Wednesday, July 18, 2007

50 most Influential Churches

These are not the 50 most influential churches in America. Link

I'm trying to to be too critical, but this is rubs me the wrong way. I'm not sure why, but I'm hoping that posting this will bring clarity to myself.

- this bugs me because it makes me want to ask "Influential to who?" I suppose these are the most influential churches to people who care about big churches with leader they would depict as cool or influential. But these are not 50 most influential churches in America. In fact, it a close tie between all the churches in North america for number 1.

Every church that makes an impact in the lives of someone or some community is most influential and there are a lot of them.

- This bugs because I'm not sure influence was a way Jesus measured success. Influence as it's used today is not a biblical value. Today's influence is to directly related to power and a odd form of leadership we value today.

- This kind of things only promotes church leaders to go to the "experts" of growing a church to help them minister in their context. Over all his model has not worked for the past 15 years with Willow and Saddleback replicating themselves around the world. It's not going to work with Mars hill, LifeChurch.tv, or Granger.

This kind of thing only further alienates the pastors who seek "the experts help" from the very people they are trying to reach. Certainly there are aspects of their ministry that might see increased attendance but I'm wondering how many people these churches are really reaching that we we would hold them up above all the others.

So church resource people, if you must right about influential churches, which I'd personally prefer you not, then I'd suggest finding churches who are making a difference that none of us have heard of, churches none of us will ever meet, church leaders who are not dynamic, cool, eloquent, popular or "leaders". I have a feeling that's what Jesus would do. I know that doesn't sell magazines, or attract blog hits, but that's not what the kingdom is about anyway I suppose.

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5 Comments:

Blogger Jason Raitz said...

Couldn't agree more!

6:19 PM EDT  
Blogger Unknown said...

The most influential church in the world, to me, is the little group of about 15 people that had a campus ministry on the campus of Wichita State University. That little group helped me to experience God's love and forgiveness in ways I've never known before. And they probably wouldn't have been able to do such a good job of it had they been a great big ministry. They are one of the big reasons I'm a Christian today, and even why I'm a pastor today.

Saddleback and Willowcreek can have their thousands upon thousands. And there's nothing wrong with that. But I don't intend to ever model their ministry. I intend to model the ministry of those 15 some odd people who cared about me enough to know me personally, reached out to me, and helped God to change me.

11:17 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well said!

The most influential church I have seen is a mission the the Hells Kitchen neighborhood of NYC.

Small congregation, very modest bare-bone facilities, less than dynamic leadership, and little money.

Yet the former Pastors (now passed away) influenced and made a definitive impact for Christ in the lives of countless people. That ministry continues in the same humble way.

I've been involved in large ministries and small since then but when I think of pure ministry, the way Christ would have reached people, I think of a ministry that is personal, unassuming (except for the power of the word) and effective.

Many people can build a mega-church with TV shows, DVD selling and quality entertainment with a sermon sandwiched in-between.

I seek the purity of ministry that the unassuming build.

Great blog post. Worth thinking about as planning gears up for September start-ups.

9:21 AM EDT  
Blogger Jason Raitz said...

Hate to add on...but I couldn't help after reading the comments. Trying to not stand up for Willow because I work there, but Willow started out as a small group of folks. It didn't start with the help of a TV show, or dvd's or quality entertainment. Just a few young adults who loved Christ with every bit of themselves. If I were starting a church, I would want to model it after that.

9:54 PM EDT  
Blogger Dad said...

The list is a fraud, see:

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

1:35 AM EDT  

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