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Posted on Oct 13, 2013

16 Pastors Appreciated For Pastor Appreciation Sunday

Sunday, October 13th, is Pastor Appreciation Sunday. Here are some of the better known pastors whom I have appreciated in my life. To vote for your favorites and view more great lists, please go to www.bracketsdaily.com.

by Bracketsdaily

Community Contributor

Mark E. Dever (born August 28th, 1960) has been the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. since 1994, and is the president of 9Marks (formerly known as the Center for Church Reform), a Christian ministry he co-founded in an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America. — bracketsdaily.com

Mark E. Dever (born August 28th, 1960) has been the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. since 1994, and is the president of 9Marks (formerly known as the Center for Church Reform), a Christian ministry he co-founded in an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America.

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Mark E. Dever (born August 28th, 1960) has been the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. since 1994, and is the president of 9Marks (formerly known as the Center for Church Reform), a Christian ministry he co-founded in an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America.

Jim Cymbala (born 1949) is an American author and pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Cymbala's best-selling books include Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire; Fresh Faith; and Fresh Power. He has been the pastor of the multi-racial megachurch The Brooklyn Tabernacle, since 1971. When he began serving The Brooklyn Tabernacle, the church membership numbered fewer than 30 persons. As of 2012, the church numbers over 16,000 members.

Jim Cymbala (born 1949) is an American author and pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Cymbala's best-selling books include Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire; Fresh Faith; and Fresh Power. He has been the pastor of the multi-racial megachurch The Brooklyn Tabernacle, since 1971. When he began serving The Brooklyn Tabernacle, the church membership numbered fewer than 30 persons. As of 2012, the church numbers over 16,000 members.

Charles Swindoll (October 18, 1934- ) is an evangelical Christian pastor, author, educator, and radio preacher. He founded Insight for Living, headquartered in Plano, Texas, which airs a radio program of the same name on more than 2,000 stations around the world in 15 languages. He is currently senior pastor at Stonebriar Community Church, in Frisco, Texas.

Charles Swindoll (October 18, 1934- ) is an evangelical Christian pastor, author, educator, and radio preacher. He founded Insight for Living, headquartered in Plano, Texas, which airs a radio program of the same name on more than 2,000 stations around the world in 15 languages. He is currently senior pastor at Stonebriar Community Church, in Frisco, Texas.

William Henry Willimon (born May 15, 1946) is an American theologian and bishop in the United Methodist Church, who served the North Alabama Conference. He is currently Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School. He is former Dean of the Chapel at Duke University and is considered by many as one of America's best-known and most influential preachers. A Pew Foundation Survey said he was one of the two most frequently read writers by pastors in mainline Protestantism. His books have sold over a million copies. He is also Editor-At-Large of The Christian Century.

William Henry Willimon (born May 15, 1946) is an American theologian and bishop in the United Methodist Church, who served the North Alabama Conference. He is currently Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School. He is former Dean of the Chapel at Duke University and is considered by many as one of America's best-known and most influential preachers. A Pew Foundation Survey said he was one of the two most frequently read writers by pastors in mainline Protestantism. His books have sold over a million copies. He is also Editor-At-Large of The Christian Century.

Pete Scazzero is the founding pastor of New Life Fellowship Church and has served as its senior pastor for the last twenty-five years. In September of 1987, he planted New Life in Queens, New York, and since then it has grown into a large, multiracial, international church with more than sixty-five countries represented. Pete is also the author of two best-selling books: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Nelson, 2006) and The Emotionally Healthy Church (Zondervan, 2010).

Pete Scazzero is the founding pastor of New Life Fellowship Church and has served as its senior pastor for the last twenty-five years. In September of 1987, he planted New Life in Queens, New York, and since then it has grown into a large, multiracial, international church with more than sixty-five countries represented. Pete is also the author of two best-selling books: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Nelson, 2006) and The Emotionally Healthy Church (Zondervan, 2010).

Mark A. Driscoll (born October 11, 1970) is an American pastor and author. He is the founder and current preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, co-founder of Churches Helping Churches and the Acts 29 Network. Driscoll served as president of the Acts 29 Network, which was also housed at Mars Hill Church, for a short period of time until he passed the presidency to Matt Chandler and moved the offices to Chandler's The Village Church in order to focus more on Mars Hill Church and his writing. With his wife, he authored Real Marriage, which reached number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List in January 2012.

Mark A. Driscoll (born October 11, 1970) is an American pastor and author. He is the founder and current preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, co-founder of Churches Helping Churches and the Acts 29 Network. Driscoll served as president of the Acts 29 Network, which was also housed at Mars Hill Church, for a short period of time until he passed the presidency to Matt Chandler and moved the offices to Chandler's The Village Church in order to focus more on Mars Hill Church and his writing. With his wife, he authored Real Marriage, which reached number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List in January 2012.

