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The Top 50 Most Influential Churches in America
The Church Report ^ | 7/12/05 | staff

Posted on 07/12/2005 7:31:32 AM PDT by ppaul

Top 50 Most Influential Churches
The 2005 survey was sent to 2,000 church leaders with the goal of ranking the nation’s fastest growing churches and churches with more than 2,000 weekend attendance. The 127 churches nominated for the 50 Most Influential Churches survey were located in 32 states and represented 27 affiliation groups and/or denominations. The term affiliation is used to include networks of unaffiliated, independent churches.

(Excerpt) Read more at thechurchreport.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christianity; christians; church; churches; denomination; gospel; influence; jesus; jesuschrist; lakewoodchurch; mcleanbiblechurch; megachurch; pastor; pastors; religion; saddleback; seekersensitive; top50; top50churches; topten; willowcreek
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To: loftyheights

Friend - note I said 'infant' Baptism. Baptists and most Protestants do not accept infant Baptism as an acceptance/admission of faith.


161 posted on 07/16/2005 7:32:56 AM PDT by txzman (Jer 23:29)
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To: ppaul
Odd.............

No mention of The Peoples Front of Judea...........

nor The Judean Peoples Popular Front..............

I smell a conspiracy!
162 posted on 07/16/2005 7:37:05 AM PDT by WhiteGuy (Vote for gridlock - Make the elected personally liable for their wasteful spending)
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To: txzman

I know, but since I was responding to someone who had pinged you, I pinged you also.


163 posted on 07/17/2005 3:42:14 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Gal.4:16)
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To: rocklobster11
You think the woman who got kidnapped would have been spared if she had read the kidnapper a few chapters of Deceived on Purpose?

Could have read from the Bible!

164 posted on 07/17/2005 3:44:11 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Gal.4:16)
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To: ppaul
Says who? You made some interesting, and controversial, arguments. Your blanket statements condemning Moses appointing men to share the workload, stating that Moses was wrong and that he never sought the Lord's guidance in that (implying that large churches are bad because the pastor doesn't recall the names of every attendee by sight) - yet you provided not a single scripture reference to support your arguments. Do you have any, or are you just speculating based upon your own rationale/human reason?

It is you is only using human reason and rejecting Scripture.

If these men were a help to Moses why then did Moses cry to God in Numbers 11:14 that the burden of the people was to much?

Jethro's great advice did not work!

God gave the Holy Spirit to 70 other men to ease Moses's burden.

Moreover, Jethro did not even stay with the Jewish people but left.

The critera for leadership in God's work is being filled with the Holy Spirit, not natural ability (as Jethro advocated).

165 posted on 07/17/2005 3:51:52 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Gal.4:16)
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To: gamarob1
The Lord added then, the Lord changes not, the Lord adds now. If a church ain't growing, there's a problem, of some kind... and it's not the Lord's fault, of that you can be very sure

If a Church is not growing it may be because it is telling the truth,

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables (2Tim.4:2-4)

166 posted on 07/17/2005 3:56:10 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Gal.4:16)
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To: maestro

Guess you have never hear piper ;) (no 19). He will pull no punches.


167 posted on 07/17/2005 3:58:09 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: fortheDeclaration

PING TO POST #264 AT:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1438409/posts

re an urgent call to pray for our borders TONIGHT.


168 posted on 07/17/2005 3:58:50 AM PDT by Quix (GOD'S LOVE IS INCREDIBLE . . . BUT MUST BE RECEIVED TO . . .)
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To: loftyheights
To be considered "influential" as a church and deny infant Baptism and the true presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar (all Sacraments for that matter) means this is a list I would not only not want to be on but would be embarrassed to be included

And where is infant baptism in the bible? The Bible does not record a single infant being baptized. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized--as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4).

169 posted on 07/17/2005 4:01:04 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: Quix

Amen to your post.


170 posted on 07/17/2005 4:01:05 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Gal.4:16)
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To: blue-duncan

Blue, they do a wonderful work for The Lord at Willow Creek.

Some starchy, narrow, rigid, parochial, . . . pharisees stuck on their own little constructions on reality instead of listening to and following Holy Spirit are quite quick to throw rocks at any successful thing THEY didn't start.

One size doesn't fit all and Willow Creek ought not be applied without thorough going guidance from Holy Spirit--as would be true of anything.


171 posted on 07/17/2005 4:03:15 AM PDT by Quix (GOD'S LOVE IS INCREDIBLE . . . BUT MUST BE RECEIVED TO . . .)
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To: loftyheights
Are you saying that those who tout infant baptism as a crux of faith are wrong and are scismatic, so to speak? I'm saying that those who deny infant baptism (and baptism in general as the way to be saved) are not to be considered Christian but scismatic.

Where in the bible is infant baptism addressed?

172 posted on 07/17/2005 4:03:58 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: P-Marlowe

Did you hear him about the time he started to go to the grocery for a quick errand and he felt The Lord tell him he had to put on a tie and coat because of who Joel was in public and that therefore he represented God at all times.

I don't like to quibble at folks about what they feel God tells them. And, I have no reason to doubt Joel on that point--and I believe he's doing a great work for God.

I AM glad God doesn't tell me to dress like that every time I go out. Shoot, I feel thankful I'm encouraged to dress differently even for church. LOL.


173 posted on 07/17/2005 4:05:24 AM PDT by Quix (GOD'S LOVE IS INCREDIBLE . . . BUT MUST BE RECEIVED TO . . .)
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To: XR7

Great reply!


174 posted on 07/17/2005 4:06:16 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: fortheDeclaration

Thanks.


175 posted on 07/17/2005 4:11:43 AM PDT by Quix (GOD'S LOVE IS INCREDIBLE . . . BUT MUST BE RECEIVED TO . . .)
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To: SonnyBubba

Personally I look at how im getting fed with the word on sunday rather than needing to be in with the pastor..


176 posted on 07/17/2005 4:16:51 AM PDT by N3WBI3 (If SCO wants to go fishing they should buy a permit and find a lake like the rest of us..)
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To: fortheDeclaration
I didn't realize this thread was still going.

You clearly don't understand the prophetic nature of the seven churches of Revelation, otherwise, you wouldn't just write off everything as "not of God". But the fault really isn't yours. The fault is with those who teach you, assuming that their pharisaical "christianity" is the only true way. They're wrong. JESUS is the way....

Joel Osteen is doing a great work of God. Rick Warren is doing a great work of God. If you don't believe that, ask God yourself. You'll get an answer (as James said, if any of you lack wisdom, let them ask of God, and He will give liberally). Maybe you're afraid to do that, because it would prove John Macarthur to be wrong (again)

I asked God already, so I know :)

177 posted on 07/17/2005 7:27:19 AM PDT by gamarob1
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To: fortheDeclaration

Thank you for your reply.
But you still have provided no proof from scripture that you are correct.

Yes, Moses had problems leading a stiff-necked people, even with help. But that does not mean he was wrong to appoint good men to share the load. Nor does it say anywhere in scriptue that he never consulted God. Or maybe it does.

But you have not been able to show me where.


178 posted on 07/17/2005 7:42:24 AM PDT by ppaul
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To: ppaul

I can't believe the nutcase in Houston spent $95 million on the old Rockets arena to be his new church.


179 posted on 07/17/2005 7:43:57 AM PDT by devane617
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To: ppaul

I just found out I live 5 blocks from the largest church in the world. Whoopie.


180 posted on 07/17/2005 8:04:34 AM PDT by johnb838 (Dominus Vobiscum)
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