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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: Skooz

>>>>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


61 posted on 07/12/2005 2:39:53 PM PDT by patent (A baby is God's opinion that life should go on. Carl Sandburg)
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To: Terriergal

BTTT.


62 posted on 07/12/2005 2:55:30 PM PDT by I got the rope
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To: patent
#49, Trinity Episcopal...Clown Eucharist...

Un-frickin'believable sacrilege.


63 posted on 07/12/2005 2:55:43 PM PDT by XR7
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To: XR7

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.


64 posted on 07/12/2005 3:00:56 PM PDT by TommyDale
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To: TommyDale
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?

65 posted on 07/12/2005 3:05:54 PM PDT by XR7
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To: ppaul
#5 Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen, Houston, TX
There 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.

66 posted on 07/12/2005 3:07:42 PM PDT by jayhorn (when i hit the drum, you shake the booty.)
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To: XR7
"I see nothing in your scripture references to support that."

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? :-)

67 posted on 07/12/2005 3:10:44 PM PDT by TommyDale
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To: jtminton
Go Calvary Chapel!

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.

68 posted on 07/12/2005 5:38:49 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: Battle Hymn of the Republic; blue-duncan; xzins; SandyInSeattle
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.

69 posted on 07/12/2005 5:56:44 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: P-Marlowe; Battle Hymn of the Republic; xzins; SandyInSeattle


"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.


70 posted on 07/12/2005 6:11:49 PM PDT by blue-duncan
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To: Squantos

How apt! Krystal Kash Kathedral-ish, even.


71 posted on 07/12/2005 6:17:44 PM PDT by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: blue-duncan; P-Marlowe; Battle Hymn of the Republic; Corin Stormhands; SandyInSeattle

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. :>)


72 posted on 07/12/2005 6:21:13 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It!)
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To: P-Marlowe
First of all I don't think he owns a suit. And second, I don't think he has any hair.

He owns one suit. He wears it on Mothers Day to honor his wife. And he has very little hair!

73 posted on 07/12/2005 6:23:03 PM PDT by Not A Snowbird (Official RKBA Landscaper and Arborist, Duchess of Green Leafy Things)
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To: maestro
I attend one of those churches, and it is good, solid teaching and a fantastic youth program to boot. All sermons are archived and available via streaming video (free) online, and they are fantastic. Good teaching and good worship is what caused us to attend this church...not recreation. Life Church
74 posted on 07/12/2005 6:28:29 PM PDT by I'm ALL Right!
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To: xzins; blue-duncan; Battle Hymn of the Republic; Corin Stormhands; SandyInSeattle
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. :>)

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.

75 posted on 07/12/2005 6:29:51 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: P-Marlowe

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....'"

:>)


76 posted on 07/12/2005 6:33:23 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It!)
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To: I'm ALL Right!; blue-duncan; Battle Hymn of the Republic; Corin Stormhands; SandyInSeattle
Good teaching and good worship is what caused us to attend this church...not recreation. Life Church

OK if it's gonna be shameless plug Tuesday, then here's my contribution:

Southern California Harvest '05—with Greg Laurie, Delirious, Casting Crowns, Toby Mac, Jeremy Camp, Kutless, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay, and Crystal Lewis

Be there! Bring an unsaved friend!

77 posted on 07/12/2005 6:34:43 PM PDT by P-Marlowe
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To: absolootezer0; Smartaleck

True. Catholics don't really evangelize and instead depend on immigration and reproduction for new members.


78 posted on 07/12/2005 6:37:07 PM PDT by Clemenza (Need new tagline)
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To: blue-duncan; P-Marlowe; xzins; Revelation 911
Do you remember the cardboard, cut out town Of Rock Ridge in Blazing Saddles...

No, I don't watch movies like that.

And it's hard to type with your fingers crossed...

79 posted on 07/12/2005 6:38:40 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: P-Marlowe; xzins; Battle Hymn of the Republic; Corin Stormhands; SandyInSeattle
Leith Anderson is not a liberal Democrat. Besides he went to the same seminary I did and the sanctifying influence of his presence still lingered when I got there. Couldn't overcome my being a lawyer, but it had its affect on some of the weaker brethren.

Isn't Haggard one of the Evangelical leaders trying to turn us into Greenies?
80 posted on 07/12/2005 6:39:38 PM PDT by blue-duncan
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