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Soul Winners: The Ascent of America's Evangelical Entrepreneurs
American evangelicals have always been innovators. They reimagined what a church could be, whether it was a humble tent in a rural field or a high-tech suburban megachurch. They embraced new forms of media to spread their message to the masses. They thrived in a fiercely competitive religious marketplace.
In "Soul Winners: The Ascent of America’s Evangelical Entrepreneurs," journalist David Clary argues that this entrepreneurial spirit has indelibly shaped evangelical ministries and their worldview. For generations, evangelical leaders have partnered with tycoons to pay for their churches, crusades, and campuses. In turn, evangelicals adopted the pro-business, anti-government values of their conservative benefactors. White evangelicals evolved into the Republican Party’s most loyal voting bloc.
The close relationship between business and evangelicals produced the growth-oriented megachurches that dot the nation’s landscape. Pastors like Rick Warren used market research and management theory to create their “seeker-sensitive” churches. Televangelists and “prosperity gospel” preachers, most notably Joel Osteen, tell their audiences that faith will be rewarded in this world as well as in the kingdom to come.
Clary’s narrative approach brings to life such colorful characters as ballplayer-turned-preacher Billy Sunday, who condemned the “godless social service nonsense” of liberal churches, and Billy Graham, who brought evangelicalism into the highest precincts of business and politics. "Soul Winners" offers a fresh perspective on the far-reaching influence of evangelical entrepreneurs on American life.
In "Soul Winners: The Ascent of America’s Evangelical Entrepreneurs," journalist David Clary argues that this entrepreneurial spirit has indelibly shaped evangelical ministries and their worldview. For generations, evangelical leaders have partnered with tycoons to pay for their churches, crusades, and campuses. In turn, evangelicals adopted the pro-business, anti-government values of their conservative benefactors. White evangelicals evolved into the Republican Party’s most loyal voting bloc.
The close relationship between business and evangelicals produced the growth-oriented megachurches that dot the nation’s landscape. Pastors like Rick Warren used market research and management theory to create their “seeker-sensitive” churches. Televangelists and “prosperity gospel” preachers, most notably Joel Osteen, tell their audiences that faith will be rewarded in this world as well as in the kingdom to come.
Clary’s narrative approach brings to life such colorful characters as ballplayer-turned-preacher Billy Sunday, who condemned the “godless social service nonsense” of liberal churches, and Billy Graham, who brought evangelicalism into the highest precincts of business and politics. "Soul Winners" offers a fresh perspective on the far-reaching influence of evangelical entrepreneurs on American life.
280 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 8, 2023
An exploration into the history of prominent evangelists in the Evangelical movement in the twentieth and early twenty-first century particularly highlighting their relationship to the concept of entrepreneurship and the American business culture.
The author explores the development of major campaign forms of evangelism throughout the 20th and 21st centuries beginning with Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday, Aimee Semple McPherson, Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, Robert Schuller, Jerry Falwell, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, and a few others. He charts the progression from fundamentalism to Evangelicalism, conservative political witness, and the more neo-Evangelical movements.
The author does well at showing how much of these evangelist's perspectives were shaped and formed not just by a reading of the Gospels but also the American business environment and animating spirit. He exposes well how so many of these were funded and supported by major American business interests. He shows how these movements have led to the particular Evangelical marriage of piety, political conservatism, and pragmatism, leading to support for Donald Trump and the present crises within Evangelicalism.
An important perspective on the mass marketing form of evangelism, where it's really getting its animation and ideology, and how problematic it can be.
**- galley received as part of early review program
The author explores the development of major campaign forms of evangelism throughout the 20th and 21st centuries beginning with Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday, Aimee Semple McPherson, Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, Robert Schuller, Jerry Falwell, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, and a few others. He charts the progression from fundamentalism to Evangelicalism, conservative political witness, and the more neo-Evangelical movements.
The author does well at showing how much of these evangelist's perspectives were shaped and formed not just by a reading of the Gospels but also the American business environment and animating spirit. He exposes well how so many of these were funded and supported by major American business interests. He shows how these movements have led to the particular Evangelical marriage of piety, political conservatism, and pragmatism, leading to support for Donald Trump and the present crises within Evangelicalism.
An important perspective on the mass marketing form of evangelism, where it's really getting its animation and ideology, and how problematic it can be.
**- galley received as part of early review program
November 15, 2023
I was impressed with how much about the early leaders that I just didn't know. Clary does an excellent job laying out how and why Christian Evangelicals gained a foothold in America.
The book does an excellent job how showing how sinister these leaders can be. How it's not about religion, but a business. A cult of personality. The modern Evangelical church really started not being about biblical messages and finding Christ, but 'winning'. Who had the larger following. Who could bring in the most money. Who had more notoriety in the secular (political) world.
As a firm anti-fundamentalist, this book did not change my views, but it did aid me to understand why and how Evangelicalism came to be. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants to take a look into the lives of early Evangelical leaders.
The book does an excellent job how showing how sinister these leaders can be. How it's not about religion, but a business. A cult of personality. The modern Evangelical church really started not being about biblical messages and finding Christ, but 'winning'. Who had the larger following. Who could bring in the most money. Who had more notoriety in the secular (political) world.
As a firm anti-fundamentalist, this book did not change my views, but it did aid me to understand why and how Evangelicalism came to be. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants to take a look into the lives of early Evangelical leaders.
June 3, 2023
I read this book as part of my research into Religion and Politics, and I was not disappointed. The author, David Clary, has written a well researched, unbiased book on "Evangelicals" in America. I highly recommend this book for those who want to know more about the emergence of this phenomenon that is social, economic, and political in nature.
July 16, 2024
3.5 stars? 3.75? Either way, who knew I would end up blaming Trump’s delusions on Norman Vincent Peale, but here we are!
This is a pretty in-depth and readable history of evangelism in America and a good primer for understanding how we ended up where we are in this country.
This is a pretty in-depth and readable history of evangelism in America and a good primer for understanding how we ended up where we are in this country.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews