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In Memoriam: Christian Leadership We Lost in 2025

In Memoriam: Christian Leadership We Lost in 2025

Last updated on: December 31, 2025 at 8:30 am by Shawn Paul Wood

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In Memoriam: Christian Leadership We Lost in 2025 2025-12-28T19:51:01-06:00 Shawn Paul Wood

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The global Church is full of denominations, organizations and networks. Esteemed Christian leadership is evident in most of them. The Body of Christ is singularly focused on honoring those leaders who stand apart and assume a more apostolic role in ministry.

These esteemed men and women of God have been catalysts for movements among millions of believers. Unfortunately, 2025 reminded us that we need more bold people of faith, as the current generation moves on to Glory. Some of these trailblazers of faith oversaw ministries that will never happen again. Others were irreplaceable scholars and ministers.

Christianity will miss these individuals, whether or not you can recall many of their names. Their lives mattered. The world will remember their legacies. These people were the Christian leadership we lost in 2025.

Before we reflect on the lives of Christian leadership we lost in 2025, stay aware of other faith-based issues that hit “close to home.” Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay informed about what’s happening in the Church, as well as the ways real Christians can contribute to defending the love and work of Christ.

Kay Arthur (1933-2025)

Renowned Bible teacher Kay Arthur was among the giants of Christian leadership who died in 2025

Regarded Bible teacher Kay Arthur at a Lifeway Women’s Leadership Forum (Image Credit: Precept.org)

A woman who gave God her all with a second season, Kay Arthur was a beloved scholar, teacher and minister of the Gospel. Following a failed marriage and a cherished career as a registered nurse, she met a missionary named Jack Arthur at Tennessee Temple University. She gave her life to Christ at age 29 and, shortly thereafter, co-founded Precept Ministries. Her passion for providing biblical resources is renowned among Christian leadership. Her work has been distributed in 190 countries and translated into over 100 languages worldwide.

Voddie Baucham (1969-2025)

Dr. Voddie Baucham delivering an address about the Book of Revelation to the Hope Reformed Baptist Church in 2025

Dr. Voddie Baucham speaking at Hope Reformed Baptist Church in 2025. (Image Credit: Hope Reformed Baptist Church via Wikimedia)

Voddie Baucham was an Instagram Stories sensation in his later years, but he was also a pastor, author, and educator. He served as Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia, from 2015 to 2024. Born in Los Angeles, Voddie Baucham grew up in a Zen Buddhist home. In his personal journey of faith, he converted to Christianity. He became widely known among Christian Leadership and believers alike as a Reformed Baptist (i.e., Calvinist) with conservative views on gender and race. And he never shied away from a debate for God.

Arthur Blessitt (1940-2025)

Arthur Blessitt's passing, along with many other Christian leaders, was among the most significant Christian news stories of 2025

Blessitt during his pilgrimage in Vermont (Image Credit: The Commons, Brattleboro, VT via Wikimedia/X)

His name wasn’t nearly as notable as his action for Christ. From rural Mississippi to traveling around the world for Jesus, this is the man who walked more than 43,000 miles across 324 countries carrying a large wooden cross on a big wheel. Right, that guy is Arthur Blessitt (and what a more apropos name). Shortly before his death on January 14 at age 84, Guinness World Records recognized him as the holder of the record for the longest faith pilgrimage by distance and duration.

Walter Brueggemann (1933-2025)

Walter Brueggemann taught Christian Leadership through the lens of the Old Testament.

Walter Brueggemann taught Christian Leadership through the exacting lens of the Old Testament. (Image Credit: Westminster John Knox Press)

Dr. Walter Brueggemann, a highly respected scholar and theologian in Old Testament studies, passed away in June 2025 at age 92. His work often focused on the Hebrew prophetic tradition and the Church’s sociopolitical imagination. He is widely recognized for his book The Prophetic Imagination, which has profoundly influenced how both clergy and everyday readers view the prophetic tradition and its importance in today’s world.

James Dobson (1936-2025)

James Dobson typified Christian Leadership with his fight for conservative values in America.

