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By Jonathan Howe

As I mentioned previously, when we interviewed Brad Lomenick for the Rainer on Leadership podcast, we talked about his Young Influencer List and the reasons behind why he compiles such a list. Brad encouraged me to do the same—to find young influencers in our sphere and make our audience aware of how these young leaders are impacting others for Kingdom advancement. The qualifications are quite simple: under 40 and making a Kingdom difference.

Once again, the goal with this list is not to inflate the egos of those named, but to make you, the readers of ThomRainer.com, aware of the dozens and dozens of Christian leaders who are advancing the gospel in their respective spheres of influence. And while some pundits may sit back and claim Christianity is declining or dying, these leaders are clearly making a statement that it will not happen on their watch. They are passionate about Christ Jesus, His gospel, and taking it to the ends of the earth.

So without further adieu, here is this month’s young influencer list:

  • Léonce B. Crump Jr. — Author and Lead Pastor at Renovation Church in Atlanta, GA – I first met Léonce at a church planting leadership event hosted here at LifeWay. His new book, Renovate, tells his story of planting a multi-ethnic church in one of the most violent areas in Atlanta.
  • Lauren Daigle — Grammy-nominated musician and worship leader in Nashville, TN – Lauren’s debut album was nominated for a Grammy and the title track ‘How Can It Be?’ won a Dove Award for Best Song. She took home the Best New Artist award at the Dove awards last fall and is my favorite new CCM artist as well.
  • Matt Brooks — Senior Pastor at First Baptist Jackson, MS – Matt recently began his tenure at First Baptist Jackson after having served as pastor in the Birmingham, AL, area. Matt has a contagious energy and enthusiasm to shepherd Christ’s church to fulfill the Great Commission in Jackson and throughout the world.
  • Mike Cosper — Director of The Harbor Institute for Faith and Culture in Louisville, KY – Mike has authored several books and lessons for The Gospel Project, has directed worship and arts for Sojourn Community Church, and is now turning his attention to launching The Harbor Institute for Faith and Culture.
  • Muche UkegbuLead Pastor at The Brook in Miami, FL – One of the founders of Blueprint Church with Dhati Lewis in Atlanta, Muche planted The Brook in Miami and is seeing God work in great ways in South Florida.
  • Katie Wylie — Marketing Strategist for Student Ministry at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, TN – Katie directs the marketing efforts for our student ministry resources here at LifeWay and plays a major role in the discipleship of the next generation of leaders in the church.

Please continue to pray for these individuals and their ministries. If you’d like to nominate a young influencer for consideration, let me know on Twitter: @Jonathan_Howe or in the comments section below. For previous young influencer lists, click here.


Jonathan Howe serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives at LifeWay Christian Resources, the host and producer of Rainer on Leadership and SBC This Week, and the managing editor of LifeWayPastors.com. Jonathan writes weekly at ThomRainer.com on topics ranging from social media to websites and church communications. Connect with Jonathan on Twitter at @Jonathan_Howe.

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