He is currently the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Nonetheless he was forceful in the pulpit and became a master at sermon construction and orderly, powerful discourse. While in this Christian congregation, he preached weekly to about 3,000 congregants. Alexander Crummell (1819-1898) was an American scholar, an Episcopalian minister, and founder of the American Negro Academy, the first major learned society for black Americans. He was perhaps the most famous Evangelist of the early 20th century. Here, then, are the 25 most influential preachers of the past 25 years: #1 Billy Graham He just as easily could be at the top of any list of the most influential preachers of the past half-century; when Preaching cited the most influential preachers of the 20th century (in our first issue of the 21st), Billy Graham came in at number two. What a relief. However, his humorous side seems to have been drowned by modern reporters of his adventures. Oral Roberts was born on September 11, 1918, into a low-income family in Crystola, Oklahoma. His discipline and talent came in time to be ranked alongside Harry Emerson Fosdick and Paul Scherer. When Fosdick preached his famous sermon, Will the Fundamentalists Win? Macartney countered with his own powerful sermon, Will Unbelief Win?. Over a ministry about to enter its seventh decade, God has blessed Grahams preaching and has used his faithfulness and integrity to draw hundreds of thousands to respond to the call of Christ. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Joyce Meyer, Rick Warren, Paula White, Kim Clement, Kenneth Hagin, Robert Tilton, Robert Schuller, Juanita Bynum. Evangelists are the people who speak publicly to people about their Christian faith. He was born in 1949. He went up to personally preaching to many presidents. For purposes of this listing, the primary characteristic seems to be the influence that preacher had on the church and on the wider society. He served as Pastor of three Church of Scotland congregations, and then joined the faculty of New College, the divinity school of the University of Edinburgh. (For Lloyd-Jones beginners, the place to begin is with his sermon But God). To be thus taken command of, so that our testimony, when we go out to speak of Christ, is not ours at all, but Christ's self-testimony - this is our vocation and the hope of our ministry. Chapman schooled him in doctrine and homiletics. 25 Black Theologians Who Have Grown Our Faith | Christianity Today He had a topical preaching style which was mostly biographical. Oral Roberts faith and success are well documented. His prophetic words and actions resulted in his recognition as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. A total of 341 seminary professors and editors of religious periodicals responded to the second mail-out survey, and they nominated 1,548 preachers as the most effective preachers. He published many Christian books and was a great teacher holding many conferences. However, he was intelligent in his way and picked up the art of fishing and hunting out of necessity for survival. He did this through his amazing sermons and writings. Boreham, Oswald Hoffman, Walter Maier, John Maxwell, Harold John Ockenga, Fulton Sheen, and many more. These are in no particular order. Dollar, Jr. is best known as one of America's leading evangelists and famous preachers of the 20th century. In his preaching, Lloyd-Jones excelled at demonstrating the theological framework which binds Scripture together, and he did so for thirty years in the pulpit of Westminster Chapel. Thats why we cant afford to omit him from the top position on our list. Yet one thing cannot be denied: every person on the list below has made a significant impact on countless lives, on the church, and on their fellow preachers. He was an Evangelist who played an important role in the 20th century worldwide evangelical movement. He was a Christian teacher that worked in China in the first portion of the 20 th century. From the 100 most important events of the century to the 50 best entertainers to the 25 best athletes, it seems that there is a list for every interest. He influenced people all over the world. When Paul Crouch took to the pulpit in the 1960s, he had no idea what his television broadcasts would lead to. Fosdick taught me to lighten up, not to take myself too seriously, but to take the gospel and the preaching of the gospel very seriously, and to communicate. 17th Century. Copyright 2023 Christian Today. Arthur Cole Blessitt (born December 31, 1937) is an American celebrity evangelist, Morman, and retired Army warrant officer. This is a 30 minute video montage of the Top 10 Most Influential Preachers of the Last 25 Years as compiled by Preaching Magazine. He also served as chaplain to the queen in Scotland. Harry Emerson worked as pastor of New Yorks River Side Church. After growing up in California, he moved to Tennessee, where he married Chelsea Noble in 1995. The first and best advise I ever received on the subject of preparing a sermon recalled the fundamental design of G. Campbell Morgans expository method: Read the text. List of evangelical Christians - Wikipedia A man of the people, he literally lived with the people, moving his family into a community bomb shelter created in the church basement during the war. James made an intense commitment to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gods ideas, not mine. Clarence happened to be a champion of theological orthodoxy. That group was invited to identify and rank (1-10) their own list of the centurys great preachers; they