Tag: Priscilla Shirer

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.