Monday, January 16, 2006

50 most influential Christians in America (or: We are SO messed up!)

What do these people have in common?

Give up? They are the first, second, and third most influential Christians in America.

Here are the top ten in order:

  1. T. D. Jakes
  2. Joel Osteen
  3. Billy Graham
  4. Rick Warren
  5. Bill Hybels
  6. Paul Crouch
  7. Joyce Meyer
  8. President George Bush
  9. James Dobson
  10. Chuck Colson
Not sure precisely how they determined either the Christianity nor the influence of the men and women named on their list, but The Church Report lists them all out for us. Just as you're perhaps smiling and nodding at names like Joni Eareckson Tada, John Piper, Chuck Swindoll, James Dobson, and Chuck Colson, your brain will begin to itch at names like Robert Schuller, Benny Hinn, Paul Crouches (Sr. and Jr.), and... the Pope. And Sean Hannity. And Dr. Phil.

Dr. Phil?

Hugh Hewitt -- who never seems to be very sure as to why he ever left Rome -- is puzzled about the Pope's place on the list. Not why he is listed, but why he is listed so far down the list.

(I'm soliciting alternate subtitles to this entry. If they're clever, I'll add them as updates.)

UPDATE: Joe Carter has a cool breakdown of the list.

1 comment:

Dave Norris said...

You might want to add RC Sproul Jr to the infamous list which could be almost that same list as the top 50 with few exceptions