Outreach magazine has released the 2011 list of the 100 Fastest-Growing Churches in America. You can buy a copy of the list at OutreachMagazine.com. It includes an in depth analysis of the research data and is the best way to quickly glean insights from the churches listed.
Since 2004, there have been 20 top church lists that have been published. Their scope ranges from size, growth rate, and church planting to innovation and influence. Remarkably, out of the combined 1,429 rankings from the list only 487 churches have been featured.
Since defining growth can be interpreted by number as well as percentage, the fastest-growing churches list takes in to account both. It is the fairest algorithm, but it makes for a hodge podge of churches.
I find the fastest-growing churches list most interesting when looking at who the youngest and oldest fastest-growing churches in America are.
TOP 9 YOUNGEST FASTEST-GROWING CHURCHES IN AMERICA (2011 edition)
UPDATE: When this list was first published, First Baptist Church (Hammond, IN) was accidentally listed twice (2011 & 2010 numbers). It is now corrected.
Outreach magazine has released the 2011 list of the 100 Largest Churches in America. You can buy a copy of the list at OutreachMagazine.com. It includes an in depth analysis of the research data and is the best way to quickly glean insights from the churches listed.
Since 2004, there have been 20 top church lists that have been published. Their scope ranges from size, growth rate, and church planting to innovation and influence. Remarkably, out of the combined 1,429 rankings from the list only 487 churches have been featured.
In the 6 years of measuring gigachurches (10,000+ weekly attendance), 70 gigachurches have been listed. However, on the new 2011 list, only 39 of these 70 gigachurches reported their numbers. What happened to the other 31 gigachurches?
I call them them invisible gigachurches.
TOP LARGEST U.S. GIGACHURCHES (including invisible gigachurches) Only the first 15 churches from 2011’s list are named out of respect to Outreach magazine. Outreach is selling the full list here. All invisible gigachurches from 2006-2010 are named.
Open Church has put together an infographic to raise awareness for the huge race, gender, and geography gap among global Church influencers. It is a compelling visual that shows how unbalanced the global Church is by who influences it.
For example, 80% of global Church influencers are Americans, but Americans account for only 10% of the world’s Christians.
The infographic features 545 names of global Church influencers chosen by:
pastors of US churches who have made 2+ of the 18 top US churches lists,
pastors who have a relatively well known platform globally,
non-US pastors with churches of weekly attendance of 15,000+,
key leaders of niche church movements,
prominent bloggers,
prominent authors,
prominent event speakers,
a number of broadcast media personalities,
and more.
While fairly accurate, keep in mind this infographic is an imperfect list because it requires some subjective opinions rather than just scientific measuring.
The criteria of who is an “influencer” can certainly be widened. However, at this sample size increasing the number of names isn’t likely to skew the percentages but just grow the numbers.
Do you have thoughts or questions about the infographic?
Please voice them on Facebook at: facebook.com/1openchurch
At Catalyst Dallas, Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv (Edmond, OK) discussed wisdom for the older and younger generations.
I believe God wants us to work together as younger and older generations. I believe the devil wants to add division between generations.
To The Older Generation
Don’t resent, fear, or judge the emerging generation. Instead, believe in them.
You were different at one time from those who went before you.
If you aren’t dead, you aren’t done.
Don’t be threatened by younger generations. Realize that they need you.
Many of us don’t know how to delegate. We think delegating is giving people something to do. Delegating tasks creates followers. Delegating responsibility creates leaders.
Younger generations need your wisdom.
Just be yourself. Don’t try to be cool. Authenticity trumps cool every single time.
To The Younger Generation
You need those who have gone before you.
Studies show that the younger generation is most often described by employers as entitled.
Because the emerging generation feels entitled, when it comes to ministry, you feel you need to do it all now.You want to be in leadership, but you can’t speed up maturity.
You often overestimate what God wants to do through you in the short run, and you often grossly underestimate what God wants to do through you in the long run.
Always show your leaders honor. Honor publicly results in influence privately. Do not treat your leaders as common or ordinary.Dishonor and faith in the leaders before you limit your church.
Some people need to repent for dishonoring the God-ordained position above them.
Your generation is the most cause-driven generation of modern history.You are a chosen generation.
I believe that you can do what I couldn’t do.
I am doing what I am doing right now because of the previous generations that have invested in me.
When you look at the different responses from hundreds of surveys, you begin to have a good picture of things.
83% of Americans identify as Christians.
75% says have made a personal commitment to Christ that is still important in their life.
75% approximately believe the story of Christ’s resurrection is literally true.
66% approximately believe the story of Sampson and Delilah is literally true.
Only 8% of Americans are Evangelicals.
There is a gap between who people say they are and the quality of their faith. What you have to realize is just how Christianized this nation is. The point is we are not Christ following. We have an incredible opportunity in U.S. culture to introduce people to the God they think they know.
It is important to look at the trends affecting the U.S.
Access
Access to technology and information is changing people. The church needs to be at the center of the new ways that people are accessing information.
Alienation
There are new levels of isolation from family, from community, and from each other despite our connection to technology. Young people are waiting longer to reach major life transitions (i.e., leaving home, finishing school, financially independent, getting married, & having a child). If a church is waiting to reach young people until they have kids, those young people will be alienated from the church as well.
Authority
There are new questions about authority. Anti-Christian perspectives are much more accessible. Young adults now have a more favorable perspective of Paris Hilton than they do of Billy Graham.
The central challenge for the church, particularly for young people, is to be in but not of the culture.
If you think about authority and the role of Scripture, it is really a question of revelation. Do we have God’s word speaking to us?
If you think about access, it is really a question about vocation. How does the Bible apply to your career and cultural setting?
If you think about alienation, it is really a question about presence. We need to be in people’s lives.
Earlier this month, I met with my good friend Tim Schmoyer to catch up and discuss student ministry. Tim is a youth ministry blogger and the author of a new book, Life in Student Ministry. Tim asked my thoughts on how youth ministry has changed in 10 years and was kind enough to put together a quick video of my answer.
The quick version is I say the rate of cultural change is increasing and we need to understand the science behind what works. In order to adapt to the changing culture, it is important that youth ministries are balanced with (1) relationships, (2) solid Scriptural teaching, (3) structure & discipline, and then (4) a creative WOW factor.
For Discussion: - How do you think youth ministry has changed in 10 years?
