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Influential Churches
This survey was sent to 2,000 church leaders with the goal of ranking the nation’s fastest growing churches and churches with more than 2,000 weekend attendance. The 127 churches 2000 mg msm nominated for the 50 Most Influential Churches survey were located in 32 states and represented 27 affiliation groups and/or denominations.
It would be fascinating to read about the 50 most influential Children’s Ministries in the world, and if they correlate to the 50 most influential churches…
On that note, what are your top five influences in your ministry to kids?
Leave a comment, I will need to think on it a bit.
Are you talking “top influencES” or “top influencER’s”?
Hmm,
Probably InfluencER’s, although if there is a general ministry that has influenced you that would be cool.
Dave
Northpoint Community Church- Reggie Joiner and Andy Stanley
Willow Creek – Sue Miller
Justin, I gotta agree with ya.
After discovering Northpoint a few months ago, and checking out some of their resources, I have tweaked the way we do things quite dramatically.
Also George Barna, with his book Creating Spiritual Champions. Not a children’s ministry exactly, but influential.
Dave
McLean Bible Church, McLean, Virginia. They have an amazing Children’s Ministry (Kid’s Quest) that is exciting and bible-focused.
Mountain View Community Church, Culpeper, Virginia. Their children’s ministry (Kid’s View) leadership is influencing children’s ministries in Chuches all across the entire region of the state!
Reggie Joiner
Sue Miller
Bill Hybels
George Barna
http://www.familywise.org (Northpoint/Reggie Joiner resources and curriculum.)
It’s interesting how those who influence are CREATORS of their own curriculum and culture. Compare that with those who do not and merely are coasting on a previous pastors’ impact (Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Fellowship Bible in N. Plano). What is more interesting is the WAY these churches are influential. For instance, Northridge Church in Plymouth, MI actually MOVED and changed their name and then became HUGE. Wooddale Church (where I worked in the 90s) did the same thing. BOTH are different in their influence. I’m amazed at Univ. Pres. in Seattle, WA (Earl Palmer used to be at Univ. Pres. in Berkeley where he was MORE amazing) being on the list instead of Overlake Christian Center (in Redmond, near Microsoft HQ), or 1st Baptist (Charles Stanley is so much diminished) or even Crystal Cathedral (Schuller has about 200 kids in the ministry while the church has built a graveyard, for crying out loud). I dare anyone to look into Bethlehem Baptist’s Children’s Ministry (John Piper is the Jonathan Edwards of our day, though John has yet to be kicked out of his church) and just try to make sense out of their approach! Children’s Ministry Influence? Mike Johnson at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX is AMAZING (and why isn’t Prestonwood Baptist on the list??? They’re JUST as remarkable). Incidentally, Mike at Fellowship has some of the best printed brochures of anyone in ministry!!! And finally, GLIDE???? San Francisco???? What in the world!!!!
Thanks foy you input Keith!
I am gonna have to look into these churches!
Dave