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6 pastors from some of the country's Largest and Fastest-Growing Churches share learned insights and proven Ideas for worship

After decades of ministry, what moments remain top of mind for the leaders of this year’s Outreach 100 Largest and Fastest-Growing congregations?

We asked, “When you think about your worship celebrations, which one stands out to you as the most memorable?”

Their responses provided both inspiration and innovative ideas.

Smashing Idols
Brian Tome, senior pastor, Crossroads, Cincinnati (No. 21 Largest)

Years ago, we challenged the notion that people didn’t want to be engaged and pushed in a weekend service. We gave everybody Sharpies and ornamental glass bulbs and told people to write what their idol was on them. Then as a sign of dying to yourself and dying to your idol, we asked people to come forward and smash them in wooden coffins.

I’ll never forget people throwing their symbolic idols into coffins. Some of the bulbs didn’t break as the glass was piling up and yet, people would reach their hand into shards of glass to retrieve their bulb and smash it again. It was a defining moment for people as they walked away from their idol and died to self. It was also a defining moment for our church when we realized that the days were over when we couldn’t push people and tactilely engage them.

Anointed Priests
Dave Ferguson, lead pastor, Community Christian Church, Chicago (No. 78 Largest)

A couple years ago, we had a service where we offered to ordain any person who felt called to the ministry of a particular person or a place. We taught from 1 Peter 2:9 about how every one of us is a priest and then offered to anoint and pray for anyone who would accept that call into ministry. I had no idea what would happen. I was overwhelmed when we had more than 2,000 people come forward to be anointed. It was moving to hear people declare the people or place they felt called to reach. I will never forget that celebration service!

A Place for the Next Generation
Dave Stone, senior minister, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky. (No. 4 Largest, No. 57 Fastest-Growing)

We had a worship service where I preached about how the next generation really isn’t the church of the future—but the church of today. A time of worship followed, and during the songs we had teens, one by one, come out and trade places with the band members and the worship leader while the song was going on. As I was wrapping things up, a young man came out and pushed me aside and preached for a few minutes and led into an invitation. It became a powerful experience for our church. (The exciting footnote is that since then, our teens are now up front serving quite regularly.)

Shoe Action
Don Wilson, senior pastor, Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Ariz. (No. 10 Largest, No. 5 Fastest-Growing)

One week I asked everyone at the close of the service to leave their shoes on stage and told them we would be sending the shoes to people in poorer countries that couldn’t afford them. The response was so positive that many of the parents asked us to do the same thing in our youth and children’s ministry the next week.

Testimonies of Light
Steve Stroope, lead pastor, LakePointe Church, Rockwall, Texas (No. 34 Largest)

On our 25th anniversary in each of our services, we invited everyone who had been saved at Lake Pointe to come to the front and light a candle during a worship song.There were as many people at the front holding candles as there were standing at their seats.

Generosity Explosion
Troy Gramling, lead pastor, Potential Church, Cooper City, Fla. (No. 27 Largest)

We do Christmas in a big way. Our Christmas series one year was called “The Gift Revolution,” and it was about an explosion of generosity—people giving to one another and to the community like never before. To kick off the series, my wife and I took $10,000 out of our retirement so that we could give everyone in the church a $1 bill. The impact that had upon the congregation was overwhelming. That dollar represented our belief in our people, because we believe with all of our hearts that we as a people are going to change and inspire the world.

Read more from these leaders and others in the 2011 Outreach 100 special issue.

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