Third, it shows that the label evangelical lacks any robust definition. For example, how does Al Mohler get left off the list? Their methods were questionable and their message was a horror show, but otherwise, it was an unspectacular enterprise. He has penned several bestsellers, such as Absolute Power, andis also known for his controversial concepts, such as the blood moon prophecy. Eric Metaxas This award-winning Christian author penned the 2010 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association "Book of the Year" "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy." The only son of Arvella Schuller and Robert H. Schuller, who founded the Crystal Cathedral, Schuller served as a minister on the weekly television program Hour of Power, which was aired from the Crystal Cathedral. He now heads both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse. 23. Haggard wound up disgraced and ejected from his church. Unfortunately for the reverend, that last part broughteverything tumbling down. But I see what Newsmax was trying to accomplish and I think, according to their criteria, they assembled a list that meets their purpose. It will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God. Phil Robertson Known as the Duck Commander, Robertson is the patriarch of the Robertson family and founder of the successful Duck Commander company that was the subject of the hit TV show Duck Dynasty. Robertson has been outspoken about his Christian faith and has another TV show in the works about the dangers of political correctness. Mother Angelica; Ernest Angley; John Ankerberg; Garner Ted Armstrong; Herbert W. Armstrong; Kay Arthur; David Asscherick; B. Jim Bakker; Danny Berrios; 31. He was also accused of sexual abuse by Rev. William J. Seymour was an African-American holiness preacher. Popoff used a concealed earpiece to receive information about people suffering from ailments during his religious services and claimed that God divulged the information to him. 82. He began the "Two-by-Two Campaign" in 1978, touring the world as a Christian missionary. Rex Humbard was an American televangelist remembered for hosting the Cathedral of Tomorrow show, which was aired on over 600 stations. He is one of the most popular televangelists in the world, with his televised sermons being watched by millions of people every week in over 100 countries, including 10 million viewers in the US alone. Falwell certainly had the resume to back up the job. As his ministry evolved, Moody found himself . He has also been honored twice by Russia for humanitarian work done there over many years. The show has hosted several celebrities like Steven Curtis Chapman, Robert Selden Duvall, and George W. Bush. No, not just a satanist. Luis Corts Jr. Based in North Philadelphia, Corts founded and has continued to run Esperanza, "the premiere Hispanic faith-based Evangelical network in the United States," according to its website. Dr. Alveda King A niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., King is a former representative of the 28th District in the Georgia House, but she is also a best-selling author, a minister, and frequent Fox News Channel contributor. He's an archduke, and his armies march on Luxembourg this very night. Priscilla Shirer A Bible study teacher, speaker, and author who travels and speaks at conferences around the U.S. and the globe, Shirer's book Fervent was a companion to the popular Christian film War Room, in which she appeared. Copeland, whose sermons are broadcast around the world, was criticized during the Covid-19 pandemic for claims that he had destroyed the virus and that the pandemic would end soon. He also founded the International Family Entertainment Inc. (ABC Family Channel, now Freeform), and the American Center for Law and Justice, among other organizations, and is an important voice for conservative Christianity in the United States. Hargis even went so far as to write a speech for Joseph McCarthy, the famous Communist witch hunter. Vote for Your Favourite American Televangelists 1 Jimmy Swaggart (Televangelist) 97 108 Birthdate: March 15, 1935 Sun Sign: Pisces Birthplace: Ferriday, Louisiana, United States Philip Yancey He's the best-selling and award-winning author of books including The Jesus I Never Knew and Whats So Amazing About Grace? both of which were selected as books of the year by Christian retailers. 27. A. Allen was an American evangelist best remembered for his deliverance ministry and faith healing programs. My daily, curated collection of Kindle deals for Christians. 