Who Is the Best "Popular" Preacher Today?

Who Is the Best "Popular" Preacher Today?

  • Joel Beeke

    Votes: 11 9.1%
  • John Piper

    Votes: 37 30.6%
  • Tim Keller

    Votes: 13 10.7%
  • R.C. Sproul

    Votes: 24 19.8%
  • Joel Osteen ;)

    Votes: 9 7.4%
  • Someone Else (please list)

    Votes: 27 22.3%

  • Total voters
    121
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Beeke from the list, but I love Paul Washer.

There is also Sinclair Ferguson and I personally like Cornelius Pronk.

He preaches in St George, not far from where I live - he heads up an FRC church plant there. I've read some of his stuff and am impressed!
 
My vote is with Osteen 666%! He has done for dental hygiene what Machen did for orthodoxy!
 
My favourite is still Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Though he is dead he still speaketh.

Aye. W.A. Criswell too. I have recently started listening and watching some of his sermons and he definitely still speaketh. S. Lewis Johnson as well

Some of my favorites that I don't think have been mentioned, although I don't know that all of them qualify as "popular":

Alistair Begg
Jeff Noblit
Steve Kreloff
Jack Hughes
 
Joel Beeke is by far my favorite. His series 9 on the Heidelberg Catechism I still listen to. I recently found Gregory Barkman and Douglas VanderMeulen and enjoy them as well. Next on the list would be Dr. Alan Cairns and John Greer. Then Paul Michael Raymond. Almost forgot about G. I. Williamson and Rolfe Barnard. But for Barnard you need an automatic sound reducer or you'll go deaf. But my top three would have to be Joel Beeke, Gregory Barkman, and Greg Bahnsen. And of course all the Founders preachers. And David Silversides from TBS. I have an almost full 80G ipod.
 
Chris,

Listening to Beeke in person was a real treat at Nate's ordination last weekend. What an impressive fellow!
 
Alot of good recommendations it seems. Also this thread couldnt have come at a better time. I was just sitting at work thinking about what sermons i could listen to and by whom so i can get some preaching while i type. Perfect timing!!

Thank you all for your contributions! I will be researching some of these lesser (to me) known names!
 
Piper has some major theological problems so I could not endorse him.

I would suggest that the top speakers on Sermonaudio.com should be seen as the judge. By that I mean the ones that consistently have the highest number of sermon downloads over a ten year period. To my knowledge, that is none other than Dr Alan Cairns and Rev John Greer.

I think you should explain this. :confused:
 
Obviously I'm biased, but I gave the nod to Dr. Keller. In terms of pure "preaching" I think he's in very elite company.

I would also put MacArthur on the list. Very gifted expositor, one of my favorites to listen to during a long drive...
 
Sproul & Begg

As a teacher, I must go with Sproul. I always learn so much.
But I like MacAurther, Furgerson, Piper,and has no one mentioned Allister Begg?
 
Joel... come on ye can take the man out of charismania but you cant taked charismania out the man! only jokin ;)
 
Alistair Begg.

As an aside, I have to admit that I don't really get Piper. It seems to me like there's some sort of disconnect between what he is saying and how he is saying it along with the gestures he uses.
 
I benefited more from listening to Piper than watching him. I agree that unnecessary gestures are distracting.
 
Here's my list of "popular" preachers (as defined by those who have broad-based mass media as a regular element of their ministries), all of whom I include in my regular podcast diet:

1. RC Sproul: Seriously, can anyone deny that he has been the most notable and influential single individual to carry the banner of reformed theology to the 20th and 21st Century on a broad level? He is my vote for the best reformed THEOLOGIAN and TEACHER today. If we had to call on a group to write a confession or catechism today, this is the guy to write it. I'm speculating that the other reformers listed here would consider Sproul to be the most admired living reformer today...

2. John Piper: Hugely respected, not just for his dead-on accurate theology, but more for his PASSION from the pulpit. "Frozen Chosen", what?!?! Not Piper. Though he sometimes sounds a little OVER-emotional (and labored) in his teaching side of preaching, he truly mixes Spirit AND Truth! In my humble opinion, he's tied for the greatest reformed PREACHER today, along with...

3. John MacArthur: People have complained that he sounds a bit angry or jaded when he preaches-- but does anyone lay it down (biblical truth) as strongly and as boldly as he does? I don't think so, and I think people who write him off as an angry legalist totally don't understand him-- on the contrary, I believe he is PACKED with Christian love for the body of Christ, eschatology aside.

4. Alistair Begg: Honorable mention in "Best Reformed Preacher" category, second only to the two above. He is what I call "Reformed Light"-- you can be relatively unchurched, and still grasp and appreciate his reformed perspective. Love the accent, humor, witticisms, and self-deprecation, though he flies a bit close to the flame with his use of classic rock lyrics to illustrate a point (though I certainly can relate, LOL).

5. Ravi Zacharias: I LOVE listening to this guy, as wisdom seems to pour out of him like rainfall-- the people around him always seem to be in awe of his capacity to logically and calmly breakdown the rest of "world religion" in comparison to biblical Christianity. My "hands down" vote for best reformed APOLOGIST alive today, in a walk.

6. Al Mohler: Young, vibrant, and theologically spot-on. Can anyone name a more influential reformer in the BAPTIST tradition today? He put the SBC in a tizzy, and I love him for that. I put Mark Dever right up there with him in this category--with Mohler paving the way...

There are several others upon whom I rely for a balanced reformed diet of information, many of whom have been mentioned in this thread.
 
Interesting analysis. I agree for the most part, although I'm not sure that Ravi is Reformed. I'd be happy to be shown I'm wrong. I think all these gentlemen are great and I have benefited greatly from their ministries.
 
Sproul is an excellent teacher, but I don't like his sermons so much. Arzudia - but he's kinda like Piper but not as good yet.
 
Alistair Begg.

As an aside, I have to admit that I don't really get Piper. It seems to me like there's some sort of disconnect between what he is saying and how he is saying it along with the gestures he uses.

Kinda harsh. They don't bother me at all.
 
I just can't choose. I really like to listen to Ravi Zacharias. I like Keller, but sometimes I wish he would speak more to the heart. Of course, RC Sproul is a great teacher. I am partial to some Begg, Bryan Chapell is also excellent. Ferguson and Beeke are always a joy to hear.
I confess to the PB that I have never heard a Piper sermon. I hope to rectify that soon.
 
I voted other and my first choice would be Bill Mencarow. He used to be my elder, and he is honestly one of the most humble and sincere men I know. His sermons when he was my elder are sermons I still remember 12 years later. They impacted me greatly. I chose him because every time I hear one of his sermons I am blessed by what he has to say. He preaches the truth and I learn something new everytime I hear him preach. Brad and I listen to him every week when we come home from church and his series on Revelation is worth listening to if your interested. My second favorite would be Barnhouse. We listen to him every week on the way to church. He passed away years ago. I learn a lot from him too. Our family has been blessed tremendously by the preaching of these two men.
 
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