The annual “50 Most Influential Christians in America” list is out for 2007 with Joel Osteen topping the list, up from number 2 in 2006.
T.D. Jakes dropped from 1 to 4 while Rick Warren dropped from 4 to 16. Meanwhile, Billy Graham moved up from 3 to 2 over 2006.
But I seriously doubt that this is God’s list. Here’s what I wrote in Rev. magazine back in 2005:
- [Perhaps topping God’s list is] a Sunday school teacher somewhere who told a disruptive second-grader, “Ricky, you really need to find a purpose for your life instead of just being driven in every direction.”
Or maybe a North Carolina farmer, who warned a teen trouble-maker, “Billy, the Buh-ble says, ‘You must be born again . . . right now. If you came on a bus, it will wait for you . . .’”
I can imagine a school psychologist telling third-grade Franky, “Perhaps you could deal with the monsters and demons in your mind by writing stories about this present darkness.”
Or suppose a next-door neighbor saying, “Joyce, could you teach a home Bible study?”
And maybe there’s a nurse who told a young quadriplegic, “Joni, I need you to sign this form. Here, put the pen in your mouth. Wow, nice penmanship. Have you every thought of a career in art?”
God’s list rarely includes the “top” “most influential” Christians in “America.”
(You can read my complete rant by clicking here.)
Only eternity will reveal the real list. And if Jesus has anything to say about it, “the first shall be last and the last shall be first.”
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January 12, 2007 at 12:26
I’m surprised to see so many professional clerics: pastors, ministers, etc. on the list. If Christianity is influential at all, I’d expect to see more film makers, tv producers, musicians, business leaders, etc.
January 12, 2007 at 23:20
I would agree, within the Christian media, with Swindoll, Charles Stanley, Beth Moore, MacArthur, and John Piper. I also have a lot of respect for Franklin Graham. However, these are the ones we hear about. I would agree with the unheralded ones who are quietly and faithfully ministering to others and just plain growing up in their personal relationship with the Lord.
January 15, 2007 at 01:47
This list stresses me out, I am the wife of a pastor who is struggling to pastor the smallest church on earth ( i think) we have just started out and have 6 members that come to church regularly and there is not a moment I dont ask God what to do and how to grow this church. there is not a sunday that we dont wake up in the morning asking God if we are doing the right thing or should we just close the church and move on but when you walk into our church you will see and old lady (78)who lives in a shack who walked about 4km to church in our modern day of cars and all the luxury and you feel it is worth it to preach to that lady.So thanks for the guys on the list because they are doing a great job but people measure our christianity by these guys and we are the total failures in their eyes.
God Bless
January 15, 2007 at 09:59
Hi Nisha,
Thank the Father, He doesn’t judge on the size of the church, but on the size of the love that motivates the pastor. I think we will truly be surprised when we get to heaven that Christ was very serious when He said, “The first shall be last and the last first.”
I pray that God will encourage you and your husband to be faithful to your assignment. I find a lot of encouragement in 2 Corinthians 4:18:
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The “seen” list is VERY temporary! (Just look at how the rankings dramatically change from year to year.) The “unseen” reward for faithful service is “eternal.”
At least that’s what I have to keep reminding myself.
Jim
http://www.jameswatkins.com
January 15, 2007 at 10:03
Great perspective. I believe that even as Christians desiring to be salt and light we can get caught up in being the most influential—or the “top” instead of just focusing on Jesus and knowing him more—(that which cannot be taken from us.) For that I trust we will hear, “well done good and faithful servant,” just like Mary.
If we’re surrendered to him, he may be using us/ ministering through us and we may not even realize the significance of it. A study recently made me consider we may be influencing the influential (Beth Moore – DANIEL study).
January 17, 2007 at 19:44
I agree that great pastors look past material things and do not get trapped by greed even when it comes to their church. The ones most like Jesus are usually the most humble, meek, and giving…even when it makes them poor in the eyes of the world.
January 21, 2007 at 08:42
Sadly the list ignores those outside the evangelical ghetto of mega churches, at the expense of those doing innercity ministry. There are few represented here who are impacting entire neighborhoods, such as what Wayne Gordon has accomplished in Chicago, or what Desire Street Ministries is doing in New Orleans, or John Perkins with the Christian Community Devolopment Corporation. That’s not to say that the people mentioned aren’t accomplishing much for the Kingdom, but I see them as representing just one part of the church in America.
January 22, 2007 at 10:57
My jaw about hit the floor when I saw who topped the list of the “50 Most Influential “Christians” of 2007”. Pastor Joel Osteen topped the list, which was
a big surprise (over Billy Graham, Chuck Swindoll, John MacArthur, etc.) to me.
http://www.thechurchreport.com/mag_article.php?mid=875&mname=January
Funny that there is already a list out for 2007 and the month of January is not
even over. I know in my heart that this is not the list God would put together
(if He were inclined to do that).
Like another response listed, I too was somewhat puzzled by the list, which contained mostly clerics, with no film-makers or other “influential” media types.
As you probably know, Joel is part of “Word of Faith” ministries, that many pastors
think is highly questionable, because the concept is basically “you put faith into your
words (not God), and that faith in those words will then make God act accordingly…”
He is very big on positive thinking and VERY thin on talking about sin and repentance –
He even noted that himself on Larry Kings program..
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vPeYUXuuRUM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U3euLlSdy2c&mode=related&search=
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MfwYU2pmWYQ&mode=related&search=
He doesn’t exalt Christ and usually only mentions Him briefly at the end of his
sermons. He makes a half hearted attempt at an invitation to accept Christ, but does little to
foster a need for a personal commitment or acceptance of Him in his message.
He sounds more like a universalist, than a son raised by a Southern Baptist preacher.