5. A satanic preacher. If you learn one thing today, let it be this: America is the land of second chances, and televangelism is the seedy island territory just offshore where we house third, fourth, and fifth chances. He once sued Hustler for $45 million because they ran a parody piece making fun of him, and took the case all the way to the supreme court. After these cringey pastors, check out more famous pastors behaving badly, like David Koresh, and the John Frum Cargo Cult. Trip Lee A rapper and teaching pastor at Cornerstone Church in Dallas, Texas, Lee stopped touring as a rapper in 2012 to dedicate his time to pastoral training. Because he totally used to be a satanist. However, he was able to salvage his image and returned to televangelism. William Barber II An African-American pastor and political leader in North Carolina, Barber was president of NAACPs North Carolina state chapter until May 2017. Miles McPherson A former San Diego Chargers player, McPherson is the current pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, which boasts a weekly attendance figure of more than 15,000. Michael L. Brown The conservative radio talker Brown hosts the nationally syndicated The Line of Fire and heads the Coalition of Conscience, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based Christian networking organization. Second, the list is terrible. There's no way of knowing if this actually happened, but it just feels right to imagine that Jim Bakker responded by saying, "Hold my miracle cure.". The $1.3 million in church funds that an IRS investigation found redirected to the Bakkers' personal accounts couldn't take Jim down, but CNN reports the alleged hush money payment of $279,000 to cover up the rape of his secretary certainly pushed the "pause" button on his success story. He has tackled many tough issues from predestination to homosexuality. The decisions that have been made and the tweets that have been tweeted have led to deeply divided public opinion and celebrity impersonations being hammered so far into the ground that they could be used to secure a subterranean mole people transcontinental railroad. Billy Graham's songleader looks back on the groundbreaking 1948 Youth for Christ songbooka memorable combination of beloved traditional hymns and contemporary praise songs for . He is credited with founding the Jack Van Impe Ministries International, which strives to preach the teachings of Christ around the world. David Barton A biblical scholar who teaches that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, Barton rejects the separation of church and state as a principle of the Constitution. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Five adoring children. 86. Do You Approve of President Trump's Job Performance? Their ministry fell pretty clearly under the umbrella of "that's absolutely a cult" when it was discovered that they had followers working in a sweatshop, producing high-end denim jackets that were sold for hundreds of dollars. He also led the Meese Commission on pornography and wrote several books about religious liberty issues. If so, what are your thoughts on it? 97. There's plenty of behavior to throw stones at here, but the Bible takes a pretty firm stance on that. His latest puckish misadventure: getting sued by the state of Missouri for selling a fake coronavirus cure. Among other things, she's a hard and fast believer in the prosperity gospel, and also claims that all world leaders are put in power by divine grace and that to disagree with them is to disagree with the will of God, shining a whole new light on the place of pharaohs in society. Joel Osteen is an American pastor, author, and televangelist. If you're looking for a celebrity figure that's going to get hit with a scandal, you'd do alright perusing the ranks of televangelists. Here are 30 well-known pastors of today that speak the truth of God and who believe every single word in the Bible. He absolutely claimed all of that. a writer of any of the four Gospels; a person who evangelizes; specifically : a Protestant minister or layman who preaches at special services See the full definition Friday, 17 November 2017 09:07 AM EST. Jerry Falwell, Jr., president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, the world's largest evangelical Christian university. F. Scott Fitzgerald famously noted that "there are no second acts in American lives." Dollar, Jr. is an American televangelist and pastor. Like, 1,500 people followed him. As reported by UPI, when Jim Bakker bounced out of PTL in 1987, he became concerned that his ministry was about to be the subject of a hostile takeover by Jimmy Swaggart, who initiated the investigation into the Bakker clan. Jimmy Swaggart is a Pentecostal evangelist. Another evangelist who held crusades, Dwight L. Moody was one of the most famous American preachers of the 19th century. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. From L: Billy Graham (Gerry Broome/AP), Sarah Palin (Alex Wong/Getty Images), Jerry Falwell Jr. (Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images), and Joyce Meyer (Mark Humphrey/AP). An ardent propagator of Prosperity Theology, Jan Crouch played a major role in the development of the Trinity Broadcasting Network for which she was honored with the Golden Angel Award for Excellence in Media. He's the guy that eschewed material wealth and said it waseasier to thread a needle with a whole camel than it was for a rich dude to get into heaven.) Was any of it true? 57. On their way to such prodigious (if also dwindling) numbers, their leadership has for decades been rocked by scandal after scandal. 