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Lakewood Tops List of Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches
The Gospel Herald ^ | Aug. 31, 2006 | Lillian Kwon

Posted on 09/01/2006 7:02:04 AM PDT by Alex Murphy

Lakewood Church in Houston is the fastest-growing U.S. church, according to Outreach Magazine's 2006 church growth study.

In 2005, Lakewood, led by Joel Osteen, gained a total of 12,000 members. The annual report listed the top 100 fastest growing churches in America, including 52 new churches and 48 returning from last year's list.

Texas was the most represented state with 19 churches featured in the top 100. Lakewood jumped from the third to the top spot this year and was followed by Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas which gained 5,018 people in the past year. New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga.; Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, Ill.; and Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Fla., were placed in the top five, respectively. Second to Texas were California, Florida and Georgia, each having eight churches represented.

Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., with bestselling author Rick Warren took a plunge down from number five to number thirty-nine. New membership gains in the past year dropped by nearly 1,500 people to 1,149. Willow Creek Community Church, the most influential church in America, according to The Church Report, rose from the 30th rank to the eighth with a gain of 2,900 in 2005. The Potter's House with Bishop T.D. Jakes was listed at number 25. The Dallas megachurch did not place in the top 100 last year.

Churches from 30 different states were represented as the fastest-growing churches in the nation this year, many of which were Southern Baptist (27). Other denominations represented were the Independent, Independent charismatic, Christian Church/Churches of Christ and Assemblies of God churches.

The report noted that 40 churches appear on both the top 100 largest and fastest-growing lists. Also, the majority of the churches were white, followed by African America, multi-ethnic and Asian (Korean).

On another note, one out of ten of the 1,000-plus U.S. megachurches are less than 10 years old.

Outreach's annual report uses self-reported data. The reports are provided by Dr. John N. Vaughan, president and founder of Church Growth Today, who specializes in research related to megachurches both domestically and globally.

For a complete list, visit www.outreachmagazine.com.


TOPICS: Charismatic Christian; Current Events; Evangelical Christian; General Discusssion; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christians; houston; joelosteen; lakewood; megachurch; osteen; topten
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To: mariabush

Second Baptist, here in Houston, is up to FIVE campuses now.


21 posted on 09/05/2006 1:59:25 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: JamesP81; dangus

At MY church, the pastors work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


22 posted on 09/05/2006 2:02:20 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: proud_2_B_texasgal
ONly pointing out that in a large body, there is more than one person who can give you that care, and many times, better than the pastor. (For they are called into that ministry.)

Or, you can get some well meaning soul for whom it's more about their need to help you than it is whether you are ultimately helped or not.

Then there's the trap of asking for help and being told you need to get busy and help somebody else. Only later do you realize sometimes you need to minister, sometimes to receive it.

23 posted on 09/05/2006 2:04:31 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: therut

I don't know about the globe thing, cuz I don't watch Joel any more, but his Joel Osteen Ministries logo on the outside has crescents in it.


24 posted on 09/05/2006 2:05:36 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: MayflowerMadam

Jesus Malls. One of the earlier posters admitted it, you never have to go anywhere else.


25 posted on 09/05/2006 2:06:26 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: Alex Murphy
Just think, Alex, if we ever go to a theonomy, Lakewood will be electing our representatives, Osteen will be president and criticism of his teachings will be blasphemy. Sure you don't wanna just be happy with a more-or-less laissez-faire constitutional republic? :-)
26 posted on 09/05/2006 2:11:37 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Alex Murphy
In 2005, Lakewood, led by Joel Osteen, gained a total of 12,000 members.

He doesn't have a congregation, he has an audience.

27 posted on 09/05/2006 2:11:51 PM PDT by aomagrat (Just when you think you have it made in the shade, the tree falls on you.)
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To: ichabod1

"Jesus saves at the Jesus Mall. You can too!"


28 posted on 09/05/2006 2:12:26 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: MayflowerMadam
The mega churches are worse than circuses. Worse.

All of them?


29 posted on 09/05/2006 2:18:24 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: ichabod1
Or, you can get some well meaning soul for whom it's more about their need to help you than it is whether you are ultimately helped or not.

