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 nations 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 ...
>>>>I am familiar with several of the churches on this list. Not one of them could even remotely be considered a "RECREATION-CENTER."
I'm not going to disagree on the majority, but check out #49 on the list of influential churches, and specifically the photo gallery on the top right of this page:
http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/photo/index.shtml
patent
BTTT.
Un-frickin'believable sacrilege.
Leadership in Purpose Driven Churches are required to sign an oath or covenant, in secrecy. Jesus said to not do this.
In Matthew, Chapter 5, Jesus says the following:
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
As for your comment about the Mayflower Compact, those people were in defiance of the King and church of England, not against Christ. If you would research and not be so quick to defend Rick Warren's shallow and/or false doctrine, you would find hundreds of problems with his books.
I was not defending Rick Warren.
I have never read the PDL.
However, you made a blanket statement about covenants being in defiance of Jesus's command.
I see nothing in your scripture references to support that.
Are you alleging that Mr. Warren requires his leadership team to sign "secret" covenants?
Do they have a secret handshake or are they also required to wear sacred undergarments?
#5 Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen, Houston, TXThere was a big front-page article in Sunday's Houston Chronicle. That happens to be the fastest growing church in the US, I'm told. They're moving into the Compaq Center, which is the Rockets' old haunt. Their weekend attendance is 30,000, and I guess Osteen is shooting for 100 grand before it's all said and done.
I've seen one sermon of his. It seems he's part of the "God is just waiting to bless you if you let Him" school of theology. Not my brew of choice, but whatever.
My church came in at #33. Not originally impressed with mega-churches, but they really changed my mind.
An oath or covenant should be only to Him, not to a church or to a man or to his training materials.
"Are you alleging that Mr. Warren requires his leadership team to sign "secret" covenants?"
Yes. But I suppose not everyone kept it secret, huh? :-)
Well my church comes in at #39!
I can't understand why Harvest and CC Ft. Lauderdale made the top 50 but CC Costa Mesa didn't. Without CC Costa Mesa there would be no Harvest or CC Ft. Lauderdale.
Rick Warren a stuffed suit blow dry? LOL! First of all I don't think he owns a suit. And second, I don't think he has any hair.
"With what I have read about, Rick Warren, Osteen, Schuler, etc, I feel many of those guys are stuffed suit blow-dries and I pray for them."
"Rick Warren a stuffed suit blow dry? LOL! First of all I don't think he owns a suit. And second, I don't think he has any hair."
And third his head isn't as big as the others mentioned
nor has he affected a "success" look. He is the same now, maybe a little heavier, as he was when he started as a house bible study. In the words of that great contemporary theologian Clint Eastwood, "R.W. knows his limitations" so he has capable people around him.
How apt! Krystal Kash Kathedral-ish, even.
To be honest with you, I actually know very little about most of the people on the top 50 list.
For all I know, some could be liberal demoncrats. :>)
He owns one suit. He wears it on Mothers Day to honor his wife. And he has very little hair!
I think I can state with assurance that John Piper, Charles Stanley, D. James Kennedy, Rick Warren, Greg Laurie, Bob Coy and (especially) Jerry Falwell are not liberal democrats.
I would like to publicly announce now..on FR...the outing of Jerry Falwell as a liberal democrat.
Ask for comment, Cal Thomas said, "I knew it when we argued over the name of the college, 'Liberty University.' Jerry kept slurring his words and say 'Liberal....'"
:>)
OK if it's gonna be shameless plug Tuesday, then here's my contribution:
Be there! Bring an unsaved friend!
True. Catholics don't really evangelize and instead depend on immigration and reproduction for new members.
No, I don't watch movies like that.
And it's hard to type with your fingers crossed...
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