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America's 50 Most Influential Churches
Church Report Online ^
| July 2007
| Church Report Online
Posted on 07/17/2007 1:33:44 PM PDT by Terriergal
America's 50 Most Influential Churches
The Church Report is pleased to once again announce this years 50 Most Influential Churches in America. Each year, we look forward to working with Dr. John Vaughan and appreciate the input of pastors from throughout the country that provide their insight as to who is really influencing America's churches.
This years list has several new churches and you also note movement of other churches through the list. If you have comments, please feel to send us an email to crdaily@thechurchreport.com.
Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, Ill.), Saddleback Church Lake Forest, Calif.), North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Fellowship Church (Grapevine, Texas) lead this years 50 Most Influential Churches list.
New to the top 10 churches are Granger Community Church (Granger, Ind.), Mars Hill Church (Seattle, Wash.) and Seacoast Church (Mt Pleasant, S.C.). All but Granger Community Church and The Potters House are multi-site churches.
Four of the top 10 churches are affiliated with denominations and six are non-affiliated. Lakewood Church and The Potters House are the only two of the 10 that are charismatic congregations. Two of the churches (Saddleback and Fellowship) are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Life Church is Evangelical Covenant and Granger Community Church is United Methodist. 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 was the youngest church in last years group and began in 1995 with about 1,200 people. Among the other three churches, Willow Creek is the second oldest and began in 1975 with a core of 75 people. Seattles Mars Hill Church, youngest of this years top ten list, began with 12 people in 1996, Granger began in 1986 with five people and Seacoast Church was launched with 65 people in 1989. 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. Each of these 10 churches now average more than 5,000 in weekend attendance.
Two United Methodist congregations, Granger Community Church (Granger, Ind.) and Resurrection United Methodist Church (Leawood, Kan.) were named by other church leaders for this years list of churches. Another returning mainline church is Menlo Park Presbyterian Church of Menlo Park, Calif., a PC(USA) congregation.
The 2007 survey was emailed to leaders of more than 2,000 of the largest non-Catholic congregations in the nation in April-June. Participants were asked to recommend up to 10 churches they considered to be among the nations most influential. A total of 77 churches were recommended. A total of 53 percent of all church leader recommendations named the five churches. The top 10 churches received a total of 65 percent of all recommendations. A summary of all 50 churches reveals:
Affiliation and/or Networks of Churches
Non-Affiliated (15)
Southern Baptist (12)
Assemblies of God (3)
Christian Churches/Churches of Christ (2)
United Methodist (2)
Calvary Chapel (3)
Baptist General Conference (2)
Presbyterian-PCA (2)
Evangelical Covenant (2)
Church of Christ (1)
Evangelical Free (1)
Foursquare (2)
Presbyterian PC(USA) (1)
Reformed Church in America (1)
Vineyard (1)
Association of Relating Churches (1)
Note: Los Angeles International Church/Dream Center is affiliated with both the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and the Assemblies of God.
Location by Region
North East (3)
North Central (9)
South East (10)
South Central (6)
Southwest (8)
Mountain (2)
Pacific North West (2)
Pacific South West (10)
New to This Years Recommended Churches
New pastors to churches previously listed:
(16) Dave Stone, Southeast Christian Church Louisville, Ky.
(34) Jonathan Falwell, Thomas Road Baptist - Lynchburg, Va.
New churches listed for the first time:
(25) Mariners Church Irvine, Calif.
(37) Northland, A Church Distributed Longwood, Fla.
(38) Bellevue Baptist Church Cordova, Tenn.
(39) National Community Church Washington D.C.
(41) World Changers College Park, Ga.
(47) New Light Christian Center Church Houston Texas
2 Saddleback
Lake Forest, Calif.
3 Fellowship ChurchGrapevine, Texas
Ed Young
4 North Point ChurchAlpharetta, Ga.
Andy Stanley
5 Life ChurchEdmond, Okla.
Craig Groeschel
6 Granger Community ChurchGranger, Ind.
Mark Beeson
7 Lakewood Church
Houston, Texas
Joel Osteen
8 Mars Hill Church
Seattle, Wash.
Mark Driscoll
9 The Potter's House
Dallas, Texas
T.D. Jakes
10 Seacoast Church
Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Greg Surratt
11 Mosaic Church
Los Angeles, Calif.
Erwin McManus
12 Mars Hill Church
Grandville, Mich.
Rob Bell
13 North Coast Church
Vista, Calif.
