The Church Report just published a list of the 50 Most Influential Churches in America of 2007. The research was conducted by Dr. John Vaughan of Church Growth Today. I recommend reading The Church Report’s short but informative article to learn how the data was collected, some history about the churches, as well as how they differ by denomination and geography.
If you enjoy learning the principles and techniques behind the successes of other churches, lists such as this one can be quite helpful and worth your time to study. I also find it helpful to know what other “lists” the churches have made and to have the opportunity to visit the churches’ websites.
So here is a list of the top 30 churches from 2007’s 50 Most Influential Churches in America with the church names hyperlinked to their websites and with recognition of which of the other eight below lists they have made:
List Reference
- 07 TMC = Outreach magazine’s 2007 America’s Top 25 Multiplying Churches
- 07 AMIC = Outreach magazine’s 2007 America’s 25 Most Innovative Churches
- 06 FGC = Outreach magazine’s 2006 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches
- 06 LC = Outreach magazine’s 2006 100 Largest U.S. Churches
- 06 MIC = The Church Report’s 2006 50 Most Influential Churches
- 05 FGC = Outreach magazine’s 2005 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches
- 05 MIC = The Church Report’s 2005 50 Most Influential Churches
- 04 FGC = Outreach magazine’s 2004 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches
Top 30/50 Most Influential Churches in America of 2007
- Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, IL) :: Bill Hybels
>> 07 AMIC (#20)
>> 06 FGC (#8) :: 05 FGC (#30)
>> 06 LC (#5)
>> 06 MIC (#1) :: 05 MIC (#2) - Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) :: Rick Warren
>> 07 AMIC (#18)
>> 06 FGC (#39) :: 05 FGC (#5) :: 04 FGC (#15)
>> 06 LC (#6)
>> 06 MIC (#2) :: 05 MIC (#1) - Fellowship Church (Grapevine, TX) :: Ed Young Jr.
>> 07 AMIC (#4)
>> 06 FGC (#37) :: 05 FGC (#20) :: 04 FGC (#5)
>> 06 LC (#9)
>> 06 MIC (#4) :: 05 MIC (#4) - North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA) :: Andy Stanley
>> 07 AMIC (#3)
>> 04 FGC (#4)
>> 06 LC (#12)
>> 06 MIC (#3) :: 05 MIC (#3) - LifeChurch.tv (Edmond, OK) :: Craig Groeschel
>> 07 AMIC (#1)
>> 06 FGC (#11) :: 05 FGC (#4) :: 04 FGC (#8)
>> 06 LC (#13)
>> 06 MIC (#7) :: 05 MIC (#16) - Granger Community Church (Granger, IN) :: Mark Beeson
>> 07 AMIC (#2)
>> 05 FGC (#62) :: 04 FGC (#27)
>> 06 MIC (#14) - Lakewood Church (Houston, TX) :: Joel Osteen
>> 06 FGC (#1) :: 05 FGC (#3) :: 04 FGC (#1)
>> 06 LC (#1)
>> 06 MIC (#5) :: 05 MIC (#5) - Mars Hill Church (Seattle, WA) :: Mark Driscoll
>> 07 AMIC (#9)
>> 06 FGC (#15) :: 05 FGC (#54)
>> 06 MIC (#22) :: 05 MIC (#23)
>> 07 TMC (#2) - The Potter’s House (Dallas, TX) :: T.D. Jakes
>> 07 AMIC (#12)
>> 06 FGC (#25) :: 04 FGC (#3)
>> 06 LC (#20)
>> 06 MIC (#8) :: 05 MIC (#8) - Seacoast Church (Mt. Pleasant, SC) :: Greg Surratt
>> 07 AMIC (#6)
>> 06 FGC (#54) :: 05 FGC (#28)
>> 06 LC (#86)
>> 06 MIC (#15) :: 05 MIC (#27) - Mosaic Church (City of Industry, CA) :: Erwin McManus
>> 07 AMIC (#5)
>> 06 MIC (#12) :: 05 MIC (#41) - Mars Hill Bible Church (Grandville, MI) :: Rob Bell
>> 07 AMIC (#11)
>> 04 FGC (#6)
>> 06 LC (#35)
>> 06 MIC (#17) :: 05 MIC (#20) - North Coast Church (Vista, CA) :: Larry Osborn
>> 07 AMIC (#19)
>> 04 FGC (#43)
>> 06 MIC (#10) :: 05 MIC (#11) - First Assembly of God (Phoenix, AZ) :: Tommy Barnett
>> 04 FGC (#17)
>> 06 LC (#11)
>> 06 MIC (#29) :: 05 MIC (#13) - The Church of the Resurrection (Leawood, KS) :: Adam Hamilton
>> 06 FGC (#98):: 04 FGC (#10)
>> 06 LC (#48)
>> 06 MIC (#11) :: 05 MIC (#8) - Southeast Christian Church (Louisville, KY) :: Dave Stone
>> 05 FGC (#58) :: 04 FGC (#21)
>> 06 LC (#7)
>> 06 MIC (#6) :: 05 MIC (#50) - The Brooklyn Tabernacle (Brooklyn, NY) :: Jim Cymbala
>> 06 LC (#33)
>> 06 MIC (#9) :: 05 MIC (#6) - Calvary Chapel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) :: Bob Coy
>> 05 FGC (#39) :: 04 FGC (#13)
>> 06 LC (#8)
>> 06 MIC (#40) :: 05 MIC (#40) - Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL) :: Dave Ferguson
>> 07 AMIC (#7)
>> 04 FGC (#48)
>> 06 MIC (#13)
>> 07 TMC (#7) - New Hope Christian Fellowship (Oahu, HI) :: Wayne Cordero
>> 07 AMIC (#10)
>> 06 FGC (#46) :: 05 FGC (#12) :: 04 FGC (#23)
>> 06 LC (#31)
>> 06 MIC (#23) :: 05 MIC (#25) - NewSpring Community Church (Anderson, SC) :: Perry Noble
>> 06 FGC (#80) :: 05 FGC (#81) - Prestonwood Baptist Church (Plano, TX) :: Jack Graham
>> 06 FGC (#97) :: 05 FGC (#9) :: 04 FGC (#19)
>> 06 LC (#17) - Redeemer Presbyterian Church (New York, NY) :: Timothy Keller
>> 07 AMIC (#15)
>> 06 MIC (#16) :: 05 MIC (#26)
>> 07 TMC (#1) - Second Baptist Church (Houston, TX) :: Ed Young Sr.
