VOICES IN THE HALLS OF POWER
Johnnie Moore Named 2026 Society of World Changers Inductee
Rev. Johnnie Moore has been named IWU’s 2026 Society of World Changers inductee for his steadfast courage and global advocacy on behalf of persecuted Christians and other religious minorities.
IWU established the Society of World Changers in 2003 to honor individuals who exemplify the university’s mission of developing world changers and whose lives inspire future generations.
Moore will be officially inducted March 27, 2026, at IWU’s World Changers Convocation at the Marion, Indiana, campus. A life-size bronze bust of Moore will be unveiled and permanently displayed in the Society of World Changers Hall of Honor in Jackson Library. IWU previously awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 2024.
A Voice for Faith in a Divided World In a season when higher education faces widespread uncertainty, Moore’s influence underscores why IWU continues to lift up leaders who hold fast to faith and conviction. The World Changer Award is the latest in a series of honors recognizing Moore as one of America’s most influential evangelical leaders. Known globally for his human rights and religious freedom advocacy, he has served on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and as vice chair of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. He is the author of seven books, including The Next Jihad: Stop the Christian Genocide in Africa.
Moore has advised both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden and helped draft Bahrain’s Declaration on Religious Freedom and Peaceful Coexistence. He has led evangelical delegations to the Middle East, meeting with leaders from Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
In 2017, Moore became the youngest recipient of the Medal of Valor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human rights organization. In 2021, he was sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party for his advocacy of human rights and religious freedom.
“WHILE I CAN’T SOLVE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION, I AM NOT FREE TO NEGLECT THE ISSUE. IF I SAVE ONE LIFE, THAT’S ENOUGH.”
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REV. JOHNNIE MOORE
2026 Society of World Changers Inductee
Faith that Endures
Raised in Sumter, South Carolina, Moore experienced poverty after his parents’ divorce. “On the day our electricity was turned off, my mother got a letter from Liberty University saying she’d been awarded a scholarship,” Moore recalled. “We moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, and started our new life.”
That new life led him to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in religious studies at Liberty, where his passion for faith and foreign policy took shape. He later completed a doctorate in public policy in 2024, focusing on Arab–Israeli peacebuilding and Track II diplomacy, which involves informal dialogue aimed at resolving conflicts. As director of Liberty’s Center for Global Engagement, he sent students on mission trips to more than 50 countries.
Moore gained international attention after an editorial he wrote on religious persecution was featured on Fox News in 2015. “It went viral,” he said. Since then, he has been a frequent commentator for CNN, Religion News Service, The Washington Post, and Fox News.
Storytelling remains central to his mission. Moore has raised awareness about mass killings of Christians in Nigeria, a crisis often overlooked by global media. “Killing people who are peaceful and simply practicing their faith is deeply disturbing,” he said. “There’s denial that it’s happening, but I have the burden of firsthand knowledge.”
Moore believes in finding common ground with leaders of other faiths. “God made us all in His image,” he said. “While I can’t solve religious persecution, I am not free to neglect the issue. If I save one life, that’s enough.”
Called to Lead in Uncertain Times
Moore called his selection as IWU’s 2026 World Changer an incredible honor. “It’s God’s providence,” he said. “I have tremendous respect for IWU and now have a new platform for my advocacy against religious persecution.”
As higher education navigates rapid change, Moore’s steadfast leadership reflects the kind of faith-filled courage IWU seeks to instill in every student. His life reminds the university community that even in turbulent times, conviction, truth, and hope remain vital to transforming the world for Christ.
NATIONS VISITED IN DEFENSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
BOOKS PUBLISHED ON FAITH, POLICY, AND GLOBAL JUSTICE
WORLD LEADERS ENGAGED IN FORMAL DIALOGUE ON PEACEBUILDING
WORDS OF WISDOM FROM REV. JOHNNIE MOORE
1. “ADVOCATES DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON FEAR. WE ACT AS VESSELS OF GOD.”
2. “I BELIEVE IN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR ALL. I FEEL CALLED TO PROTECT IT, NO MATTER WHAT FAITH.”
3. “IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND SAY YOU CARE ABOUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRY, TRY, TRY EVERY DAY.”
4. A MENTOR OF MINE, RABBI ABRAHAM COOPER, ONCE SAID TO ME, “YOUR TICKET TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD IS YOUR AMERICAN PASSPORT. AMERICANS HOLD SPECIAL POWER.”