10. Mike Murdock had delivered his first sermon at age 8 and begun full-time evangelism at 19. He was involved in sex scandals in the late 1980s and early 1990s and suffered a temporary setback. In lieu of a comments section, I accept and encourage letters to the editor. She also holds conferences for women in the U.S. and other countries including Ireland, England, Singapore, Puerto Rico, and India. 78. Haggard's responses to the accusations varied over the next few months, running the gamut from "I don't know who that guy is" to "I bought meth from that guy but I threw it away" to, eventually, "yeah, I did all that stuff.". Television preachers and ministers actually have their roots in radio, later spreading to TV as the technology became available. 30. He is also renowned for performing exorcisms over Skype and on calls. Cameron Strang The founder of Relevant Media Group, Strang primarily publishes Relevant Magazine in print and online, which targets readers ages 18 to 39 who are interested in progressive Christian issues. What is there to say about it that hasn't already been said in countless documentaries, exposs, and depositions? They have also been accused of greed. Tim Keller Redeemer Presbyterian Church, which Keller founded in 1989, is a bit of anomaly, as no one would expect to find a "megachurch" in the heart of New York City. Oral Roberts was an American televangelist who was ordained in United Methodist churches as well as the Pentecostal Holiness. Garner Ted Armstrong Dec. at 73 (1930-2003) Birthplace: Portland, Oregon Garner Ted Armstrong (February 9, 1930 - September 15, 2003) was an American evangelist and the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, at the time a Sabbatarian .more Herbert W. Armstrong Dec. at 93 (1892-1986) Birthplace: Des Moines, Iowa 22. Dr. James Dobson A psychologist who founded Focus on the Family in 1977, Dobson has written many books on parenting and family life and hosted radio programs for both Focus on the Family and his later nonprofit Family Talk, which he founded in 2010. Osteen's televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 million monthly in over 100 countries.He is the author of ten books which have been ranked number one on The New York Times Best Seller list. He's often tapped by major networks to comment on the intersection of politics and religion in today's society. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey A married couple, Burnett and Downey are television and movie producers who have produced faith-based content like The Bible miniseries and 2016's Ben-Hur, run Lightworkers Media, the family and faith division of MGM studios, and launched Light TV in 2016, a faith-based television channel through MGM. R.C. Awkward. Regarded as one of the precursors for the charismatic movement, Roberts was one of the most recognized and controversial preachers of the 20th century. Judah Smith Known as the pastor to the stars including Ashley Benson, Russell Wilson, and Justin Bieber, Smith is working to create faith-based projects for millennials including television, digital, and books. Falwell Jr. also invested $5 million of Libertys endowment in Israel in 2016. 38. It is these people who protect the true and infinitely powerful gospel against the endless pretenders. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. Jay Sekulow The attorney converted to Christianity after encountering Jews for Jesus. If Creflo Dollar, why not Benny Hinn? He now hosts "Huckabee" on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Televangelism is the religious practice in which a Christian Minister largely utilizes television broadcasting to spread his gospel. The Cranks' ministry also operates a YouTube channel with more than 100,000 views and 3,000 subscribers. He advised U.S. presidents on spiritual matters over the course of five decades. Mike Huckabee The former pastor who served as governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007, Huckabee was a Republican primary presidential candidate in 2008 and 2016, winning the Iowa Republican caucuses in 2008. It's quite a list and has generated no small amount of response. AT&T DirecTV Censorship of Newsmax Continues, See More Here, "The Martyr's Oath: Living for the Jesus They're Willing to Die For,", Newsmax's Top 50 Religious Landmarks in America, Newsmax's Top 25 Christian Films of All Time, Newsmax: The 6 Biggest Failed Climate Predictions, Newsmax - The 10 Best Places in US for Seclusion, Privacy. He has written several best-selling books and recently stepped down as senior pastor of Redeemer in July 2017, splitting the multi-campus congregation exponentially into several churches; he also took a seminary post to prepare future urban church planters. Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, andbookreviewer. His influence has been noted by Christianity Today, Reader's Digest, and The New York Times. If you're one of the people on this list, you're almost definitely going to say the devil made you do it. Beth Moore As founder of Living Proof Ministries based in Houston, Texas, Moore's video-based Bible studies and books have helped thousands of women learn how to live by evangelical Christian principles. While Wise was winning gold in Sochi, he and wife Alexandra caught the attention of the world for becoming parents barely into their 20s and for how they spend their off-time as youth ministers. Eugene H. Peterson A biblical scholar, Peterson has written more than 30 books including The Message Bible paraphrase, which many readers find to be more accessible and contemporary in its language than more traditional Bible translations. T.D. He's a frequent social commentator, author of a dozen books including New York Times best-seller "God's Politics," and sought-after speaker and columnist. Osteen's televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 million monthly in over 100 countries.He is the author of ten books which have been ranked number one on The New York Times Best Seller list. His leadership on the New York Knicks during the 2012 turnaround season inspired the nickname Linsanity from basketball fans around the world. He is one of the most popular televangelists in the world, with his televised sermons being watched by millions of people every week in over 100 countries, including 10 million viewers in the US alone. Nuh uh. John Hagee A megachurch pastor known for his strong support of Israel and his interpretation of prophecies surrounding the end times, Hagee broadcasts his messages from Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, which can be seen on various inspirational television channels around the world. There are quite a few others whose lives are unblemished by scandal, whose theology is untainted by heresy, and whose ministries consistently honor the Lord. They are, in reality, evangelical unbelievers or evangelical heretics. Which brings us to our next point. Do You Approve of President Trump's Job Performance? Creflo A. 28. Billy Graham Rev. His book, Do Something! DeMoss also runs a PR firm and serves on the board of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Take a look at these twelve pastors who made religion look less than inspiring. Regular meth-fueled hookups with a male prostitute named Mike Jones. He was also a Sunday school teacher. He also founded StoryBrand, a marketing firm that helps businesses build their messages and branding. Age: 59 Tamara Faye Messner (ne LaValley, formerly Bakker; March 7, 1942 - July 20, 2007) was an American Christian singer, evangelist, entrepreneur, author, talk show host, and television personality. And what about some of those silent, faithful people who wield tremendous influence from behind the scenes? 2. Newsmax recently released their picks for the 100 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. Barber pastors Greenleaf Christian Church. Donald Miller A best-selling author and public speaker, Miller wrote Blue Like Jazz and other memoir-style books about his faith journey. 85. AAE promotes the Christ-centered gospel and biblical worldview for human flourishing. It is good and right to see names like Tim Keller, Trip Lee, John MacArthur, John Piper, R.C. He is also an author and regular contributor for Townhall.com. 35. In 2012, another of the Crouches' granddaughters sued the couple, claiming that she had been sexually assaulted by a TBN employee when she was 13 and that Jan had turned a blind eye and blamed the child for the attack. Alert:If You Collect Social Security, Please Read This Critical Information . Jones figured out who Ted was during his non-meth-and-solicitation hours and blabbed to the press. Bure became outspoken about her faith as well after seeing her brother's testimony in action. When he exposed fellow TV preacher Marvin Gorman for having extramarital affairs, that guy wound up out of a job. 73. Josh McDowell An author and speaker, McDowell has written and co-authored 150 books, including Evidence that Demands a Verdict, named one of the most influential books on Christian thought in the last 50 years by World Magazine. He was producing shows nearly every day and being broadcast on hundreds of channels across the world. Richard Roberts is an American author and executive who is currently servingas the chief executive officer and chairman of the popular Pentecostal ministry Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (OREA), which was started by the famous televangelist and faith healer Oral Roberts. Ravi Zacharias Called the great apologist of our