Category: Social media for Christians

2022 Inspirational Faith List of Influential Preachers, Pastors, Evangelists and Ministries Living in the United States

Posted on by Loretta Gardner

A Five Year Milestone

Loretta Gardner, Editor

Since 2016, Inspirational Faith Magazine has been publishing articles that are meant to support the men and women promoting and inspiring Christianity throughout the United States.  This year, we recognize both new and previous names and groups to the list as a tribute to five years of this series.

2022 Influential Pastors, Preachers, Ministries and Evangelists

Steven Furtick (2022) is a founder and the lead pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina.  Steven Furtick Ministries is a global ministry through online streaming, television, and the music of Elevation Worship. He is a pastor, songwriter, & New York Times best-selling author. He and his ministry provide examples of leadership for small churches to reach out within their community.

Craig Groeschel & Bobby Gruenwald (2022, 2020/2019) As leaders of Life Church and both integral to You Version Bible, these men have contributed on a global scale. You Version Bible reaches millions of people each day. Life Church is a multi-site church, a forerunner in online distance sermon and worship.

Priscilla Shirer (2022, 2020/2019) Author, actress, motivational speaker, and Christian evangelist, Priscilla Shirer is effective at teaching and preaching the gospel to women. She is participating in a country wide revival in 2022 and inspires both men and women as a motivational Christian speaker.

Max Lucado (2022, 2021,2020/2019,2017,2016) Pastor of Oak Hills Church in Texas, author of multiple books, known for being an encouragement to all, even when called in challenge on his views of homosexuality in 2021 at the National Cathedral.

John Collins (2022, 2021, 2020/2019, 2017, 2016) A leader among the country’s community churches, Pastor John continues to set the example for revival of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   His church, River Terrace Cowboy Church in Chillicothe, Illinois, acts as a central location across the United States for revival. In addition to Christian internet programming, syndicated radio and television broadcasts, he is featured on TCT.tv, Tri-county Christian Television that is seen in media formats across the United States and internationally. Pastor John has served as panel member and host for Ask the Pastor, featured on Prayer on Purpose, and serves as pastoral guidance to Nashville musicians.

Charles Stanley (2022, 2021, 2017, 2016) Now pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church Atlanta, he continues to reach for his goal to get the gospel to “as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, as clearly as possible, as irresistibly as possible, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God” through radio, television and Internet broadcasts, reaching globally and touching locally in the community of Atlanta, Georgia.

Franklin Graham (2022, 2020/2019, 2017, 2016) Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Association are now both led by Franklin Graham since the passing of his father, Billy Graham.  Currently involved in matters in the Ukraine, both associations have historically been reaching across the world through evangelism and the gospel.

Other members of the last 5 issues include:

Billy Graham, Rick Warren, John MacArthur, Andy Stanley, Warren Wiersbe, Barbara Brown Taylor, Tim Keller, Charles Swindoll, Bill Hybels, Robert Morris, Mike Higgins, Jen Wilkin, James Bryan Smith, Dr. Reverend Bernice King, Kanye West, Lysa TerKuerst, Chris Hodges, Greg Laurie, Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen, Paula White, TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, John Grey, Jimmy Swaggert, Jim Bakker, Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, Times Square Church, Teen and Adult Challenge, and Crowder.

The contributors for Inspirational Faith are independent writers, and content for articles written is chosen by a collaborative panel. Influential does not necessarily mean positive. We recognize that there are many who are not chosen and welcome feedback from the readers. It is our feeling that revival, while demonstrated in large scale media presentations, will happen as small community churches and local groups link arms and hands.  These establishments will look to those who are positively promoting and inspiring Christianity, such as those mentioned in this article. Thank you to all who contributed.

US Influential Pastors, Evangelists, and Ministries of 2019-2020.

Posted on by Loretta Gardner
Loretta Gardner

The year 2020 is drawing to a close as a record-breaking and media driven year full of life changing events.  Another turbulent election year, followed by an unprecedented pandemic, people are turning back to faith and seeking guidance from those who are our spiritual experts in Christianity.