And sometimes that person IS your pastor ....

Listen, I'm not here to argue with you, and I don't go to a mega church, and you can get bad/or no ministering to at all kinds of churches.

I think we just need to plug into Jesus, read the Word, pray pray pray, and listen to the HOly Spirit, and be obedient....

I've disregarded 'advise' before because of a check in my spirit, and I've received awesome words from people at the most unique times.

Walk your own walk, don't depend on others, seek God first, He'll lead ya right where you're supposed to be.

God Bless

30 posted on 09/05/2006 3:35:41 PM PDT by proud_2_B_texasgal
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To: ichabod1

Why in the world would you call yourself ichabod????


31 posted on 09/05/2006 3:54:28 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: mariabush

Ichabod: "The Glory of the Lord Hath Gone Out Of Israel"

I chose it in a moment of extreme discouragement about Israel.


32 posted on 09/05/2006 8:14:14 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: ichabod1

That's a relief. I knew what Ichabod meant, and I thought that you had chosen that for you personally. That's what happens when you think!


33 posted on 09/06/2006 2:54:49 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: Alex Murphy
Ah yes.....the "numbers game".

Unfortunately, "growth" in the spiritual life is not measured by butts on seats. It's measured by the fruit which the Word produces in the daily lives of its listeners.

The true Gospel is spread in obscurity one person at a time, away from the glare of TV lights and instigated by example.

34 posted on 09/06/2006 5:39:08 AM PDT by marshmallow
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To: mariabush

Thanks for asking... ;o)


35 posted on 09/06/2006 11:34:29 AM PDT by ichabod1 (Freedom of religion means freedom to practice Islam®)
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To: ichabod1

Second is the best. Scriptural teaching at its finest.


Red meat every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening. Ok....so I go to church alot.


36 posted on 11/28/2006 1:17:58 PM PST by TexanToTheCore (This space for hire...)
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To: JamesP81

"The thing that concerns me about this is you still have problems getting one on one pastoral care."

At my Giga church I know the head guy, he knows me and my wife. Most large churches have many pastors who give pastoral care. I know a dozen pastors from my church and they know me, my phone number, my email address and what ministries I am involved in. If I have a need for personal pastoral care, I know who to call and they swing into action.

If I find that someone else needs that care, I make a call and people and resources are put into motion. In many ways, this is the first church I have ever belonged to in which help was immediately available to just the average parishioner.

I alos get buttonholed for projects that they need done.

A church full of Christian activists.

Second Rocks!


37 posted on 11/28/2006 1:31:15 PM PST by TexanToTheCore (This space for hire...)
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To: JamesP81
I know this is an old thread, but I saw it off of another thread.

I go to a fairly large church with several thousand members. No, I don't get a lot of personal attention from the teaching pastors, but between my small group leader, the singles pastor, the women's ministry staff, the shepherding elders who are over the singles and young married ministries, and the pastors over the ministries that I serve in, there are plenty of people I can and have gone to if I have questions or problems. When my dad was hospitalized, these the singles pastor, my small group members, and the guy who is in charge of the main ministry I've served in for a long time were who showed up and were there for me.

I like our main pastor a lot. I just know he has a lot on his plate, so I go to these other people. These are Godly people. Some of them are lay people and some of them are seminary trained.

Frankly, in my case, I grew up in a small Baptist church and the singles out of college just plain didn't fit in when I was growing up. There were never very many of them and all of the church activities were centered around families (which made sense...the vast majority of the members were young families and older empty nesters).

Going to a large church means that by sheer numbers, there are enough singles to have a good singles ministry. My small group is all young single women, so we all have similar struggles, are going through similar experiences, and (frankly) have compatible schedules. It works well. I still get to be around families and married people for some stuff, but sometimes it's nice to be around people who understand where you're coming from. The Bible studies during those groups can talk about some of the struggles of being single in addition to the regular stuff. Being in a large church opens up that opportunity.

That's just my experience.
38 posted on 12/14/2006 2:42:46 PM PST by ark_girl
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