Nominees: Worst Christian of 2024

Who out there, among the professing, has had the most deleterious effect on the health of the body of Christ in the year 2023? Using a number of criteria Pulpit & Pen has identified a list of nominees from a pool of eligible individuals (obvious charlatans and the theologically heterodox* were not included for consideration). In 2023, Andy Stanley claimed the title of Pulpit & Pen’s “Worst Christian” of the year, beating out Rick Warren, Russell Moore, and Julie Roys.

Who is the worst Christian of 2024? The Nominees are as follows:

Steve Lawson, Founder of One Passion Ministries, former Professor and Dean at Master’s Seminary, and popular Christian author and speaker.

Nominated for: Accepting a regular, vocational pulpit teaching role at Trinity Church without being a church member, engaging in a five-year long “inappropriate relationship” with a young woman while serving as Seminary Dean and popular Christian speaker.

Francis Collins, Former Director of the National Institutes of Health, Founder of Biologos

Nominated for: Advocating for the use of fetal tissue from aborted babies in scientific research, Advocating for church closures after the outbreak of COVID

Johnny Hunt, Former Pastor, Former SBC President, Church Leadership Consultant, and preaching circuit speaker

Nominated for: Suing the Southern Baptist Convention after the SBC funded an investigation that revealed his adulterous actions and led to his dismissal from SBC Employment

David Platt, Pastor of McClean Bible Church, former IMB President

Nominated for: Deceiving church members, denominational takeover, advocating aberant social justice teaching

*Paedobaptists are not excluded from consideration, although the practice of baptizing infants is not biblical.

**Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or any educational institution from which I have graduated. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.

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