Larry W. Osborne
14 First Assembly of God Phoenix, Ariz.
Tommy Barnett
15 United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
Leawood, Kan.
Adam Hamilton
16 Southeast Christian Church
Louisville, Ky.
Dave Stone
17 Brooklyn Tabernacle
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jim Cymbala
18 Calvary Chapel
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Bob Coy
19 Community Christian Church
Naperville, Ill.
Dave Ferguson
20 New Hope Christian Fellowship
Honolulu, Hawaii
Wayne Cordeiro
21 New Spring Church
Anderson, S.C.
Perry Noble
22 Prestonwood Baptist Church
Plano, Texas
Jack Graham
23 Redeemer Presbyterian
New York City, N.Y.
Timothy J. Keller
24 Second Baptist Church
Houston, Texas
Edwin Young
25 Mariners Church
Irvine, Calif.
Kenton Beshore
26 Bayside Church
Granite Bay, Calif.
Ray Johnston
27 Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa
Santa Ana, Calif.
Chuck Smith Sr.
28 Christ Fellowship
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Tom Mullins
29 First Baptist Church
Jacksonville, Fla.
Mac Brunson
30 First Baptist Church
Woodstock, Ga.
Johnny Hunt
31 Menlo Park Presbyterian Church
Menlo Park, Calif
John Ortberg
32 New Life Church
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ross Parsley Interim Senior Pastor
33 NorthRidge Church
Plymouth, Mich.
Brad Powell
34 Thomas Road Baptist Church
Lynchburg, Va.
Jerry Falwell / Jonathan Falwell
35 Wooddale Church
Eden Prairie, Minn.
Leith C. Anderson
36 Harvest Christian Fellowship
Riverside, Calif.
Greg Laurie
37 Northland - A Church Distributed
Longwood, Fla.
Joel Hunter
38 Bellevue Baptist Church
Cordova, Tenn.
Steve Gaines
39 National Community Church
Washington D.C.
Mark Batterson
40 Crystal Cathedral
Garden Grove, Calif.
Robert A. Schuller
41 World Changers
College Park, Ga.
Creflo Dollar
42 Fellowship of the Woodlands
The Woodlands, Texas
Kerry Shook
43 Vineyard Community Church
Cincinnati, Ohio
David Workman
44 New Birth Baptist Church
Lithonia, Ga.
Eddie L. Long
45 Oak Hills Church
San Antonio, Texas
Max Lucado *
46 Bethlehem Baptist
Minneapolis, Minn.
John Piper
47 New Light Christian Center Church
Houston, Texas
Ira Hilliard
48 First Baptist Church
Hammond, Ind.
Jack Schaap
49 McLean Bible Church
Vienna, Va.
Lon Solomon
50 LA International Church / Dream Center
Los Angeles, Calif.
Matthew Barnett / Tommy Barnett
(*) Max Lucado recently resigned as Minister of the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio.
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 reflect the rapid change and diversity 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.
To compare last years list click here. Dr. John N. Vaughan is an author and consultant for Church Growth Today in Bolivar, Mo., which provides consulting and research services for church growth and development.
He is author of the Worlds 20 Largest Churches, The Large Church, Megachurches and Americas Cities and a new 10 volume series Americas Most Influential Churches.
Visit his homepage www.churchgrowthtoday.org .
TOPICS: Ecumenism; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: apostasy; apostasyonparade; charismaticism; emergent
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I'm not saying all of them are fakes, but there are quite a high percentage of them that are teaching 'another gospel' and 'another Jesus.'
Luke 6:26 "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way."
Rev 3:7-8 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."
To: Terriergal
Amen to what you write.
I notice that #15 is Church of the Resurrection, Adam Hamilton.
This is a very, very liberal Methodist, though growing by leaps and bounds (truth is that just as many walk away after a few years due to lack of following Word of God.)
Adam Hamilton, preaches and teaches that abortion and homosexuality, are "tough choices" and that there are no clear right/wrong conclusions.
Many have thought that Adam really was a "strong believer" only to find that while attractive and entertaining, he is merely candy coated Christianity Lite!
2
posted on
07/17/2007 1:44:33 PM PDT
by
zerosix
(Native Sunflower)
To: Terriergal
Looks like Serpenthead got religion #23.
To: Terriergal
So they say in the survey that Catholic churches were intentionally excluded, and then when you read the results you find that other high church denominations were kept out.
Nothing more than a bunch of evangelical nonsense.
