Preachers who influenced you the most?

[Esaias]

What preachers have you heard or been involved with who have influenced you the most? If you have any links to any sermons, messages, or articles by them, please post.

[Esaias]

Forgot to add: 'In what way did they influence you?'

[votivesoul]

Never much heard a sermon that did anything for me, that I can recall.

But I've read some books that have impacted me (written by preachers of the Gospel).

The ones that come to mind:

Conquest Through Prayer by Denzil Holman
The Sons of Oil by David Huston
Magnificent Meekness by Morton Bustard
The Sin of Lying by B. E. Echols

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Never much heard a sermon that did anything for me, that I can recall.

But I've read some books that have impacted me (written by preachers of the Gospel).

The ones that come to mind:

Conquest Through Prayer by Denzil Holman
The Sons of Oil by David Huston
Magnificent Meekness by Morton Bustard
The Sin of Lying by B. E. Echols

You and I are a lot alike Bro. Its been rare that I have been influenced greatly by sermons tho thats part of the overall picture.

I was blessed to be able to meet Dave Huston on several occasions and he is a real pioneer of restoration to the New Testament Church.

[Michael The Disciple]

I love these kind of threads. They may not be read by many but its kind of theraputic to my own soul in telling the stories. My greatest influences were early in my walk. They shaped the direction I would go. None of them had the full New Testament foundation as I understand it today but they were there in points of time when I needed them.

1. Pastor Don Spiers

He ministered all over the world during his life winding up in a denomination called "The Pentecostal Mission". I was blessed to know and fellowship with a satellite Church of theirs in the late 70's. He was considered an Apostle among them. His testimonies of ministering in many nations were truly riveting.

Among their group one could only be accepted in the ministry if they would agree to never ask men for money and trust only in God for their healing. They had to literally forsake all and live with the other ministers communely in "faith homes".
He ministered on the streets in various nations winning souls, starting Churches and praying for the sick and afflicted.

I had various occasions where I was able to fellowship with him. I was surprised being used to hearing the prosperity doctrine from many quarters in those days. His room in the faith home was very small. A bed a few chairs and a small collection of Christian books on a stand. That was it. He did not even own a car as did none of them.

It was this simplicity of life that I think so influenced me. In 1980 when I began to understand Acts 2:38 as the full plan of salvation my Pastor sent for him to try to keep me in Trinitarianism. He came from across the country to talk with me about it. If only I had been as learned in Oneness teaching as I am today I would like to think perhaps he would have accepted this truth. Instead he rejected it.

Nonetheless he had probably the most actual "influence" in my life in that his and their strong point was that they taught very strongly the sermon on the mount, being like Jesus. A constant theme in probably every message was to "present every man perfect in Christ".

There are several video clips on the internet of his funeral several decades ago. From the 16 min point to the 23 minute point a brother is recounting his testimony.

[good samaritan]

Most of every sermon I have ever heard has impacted me. Of course some more than others, but all move me in some way. How can you hear the word of God and not be moved. I have heard some horrible preaching, but you can not simply read a text from the scripture without it affecting your life in some measure.

The greatest preacher to affect me was my pastor. He past away a couple of years ago, but he impacted me greatly. He showed me how to care about people. Visiting the sick, nursing home, and lock ins. Although our church was small, my pastor was positively known in the community. He was asked how many people did our church run and he would say about 3,000. After a puzzled look he would reply, "about 20 attend, but running after about 3,000 in the little town of Dyer."

He wasn't kidding either. Lord bless you Bro Hardy!!!!

[KeptByTheWord]

When I was a kid growing up, I would have to say that Bro. Jonathan Alvear was someone who impacted my life in a great way. I loved his stories of the mission field, and his humility and love for the Lord. His gentle singing was always a blessing to hear.

In recent years, KP Yohannan has become one of my favorites to listen to.

There are many writings and testimonies that have greatly impacted my soul. Perhaps the biggest impact on my life was beginning to read "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, and "Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Cowman as devotionals as a young child. I have also been greatly enriched by reading classics by great men such as Spurgeon, the Wesleys, Rees Howell, William Law, AW Tozer, Andrew Murray, Watchman Nee among many others. I may not believe all they believe doctrinally, but there was a depth to their walk with the Lord that speaks deep to my heart.

[mfblume]

Charles Mahaney impacted me as a teenager when I got on fire for God from that point onward.

My uncle William Bustard is next in line with a powerful gift ministry and bible school I attended, and as a mentor in my ministry.

After that, Watchman Nee, Andrew Murray, Gene Edwards, and Jeff Arnold, as well as Mark Hanby's early days, impacted my ministry showing a depth in God's Word I never saw before.

[mizpeh]

My first pastor, David Hinton. He is a very humble man. His only preparation was preaching was continual study of the word and prayer!
My current pastor, Philip Stearns. He an example of someone who hears from God.

and for the last few years, Greg Boyd. I love his teachings on "love", "get your life from Christ", Jesus on the cross reveals God's true essence, what he is really like, and he teaches against Calvinism.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Charles Mahaney impacted me as a teenager when I got on fire for God from that point onward.

My uncle William Bustard is next in line with a powerful gift ministry and bible school I attended, and as a mentor in my ministry.

After that, Watchman Nee, Andrew Murray, Gene Edwards, and Jeff Arnold, as well as Mark Hanby's early days, impacted my ministry showing a depth in God's Word I never saw before.

I enjoyed MaHaney's ministry later in his life when I heard him than I did earlier. He rode that gang conversion testimony thing a decade or two too long. I was visiting a large UPC church not too many years before he died and he was the guest speaker. I was silently bemoaning to myself that I had picked a terrible day to be in town visiting but was pleasantly surprised at how good and deep the sermon was. After the service the pastors wife who I knew well saw me and I mentioned how much I had enjoyed the sermon. She grinned and said something like "yes, his ministry has grown and gotten a lot deeper than when you used to hear him years ago!".