentary on the whole Bible, one book at a time. His take on the Biblical doctrine of fractional reserve banking is especially pertinent at this point. His massive, thoroughly footnoted historical books describe how the agents of an alien faith hijacked American Christianity a century ago (With Crossed Fingers) and the American political order in 1789 (Political Polytheism).[2]
James Dobson's single-minded focus on the family, a real pain-point in today's society, has given him massive credibility. His mastery of the medium of radio has dealt with family issues for four decades. Adventures in Odyssey just had a 20th anniversary of its appealing and engaging application of Biblical truth to everyday life.
SO: if by "influential" you mean able to garner crowds for a dog and pony show, we're talking about one breed of cat. If, OTOH, you mean able to change the course of history, we're talking about scholars who make connections.
[1] A story, perhaps apocryphal, describes Shaeffer as addressing the student body at Wheaton College about the insights European film makers provided into the modern mind. As he discoursed on Fellini and Antonioni and Ingmar Bergman, a campaign was underway to permit the screening of Bambi on the Wheaton campus.
[2] You can download these books, for free, at www.freebooks.com. The other "must read" books include David Chilton's Paradise Restored and Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators.
< Message edited by RJR_fan -- 11/12/2008 4:38:02 AM >
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 5:29:47 AM
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Giulia
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I don't really get into TV evangelists. Benny Hinn was certainly an inspiration for me and a few others have challenged me on occasions but mostly they have all helped with with more discernment. Many of them said some really off the wall things at times. I don't look up to any of them.
quote:
SO: if by "influential" you mean able to garner crowds for a dog and pony show, we're talking about one breed of cat. If, OTOH, you mean able to change the course of history, we're talking about scholars who make connections.
Talking about saints who change the world with their courage to lay it all down in the sacrifice of love.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 7:57:49 AM
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SonInMe1
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Pastor David Hughs....my pastor.....www.cbglades.com.
Read a pretty good book on intercessary prayer by Dr. Shiets (sp ) and I forgot his first name.
Macarthur.
Billy Graham.
Charles Stanley.
Smith Wigglesworth was an interesting fellow.
You cannot deny Rick Warren's influence.
My first pastor certainly influenced me. Helped to lead me to salvation, even though he was a false teacher and fraud.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 8:02:13 AM
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Grace-N-Mercy
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Great topic. My thought was Billy Graham, even though he is not currently evangelizing. Pope John Paul was also very influential.
Going with my field, I'd say that Jay Adams and Larry Crabb have been influential in the field of Christian counseling, leading the way for pastors to combine counseling into pastors practice and sermons.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 9:44:59 AM
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Walker311
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I heard an excerpt on the news this morning concerning Ted Haggard .
He made a comment that is a very good indicator of the Christian community as a whole. They dropped him like a hot potato and it was only a small handful of people who reached out to he and his family.
This was a terrible scandal at the time and in the eyes of the extremely large flock that he ministered to, he was dead to them. Amazing!
So, I guess you could say that as a former leader, he has been influential in his fall.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 9:51:35 AM
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ta_mosquito
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I do not agree with all these folks' theology, but the influential ones I can think of, in no particular order:
Joel Osteen
that Meyers lady - whatshername - oh, Joyce!
James Dobson
Chuck Swindoll
Billy Graham
Currently Todd Bentley seems pretty influential
Is Jesse Jackson considered a Christian leader?
John Piper
Perhaps David Wilkerson - the whole Prayer of Jabez thing, unless that fad is too long ago
Bill Hybels
Jerry Falwell
I agree with who the others have said:
TD Jakes
Hinn
Rick Warren
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 11:26:35 AM
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ames01
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I think there are Christian leaders today who are very influencial in a quiet way, meaning that they have made a big impact for the Kingdom without necessarily becoming well-known nationally. Maybe that doesn't answer your question of . . .
quote:
Who does society in general consider the top influential evangelical Christians?
