Women Christian ministers who are changing the world

Women working as pastors or preachers is nothing new in the world.

In fact, the number of female pastors in the country has doubled in the last 10 years, a 2009 study found. Women are finding more and more ways to assume leadership positions in the church and make their presence known at pulpits across the United States.

Here’s a list of some of the most influential female Christian voices:

Bobbie Houston — Hillsong

Bobbie Houston runs the Hillsong Church with her husband, Brian. Both have worked heavily to encourage women and youths to join churches and learn about the Bible.

Holly Wagner — Oasis LA

Holly Wagner is a busy person in her church community, running the Oasis Church with her husband, Philip Wagner. She serves as a champion for women's needs and believes in breaking the barriers that some churches have set for them.

Nadia Bolz-Weber — Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Nadia Bolz-Weber is a hard one to miss, given she’s covered in tattoos and speaks with an attitude. But that’s all a part of her charm. She’s drawn hundreds of people in to see her speak and preach the word of God from a much different standpoint, according to a profile on her by The Washington Post. Her speeches usually highlight the fact that it’s OK to be unique and that people don’t need to be the same.

Beth Moore — Living Proof Ministries

A college Bible studies class changed everything for Beth Moore. She now heads the Living Proof Ministries with her husband, Keith. They've raised their daughters to be a part of the church, too.

Joyce Meyer — Joyce Meyer Ministries

Joyce Meyer is not only a preacher and speaker of God, but she’s also a best-selling author who offers instructional videos about religion and spirituality on her website. Meyer’s church is a nonprofit organization that is looking to teach people about the Gospel.

Anita C. Hill — ReconclingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation

Anita C. Hill — not to be confused with professor Anita Hill — is a famous pastor who has worked in Minnesota and North and South Dakota. Among many of her beliefs, she’s often been an advocate for LGBT members to join her church.

Christine Caine — Equip & Empower Ministries

Christine Caine has made quite an impression on the religious. From the outback of Australia, Caine and her husband Nick have done well to run the Equip & Empower Ministries as well as the A21 Campaign, which aims to strike out human trafficking.

Victoria Osteen — Lakewood Church

Victoria Osteen has gained a significant amount of popularity from her husband, Joel Osteen, who runs one of the biggest megachurches in the nation. Victoria has been known to speak on her own and work as the co-pastor of the Lakewood Church that Osteen runs primarily.

Bernice King — former New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

Bernice King has been one of the more famous female pastors throughout history, especially because she is a child of Martin Luther King Jr. She was an elder of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, but she retired from that in 2011, according to the Christian Post.

Heidi Neumark — Trinity Lutheran Church

Heidi Neumark has her experience really working for her. She’s served at the Trinity Lutheran Church since 2003, and before that worked as a pastor of the Transfiguration Lutheran Church in New York.