time by Chuck Colson, Zacharias has traveled the world to defend the Christian faith through intellectual discourse as well as his numerous award-winning books. According to Forbes, one man who began working for Angley at 18 claims that he would regularly be called to the preacher's house for "special anointings" involving personal massages and a marked lack of clothing. She is also an artist who learned to paint by holding a brush between her teeth, as well as a musician. Pastor Harry Thomas This New Jersey pastor co-founded the Creation Festivals, held in central Pennsylvania and southeastern Washington, which are the largest yearly Christian music festivals in the U.S. and possibly in the entire world. Some people will call it dumb luck. Its difficult to imagine too many other countries in which so many key evangelicals would also be influencing national politics (or wishing they did). Taking the high ground (anything is high ground once you get low enough), Lamb repented, asked his congregation for forgiveness, and naturally went on Doctor Phil. He is a frequent guest commentator on the Christian Broadcasting Network and serves on President Trumps personal legal team. 17. His influence has been marked by appearances in the media, conversations with sitting presidents, and consultations with the Senate over immigration reform. Graham has preached the gospel to nearly 215 million people in stadiums around the world and led more than 3.2 million people to Christ at his Crusades over the years. Speaking to the New York Times after being fired from the company, Koper stated that her "job as finance director was to find ways to label extravagant personal spending as ministry expenses.". 67. Among his other supposed accomplishments: his doctorate in philosophy, his two bachelor's degrees, and the somewhere-between-two-and-five wounds he accumulated in Vietnam. In the United States, evangelicalism is a movement among Protestant Christians who believe in the necessity of being born again, emphasize the importance of evangelism, and affirm traditional Protestant teachings on the authority as well as the historicity of the Bible. 70. 34. 7. He's also an executive producer for the show and produces the CBN childrens animated series Superbook.. She founded Joni and Friends, a Christian advocacy ministry for the disability community. Ernest Winston Angley (born August 9, 1921) is an American Christian evangelist, author and television station owner based in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Life was a hoot and a holler for Haggard. In the previous decade, he'd founded the Moral Majority PAC shortly after an all-white Christian academy that he founded was threatened with losing its tax exempt status due to new legislation regarding segregated schools. Televangelism feels a lot like Game of Thrones once you read enough about it. 6. 60. Everybody's known that one dude that can't stop himself from one-upping. Full List Influential Evangelicals Rick Warren Howard and Roberta Ahmanson David Barton Douglas Coe Charles Colson Luis Cortes James Dobson Stuart Epperson Michael Gerson Billy and Franklin. In no other nation would so many leaders be so clearly connected with politics. I spent some time pondering it over the holidays and thought Id share a few thoughts on it. 91. 32. #10) Wayne Cordeiro is the founding pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Hawaii with over 14,500 in weekend attendance. Anyway, then he did it all again three years later and lost everything. In 1991, he was made an inductee of the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was poised for a comeback in 2009 when HBO produced a documentary on his return to the righteous path, but wouldn't you know it, more allegationsof the abusive variety popped up. I wrote this short, fast-paced, practical guide to productivity to share what I have learned about getting things done in todays digital world. His sermons can be experienced via nationwide TV programs, online livestreams, and through an official mobile app. Ralph Reed Best known as the first executive director of the Christian Coalition in the 1990s, he went on to found the Faith and Freedom Coalition a nonprofit that acts as the bridge between the Tea Party movement and evangelical voters. 52. T.D. . . His ministry became so popular that he attracted between 8,000 and 10,000 worshipers to his megachurch every week, and his broadcasts brought in scores of letters with personal requests for prayer and (naturally!) If the list represents bad news, it represents good news as well. . Whatever Newsmaxs evangelicalism is, its broad enough to encompass the very best and very worst of Christian teachers. 71. Anne Graham Lotz The daughter of Billy Graham, Lotz is the founder of AnGeL Ministries and the author of 11 books including Just Give Me Jesus, on which she based popular revivals for women that are held in arenas and draw large audiences.