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Leonard Sweet

Leonard I. Sweet is an American theologian, semiotician, church historian, pastor, and author. Sweet currently serves as the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew Theological School at Drew University, in Madison, New Jersey; and a Visiting Distinguished Professor at George Fox University in Portland, Oregon. Sweet is a leading figure in bridging the worlds of academe, pop culture, and the church, which has embroiled him in a variety of controversies (especially with the emerging church movement and traditionalists). For example, see his dispute with Brian McLaren. Sweet was a pioneer advocate of contextualizing Christianity into digital culture. Leonard Sweet tells pastors to embrace change, but keep Jesus at the heart of everything. He is regularly voted one of the most influential Christian leaders in America. Sweet is ordained in the United Methodist denomination.