Time Magazine's "100 Next" list for 2023 includes four vocal Christians— the co-pastor of a megachurch, an NFL athlete, a NASA astronaut, and a baseball star.
"100 Next" recognizes the "rising leaders in health, climate, business, sports, the arts and more."
The four are Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, Astronaut Victor Glover Jr., MLB Player Ronald Acuña Jr., and NFL athlete Jalen Hurts.
Sarah Jakes Roberts is the daughter of Pastor T.D. Jakes. In July, T.D. Jakes named Sarah and her husband, Touré Roberts, co-assistant pastors of The Potter’s House Church in Dallas.
Sarah is also an author, speaker, businesswoman, and media personality. Her latest book, “All Hope Is Found,” was released in September.
“You've got to believe that there's more. Some of us do believe that there's more; we just think that 'the more' is assigned to other people. That for us, we could just sit down and live in this trapped space because being trapped is better than failing at more," she said in a recent sermon.
"I hear God saying that if you are ever going to discover 'the more' that God placed in you, then you're going to have to believe that there is more. You're going to have to begin to pull levers that you would have never pulled, have relationships that you would have never had ... you're going to have conversations and communication that you would have never had before because you believe that there is more."
Astronaut Glovet, also named to the list, is the l former U.S. Navy fighter pilot scheduled to pilot next fall’s Artemis II mission that circles the moon.
According to ChurchLeaders.com, Glover brought his Bible and communion cups to the International Space Station in 2020 during a six-month mission. He also worshiped virtually with his wife and four daughters back on earth.
“That human desire to be together, to be with our brothers and sisters, is a thing that I think about all the time,” he said.
Ballplayer Acuña is an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves and a four-time All-Star. He is the first player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in one season.
He has also been open about his faith.
"The most important thing is never to lose your faith," he told Sports Spectrum in a 2018 interview. "Your faith helps maintain you, especially during the tough times that happen on and off the field."
"Every time I take the field or even when I wake up, I have a conversation with God," he added. "I feel like I always pray to Him and have that relationship, and I feel like He listens."
Hurts, who led the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl last year, was described by Time as being a "phenom."
Hurts has been open about his Christian faith throughout his career.
“Me being who God called me to be. I truly try to focus on the things that I can control, not the things that I can't. So, control the things you can, put the work in, never lose faith in what you believe in, and it usually works out," Hurts said.
Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Tim Nwachukwu / Staff
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