. . . very well, though. But I think it is an important aspect to consider. In that vein, I would consider someone like Wess Stafford, the president of Compassion International, to be very influencial. He is a man who leads by example and practices what he preaches, and his work has helped close to a million children and their families in the developing world. And he is just one example out of many of this type of leader. Franklin Graham could be considered another, though he is pretty widely known in his own right.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 12:28:02 PM
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pstrdebi
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quote:
ORIGINAL: HansC
As far as that goes, so is Benny Hinn, although I also have trouble with him.
That is why we have the Holy Spirit... He guides us in TRUTH.
quote:
My question I guess is, Who does society in general consider the top influential evangelical Christians?
Hans
There are several...
Billy Graham, of course.
And then I would have to say my senior pastor and husband... Pastor Dave. 
He is one of the most influential people in my life. He grows me... strengthens me... teaches me... and also, holds me accoutable.... along with so much more. He is a true man of God who stands firm on his convictions, doesn't compromise, and teaches the Word... the WHOLE Word, in TRUTH first, and in love.
I struggle with most all of the tv evangelists today. There are some I like ok... but I am sick of them always selling there wares... it's like many of them, IMHO... are just pimping Jesus!
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 1:22:17 PM
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RJR_fan
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quote:
Talking about saints who change the world with their courage to lay it all down in the sacrifice of love.
Many heretics were people of exemplary personal character. Such as Pelagius, Wulfilas, Charles Finney. They still led multitudes to hell. Again, those who are influential for good, and for God, know what they're doing, and do not govern their lives by their loins, their emotional inclinations.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 6:03:18 PM
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rcjames
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quote:
ORIGINAL: ta_mosquito
Per the OP:
Please note, this is not a question as to who is right, wrong, secret heretic etc.
Please honor that request.
Since we are talking about nation wide influence and not who we like or agree with; I would say Dr. Dobson influences more than most.
Thasnk
RC
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 8:11:59 PM
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HansC
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RJR_Fan asked:
quote:
Is this going to be a Master's thesis?
Yes, once the list is established I will try and contact the people on the list. I'll make a note of your book and check it out, thanks for the tip. I just read Franky Schaffer's bio, I thought it was sad how he turned out.
Walker
quote:
This was a terrible scandal at the time and in the eyes of the extremely large flock that he ministered to, he was dead to them. Amazing!
So, I guess you could say that as a former leader, he has been influential in his fall.
I found everything around it very sad. I don't really know what to say.
I'll be back and post what I have so far. Since I am using this to write a Master's Thesis the whole project may take some time, but once the list is established and some other work is done, I will try and contact the people on the list.
Hans
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 9:24:28 PM
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HansC
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OK, here's the list, that I'll work with.
As a disclaimer, I do not agree with the theological positions of everyone on this list, I do not know what their personal relationship is with God, but I know that they are all people of influence. Anyway, this is will be my working list. It will take a long time for this project to take shape, but I'll keep in touch.
Dan Allendar
William Alnor
Howard and Roberta Ahmanson, Fieldstead & Co.
Kay Arthur
Jim Ball (Evangelical Environmental Network)
George Barna (pastor & founder of the Barna Group)
David Barton, wall builders
Robert "Rob" Bell
Todd Bentley
Father Zakaria Botros, fatherzakaria.ne
Bishop Charles E. Blake (West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles)
Jerry Bridges
Brother Andrew
Kirk Cameron
Michael Card
Gary Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Chuck Colson
Ray Comfort
Kenneth Copeland
Luis Cortes, Nueva Esperanza
Paul Crouch
Nancy Leigh DeMoss
James Dobson
Mark Driscoll
John Eldridge
Elisabeth Elliot - Missionary - She is portrayed in the film End of the Spear.
Stuart Epperson, salem communications
Floyd Flake (Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in New York City)
Billy Graham
Franklin Graham
John Hagee
Kenneth Hagin Jr.