Influential Pastors, Evangelists, and Ministries:

  1. Rick Warren.  As a long-time pastor and leader of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.  Saddleback Church is noted to be the sixth largest megachurch in the United States.  Pastor Warren is recognized as an author of several books, including the Purpose Driven Life and God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions.
  2. Dr. Reverend Bernice King.  The daughter of the late Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. King began her calling to follow in her father’s footsteps of  ministry at the age of seventeen.  Dr. King was ordained as the second woman to become a pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church.  She has pursued the message of non-violence that her father began, speaking during multiple occasions on non-violence, conservative moral issues of abortion and same-sex marriage. 
  3. Pastor John Collins.  Pastor and evangelist, Pastor John Collins of John Collins Ministries spreads a revival of faith across the United States.  Redeeming the gospel through sermons, revivals, and multiple syndicated and Internet radio programs, Pastor John Collins reaches to every state in the United States, and every country in the world. His unique style of saying it like it is appeals to many searching for answers and guidance in the turbulence of the world we live in.
  4. Charles (Chuck) Swindoll. An evangelical pastor, author, and educator, Charles Swindoll has  taught decades of pastors and preached to many through radio programs over the years. Located in Texas, Chuck Swindoll continues to preach and teach leaving a legacy behind him such as Grace Awakening and Insight for Living.
  5. Max Lucado. Pastor and author, Max Lucado reaches out from Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, Texas.  His stories and books have delighted children and adults alike while teaching Bible lessons in an easily understood and memorable fashion. His writings also include television shows and movies, which preach and teach memorable lessons.
  6. Franklin Graham. The son of the late Billy Graham, Franklin Graham engages in revivals-known as “festivals” around the world and political commentary.  As a conservative Protestant evangelist, he encourages people to pray and vote.  He leads Samaritan’s Purse, a world-wide humanitarian aid organization.
  7. Andy Stanley. Pastor of Northpoint Church, Georgia, Andy Stanley encourages involvement of the church in the local community. Through Northpoint Ministries, thousands of unchurched people have been brought back to involvement in church and local community.
  8. Kanye West.  An American song-writer, hip-hop artist, and fashion designer, Kanye West began “Sunday Service” as a kind of participatory concert and gathering by invitation only to bring people together to worship and praise God.  He has presented this program at churches, gatherings, and venues across the United States to give people a place to feel the love of God.
  9. Priscilla Shirer.  Author, actress, motivational speaker, and Christian evangelist, Priscilla Shirer is effective at teaching and preaching the gospel to women.  Her role in “War Room” was her debut, and books such as The Armor of God help to explain the Bible in an effectively understandable manner.  As a motivational Christian speaker, she is effective in bringing the Bible into everyday life.
  10. John MacArthur. A leading educator and syndicated pastor of Grace To You, John MacArthur has reached across decades of students.  Noted for controversial views against same-sex marriage, women as ordained pastors, and drew attention during social distancing of COVID-19.

Other Noted Influences:

You Version Bible

Created by Bobby Gruenewald and others at Life.Church (under the direction of Craig Groeschel), the You Version downloadable Bible app reaches countries around the world, is translated into multiple languages, printed in multiple versions of the Bible and provides access to the Bible at a finger touch. 

Prosperity doctrine

Prosperity preachers continue to influence thousands across the country with the message that God wants us to feel good.  Included in this list are Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen, Paula White, TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, John Gray, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, among many others.  To leave these names off the list of influential pastors and evangelists would appear biased.  These individuals have made a name for themselves by promoting financial prosperity as the basis for faith in God.  Some began ministry with righteous intentions, but somewhere along the way strayed by the lure of financial wealth and notoriety. Prosperity theology views the Bible as a contract between God and humans: if humans have faith in God, He will deliver security and prosperity. The doctrine emphasizes the importance of personal empowerment, proposing that it is God’s will for His people to be happy.  These individuals can be seen on media of all genres and travel the country giving speaking engagements that spread the doctrine.

2017 Ten Top Ranking Influential Ministries, Pastors, Preachers and Evangelists living in the United States.

Posted on by Loretta Gardner

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After a turbulent election year and a year of increasing division in the United States, pastors, evangelists and ministers across the country are calling for a return to faith and to God.  The following individuals were chosen from an independent panel who reviewed a wide variety of ministries, evangelists, pastors, preachers, and ministers across the United States.  Some were selected as influential pastors for 2016, others are new to the list.