also had an opportunity to suggest names which had not been included on the original list. He was a preacher's preacher, possessing gifts most of us can only dream. Osteen's televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 .more Kirk Cameron Age: 52 Birthplace: Panorama City, Los Angeles, California, United States of America His influence was such that many people recall how he had ready access to his rich, famous and politically powerful contemporaries. But there comes a time when you cant live off another persons work. It's no coincidence that the US Congress outlawed segregation in public . On one particular Wednesday morning, I was arrested out of my boredom during chapel by a particularly stimulating sermon brought to us by one of the leading Fundamentalists in our area. He used gestures effectively when preaching and had a superb, dignified manner. He gained fame and fortune by using unorthodox methods of shocking people to save their souls. Then Lonnie Frisbee evangelists in place of apostles, with Lonnie Frisbee himself as Christ.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'besttoppers_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-besttoppers_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Evangelists are very important in Christianity. I read everything by Fosdick I could get my hands on. He brought the light of biblical understanding to the lives of many as God directed him. A gifted storyteller, his sermon illustrations range from accounts of the desolation of war-ravaged cities or observations about drunkenness to quotations from Matthew Arnold and John Bunyan. He started his teaching career at the Union Theological Seminary. In addition to this, he was more of the faith practicing type. He was a highly anointed and gifted African-American preacher of the holy gospel. She took over as pastor of the Angelus Temple on Bonnie Brae Street in Los Angeles. 100 Famous Women of the 20th Century - ThoughtCo And while numerous icons of morality have come and gone, for 50 years Graham has endured both criticism and applause with humility, integrity, and genuineness. Thank God for Billy Graham." Today I am at once humbled, challenged and privileged to stand in his pulpit. King is a dedicated pro-life advocate and director of Civil Rights for the Unborn. In his lifetime his orphanage in England took care of more than 10,000 children. Born in 1893, the son of a popular Bible teacher in the YMCA movement, James Stewart was an acclaimed preacher both in his native Scotland and also in America. Charles H. Dodd, ( 1884 - 1973) Congregational minister and Oxford theologian, Dodd is one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century. What's got evangelicals interested in the Orthodox Church? For so many years I have admired this gifted author and preacher, whose insights about the preaching task have meant so much to so many. What a relief. 1925. It is God's great promise and demand to every preacher of the Word. Yet the thing I appreciate most is his commitment to the mandate of world evangelization. (2008) "Reagans Religious Right: The Unlikely Alliance between Southern Evangelicals and a California Conservative." And it is without a doubt that the world has lost records of many. 11. In his preaching, Buttrick sought to lift up Christ, and he believed only that preaching which was centered on the cross would impact eternity. And each sermon is focused intently on a single purpose: to draw men and women to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Even Rick Warren called him America's best pastor of the 20th century, and we could not agree more. She held her first prayer meeting in Baltimore in 1808 and preached for about 50 years before retiring to Philadelphia to live among the Quakers. However, those that do not feature on our list are in no way less important. But (says the story) in that despair an angel came while he slept and made the crucifix true both to the eye of the craftsman and the eye of the worshipper. With the release of his book, The Purpose-Driven Life (2000), Warren gained international acclaim and a spot among the nation's most influential Christians. Through his preaching in Westminster Chapel and his war-time leadership of Inter-Varsity in Britain, Lloyd-Jones influenced a new generation of British and American evangelicals to stay rooted in scripture. His preaching was topical in style, often biographical. In this light, many were convicted of their sins and turned to God for mercy and salvation. He is a pastor of The Potters House in Dallas, Texas, USA. Bible scholars, philosophers, and theologians, Williams D.K. The Greatest 20th Century Pastors 20th Century Revivals - Revival Library Michael is author and editor of several books, including the Handbook of Contemporary Preaching (Broadman & Holman Press), Joy in Ministry (Baker Books), Preaching With Power (Baker) and Communicate With Power (Baker). 20 Christian Women Who Shaped History - Crosswalk.com Clarence delivered his sermons with directness and confidence. Early Pentecostal campmeeting baptisms. Undoubtedly the most prominent evangelist at the close of the nineteenth century was Dwight L. Moody. His delivery has been even more simple, characterized by crispness and clarity that even the youngest of listeners is able to grasp. Thank God for Billy Graham. (Jim Shaddix, Professor of Preaching, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary). Campbell died four years before I was born. Stewart was committed to expository preaching, and preached with an earnestness and energy that was warmly received by his listeners. I noted in my searches that Michael Duduit who published in "Preaching" some years ago the most outstanding list of Christian preachers of the twentieth century. Religious Broadcasts in Old Time Radio | Old Time Radio - OTRCAT Like other preachers, I have stolen my share of Fosdicks sermons. