Posted on 07/20/2006 4:26:04 PM PDT by nckerr
The Insider July 06: 50 Most Influential Churches
Two of the churches (Saddleback and Fellowship) are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the other three are non-affiliated with a denomination (Willow Creek, North Point and Lakewood). Some are new churches and others date back to the late 1950s. Lakewood Church began in 1959 and is both the oldest of the five top congregations and largest in the nation. North Point is the youngest of the group and began in 1995 with about 1,200 people.
Both of the nation’s largest United Methodist congregations – Resurrection United Methodist Church (Leawood, Kan.) and Windsor Village United Methodist Church (Houston, Texas) – were named by other church leaders for this group of churches. Other major Methodist churches include Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church (Montgomery, Ala.) and Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church (Tipp City, Ohio). Other older mainline churches include the Episcopal Trinity Church (Manhattan, N.Y.) and the Presbyterian (PCUSA) Menlo Park Presbyterian Church (Menlo Park, Calif.).
Several churches are new to our list this year. These 19 churches are from various locations across the nation. Five are from California; two each are from Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana and Texas; and one each is from Arkansas, Arizona, Massachusetts and Oklahoma.
The 2006 survey was emailed to leaders of more than 2,000 of the largest non-Catholic congregations in the nation by Church Growth Today in April and May. A small selected group of smaller churches were also invited to recommend churches. Participants were asked to recommend up to 10 churches (vs. five last year) they considered to be among the nation’s most influential. A total of 83 churches were recommended. A total of 57 percent of all church leader recommendations named these five churches.
These churches are recommended by other church leaders as congregations that represent the passion and sense of mission mandated in the New Testament. They do not all share the same view of all biblical doctrine, their recognition came from others, and they do not view themselves as better than other churches. Each just considers itself as a church wanting to be pleasing and useful to God and their understanding of His mandates to them.
Changes in this years list reflects the rapid change and persity of ministry across the nation from year to year. It appears to also affirm the new expressions of ministry by emerging churches while also affirming the best of churches that endure through eras of dramatic change. We look forward to the churches that you will be recommending next year. Thanks to you who took the time to share in this year’s survey.
Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, Ill.), Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, Calif.), North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Fellowship Church (Grapevine, Texas) once again lead this years 50 Most Influential Churches list.
Among the other three churches, Willow Creek is the second oldest and began in 1975 with a core of 75 people. Saddleback followed in 1980 with only Rick Warren and his wife Kay initially. Fellowship Church is the second youngest of the five and began in 1990 with 150 people. All five of the churches now average more than 16,000 in weekend attendance and are consistently among the nation’s 15 largest and fastest growing churches each year.
Interesting and sad.
I'm assuming that God's list of the most influential churches is different. ;-)
I'm struck, and a bit disappointed, to see how few of the 50 have "Christ" or "Christian" in their names. I hope it isn't reluctance to name the Name.
They missed one....................
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=423412654049302774
WHat you call sad is what I call exciting that we are experiencing the biggest revival in hundreds of years. Politically speaking, these are very conservative voting church members. In fact, according to a recent poll, only 53% on "mainline" denominational attendees feel it is not ok to ordain gay clergy whereas these evangelical churches are at 85% against.
why are they excluding catholics?
They exclude Catholics probably because the Catholic Church in America has become more and more liberal.
Well size is not everything, but passion for ministry is very important. Intresting that they come in various stripes but very few of the tradional mainline churches and 18 of the 50 are non-denominational.
Damn Straight! It is why I'm not a Catholic anymore.The church has become the Illegal Alien Welcome Wagon, and now they condemn Israel?
Awwww... The nearest one to me is about 40-50 miles away.
that may be true in some areas but there is a large number of very conservative catholic churches. dont let the kennedys, kerrys, and durbins distort your view of the traditional catholic. they are all frauds. im not saying that they should have listed any as influential, but it strikes me as disappointing they didnt even want to consider any in the first place.
Unfortunately, Bill Hybels of Willowcreek is a big supporter of BJ Clinton. Hybels had BJ as the special surprise speaker at a pastors leadership conference back in the late 90s. Many of the pastors attending the conference were NOT appreciative of that move.
I said "sad" because there are some bad teachings coming from many of those sources. I'll take poltiical agreement from a heretic and be glad about it. But don't expect me to rejoice at their influencial church.
Too bad someone hasn't written an article called "The Thousand Best Preachers in America," based on some set of objective criteria: say, attendance, a poll of congregations, ranking by other ministers/priests, adherence to traditional church values, etc. The ten best would be even more interesting, but the closest one to you would probably be 500 miles away.
Too bad someone hasn't written an article called "The Thousand Best Preachers in America,"
again.................
you missed one....................
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=423412654049302774
I do, however, understand the separation of Catholics out. Protestantism begins with separation from Catholicism. Although Catholics do not need Protestants, Protestants can only explain what they believe by beginning with why they are not Catholics.
LOL!
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