Billy Graham.

At age 98, Billy Graham remains the most influential preacher and evangelist of the United States.  Traveling across the country, his ministry presented Crusades that consistently taught salvation, repentance, and redemption as he preached to 1000’s in a variety of settings from 1947 to 2005. During those Crusades, more than 3.2 million people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior.  Billy Graham preached the gospel to more people in person that anyone in the history of Christianity.

Charles Stanley.

The leader of In Touch Ministries, located in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Charles Stanley continues to spread the Word of God through a wide variety of media.  His worldwide ministry is meant to lead people to Jesus Christ and live a more godly life.

Franklin Graham.

Son of Billy Graham, Franklin Graham is the president and CEO of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse.  As an evangelist and missionary in the past year, Franklin Graham presented a clear Gospel message at each state capital, encouraging the United States to come together in unity and faith.

John Collins.

Pastor and evangelist, Pastor John Collins of Love That Cross Ministries and John Collins Ministries continues to spread a revival of faith across the United States.  Called to redeem the gospel, Pastor John Collins brings his unique style of preaching and evangelism similar to that of Billy Graham.  He reaches audiences through media and revivals in person, seeking to redeem the Gospel and bring God back into the lives who hear him.

Greg Laurie.

Senior pastor of Harvest Churches in Riverside and Irvine, California, Pastor Greg Laurie spreads the Gospel and has launched a campaign called 2017 The Year of Good News to promote a return of people to the Bible and to God.  His ministry also holds large revival-style gatherings around the country throughout the year in order to spread the word of God.

Mike Higgins.

Currently the lead pastor for South City Church, St Louis, Missouri, Dr. Higgins promotes faith, gospel, and the elimination of the division of race.  He is also the Dean of Students at Covenant Seminary.  His ministry promotes that “the Gospel brings a message of reconciliation and hope from, through and to the Almighty God who seeks to reclaim and rescue His people from every race, tribe and culture and bring them back to Him through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the real Christmas Story of God’s amazing grace in providing the gift of salvation.”

Jen Wilkin.

Jen Wilkin is a recognized speaker, writer, and teacher of women’s Bible studies. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas.  Jen is a minister for women’s ministries at the Village Church.  Her practical and clear teachings reach thousands of women who dearly need a Christian mentor and example to live by in today’s world. She is worth mentioning as a Christian leader and advocate for women for 2017.

James Bryan Smith. 

James Bryan Smith is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, KS and a writer and speaker in the area of Christian spiritual formation. He is the executive director of the Apprentice Institute which provides educational experiences in the area of Christian spirituality, develops resources for individual and church renewal, and engages in research to advance the field of Christian formation.  He is the author of eight books, most notably The Apprentice Series which continue to shape the work of the Apprentice Institute.

Max Lucado.

Max Lucado is a best-selling Christian author and writer and preacher at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. He reaches across generation with his writings, from children to adults worldwide.  His message is simple-God loves you, let Him. He is able to convey the message through his storytelling. He is named one of the most influential leaders in social media by The New York Times.

Andy Stanley.

Andy Stanley founded Northpoint Ministries, a worldwide Christian organization. He and five others founded Northpoint Church which now has six campuses across the Atlanta, Georgia area.  The mission of Northpoint Ministries is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  The methods used by Northpoint Ministries have churched thousands of unchurched people looking for Christ.

Prosperity doctrine has made an influential impact on faith in the United States.

Our panel is not placing judgement on these individuals, prosperity preachers are influencing thousands across the country.  Joel Osteen, Paula White, TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer-are among a style of preaching known as prosperity doctrine. Based on a religious belief among some Christians, who hold that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one’s material wealth. Prosperity theology views the Bible as a contract between God and humans: if humans have faith in God, he will deliver security and prosperity. The doctrine emphasizes the importance of personal empowerment, proposing that it is God’s will for his people to be happy.  These individuals can be seen on media of all genres and travel the country giving speaking engagements that spread the doctrine that has even influenced President Trump to choose Paula White as a religious advisor.

Photo courtesy of Google images. References linked through backlinks within text.