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'besttoppers_com-box-3','ezslot_1',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-besttoppers_com-box-3-0');If you want to know more about the evangelists, read on through the following paragraphs. Sangsters sermons look forward to Gods future, encouraging the listener to trust Gods promises. Search for: About TUCC. Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, MN). He joined the faculty of New College which was the Divinity School of the University of Edinburgh. In response, I suggested that he remedy the situation! George taught that a sermon should be orderly arranged in a pleasant and informative manner. Baylor Names the 12 Most Effective Preachers His preaching could move mountains and bring sinners to the knees to surrender their lives and be saved. The Greatest Sermons Ever Preached by The Top Preachers of - ConnectUS The result was hundreds of nominations of preachers who have made an impact beyond the lives of their own churches. In his Beecher Lectures in 1953 he declared with characteristic directness, that there is no place today for a Church that is not aflame with the Spirit who is the Lord and Giver of life, nor any value in a theology which is not passionately missionary (A Faith to Proclaim, p. 12). Thus it is with preaching. Nick Vujicic is the top evangelist in the world that was born without arms and legs. Thank God for a simple preacher. Millions of people have listened to and appreciated his teachings. He proceeded to go to his library, pulled out a book by Fosdick and opened it to the exact page and showed me the sermon. He was a man of the people who was highly loved by his congregants. He preached across churches, trailer parks, cathedrals, and stadiums. He began preaching at revivals he called "crusades" in the years following WWII. He was considered not to have the dramatic sort of voice that generated pulpit electricity. George exerted an intense influence on a generation of preachers in America. All Rights Reserved. In short, well say that he was gifted with the ability to unravel scriptural mysteries and make them understandable to his listeners. He is the World Changers Church International pastor, one of the world's largest churches, located in College Park, Georgia, where he has resided for more than 20 years. False Teachers List & False Prophets Exposed / Problematic Preachers | List of False Teachers of the Prosperity Gospel & NAR: Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Rob Bell, Kenneth Copeland, T.D. But such is clearly not the case as there have been innumerable outpourings of the Spirit which have resulted in a restoration of Christian faith and zeal and which have ushered many new converts . Please support us by disabling these ads blocker. But many of todays most celebrities have become Christian evangelists. For this, each time I step into the pulpit, I know that in one way or another, my congregation owes a great debt to him. U.S. Sunday is credited with helping The Great Depression ended because he persuaded thousands of people to give up liquor, tobacco, dance, and gambling. In an earlier book consisting of lectures on preaching originally given to his students, he wrote that no Church is anything more than a pathetic pietistic backwater unless it is first and fundamentally and all the time a world missionary Church (Heralds of God, p. 30). A Brief History of Spiritual Revival and Awakening in America Aimee Semple McPherson, a famous evangelist today, was born on a farm in Ontario, Canada, on July 9, 1890. These soldiers of Christ contributed to preserving the gospel which we have today. Ill admit it, but so has every other preacher, whatever his theological stripe may be. George W. Truett Women working as pastors or preachers is nothing new in the world. Vote for Your Favourite 20th Century Pastors 1 Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Theologian Known for His Staunch Resistance to the Nazi Dictatorship) 29 7 Birthdate: February 4, 1906 Warnock preaches from one of the most historic pulpits in the country: Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Hes been called Americas Pastor and has ministered personally to several American presidents. His sermons and teachings are telecast live on The Potters House, a Christian network from New York. This Welsh preacher was a brilliant expositor and fervent Calvinist who succeeded Campbell Morgan as pastor of Westminster Chapel and led the church to even greater growth. Gardner C. Taylor. Typically, this involves publicly sharing ones faith through words and sometimes using online or print media. ." Macartneys ministry took him successively to pastorates of three downtown churches, culminating in the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh. Top Ten Greatest Preachers of 20th Century Michael Duduit, Editor, Preaching 1) James S. Stewart (1896-1990) 2) Billy Graham (1918- ) 3) George Buttrick (1892-1980) ADVERTISEMENT 4) Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) 5) Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969) 6) Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) 7) William Edwin Sangster (1900-1960) Ultimately King breathed life back into many preachers simply through his profound approach