Who has shaped this gospel recovery movement? I’ve thought a lot about the myriad voices speaking into the gospel-centered tribe, mostly for the better, and asked around with quite a few influential folks themselves to compile this list. First, however, a few caveats:
1. The list gets more and more arbitrary as it goes on. The criteria consists solely of my own subjective appraisal with the input of others’ subjective appraisals. I am prepared for your critiques and yes-but’s, but please note that none of us should take this too seriously.
2. I tried to think keenly about all the folks whose voices have given shape to this still-developing movement, sometimes called “young restless and Reformed” (YRR), “neo-Reformed,” “gospel-centered,” etc. Some of the names included are folks who worked largely behind the scenes but were influential in networks and resources. Some of the names included would not consider themselves a part of this movement; some never did. And yet their influence is still in my mind undeniable. There are some names included that some (most?) of us in the tribe might wish to distance ourselves from now. And yet their influence is still, for better or worse, part of what has made the tribe what it is. The contributions of some of these people were formative. Some are still formative. Some are beginning to become formative. In a year, two years, five years, names from nearer the bottom may be nearer the top, and vice versa. Let the reader understand.
3. With the exception of the recently departed R.C. Sproul, Jerry Bridges, and Elisabeth Elliot, I have only included still living figures. So you will not see highly influential Puritans or Reformers or other key figures in church history, both ancient and recent. No Luthers, no Spurgeons, no Calvins, no Edwardses, and no Stotts, no Lewises, no Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
4. It should go without saying, but since this is the Internet: None of the people on this list is more or less important than anybody else. Or more or less important than you. I love you. Don’t be mad at me.
All right, here goes:
The Top 125 Influences on the Gospel-Centered Movement
1. John Piper
2. Matt Chandler
3. Tim Keller
4. R.C. Sproul
5. Mark Driscoll
6. Al Mohler
7. D.A. Carson
8. John MacArthur
9. Justin Taylor
10. Francis Chan
11. Tullian Tchividjian
12. Collin Hansen
13. Tim Challies
14. Russell Moore
15. C.J. Mahaney
16. Wayne Grudem
17. Lecrae
18. David Platt
19. Jen Wilkin
20. Jerry Bridges
21. Thabiti Anyabwile
22. Mark Dever
23. Paul Tripp
24. J.I. Packer
25. Kevin DeYoung
26. Ligon Duncan
27. Michael Horton
28. Ben Peays
29. Paul Washer
30. Elyse Fitzpatrick
31. Voddie Baucham
32. Bryan Chapell
33. Sinclair Ferguson
34. Timothy George
35. Ann Voskamp
36. James White
37. Keith and Kristyn Getty
38. Joshua Harris
39. Ed Stetzer
40. Bruce Ware
41. Bob Kauflin
42. Derek Thomas
43. Crawford Lorritts
44. Tony Reinke
45. Eric Mason
46. Trevin Wax
47. Tom Schreiner
48. Darrin Patrick
49. Derek Webb
50. Gloria Furman
51. Thom Rainer
52. J.D. Greear
53. Douglas Wilson
54. Carl Trueman
55. Shai Linne
56. Graeme Goldsworthy
57. Joni Eareckson Tada
58. Matt Smethurst
59. Elisabeth Elliot
60. Bob Thune
61. Alistair Begg
62. Joe Carter
63. Ray Ortlund, Jr.
64. Scotty Smith
65. Scott Sauls
66. Owen Strachan
67. Mike Cosper
68. Joe Thorn
69. Carl Ellis, Jr.
70. David Powlison
71. Leonce Crump
72. Don Whitney
73. Steve Nichols
74. Sam Storms
75. Dane Ortlund
76. Trillia Newbell
77. Douglas Moo
78. Steve Timmis
79. Ed Welch
80. Nancy Leigh Wolgemuth
81. Sam Allberry
82. Rosaria Butterfield
83. Phil Johnson
84. James K.A. Smith
85. Greg Koukl
86. John Frame
87. Steve Lawson
88. Iain Murray
89. Louie Giglio
90. Randy Alcorn
91. Mike Bullmore
92. Trip Lee
93. Wendy Alsup
94. Daniel Montgomery
95. Andreas Kostenberger
96. Stephen Um
97. Dave Harvey
98. Matt Boswell
99. Jemar Tisby
100. Kevin Vanhoozer
101. Jeff Vanderstelt
102. Hershael York
103. Danny Akin
104. Matt Carter
105. Andrew Peterson
106. Ted Tripp
107. Conrad Mbewe
108. Aaron Ivey
108. Matthew Lee Anderson
109. Jackie Hill Perry
110. Zack Eswine
111. Doug Logan
112. Karen Swallow Prior
113. Mary Kassian
114. Dustin Kensrue
115. Brian Croft
116. Jason K. Allen
117. John Onwuchekwa
118. Justin Holcomb
119. Jim Hamilton
120. Jason Kovacs
121. Sally Lloyd-Jones
122. Tope Koleoso
123. Dhati Lewis
124. Eugene Peterson
125. Ted Kluck