James Dobson, the founder of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, died on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at the age of 89. (Image Credit: RJ Sangosti via Focus on the Family)

At age 89, Dr. James Dobson will be remembered as a revered stalwart of conservative family values across the Christian leadership spectrum. His organization, Focus on the Family, led nations and their leaders to a clear understanding of how the Lord sees His children and the relationships He desires for them to experience. Dobson was a celebrated author, talk show host, speaker and psychologist. From his platform, he helped shape the modern evangelical conversation on how God defines the family.

Pope Francis (1936-2025)

Pope Francis was the center of Christian Leadership who we lost in 2025

Pope Francis visits Saint Louis Hospital in the Philippines, November 2019 (Image Credit: Trisorn Triboon via Wikimedia)

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was beloved for his humility, accessibility, and practicality in matters of the faith. His failing health marked the beginning of 2025, but billions of adherents kept hope throughout a reduced schedule. He died peacefully on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88. The day before, he celebrated Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica as the 266th leader of the Catholic Church. A fitting final act for Christ on this earth, if ever there was one.

Charlie Kirk (1993-2025)

A man named Charlie Kirk waving to a large crowd on stage.

Image Credit: TPUSA via Wikimedia

By now, believers worldwide have read volumes about Charlie Kirk’s life because he did his part for the Great Commission on college campuses nationwide. He championed conservative biblical values and debated the truth of God’s Word with anyone who would gather to listen. Most importantly, the executive director and founder of Turning Point USA listened. He was never a blowhard in the face of adversity or second-guessing. Charlie Kirk stood his ground, firm in his faith, and tried to reach every soul he could for Christ. We could all be so moved.

John MacArthur (1939-2025)

John MacArthur holding the acclaimed study bible that bears his name

John MacArthur holding the acclaimed study bible that bears his name (Image Credit: HarperCollins/W Publishing)

As the longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in California, John MacArthur was revered as one of the most prolific biblical scholars of this or any generation. He authored nearly 400 books and study resources, many of which have been translated into more than 25 languages. Most younger believers know his name through the ESV Study Bible he curated through a nine-year journey of dedicated study. He died in July at age 86.

Martin E. Marty (1922-2025)

Martin E Marty was an accomplished professor and historical interpreter of the Bible

When Time magazine talks about you, that earns you honor among Christian Leadership. (Image Credit: University of Chicago)

Rev. Martin E. Marty was a revered church historian and respected professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School for 35 years. His book “Righteous Empire: The Protestant Experience in America” is widely regarded as one of the most influential 20th-century works on American religion, interpreting modern fundamentalism. He typified Christian Leadership in that he had little concern about the notoriety of his work; only of its impact. At one time, Time magazine labeled him the “most influential living interpreter of religion in the U.S.”

Bill McCartney (1940-2025)

Coach Bill McCartney, A Man of Integrity who created Christian Leadership.

Coach Bill McCartney, A Man of Integrity. (Image Credit: Promise Keepers File)

In a post about the passing of Christian Leadership, it’s crucial to include this man who single-handedly helped mold Christian leadership through his dynamic ministry. A former Bowl-winning coach for the University of Colorado, Coach Bill McCartney changed the country for men of God and their relationships by creating Promise Keepers. What began as a men’s fellowship in Colorado became a national force that most men in the 1990s couldn’t resist attending and experiencing.

Jimmy Swaggart (1935-2025)

Jimmy Swaggart was among the most notable of Christian Leadership who died in 2025

Jimmy Swaggart preaching a soul-winning message (Image Credit: Thomas S England/Getty via Wikimedia)

One of the firebrands of early American televangelism, Jimmy Swaggart was a pastor, author and Gospel music performer, who died on July 1 at the age of 90. A cousin of musical icons Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley, Swaggart flourished in ministry for 57 years and fell into scandal, but maintained a love for God that was evident among the members of his church, his ministry partners, and those who came to Christ through his work.

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About Shawn Paul Wood

Shawn Paul Wood, Th.D., is an award-winning copywriter, contributor, and content strategist, and ghostwriter of several faith-based articles, speeches, columns, and books who has worked for some of the most admirable brands in their respective industries for over 20 years. As Founder of Woodworks Communications, he leads teams of content strategists and marketing professionals to expand the brands of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, and respected ministers of the Gospel. He aims to help others develop self-discovery through stories and the written word to proclaim the Word to the world. For more information about his portfolio or help telling your story, visit WoodworksCommunications.com. You can read more about the author here.

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