Our Top 12 List for the 'Most Influential' Pastors Today

In 1973, a 19-year-old named Greg Laurie founded a church in Riverside, California. Today that church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, is one of the largest churches in the US. Laurie is still the pastor. He is known for his engaging and accessible preaching style. He is best known for his Harvest Crusades, which are large-scale evangelistic events drawing millions to hear the gospel since their inception in 1990. Laurie's influence extends beyond the pulpit through his books, radio broadcasts, and involvement in film and television projects.

If you have watched The Jesus Revolution, you were introduced to Laurie (played by Joel Courtney). His Harvest America, launched in 2012, has boasted upwards of 306,000 Americans in attendance—one of the largest presentations of the gospel in US history. His wide reach makes him one of today’s most influential pastors.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/Greg Laurie  

In the 1990s, Homestead Heights was a church that had plateaued at a respectable 300 members. In 1998, without a senior pastor, the church prayed for a fresh vision for reaching the world. In December 2001, they decided to call as pastor a young J.D. Greear, who had been serving as their college pastor. Homestead Heights relaunched as The Summit Church. That church has now grown to over 12,000 in attendance. But what makes Greear and Summit a unique church is their vision to plant 1,000 new churches by the year 2050.

Greear is known for his commitment to gospel-centered theology and a focus on reaching the next generation. He has authored several books and hosts a 30-minute daily radio broadcast. His tenure as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2018 to 2021 also highlighted his influence, during which he championed racial reconciliation, evangelism, and church revitalization. His leadership, preaching, and vision for mobilizing churches for missions make him one of today’s most influential pastors.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook / J.D. Greear

If you’ve listened to much Christian radio, you’ve likely wondered, “Who is that guy with a Scottish accent? He can preach!!!” That guy is Alistair Begg, the senior pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, where he has served since 1983. He is known for his clear, biblical teaching. His wide following has come through his national radio program Truth for Life. This broadcast reaches millions with his gospel preaching.

Begg is known for a commitment to expository preaching with a strong theological grounding. But he is also practical and has become one of the most trusted voices in evangelical circles. Begg is also a prolific author and conference speaker. His ability to communicate timeless truths in a culturally relevant way has cemented his status as one of today's most influential pastors. He will be retiring from Parkside in September of 2025.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/Truth for Life with Alistair Begg 

Charles Swindoll, known as Chuck, is another influential pastor widely known through his radio ministry. He is known for his down-to-earth and practical preaching. His approachable, relatable style is combined with a deep understanding of Scripture. Swindoll has a gift for applying God’s Word. This has been shown since the launch of his Insight for Living radio broadcast, which was launched in 1979.

For over twenty years Swindoll was the pastor at First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, CA. In 1998 he launched the Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, TX. He continues to serve here as the senior pastor. Swindoll has authored numerous best-selling books and served as the president and chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary. His decades of ministry, focus on grace, and emphasis on practical Christian living have positioned him as one of the most influential pastors of our time.

Photo courtesy: stonebriar.org

Standing to preach at 8 AM at the 2010 Together for the Gospel, Thabiti Anyabwile joked that his name meant “who’d I tick off to get the 8 AM slot?” Thabiti Anyabwile is not his given name. When he converted to Islam, he changed his name. Thabiti means “a true man and upright,” and Anyabwile is Arabic for “God has set me free.” Little did he know that soon after, he would truly be set free by Christ. He was converted in Washington, D.C., and was mentored at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. Shortly after his conversion, he wrote his first book on engaging Muslims with the gospel. Anyabwile quickly rose to become a significant voice in Reformed evangelical circles.

He is known for his thoughtful, biblically rich preaching and his writings on race, justice, and church leadership. He is a prolific author and regular contributor to various evangelical publications. His work has been influential in shaping conversations around church health and discipleship. As an advocate for racial reconciliation within the church and a clear, gospel-centered preacher, Anyabwile's ministry has made him one of the most influential pastors today.

Photo courtesy: ©YouTube / Crossway

While not technically a pastor still, John Piper’s pastoral ministry continues to influence many. He is the founder and teacher of Desiring God. He served as the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from 1980 to 2013. Though he had already published a few books, Piper became more widely known in 2000 after an evangelical culture-shaping sermon entitled “Don’t Waste Your Life.” Piper’s passionate preaching and theological depth propelled Piper to be a leading figure in the Reformed evangelical movement.

His most influential work, Desiring God, encapsulates the core of his ministry. Perhaps his most famous saying is, “God is most glorified with us when we are most satisfied in Him.” In addition to his extensive writing—having authored over 50 books—Piper is a sought-after conference speaker. Piper’s influence today is largely through the online ministry of Desiring God, continuing to teach the Bible through such series as Look at the Book.

