Help me out. Who rocks your spiritual world?
P.S. You can vote for Jesus but that's not what I'm after here.
24 July 2009
Powerful Preachers
Over the next four weeks I'm working on the final stages of a short film for the Lipscomb Preaching Conference. I'll write more about this project later. For now, I'm curious to know from people of different "perspectives"--who has been the single most influential preacher in your life? It could be a local minister from the church you grew up in . . . or a preacher you listen to or read from long distance.
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24 comments:
This is going to sound so "Emergent," but it's been NT Wright and Rob Bell for me.
Wright is such a great exegete of Scripture and a great thinker as well. The last chapter of "The Challenge of Jesus" is one of the best commentaries on the opportunities of post-modernism.
Bell is so creative in his communication and passionate that I can forgive some of the interpretations of Scripture that I disagree with.
Tom Wright
Mark Moore, Ozark Christian College
Eugene Peterson
1. Foy Mitchell, he taught me how to preach with passion (the local preacher at the church i grew up at)
2. Rich Little, he convinced me to switch majors and be a preacher, took me under his wing to show me how great it was to teach the Scriptures.
3. Rick Atchley he taught me how to read the Bible better and how to feed the sheep week in and week out.
I think Greg Boyd is probably most influential. I read Repenting of Religion and then started listening to his podcast.
Other than that, Kevin Youngblood has been a huge influence on me from the pulpit. He preached for a small church close to FHU before he was fired last Spring.
Phil: Good call.
Falantedios: interesting. That's two now for Tom Wright.
JStorm: your formation is evident. Thanks for remembering those who've shaped you up close.
qavah: I like Boyd's book, God at War, a great deal. Thanks for writing.
JG
Patrick Mead would have to be the preacher who most influenced me. It was a combination of factors. I was hungry and ready. He was smart and funny. I still enjoy the podcasts from RCC regularly.
The preaching and writing of Jim McGuiggan have shaped my ever-evolving, noble view of God like no other.
Thanks Donna.
Mark: great pick. He has influenced so many.
JG
Cope.
He taught me about preaching, Christianity and culture, vision, and authenticity. He showed me how to be a pastor.
Curt Sparks. He not only does a great job in big venues but is an excellent preacher week in and week out. What you see is what you get. He is very authentic in addition to be an effective preacher.
Ruble Shelly, Rick Atchley, Jay Utley, Bill Hybels, Rob Bell.
All for different reasons. But I can remember specific sermons from each one that changed the course of my life.
Ross: That would've been my guess.
Matt: I've never heard Curt preach. I need to.
Believing Thomas: That's quite a line-up.
This has been a fun little exercise.
JG
btw--I got an email from a friend today responding to this blog. Without getting into details, his email reminded me that "ethos" counts just as much as "logos" (logic of the argument) and "pathos" (emotion, charisma, etc.).
JG
Not in any order-
1. Matt Chandler (my predecessor at the Bible Study I preached at in Abilene)- during my college years showed passion and how scripture can affect one's daily life.
2. Atchley- Consistently solid.
3/4. Greg Boyd and Rob Bell- The two that seems to to stay on my ipod.
5. Cope- Authentic struggle w/ Texts
6.NT Wright-Not so much his preaching, but his writing.
Thanks Luke.
I should add mine. I can't pick three let alone one.
In the Churches of Christ: Rubel, Cope, Harris, Fleer and York.
Outside the CoC: Bell, BBT*** (most influential), Wright, and MLK (cliche but still true--if you have not read his lesser known sermons, he was a rhetorical genius).
Ray Vanderlaan (followtherabbi.com) has probably influenced more of the way I see Jesus and scripture more than anyone else. Chris Siedman's serman series on the Holy Spirit was eye-opening. Meeting and talking to David H. Stern is still the highlight of my "most influential preacher." Charismatic and Messianic...what a powerful combo.
The man who probably shaped me more theologically than anyone else was W. Carl Ketcherside. He was the evangelist at the Manchester Church of Christ in St. Louis, MO where I grew up as a boy. I had no idea at that time how far ahead Carl was on the journey of faith back then. He encouraged me to preach, teach and study. He was born in the backwoods of Missouri and was self-taught. But his book, Simple Trusting Faith, is as relevant today as it was when it was written back in the early 1960's. Someone told me the other day that his books were selling on Amazon for $80.00. That would have shocked Carl! For those who have never heard of him there is a website where you can read some of his materials for free at: http://www.unity-in-diversity.org/
He was a sectarian in his early days engaging in debates throughout the brotherhood. But, he had a Damascus Road experience in England that changed him profoundly. To me he demonstrated his belief that wherever God had a child, he had a brother or sister. I highly commend his writings for anyone's consideration.
if you have ever heard John Ortberg's sermon series on David- it is still the very top of my list! I'm not a huge fan of his books but his preaching is GREAT! and very powerful because he says what needs to be said. and doesn't shy away. and you don't feel talked down to- you feel pushed to be be better. i love John Ortberg.
Chris: Vanderlaan has influenced a lot of people (including Rob Bell). Thanks for the note.
Brad: Wow. I've heard about him but now I really want to know about him. I love that you mentioned his own "conversion" from sectarian to open.
Veronica: I'll have to check that series out. Is Ortberg still at Willow Creek?
1) Walter Caughel Jr. - His bible study group when I was in Michigan taught me a lot on how to apply teachings to myself, and challenged me to seek and learn more. He showed me the passion I had for Christ and how to use it.
2) You/Brackneys: The subjects we talked about on the one -n- one sessions - really stuck with me, You 3 challenged me in ways to think for others as well as myself, and how to apply what I learned to group settings, you taught me how to channel my passion for Christ so that I could reach others.
All of you combined gave me so much hope and open so many new doors for me, I'll always be grateful.
-Lissa
Josh, Ortberg is at Melano Park ? I think in California. not at Willow any more.
Great post, Josh. Here are mind in no particular order:
1. Harold Shank - I was mentored by him for four years. His preaching and his life match up. He's brilliant and humble, engaging and prophetic. I know of no one who brings the goods week in and week out like Harold.
2. Rick Atchley - Seeing him preach made me want to be a preacher. I had almost given up. Then I saw him thunder out some passionate sermons on prayer and revival and everything changed.
3. Bryan Loritts - A friend and fellow minister in the Memphis area. He pastors the Fellowship Memphis Church. At present, he's the most gifted proclaimer of the Word I've ever personally known. His preaching mobilizes believers to join God in risky ways.
1) Mark Driscoll: http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/sermons?author=driscoll&direction=desc&order_by=date
2) Robert Cox: http://www.thecrossingschurch.com/v2/audio.html and there are also several of his lessons here: http://www.campusministryunited.com/av.html
he gets talked about more as a leader these days than a preacher, but i still think andy stanley may be the most consistently good preacher i've ever heard week-to-week.
and colin smith can find jesus in every text he uses. his sermons are uniquely christian in that way -- christocentric preaching = good.
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