>> 06 FGC (#40) :: 05 FGC (#7) :: 04 FGC (#7)
>> 06 LC (#3)
>> 0705 MIC (#33) - Mariners Church (Irvine, CA) :: Kenton Beshore
>> 06 LC (#45) - Bayside Covenant Church (Granite Bay, CA) :: Ray Johnston
>> 06 MIC (#20) - Calvary Chapel (Santa Ana, CA) :: Chuck Smith
>> 06 LC (#57) - Christ Fellowship (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) :: Tom Mullins
>> 06 FGC (#30) :: 05 FGC (#26) :: 04 FGC (#26)
>> 06 LC (#32) - First Baptist Church (Jacksonville, FL) :: Mac Brunson
>> 06 LC (#52)
>> 06 MIC (#19) - First Baptist Church (Woodstock, GA) :: Johnny Hunt
>> 06 LC (#100)
See the full list at The Church Report or visit Church Relevance’s churches to watch list, which includes churches from nine different lists. It is interesting to note that all 50 churches have previously made one of the eight other lists that Church Relevance has highlighted.
Lastly, before studying these churches, I highly recommend that you read Bobby Gruenewald’s 5 tips for studying lists.
Technorati Tags: Willow Creek Community Church, Bill Hybels, Saddleback Church, Rick Warren, Fellowship Church, Ed Young, North Point Community Church, Andy Stanley, LifeChurch, Craig Groeschel, Granger Community Church, Mark Beeson, Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen, Mars Hill Church, Mark Driscoll, The Potter's House, TD Jakes, Seacoast Church, Greg Surratt, Mosaic Church, Erwin McManus, Mars HIll Bible Church, Rob Bell, North Coast Church, Larry Osborn, First Assembly of God, Tommy Barnett, The Church of the Resurrection, Adam Hamilton, Southeast Christian Church, Dave Stone, The Brooklyn Tabernacle, Jim Cymbala, Calvary Chapel, Bob Coy, Community Christian Church, Dave Ferguson, New Hope Christian Fellowship, Wayne Cordero, NewSpring Community Church, Perry Noble, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Jack Graham, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Timothy Keller, Second Baptist Church, Mariners Church, Kenton Beshore, Bayside Covenant Church, Ray Johnston, Chuck Smith, Christ Fellowship, Tom Mullins, First Baptist Church, Mac Brunson, Johnny Hunt, Church Relevance, The Church Report, Bobby Gruenewald, Dr. John Vaughan, Church Growth Today, Influential Churches,
4 comments:
The scenario you paint is a grim one, one screaming "LAWSUIT" if your claims are true. I could be mistaken, but of all the churches listed (I am familiar with all but a few) none would be interested in the advertising Church Report might have to sell. If he has done this to you, I suspect you have legal recourse available to you (I'm not a lawyer...though I play one on TV...). If he has not done this, you should be careful of your wording, as he too might have recourse against you. I don't believe we should be suing other Christians in general terms, but you should be aware if you aren't already.
Big Chris
thanks for putting all these list in one place.
Gary,
I'm struggling with the credibility of the sources you gave. One is just a blog with two anonymous comments, and the other appears to be primarily self referential in a nearly propagandistic way. I'm not saying they are wrong, they just don't do much to inspire me to their authenticity. The secondary links on the one are interesting on this guy's background though.
Big Chris
Rising Evangelical Star Jason Christy Leaves Trail of Fraud, Associates Say
By Hannah Elliott
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Aug. 1 /ABP/ -- When young, charismatic Christian publisher Jason Christy was tapped two years ago to lead the powerful Christian Coalition, the group's leaders praised him for his ability "to inspire and encourage people of faith to action." But Christy's business dealings -- both before and after his one-month affiliation with the Coalition -- instead have inspired former customers and co-workers to file lawsuits charging Christy with defrauding their Christian businesses.
Christy, 36, who apparently had no previous public-policy experience, persuaded the Christian Coalition in 2005 to place him in one of the most visible and powerful positions in evangelical life. But before the coalition's leaders officially turned over the reins of their 1.2 million-member national lobbying group, they learned of a trail of legal and financial problems that has followed Christy from coast to coast.
Former associates and customers of Christy's many business ventures -- mostly Christian magazines -- say he cheated them out of money and threatened them. At least 10 of them have filed lawsuits, Associated Baptist Press has learned, and others have gotten court-issued restraining or protection orders against the Scottsdale, Ariz., businessman.
Christy says all the allegations are false. He and his supporters say "enemies" are spreading lies about him because of soured business relationships. But critics say Christy is a scam artist preying on trusting Christians.
Christy now publishes The Church Report, supposedly a conservative, national print magazine and web site. He has appeared as an analyst on CNN and spoken at megachurches like Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral. He hob-nobs with some of the evangelical elite and still has relationships with leaders in highly respected positions, like the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
This article is continued at Associated Baptist Press News: http://www.abpnews.com/2685.article
Also at The Baptist Standard: http://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=6646 and
Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/augustweb-only/131-35.0.html
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