Media in Christianity: reaching the unreachable

Posted on by Loretta Gardner

sound stage

Today’s Christian is bombarded from a colorful palette of media and technology, each one with its own set of benefits and distractions.  It’s the world we live in today, and we can’t turn our back on that influence. The Holy Bible teaches us to become discerning, to know what is righteous and good.  Technology and media can be used to honor God with the right approach.  Today’s younger generations have been exposed to media and technology from birth: tablets for children are teaching them skills earlier than generations before them.  It is foolish of us to condemn the technology or ignore its impact that has become a permanent part of our world.  It’s up to us to teach each other how to use media and technology, not for manipulation of the Word, but for the benefit of reaching the unreachable, of teaching the possibility of millions about Jesus and His salvation.  With media, the quality of the technology, not the quantity, will continue to be a valuable tool in evangelism today.

Reverend Billy Graham began his early years holding indoor and outdoor rallies and using the media of radio and television broadcasts, many of which are still re-broadcast today.  He is estimated to have reached 2.2 billion people including his radio and television audiences.

Books and news print media like magazines and journals are old school but continue to reach another generation as books are converted to digital formats that are more accessible than ever before.  Ebooks, Ejournals, and Emagazines are reaching a new generation of readers searching for answers.  A popular free digital application that is valuable to any Christian is You Version Bible app, a free downloadable application that allows the user to access and read the Holy Bible in a translation of his or her choice anywhere.

News talk radio with hosts like Hannity, Larry King, Limbaugh, Lars Larson, and others provides a mass media, syndicated approach to quick clips, guest speakers, and topics of interest that can be played and replayed on the Internet.  Local Christian radio stations and internet radio stations are also sources of media content that can be live streamed on digital devices.

Movies with Christian content are a growing market reaching out to movie goers looking for uplifting content and answers to questions of the ages.  Movies have become a way to reach masses and educate people in an entertaining medium.  T.D. Jakes is an influential pastor who is using the medium of film making to spread inspirational Christian content.

The Internet has opened many avenues of media and content that is easily accessed and used.  The earliest of these are Web pages for ministries, churches and pastors. These have become a means to show the world what each ministry has to offer, through simple to complex web construction. Links on websites provide access to information within a web site as well as external links to music, software, publications: a means to reach millions of people, just as Billy Graham did with his early rallies and program broadcasts.

A quickly growing form of spreading articles and releases is by blogging, an online forum known as weblog-shortened to blog-that can be created easily.  Blogs appeal to Millennials, promoted in the film Julie and Julia. Blog content can be a review of sermon, an editorial, articles on hot topics, recordings on blog talk radio all provide an endless list of topics with the opportunity to reach millions of young people who are savvy in using this technology.

Video clips online have two avenues of viewing.  Popular YouTube is easy to access, easy to use and can be seen digitally on cell phones, tablets and personal computers.  Recorded sermons can be easily uploaded then viewed at leisure by an unlimited number of congregation members. Podcasts either linked off of websites or produced and uploaded to a server such as iTunes is another means to broadcast video to a wide population.

Facebook and Twitter can be considered the “gossip pages of the world”.  Used with discernment, a pastor can use these resources as an almost instant communication with followers and friends alike.  Posting popular Christian music links, Bible content, and daily devotionals are just a few ways that pastors can reach out and maintain contact with their congregations. The key again is discernment and using it to honor God and Jesus, not to promote personal egos or gossip pages. Ministries and churches can use the pages to promote upcoming events, concerts, revivals, community activities-the list is endless.

There are many other social media sources available that pastors, churches and ministries can use to reach out to the previously unreachable.  They are unreachable for many reasons, work, travel, distance, education, deployment….but we all have something in us that wants to shine through, God put it there and we just don’t realize it.  God Vine, Pinterest, God Interest are other sources that can be used to spark an interest in a hard to reach population in a hard to live day and age.

Evangelism is not about choreographed theatrics with a lot of drama and pageantry followed by an empty message by a canned presentation. Many churches have used media in order to please a population.  At what sacrifice?  It is up to us as pastors, evangelists, church families…all of us…to spread the message of hope that God gave us and has for us through His Son Jesus.  Using technology as discerning stewards is not a sin, but a tool that can reach billions over a period of time.  And isn’t that something that would please God? God bless you all.