of addressing the audience cardiologically and colonially. He got his start in preaching by helping J. Wilbur Chapman (see his bio below) in his revival campaigns. A converted shoe salesman, Moody had a passion for seeing souls converted to Christ. Content writing is just my profession but my passion too. Remembering Ten Black Christian Leaders | HuffPost Religion He believed that the architecture of a sermon is worth your effort and perfection. He is a fellow of God with the zeal to evangelize people all over the world. Thats the model of preaching I grew up on and have tried to master. Here the pastor-turned-activist delivered his I Have A Dream speech; one of the greatest pieces of oratory of all time. He was an American Evangelist who was also a Christian Crusade leader, a television and radio personality, and the founder of Christianity Today magazine. (William L. Self, Pastor, Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, GA). He is founder and director of the National Conference on Preaching and the International Congress on Preaching, which has been held in 1997 at Westminster Chapel in London, 2002 at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and 2007at Cambridge. Today, Rick Warren is credited as being one of the frontrunners of modern-day evangelism. He served as Pastor of three Church of Scotland congregations, and then joined the faculty of New College, the divinity school of the University of Edinburgh. It has been crowned with different heads, and these heads have been working hard to spread the Christian word, literally. He served at All Souls Church as assistant curate (1945-50), as Rector (1950-75), and as Rector Emeritus since 1975. These books have greatly encouraged them to strive for greater effectiveness in preaching the Holy Gospel. 12. Morgans love of the Bible shone through his sermons, which were carefully prepared and then presented with an anointed intensity. His sermons became more Christ-centered, with a growing emphasis on the cross. As president of Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (OREA), he oversees an organization that continues to spread the Gospel throughout the world through television, electronic media, crusades, publications, independent churches, and missions. From his family he inherited a sense of mission that encompassed him as a preacher and a Civil Rights leader. Graham began reaching millions through the media before they were even born by providing live broadcasts at the beginning of his ministry as a way to spread the Gospel. After chapel, I was discussing the sermon with one of my professors. Through all the accolades he has presented a strong Christianity with a big God, a loving Savior, a hot hell, and a glorious heaven. Dollar, Jr. is best known as one of Americas leading evangelists and famous preachers of the 20th century. Leslie Weatherhead He has tackled many tough issues from predestination to homosexuality. His teachings were centered around winning more souls for the kingdom of God and helping Christians to live as God wants. One of the most influential preachers of the century, Fosdicks ministry coincided with the growth of radio, contributing to his national prominence. Records hold that Billy Graham stands as one of the gospel pillars in America. The first was how he was rejected for formal ministry because his preaching showed so little potential. I am Shopia, a movie enthusiastic and I read lot of books, mostly of science fiction, thrillers and biography. Oral Roberts story combines faith, vision, and sheer hard work. Much of Stewarts influence on American preaching was through his writing and lectures. His was a special theological mind which could take the doctrine of justification by faith and successfully employ it as the solution for the deepest melancholy. Dollar, Jr. (aka Creflo Dollar), we remember a few things: his high dollar suits, that he was considered as one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2010 by The Time Magazine, and that he has a big airplane that he received a tax exemption for. In 2006, he became the first U.S. evangelical pastor to fall from grace due to a sex scandal. 2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." #10 The Preacher Apostle Paul. It is Gods great promise and demand to every preacher of the Word. In his preaching, Buttrick sought to lift up Christ, and he believed only that preaching which was centered on the cross would impact eternity. 2021 Preaching.com. In a world where everyone is required to succeed in their niche, he has always made it his lifes purpose to help and support others worldwide by sharing his valuable knowledge. In addition, he also contributed much to the world in terms of extending the gospel. He was, after all, a simple televangelist. Evangelists are a group of devout believers in the teachings of The Church Of Joel Osteen. Hidden Figures: The History Of Black Woman Preachers He ministered through many technological shifts, including radio, television, and film. Savonarola Italian Dominican (1452-1498) famous for the Bonfire of the Vanities in Florence, finally executed for heresy; John of Capistrano . She had a younger sister named Echo McPherson, who wrote an autobiography about Aimee entitled Growing Up With Aimee. When Aimee was 23 years old, she set out for Los Angeles with little money and no job. At different points in his ministry he succeeded two of the most popular Methodist preachers in Britain (Leslie Weatherhead and Dinsdale T. Young). Even today his sermons are widely published and read on both sides of the Atlantic. It is said