Photo courtesy: Micah Chiang/Wikimedia Commons 

Around 2007, someone asked me if I had heard of David Platt and what I thought about his preaching. I hadn’t heard of him. He was only 28 at the time and had just taken over at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL. Within a year, it seemed that Platt was everywhere. He gained national recognition as the author of Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, a best-selling book that challenges Christians to live sacrificially for the sake of the gospel. His passionate biblical preaching and heart for missions drew the eye of the International Mission Board of the SBC. He served as their president from 2014-2018.

Today, he serves as the lead pastor of McLean Bible Church in the Washington, D.C., area and remains a prominent voice in evangelical circles. Platt's teaching emphasizes the urgency of the Great Commission, the necessity of caring for the poor, and the call for Christians to live with radical obedience to Christ, making him one of today's most influential pastors.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/David Platt

Anthony J. Carter is a prominent Reformed pastor, theologian, and author known for his work of connecting a Christ-centered theology with a focus on issues of race and justice. In 2009, Carter helped plant East Point Church in East Point, GA. He still serves as their lead pastor. Prior to this, Carter was a founding member of The Gospel Coalition, which helped propel him as one of the most well-known voices in Reformed circles.

He is the author of several books, including On Being Black and Reformed and What Is the Gospel: Life's Most Important Question. His writing and ministry emphasize the sufficiency of Scripture, the centrality of the gospel, and the importance of the local church. Carter's influence extends through his efforts to bridge Reformed theology with issues of race and culture, making him a respected voice in contemporary evangelicalism.

Photo courtesy: ©YouTube / Ligonier Ministries

It is possible that you have not heard of Mark Dever. But you likely know many of those which Dever has mentored—some of which appear on this list. Dever is the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where he has served since 1994. He is known for his commitment to biblical exposition but, more than anything, his work on ecclesiology. Dever is a leading advocate for healthy churches, particularly through his ministry 9Marks. 9Marks continues to hold significant sway in helping believers think through various aspects of the local church. He is known for his passion to equip pastors with resources for building biblically faithful congregations.

His book Nine Marks of a Healthy Church has become a seminal work in church leadership, emphasizing biblical preaching, church discipline, and meaningful membership. Dever's influence extends through his writing, conferences, and speaking engagements. His leadership, particularly in championing church health and Reformed theology, has made him one of the most influential pastors in evangelicalism today.

Photo courtesy: ©YouTube / Banner of Truth

If you were a youth pastor in the mid-2000s, you likely showed a clip featuring the Evangelism Linebacker. This hilarious video featured a football player tackling people who are hesitant to share their faith. The man doing the tackling was former NFL player, Derwin Gray. In 2010, Gray founded Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina, where he still serves as pastor. Transformation Church is known as a multiethnic and multigenerational church.

Gray is known for his passion for racial reconciliation, discipleship, and empowering the church to reflect the diversity of God's kingdom. He is the author of several books, including The Good Life and How to Heal Our Racial Divide, where he addresses issues of justice, love, and biblical unity. Gray continues to be one of the most influential pastors in the US.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/Derwin Gray

Gallaty, one of the younger pastors on the list, had a personal testimony of overcoming addiction and finding new life in Christ, which led to many hearing of him. His radical conversion in 2002 resonated with people struggling with similar issues. By 2008, Gallaty had founded Replicate Ministry, which focuses on equipping churches to create cultures of discipleship through intentional mentoring and small groups.

He is the author of several books, including Growing Up and Rediscovering Discipleship, and his focus on disciple-making as the heart of church ministry has made him one of today's most influential pastors in evangelical circles. In 2015, Gallaty became the senior pastor at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN. His emphasis on discipleship has made him a prominent figure in evangelical circles today.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/Downline Ministries

There is an image that many have of a seminary professor. Merida breaks that mold. He is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he has served since 2011. He is also a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he serves as an Associate Professor of Preaching. That is not surprising. Merida is known for his expository preaching and passion for church planting.

He is a key contributor to the Acts 29 church-planting network, where he helps train and mentor pastors. He has also written several books, including The Christ-Centered Expositor. Merida’s influence upon preaching and preachers makes him one of the more influential pastors of our day.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/Tony Merida

Last and certainly not least is your own local church pastor. While many of these pastors hold significant influence on the landscape of evangelicalism, none should be more important than your own local church pastor. Unless you are a member of one of these churches (and perhaps even then), these men will not be the one who buries your loved ones, holds your hand by the hospital bed, prays for you daily, and consistently opens the Word of God for you. As we learn from these other influential pastors, do not lose sight of the importance of your own local church pastor.

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