TIME Magazine is known for keeping a finger on the pulse of the culture and identifying public figures who are making an impact on the world. Its latest list, TIME100 Next, is all about the future, and “recognizing the rising leaders” in various parts of society. Among the 100 were six outspoken Christians who are making a mark on their fields while also working to reflect Christ in their words and actions.
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Jalen Hurts
The quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles took the NFL by storm in 2022, leading his team to its first Superbowl appearance in five years. But for Jalen Hurts it was just another day on the job, using the talents God gave him to the best of his ability, something he refers to as “me being who God called me to be.”
It’s no surprise then that Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning called Mr. Hurts “a natural leader who cares about his job” and a “model of… hard work,” in his write-up for TIME100 Next.
Victor Glover Jr.
Victor Glover Jr. has some important firsts to his name. He was the first African-American astronaut to go on a long-term mission and will soon be the first person of color to make a lunar journey as part of the Artemis II crew. But the one thing the ex-fighter pilot puts first is his faith, even taking a Bible and communion cups with him into space.
“I want to use the abilities that God has given me to do my job well and support my crewmates and mission and NASA,” Mr. Glover said in a 2020 interview. “That’s really the thing I think the most about.”
Ronald Acuña Jr.
Making the list of TIMES100 Next is just the latest accolade for Ronald Acuña Jr., a star on the baseball field and one of the best players to ever come out of his native Venezuela. This past season he led all of baseball in hits, runs, on-base percentage, total bases, and stolen bases, and is the front-runner to win the National League MVP. But whether he’s blasting hits or stealing bases, Mr. Acuña Jr.’s faith always comes first.
“The most important thing is to never lose your faith,” he said in a 2018 interview. “Just because your faith is what helps maintain you, especially during the tough times that happen on the field and off the field.”
Sarah Jakes Roberts
Sarah Jakes Roberts is well-known as the daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, but her personal testimony is so much more than that. After getting pregnant at the age of 13, Mrs. Jakes Roberts struggled to find her place in the world, overcome with insecurities, fear and depression. She eventually found hope in the redeeming grace of the Gospel, wrote numerous books, and even started a ministry called Woman Evolve, which “equips women through spiritual and practical development.”
“Her lived experience using the grace of prayer to find a way through personal pain and tragedy resonates deeply with so many,” entertainer Tyler Perry told TIME100 Next. “It’s what has allowed her to connect with millions of other women through her incredible ministry.”
J.D. Vance
J.D. Vance rose to fame as the best-selling author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” a memoir that was eventually turned into a movie by Ron Howard starring Hollywood A-listers like Amy Adams and Glenn Close. These days, the former marine and Yale Law School graduate is representing the people of Ohio as a first-term senator attempting to get things done in Washington D.C. In 2019, he converted to Catholicism, after falling away from his Christian upbringing for many years.
“As I got older, [I] realized that Christianity was asking and answering very important questions about life and character and virtue,” Mr. Vance said in 2021 interview. “[I] just saw that particular part of Christianity, [Catholicism], as a really good home for me and for my family.”
Hailey Bieber
Socialite, model, and skincare executive Hailey Bieber has always been open about her struggle to maintain her Christian walk as a young person growing up in Hollywood. But today, she credits her faith with being the foundation that has kept her life and marriage (she wed pop icon Justin Bieber in 2018) on the right track.
“I think that the bigger purpose behind it is for me to be a light in this place,” she said in a 2021 interview. “And I’m here to represent Jesus through me for other people — for His will to be done.”
Indeed, that commitment is what has impressed Mrs. Bieber’s peers and friends over the years.
“Her marriage is thriving, she’s strong in her faith, and, despite everything that she juggles as a creator and a founder, she still manages to stay true to herself,” fellow model Ashley Graham told TIME100 Next.
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Marissa Mayer is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her work has been featured in Christian Post, The Daily Signal, and Intellectual Takeout. Mayer has a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Arizona State University.
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