that Joel Osteen has taken those original words and spliced them together to create his doctrines which he proclaims from his megachurch in Houston, Texas, as well as through his weekly sermons, which makes him the top evangelist in the world. It is said that he may have preached it as many as 39 times, both in Pittsburgh and across the country. (Robert Leslie Holmes, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, PA). The second in the list of English Reformers of the last century, whose history I propose to consider, is a man of world-wide reputation--the famous John Wesley. Yet because the influence of his popular preaching, extensive itinerant teaching, and prolific writing still lives, I feel as if I have heard him time and again in the sermons of others. Grahams work did draw hundreds of thousands to the true teachings of Christ. He was a Unionist politician who founded the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and became the First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2008-18 and served as Member of Parliament (M.P.) ' (Gregory Alan Thornbury, Instructor in Christian Studies, Union University, Jackson, TN), Clarence Macartney was a lifelong bachelor, avid student of scripture, and champion of theological orthodoxy who stood in opposition to Fosdicks liberalizing influence. Peter Marshall Creflo A. Three generations of preachers solicited him for his deep knowledge of the scriptures. This sermon was thoughtful, incisive, communicated quite well, and used scripture in an unusually intelligent way. The IPCC and Al Gore were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for their efforts in raising awareness about man-made climate change. It is important to remember that the leader of the most profound American social movement of this century described himself as fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher.. He was a preachers preacher, possessing gifts most of us can only dream of. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) King was a gifted African-American preacher and civil rights leader whose sermonic appeals for justice and personal activism helped change the course of American life. He was also an early advocate of African-American self-help. Baylor University published a list of America's "Most Effective Preachers." The list of 12 prominent sermonizers drew criticism for only featuring one woman: Dr. Barbara Brown-Taylor. Famous 20th Century Pastors Right Icon This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. These three made a significant impact on countless lives, on the church, and on their fellow preachers. PROPHETS OF THE 21ST CENTURY | The Independent | The Independent Troubled with his own identity for years and wondering who he was, Rick Warren went through several stages in life before finally finding stability and fulfillment in his relationship with God. A dynamic preacher and evangelist, Billy Graham through the televising of mass crusades has proclaimed the gospel to more persons than any other preacher in history. Many people perceived him as an advocate of social change. He has received various prizes and accolades involving honorary degrees, citations, and plaques to recognize his life work. Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside PC, was a Northern Irish loyalist politician and Protestant religious leader. As he said in his Yale lectures: In a Cathedral at Lucca there is a crucifix said to have been carved by Nicodemus so clumsily carved that he left it in despair. Stewart was committed to expository preaching, and preached with an earnestness and energy that was warmly received by his listeners. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[970,90],'besttoppers_com-box-4','ezslot_6',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-besttoppers_com-box-4-0'); When we think about Creflo A. Despite Camerons participation in the acting industry, he is better known as an outspoken and devout follower of Evangelical Christianity. Thats why we cant simply forget them. He built a reputation because of his ability to reach and touch many people despite different backgrounds and beliefs. The Rev. Following more years in America, Morgan returned to Westminister Chapel in 1933 (at age 69) and served for a decade during one of the most dangerous periods of Britains history. Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Mary Zgambo Bushiri, 7 Biblical Principles of Money Management. They believe that God Himself is no longer speaking to humanity but that His words were passed down to Joel Osteen in 1994. The nineteenth century was a golden age for herald preaching. The name of this great evangelist is perhaps better known than that of any of his fellow-labourers a hundred years ago. During his lifetime, three generations of seminarians sought Buttrick out not only as a man who knew homiletics, but more than that one who could really preach. William Edwin served as pastor for 16 years to Londons Westminster Central Hall. I never heard him preach. His love of literature and the arts informed his clean, simple sermon outlines that intersected all of life. Based on those nominations, a list of 27 names was prepared and sent to Preaching's Board of Contributing Editors. In his own preaching he did not hesitate to call men and women to personal faith in Christ, and he challenged his students and others to do the work of the evangelist. Billy Graham is one of the best preachers of the 20th century. To such preaching we must pledge ourselves. Almost all if not all Christians have heard the name, Martin Luther King.