John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946) is a Calvinistic Baptist Christian preacher and author who served as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota for 33 years. His books include ECPA Christian Book Award winners Spectacular Sins, What Jesus Demands from the World, Pierced by the Word, and God's Passion for His Glory, and bestsellers Don't Waste Your Life and The Passion of Jesus Christ. The evangelical organization Desiring God is named for his book Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (1986).

John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946) is a Calvinistic Baptist Christian preacher and author who served as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota for 33 years. His books include ECPA Christian Book Award winners Spectacular Sins, What Jesus Demands from the World, Pierced by the Word, and God's Passion for His Glory, and bestsellers Don't Waste Your Life and The Passion of Jesus Christ. The evangelical organization Desiring God is named for his book Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (1986).

Haddon W. Robinson is the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching, senior director of the Doctor of Ministry program, and former interim President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. One of his major contributions to homiletics is the Big Idea of Biblical Preaching (the title of a book which is in his honor), whereby sermons should have one major idea (has one subject and one complement), even if the big idea breaks down into 3 subpoints. Robinson also argues that a sermon should be primarily expository, since that places the authority in the biblical text, not in the preachers themselves.

Haddon W. Robinson is the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching, senior director of the Doctor of Ministry program, and former interim President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. One of his major contributions to homiletics is the Big Idea of Biblical Preaching (the title of a book which is in his honor), whereby sermons should have one major idea (has one subject and one complement), even if the big idea breaks down into 3 subpoints. Robinson also argues that a sermon should be primarily expository, since that places the authority in the biblical text, not in the preachers themselves.

Gordon P. Hugenberger (born October 6, 1948) is the senior pastor at historic Park Street Church, in Boston, Massachusetts (1997–present).

Gordon P. Hugenberger (born October 6, 1948) is the senior pastor at historic Park Street Church, in Boston, Massachusetts (1997–present).

Eugene H. Peterson (born November 6, 1932), is a pastor, scholar, author, and poet. He has written over thirty books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. (Navpress Publishing Group, 2002), a contemporary translation of the Bible.

Eugene H. Peterson (born November 6, 1932), is a pastor, scholar, author, and poet. He has written over thirty books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. (Navpress Publishing Group, 2002), a contemporary translation of the Bible.

Nicholas Thomas Wright (born 1 December 1948) is an Anglican bishop and a leading New Testament scholar. He is published as N. T. Wright when writing academic work, or Tom Wright when writing for a more popular readership. Wright was the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England from 2003 until his retirement in 2010. He is currently Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Mary's College, University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Nicholas Thomas Wright (born 1 December 1948) is an Anglican bishop and a leading New Testament scholar. He is published as N. T. Wright when writing academic work, or Tom Wright when writing for a more popular readership. Wright was the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England from 2003 until his retirement in 2010. He is currently Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Mary's College, University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Bill Hybels (born December 12, 1951, Kalamazoo, Michigan) 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 nearly 24,000 as of 2011. 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.

Bill Hybels (born December 12, 1951, Kalamazoo, Michigan) 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 nearly 24,000 as of 2011. 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.

Dr. Louie Giglio (born June 30, 1958) is the pastor of Passion City Church, Atlanta, a speaker, and the founder of the Passion Movement.

Dr. Louie Giglio (born June 30, 1958) is the pastor of Passion City Church, Atlanta, a speaker, and the founder of the Passion Movement.

William Franklin 'Billy' Graham, Jr. (born November 7, 1918) is an American Christian evangelist, ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, who rose to celebrity status in 1949 with the national media backing of William Randolph Hearst and Henry Luce. His sermons were broadcast on radio and television, some still being re-broadcast today. As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion. Graham has repeatedly been on Gallup's list of most admired men and women. He has appeared on the list 55 times since 1955 (including 49 consecutive years), more than any other individual in the world.

William Franklin 'Billy' Graham, Jr. (born November 7, 1918) is an American Christian evangelist, ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, who rose to celebrity status in 1949 with the national media backing of William Randolph Hearst and Henry Luce. His sermons were broadcast on radio and television, some still being re-broadcast today. As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion. Graham has repeatedly been on Gallup's list of most admired men and women. He has appeared on the list 55 times since 1955 (including 49 consecutive years), more than any other individual in the world.

Rick Warren (born January 28, 1954) is an American evangelical Christian pastor and author. 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. 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 bestselling author.

Rick Warren (born January 28, 1954) is an American evangelical Christian pastor and author. 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. 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 bestselling author.

Timothy J. Keller (born 1950) is an American Christian apologist, author, speaker, and the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, New York. He is the author of several books, including The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, which garnered awards from World Magazine and Christianity Today and was No. 7 on The New York Times Best Seller list for non-fiction in March, 2008.

Timothy J. Keller (born 1950) is an American Christian apologist, author, speaker, and the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, New York. He is the author of several books, including The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, which garnered awards from World Magazine and Christianity Today and was No. 7 on The New York Times Best Seller list for non-fiction in March, 2008.

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