Top 10 Christian Writers: What makes them important?

Thank you for asking me about this. I get this question often, most people know that I am an avid reader who enjoys learning. It is no secret that I frequently give people advice about what books they should read or subjects that might affect them. 

I have made an effort in this hub to present not the most popular writers but instead the writers who I think will reach the greatest audience. I hope there are some people on this list that you know but I also hope that there are people you may not have heard of before. 

In addition, I expect to find that some people with disagree with my assessment and that is fine. I encourage you to publish your own hub with you own list and even comment about opinions. Most of all I would love to see people exposed to new content by actually buying or reading some of the books I mention. 

Watchman Nee is more of a historical Character. as a Chinese Christian author and church leader during the early 20th Century. He spent the last 20 years of his life in prison and was severely persecuted by the Communists in China.

He is the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch located in Lake Forest, California, currently the eighth-largest church in the United States (this ranking includes multi-site churches). He is also a bestselling author of many Christian books, including his guide to church ministry and evangelism, The Purpose Driven Church, which has spawned a series of conferences on Christian ministry and evangelism. He is perhaps best known for the subsequent devotional, The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 30 million copies, making Warren a New York Times bestsellingauthor.

Back in the 1980's this book revolutionized missions and the approach Churches took to reachingthe people in their communities. This book started a trend in churches that lead to the megachurch movement and an outpouring of church growth that reached people at a heart felt level and separating many churches by the avoidance of arguments over the color of carpeting.

As a theologian, author, and speaker this genius is the most cereberal person I know. He has a mind that can cut throug and edit more imformation than any mind I have come accross. His genius is only second to his humility as the most striking feature of this man's personality. 

When it comes to speaking in front of his colleague his friends or his students, he tranparently communicates his understanding of truth in a logical manner. Explaining difficult concepts with complimentary examples of his point of view. I have been been more influenced by his work than any other single author and that is why he made my list. 

Rob Bell is the Founding Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church. He graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He is the author of Velvet Elvis and Sex God, and is a coauthor ofJesus Wants to Save Christians. He is also featured in the first series of spiritual short films called NOOMA.

Rob Bell has been influencing the church in recent years but what is most striking is his approach to theology. As a jewish Scholar he is not afraid to question everything that many Christian assume to be truth and foundational. His challenging of the philsophical norms in many Christian minds leads people to not only understand what they believe but also why they believe it. Regardless of which side of an issue you may personally reside it important that you have reached thos opinions on your own through careful research, thought and understanding.

Francis J. Beckwith is Professor of Philosophy & Church-Studies at Baylor University  He teaches in the departments of philosophy and political science. In 2008-09 he is serving on the faculty of the University of Notre Dame as the Mary Ann Remick Senior Visiting Fellow in Notre Dame's Center for Ethics & Culture. 

Among the books in which his articles appear as chapters are Darwin's Nemesis: Phillip Johnson and the Intelligent Design Movement, ed. W. A. Dembski (InterVarsity Press, 2006); Bob Dylan & Philosophy, ed. Carl Porter and Peter Vernezze (Open Court, 2006); What's Wrong?: Applied Ethicists and Their Critics, ed. D. Boonin and G. Oddie (Oxford University Press, 2005); Guide to New Religious Movements 2/e, ed. R. Enroth (InterVarsity Press. 2005); The Rationality of Theism, ed. P. Copan and P. Moser (Routledge, 2003); Bioengagement: Making a Christian Difference Through Bioethics Today, ed. N. Cameron, S. E. Daniels, and B. J. White (Eerdmans, 2000); In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case For God's Action in History, ed. R. D. Geivett and G. Habermas (InterVarsity, 1997); Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, 3/e, ed. L. Pojman (Wadsworth, 1996); The Silent Subject: Reflections on the Unborn in American Culture, ed. Brad Stetson (Praeger, 1996); Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Political Issues, 9/e, ed. G. McKenna and S. Feingold (McGraw-Hill, 1995); and Faith in Theory and Practice: Essays on Justifying Religious Belief, ed. E. Radcliffe and C. J. White (Open Court, 1993).

Arguably the most contraversal author in this list but he had a great impact on my life at least in the beginning of my ministry career. Where I differ with Dr. Martin in several areas but for the shear impact he has made in my life to challenge me to be more intellectual in my religious pusuits, I encourage you to engage in not only emotional debate of Christian theology but consider the philosphocal and intellectual underlying theories as well. Because sound doctrin will only follow sound phylisophy. 

Walter Ralston Martin, was an American Evangelical minister, author, and Christian apologist who founded the Christian Research Institute in 1960 as a para-church ministry specializing as a clearing-house of information in both general Christian apologetics and in countercult apologetics.

Erwin Raphael McManus is another author who leads an amazing church. 

Erwin Raphael McManus is an author, speaker, activist, filmmaker and innovator who specializes in the field of developing and unleashing personal and organizational creativity, uniqueness, innovation and diversity. In other words, he gets bored really easily.

He is committed to creating environments that expand imagination, unleash creativity, and maximize the creative potential in every individual and organization. Erwin is also the catalyst behind Awaken. Convinced that the world is changed by dreamers and visionaries, Awaken serves the purpose of history by maximizing the divine potential in every human being.

Engaging such issues as culture, creativity, change, and leadership, Erwin is widely known as a thought-provoking communicator. His travels have taken him to over 30 countries and he has spoken to over a million people from a wide variety of audiences, including the NFL, Lionsgate, New Line Cinema, and ILOG. His work is featured in numerous films, articles, and magazines across the US and internationally.

Erwin also serves as the primary communicator and cultural architect of Mosaic in Los Angeles. He is the author of An Unstoppable Force, a Gold Medallion Award finalist;Chasing Daylight; Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul; The Barbarian Way; Stand Against the Wind, Soul Cravings, and Wide Awake (soon to be released in July 2008). He also serves as a Research Advisor with The Gallup Organization.

Bob Russell is a gift to those of us who have had to priviledge to hear him, meet him and know him. Bob was the pastor of Southeast Christian Church. That small congregation of 120 members has become one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006.  Bob retired from Southeast in June 2006. An accomplished author, Bob has written over one-dozen books. He also has a weekly column in The Lookout, a magazine printed by Standard Publishing.  

The reason Bob made my list and the reason he is so high on my list is that he is captivating over time. You will not read one of his books of hear one of his sermon of his and then have a life-changing event. What you will see over time is that in his 30 years of ministry he rarely repeats himself. This man is deep, with a wealth of knowledge and a keen ablity to reach his audience on their level. 

If you make a point to seek him out, his sermons and books will be practical information, relevant advice and useful insights into your daily life. This man has had the single most impact on my life and on countless others. 

William Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, one of the most attended churches in North America, with an average attendance of 17,115 as of 2003. The church has been listed as the most influential church in America for the last several years in a national poll of pastors. He is the founder of the Willow Creek Association and creator of the Global Leadership Summit. Hybels is also an author of a number of Christian books, especially on the subject of Christian leadership.

Who could could you expect to see at this level. I mean there is so much preasure to be the Number one person on this list. I must say that reason he is on my list is not for one this he has done but for the entire body of work this man has completed. 

From the very start of the megachurch movement, the publication of Rediscovering Church and the countless influence he has had on all churches in the United States and around the world.