Todd Rhodes in MondayMorningInsight.com reports that The Church Report Magazine is out with their annual list of the 50 most influential churches in America. This was compiled from about 2000 surveys that were returned to the magazine. It is an interesting list (as usual). This year's most influential church is...
Willow Creek Community Church. #2 is Saddleback. Rounding out the top ten are: Northpoint (Andy Stanley); Fellowship Church (Ed Young); Lakewood Church (Joel Osteen); Southeast Christian (Bob Russell; Dave Stone); Life Church (Craig Groeschel); Potter’s House (T. D. Jakes); Brooklyn Tabernacle (Jim Cymbala); and North Coast Church (Larry Osborne).
It’s interesting to me that six of the top ten churches on this list are leaders in the multi-site movement.
You can find the whole ‘top 50’ list here at The Church Report...
Todd then just for fun asks the following:
1.What is your response to the list. (I know that popularity contests aren’t great for churches), but what do you think?
2. What church(es) influence your local body?
3. Who would you add, or subtract, or move up or down on the list?
So just for fun how would you answer his questions?
After you write your answers you might go back to Monday Morning Insight and read some of the comments written.
Here are my thoughts: 1) There is just one woman among the 50. The men all seem to look alike. I think we now have a new style for ministers or a modified look. I am not sure we are talking about preachers or churches. I saw the Preachers but not the church. What makes them more influential than other churches? Most these men are on tv, write books or are quoted in magazines that build them up. So which is it the men or the church?
None of these churches effect our local body that I know of at this point. This church is not emulating any of them.
I think I would really look at the churches and their members and their ministries locally and abroad. How are they influencing and what are they influencing?
And who are they influencing.
It is telling that the focus is on the Pastor.
I would imagine there are churches that are not listed that quietly go about being the church they were called to be where they are.
There are many ways to be influential and in my book blogging is beginning to do that. I am finding revgalsblogpals have influence in a positive, nurturing way. I pray that I am leading this church to be influential for Christ in this community, and in the world.
3 comments:
There's not a church in that list that I would include. It's an all evangelical list. Me? I'd go with Riverside, Sojourner's, Fifth Avenue Presby in NYC, Fourth Presby in Chicago, The Memorial Church at Harvard, and maybe that big old Episcopal church in Dallas. And Duke Chapel. But what do I know?
You have mentioned some names I don't know. See I knew I could learn something by posting this.
Wouldn't be interesting to see what the revgalpals would say are the most influential churches.
I like your list. I know of Riverside. The Three Methodist they name are influential in many ways, and not just because of their preachers. But there are even other UMC that are influential. Kirby John's is such an unique situation.
ack, i go to #25 on the list, frazer umc! in montgomery, alabama. who'd have thunk it? while i'm tempted poo-poo this list (and i would probably have done so without a second thought five years ago before i joined this mega-church #25--heh, the church i spent the previous 10 years at was a wonderful family of 170 members) mostly because i've got a lot of skepticism when it comes to church structure and such (i'm falling more and more in with the emerging folk), i just can't. it's not because i'm in love with the church i go to (or any of those on the list), but because of the people i hang with who happen to hang their hats at frazer too, with whom we're working out what it means to follow Jesus here and now, in this small city in the heart of dixie. i've meant more than i have i right to know at #25 who share a heart for bringing Jesus to the asphalt, to the right-now. and five years ago, i wouldn't have said a mega-church could do that. but God has a way of pegging me down a few, and he's done that by hooking me up with #25. i'm learning over and over to just go with his flow rather than my own, heh.
and, revabi, i'm with you--i'd also like to see what revgal's would say. i'm overwhelmed by the warm spirit they've bestowed upon me and enjoy their company.
blessings.
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