Hank Hanagraaff
Jack Hayford
Michael Horton - Professor of theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary California - Radio broadcast, The White Horse Inn.
Benny Hinn
Mike Huckabee
Dave Hunt
Billy Hybels
Chip Ingram
T.D. Jakes
Grant Jeffrey
Dennis Jernigan
Timothy Keller, The Reason for God.
Tim LeHaye
Marcus Lamb (began Daystar Television Network)
Richard Land (president of ERLC)
Hal Lindsey
Anne Graham Lotz
Max Lucado
Brennan Manning
Brian McLaren
John MacArthur
Josh McDowell
Alister McGrath, Christianity’s Dangerous Ideas
Erwin McManus - emerging church movement
Joyce Meyer
Jesse Miranda (president of AMEN in Calif.)
Chuck Missler
Albert Molher
Beth Moore
Igor Nikitin, Russia - President of two Christian television channels, TBN Russia and TBN Ukraine
Mark Noll, Study of American Evangelicals at Wheaton College
Stormie Omartian
Joel Osteen
J.I. Packer, Canadian Christian theologian. Professor of theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Luis Palau
Sarah Palin
Rod Parsley
John Piper
Pope Benedict XVI
Dennis Rainey
Matt Redman
Ralph Reed - First executive director of the Christian Coalition
Pat Robertson
Adrian Rodgers
Joel Rosenburg
Robert Schuller
Jay Sekulow, American Center for Law & Justice
Chuck Smith
R.C. Sproul
Wess Stafford, the president of Compassion International,
Charles F. Stanley
Rodney Stark, What Americans Really Believe, Baylor Report
Perry Stone
John Stott - British Christian leader
..
Stephen Strang, Strang Communications
Lee Stroebel
Leonard Sweet
Chuck Swindoll
Chris Tomlin
Phil Vischer - Veggie Tales series
Rick Warren
David Wilkerson (Founder of World Challenge, author The Cross and the Switchblade)
Dallas Willard
Ralph Winter, U.S. Center for World Mission
N.T. Wright
Philip Yancey
Ravi Zacharius
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 10:26:34 PM
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ta_mosquito
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Interesting list. Some of the people I've never head of; some I'm glad are on the list; some I wish weren't on the list due to my disagreements with them.
Yay for Phil Vischer! LOL!
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"There's a fine line between being open-minded and empty-headed." ~Michael Coren
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 11:09:36 PM
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HansC
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ta_mosquito
quote:
Some of the people I've never head of; some I'm glad are on the list; some I wish weren't on the list due to my disagreements with them.
To be real honest, that sums up my feelings too. Some I really like, some....well.....OK next question. Some I don't know, many of those that I do not know were suggested and sent to me. So when I finally put together a questionnaire, naturally, I'll have to do more background work. Many of those who I did not know I accepted on the basis of my trust in the person submitting the name. This is going to be a LONG project and I estimate around two years, but I'll keep people posted as I go along.
Thank you so much everybody for the help.
Hans
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/12/2008 11:14:04 PM
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makarizo
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quote:
ORIGINAL: HansC
OK, here's the list, that I'll work with.
As a disclaimer, I do not agree with the theological positions of everyone on this list,
Dr Fredrick K.C. Price was not on that list, (ever increasing faith) and I thought he was a very good influence.
and Kieth Green, and a host of other singer song writers are reaching/evangelizing millions, didn't see any of them on your list either.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/13/2008 7:59:30 AM
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greatdivide46
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Was glad to see Max Lucado on the list. Would have suggested Alexander Campbell, too, though.
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RE: Most influential Christian leaders? - 11/13/2008 7:00:58 PM
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twincities
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i don't think you could get people here to agree on 100 "christian" leaders. some would say some are heretics and others would say they of God..
maybe here would help.. i don't know
http://www.sermonindex.net/index.php
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