To: Terriergal
Ooh, lemme guess... “Influential” = appealing to people’s feelings (growth in numbers) and persuading them to part with their money (growth in dollars). Am I right?
/rhetorical
5
posted on
07/17/2007 1:51:21 PM PDT
by
newgeezer
(fundamentalist, regarding the Holy Bible AND the Constitution. Words mean things.)
To: zerosix
Amen. We just left the FUMC ( in a southern town ) after our 6 year experiment at my wife’s behest. I was raised SBC but she was against SBC for some reason but after two sermons and Sunday school at the church we are visiting she is on board.
Over the last several years I had seen the UMC become more of a “let’s not offend” church and not a church of the word. Our pastor kept trying to tell me that changes were coming but the one’s I have seen the last couple of years were the wrong way and I got tired of waiting. Bless him, he was a God fearing man but just didn’t want to stir the pot.
It was so nice to hear a sermon that wasn’t milk-toast and a pastor who tells it like it is feelings be damned. I had forgotten what it sounded like.
To: Resolute Conservative
I had taken to listening to old broadcasts of Adrian Rogers to get my need fulfilled until I got my wife to wake up.
To: AzaleaCity5691
So they say in the survey that Catholic churches were intentionally excluded, and then when you read the results you find that other high church denominations were kept out. Nothing more than a bunch of evangelical nonsense.
Nothing more than a bunch of motivational speakers.
8
posted on
07/17/2007 2:11:13 PM PDT
by
al_c
To: Terriergal
I have been an evangelical pastor for almost 30 years, and have heard of the majority of those churches! In my mind, the finest teaching pastor in America is John MacArthur at Grace Community Church in California, and he is not even on the list. His church trains thousands of pastors every year, and he is president of the Master’s Seminary and College. Where is his name?
9
posted on
07/17/2007 2:26:19 PM PDT
by
LiteKeeper
(Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
To: Terriergal
Reality check:
Most influential churches:
1. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Los Angeles
2. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Chicago
3. Roman Catholic Cathedral of New York
4. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Washington
5. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Boston
6. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Philadelphia
7. Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Louis
8. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Baltimore
9. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Detroit
10. Episcopal Cathedral of Las Vegas, Nevada
11. Falls Church Episcopal Church
12. Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Washington, DC)
13. Ave Maria University Oratorium
14. Christ Church, Plano
15. Regent University
Let’s be real, folks... “Megachurches” aren’t influential; sees are. People attend whatever megachurch they feel comfortable with. There are as many members of Catholic parishes as there are of all Protestant denominations combined.
10
posted on
07/17/2007 2:31:03 PM PDT
by
dangus
To: dangus
True, but Roman Catholics don’t influence elections/Republican politics. If that were the case Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey would be fountains of religious activism and Republican strongholds.
11
posted on
07/17/2007 2:33:56 PM PDT
by
Clemenza
(Rudy Giuliani, like Pesto and Seattle, belongs in the scrap heap of '90s Culture)
To: Terriergal
The 2007 survey was emailed to leaders of more than 2,000 of the largest non-Catholic congregations in the nation in April-June.
What does that prove? How about looking at membership, broadcast, schedule of touring, and amount of books sold. There's only one choice. Lakewood.
12
posted on
07/17/2007 2:34:59 PM PDT
by
Vision
("Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7)
To: Silly
To: Terriergal
There’s sure a lot of teeth in the pictures atop this thread.
14
posted on
07/17/2007 2:46:47 PM PDT
by
Xenalyte
(Lord, I apologize . . . and be with the starving pygmies in New Guinea amen.)
To: Terriergal
To: dangus
Then get off your duffs and do something instead of saying how great Catholicism is over Protestantism. In the south ( east of Texas ) you are in the minority.
To: dangus
Reality check: Most influential churches: 1. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Los AngelesMind if I puke?
17
posted on
07/17/2007 2:54:55 PM PDT
by
P-Marlowe
(LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
To: Resolute Conservative
Yes I know, you and I have communicated before about this issue.
We were Presbyterians, then Covenant, now SBC affiliated!!!
Role reversal for your sweet wife.
18
posted on
07/17/2007 3:06:58 PM PDT
by
zerosix
(Native Sunflower)
To: dangus
1. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Los AngelesI don't know about influential, but when you are able to write a check for $600 million to avoid trial, you are certainly one of the richest.
20
posted on
07/17/2007 3:28:38 PM PDT
by
PAR35
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