OutreachMagazine.com: 2009 Outreach 100 Tracks Top U.S. Churches 2009 Outreach 100 Tracks Top U.S. Churches ================================================================================ Outreach Magazine on 10/02/2009 Conway, Ark., church named No. 1 Fastest-Growing Church Sept. 10, 2009 (San Diego)--New Life Church in Conway, Ark.--where 2009 American Idol winner Kris Allen served as a worship leaders--has been named the Fastest-Growing Church in America on the Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches list, published Sept. 8, 2009 in Outreach magazine's annual Outreach Magazine/LifeWay Research Special Report. To survey churches for this report, Outreach partnered with LifeWay Research for the third consecutive year. Led by LifeWay Research President and Outreach columnist Dr. Ed Stetzer, researchers contacted more than 8,000 churches to gather the self-reported data used to compile the lists. The information was then confirmed by phone, fax, e-mail and certified letter. "The 2009 Outreach Magazine/LifeWay Research Special Report offers a unique look at many of the churches on the lists to tell the stories behind the numbers--stories of transformed churches and individual life change," says Outreach magazine Editor Lindy Lowry. "As we talked to leaders of churches on the lists, we were encouraged to learn about local churches that are not only preaching the Gospel, but also running health clinics, overhauling foreclosed neighborhoods and making serving their community a priority," Stetzer says. The issue profiles five of these community-minded churches on the Fastest-Growing list, offering transferable principles and insights into their growth. These churches include The Crossing in Quincy, Ill. (No. 27); one of the largest African American churches in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, Concord Baptist Church (No. 44); Christ's Church of the Valley in Covina, Calif. (No. 57); Shore Fellowship Church in Egg Harbor Township, J.K. (No. 63); and Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood, Fla. (No. 71). Northland is also one of the Largest Churches (No. 35). The 2009 Outreach 100 also includes a candid conversation between the pastors of the No. 1 Fastest-Growing Churches in 2008 and 2009: New Life Church Senior Pastor Rick Bezet (200() and Chris Hodges, pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Ala. (2008). Close friends, Bezet and Hodges planted their churches on the same day, Feb. 4, 2001. The Fastest-Growing and Largest lists are based on February and March weekend attendance averages. The Largest list includes church of more than 5,600. The Fastest-Growing list includes churches with attendance greater than 1,000, a numerical gain of 300 or more, and a percentage gain of at least 5 percent. The ranking of Fastest-Growing Churches is determined by an average of their numberical and percentage growth. Fastest-Growing Churches Fast Facts The state with the most churches on the Fastest-Growing list is California (13), followed by Texas (12) and Florida (10). Some 631,585 people are represented by the combined attendance of the Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. churches. These churches added 97,879 people over their combined previous year's Fastest-Growing Church attendance, an average of almost 1,000 per church. Combined, the 100 Fastest-Growing churches represent 280 worship sites, an average of almost three per church, and 86 more than last year. The youngest church on the Fastest-Growing list is Experience Life, Lubbock, Texas, (No. 8), founded in 2007. The oldest church is Ebenezer Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C. (No. 47), founded in 1877. Largest Church Fast Facts Some 1,012,985 people are represented by the combined attendance of the Outreach 100 Largest U.S. churches. Combined, the 100 Largest churches represent 331 worship sites. Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tenn., (No. 87) has the most with 29 followed by LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, Okla., (No. 2) with 13. California has the most churches on the Largest list with 18, followed by Texas with 15. Almost half (47) of the Largest churches identify themselves as "nondenominational." The youngest church on the Largest list is Community of Faith, Cypress, Texas, (No. 92), founded in 2002. The oldest is First A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles, (No. 37), founded in 1872. Top 5 Fastest-Growing Churches in America 1. New Life Church, Conway, Ark., Rick Bezet (pastor), numerical gain: 2,200; 61 percent 2. Calvary Temple Worship Center, Modest, Calif., Glen Berteau (pastor), numerical gain: 3,180; 43 percent) 3. Cornerstone Church of San Diego, National City, Calif., Sergio De La Mora (pastor), numerical gain: 1,439; 59 percent 4. Elevation Church, Charlotte, N.C., Steven Furtick (pastor), numerical gain: 1,598; 44 percent 5. Faith Church of St. Louis, Enton, Mo., David Crank (pastor), numerical gain: 1,138; 102 percent Top 5 Largest Churches in America 1. Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas, Joel Osteen (pastor), average attendance: 43,500 2. LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, Okla., Craig Groeschel (pastor), average attendance: 26,776 3. Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Ill., Bill Hybels (pastor), average attendance: 23,400 4. North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Ga., Andy Stanley (pastor), average attendance: 23,377 5. Second Baptist Church, Houston, Ed Young, Sr. (pastor), average attendance: 22,723 San Diego-based Outreach magazine offers the ideas, insights and stories of today's outreach-oriented, Bible-based churches. Founded in January 2003 by church communications company Outreach, Inc., Outreach is an award-winning and leading periodical for church leadership. Outreach is available by subscription. The Outreach 100 lists were compiled by LifeWay Research and include only Protestant churches--as defined by the American Religious Data Archive--that opted to participate in the study. The Outreach Magazine/LifeWay Research Special Report is based on a self-reported survey, not an independent investigation. Outreach and LifeWay Research are not responsible for errors/discrepancies in self-reported data or churches not opting to report. Copyright (c) 2009. All rights reserved. How to obtain a copy of the report: Buy The 2009 Outreach 100 special issue and get the lists, plus what we can learn from the churches, and the features on evangelism, growth barriers, 100 ideas and much more. 144 pages. $9.95 (quantity discounts available) Purchase and download a PDF of the listings as part of a 19-page Outreach 100 supplement, including the Largest and Fastest-Growing Churches by region and by denomination. $4.95 Subscribe to Outreach magazine today and get a year of outreach inspiration, information and ideas — plus you'll get The Outreach 100 bonus issue for free.