Do you ever wish there was a blacklist we could use to avoid being blindsided by bad doctrine or theology? After all, there is so much material out there—who has the time to sort through it all?
When you think about it, a blacklist is a pretty ridiculous idea isn’t it? Not that there aren’t all kinds of names—from the famous to the infamous—that deserve to be called out, but there is a much better way for thinking men and women to attack this problem. Study the good guys.
Welcome to Veracity’s Top 10 Scorers list. These are the players who consistently “put the puck in the net.” No deking and skating around—just on-target discipleship.
The list includes pastors, philosophers, professors, a historian, theologians, apologists, an astrophysicist, several world-class scholars, and some exceptionally gifted teachers. (Actually there are 12 winners on our Top 10 Scorers list, because they all deserve the award.)
With great appreciation we extend a Chi Rho hat tip and our Top 10 Scorer award to the following:
| Michael Card |  |
A musician, but also an extremely talented interpreter of the Bible. Encourages reading Scripture at the “level of our imaginations.” Finds things that no one else does. Refreshingly original.
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| William Lane Craig |  |
Professional philosopher, professor, and apologist who according to atheist Sam Harris, “Put the fear of God into many of my fellow atheists.” Extremely well prepared and researched. The master of the minimalist approach. Because analytic philosophy wins arguments.
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| Tim Keller |  |
Well read, and original. Has a way of applying reason with a command of theology and contemporary and classical wisdom to make the Scriptures personally relevant. Senior Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City.
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| Hugh Ross |  |
Astrophysicist with an insatiable appetite for proving the validity of Scripture through scientific findings. Founder of Reasons To Believe, a science-faith think tank. Quite possibly one of the greatest minds to ever appreciate General Revelation.
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| Matt Slick |  |
“Full-contact theologian” and apologist who has compiled a wealth of useful material since founding CARM in 1995. As seen in this impromptu confrontation, he can think on his feet and clearly is not worried about what the world may think of him. Love or hate him, his doctrine is based upon the Bible.
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| Andy Stanley |  |
A mega church pastor with few peers. Just like a crowded restaurant, there are good reasons his church is so large. He coordinates and delivers messages in a way that scores, having learned a lot of lessons the hard way, and isn’t afraid to share those experiences. One of the most effective preachers you’ll ever hear.
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| Lee Strobel |  |
Journalist-turned-author, apologist, and evangelist, Lee Strobel is an example of what can happen when an objective atheist goes looking for truth. His ethic was that he would follow the evidence to wherever it leads. The Case for a Creator could well be the most effective tool for sharing with atheists and agnostics.
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| Ray Vander Laan |  |
Want to know how the Bible fits on the ground? If we could pick people to show us the Holy Land, Ray Vander Laan would top that list. Not only a first-rate historian, but also a gifted teacher and interpreter of Scripture. His Faith Lessons video series is incredibly well researched and focused.
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| Daniel Wallace |  |
How reliable is the Bible? There aren’t any experts with more to share on this question than Dan Wallace. A painstaking researcher who not only can tell you how reliable the manuscripts are, but why they are holy and why they should make a difference in our lives. He has a very dry sense of humor and isn’t afraid to use it.
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| Dick Woodward |  |
The master of devotional Bible study. What does the Bible say, what does it mean, what does it mean to me? Talk about putting the puck in the net! 4,000 churches have been built around his 780+ Mini Bible College lessons, which have now been translated into 26 languages. There was a popular song a few years back with the lyric, “You think you’re tough? I’ve seen the toughest around.”
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| John Yates |  |
What if your faith was tested? What if you stood your ground in the courts, and lost? John Yates is a pastor who has proven credentials. He is also a disciple and a leader who knows which mountains to fall on, why, and for whom. And he has a lot more grace than those who might not really appreciate what his fight is all about.
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| Ravi Zacharias |  |
Apologist and evangelist. “The primary mission of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries is to reach and challenge those who shape the ideas of a culture with the credibility of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” (according to the rzim.org mission statement). Dr. Zacharias comes at faith both ways: helping thinkers to believe and believers to think.
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Click on the pictures above to see how their material has been featured on our blog.
Who’s on your list and why? Please let us know!
HT: David Work
Veracity 
October 30th, 2012 at 11:55 pm
John,
There are a few I would add to the list, and here is why: I think we need more and more folks who are willing to publicly engage others in meaningful dialogue. In some cases, this would involve writing thoughtful essays with some back and forth, and in other cases, this might involve a formal debate. Modeling good dialogue is just as important as the argument one is making. So here are some to add:
Alister McGrath: a professor of theology at the Kings College London, McGrath was an atheist studying microbiology before coming to Christ and eventually going full-time into apologetics in the Anglican church. McGrath has publicly debated a number of the “New Atheists”, including Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens. McGrath writes a lot of academic theology and church history, but he also writes very clear and lucid material for lay persons. While primarily a theologian now, his work in microbiology has made him well respected among scientists.
James R. White: an elder in a Reformed Baptist church and director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, White is particularly gifted in doing formal debates with just about anybody…. everyone from KJV-Only advocates to atheists. He is about the only public Christian apologist I know of who consistently and repeatedly debates Muslims, and does it in a respectful way. Some find White’s fairly aggressive Reformed Calvinist theological orientation off-putting, but put him in front of a Muslim and he really shines. So while Dr. White is controversial and does not do much on the “science” end of things, I have to give him admirable credit that he is able to thoughtfully engage so many different kinds of people. I always learn something from him. White is also interesting in that he adopts more of presuppositionalist approach to apologetics as opposed to an evidentialist approach of a William Lane Craig.
Francis Collins: currently director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Collins directed the Human Genome Project. Early in his scientific career, Collins was an atheist who read C.S. Lewis as part of his journey towards Christian faith. He knows his science and he knows his Christian faith, and everyone who knows him considers him a really friendly person (another friend of mine recently told me that Hugh Ross is like this, too). He can go on the Colbert Report and the Daily Show and bring honor to our Lord.
Clarke Morledge
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