Prompted by the latest "50 most influential churches" I have come up with my own list.
The 50 most list was composed by Americans, and with obviously blinkered view, all 50 are American.
My top five in the world.
1. Hillsong Church Australia (Houston) More than any other church in the world, this church has got churches co operating as the walls have come down. Most if not all evangelical churches in the world use their worship. Yes I am bias, but I think I could mount a good argument for it none the less.
2. Willow Creek (Hybels) Started off a revolution
3. Saddleback (Warren) Caused us to rethink our mission
4. Yoido Full Gospel Church, Seoul, Korea (Yonggi Cho) (253.000 people)
5. Holy Trinity Brompton Anglican Church (Nicky Gumbel) All around the world, many churches use the ALPHA course of evangelism Holy Trinity Brompton
Now here is the top churches/people that have influenced me personally
1. Albany Church of Christ Mark Randall was a passionate speaker and inspired me to be a Pastor in my formative Christian years.
2. Saddleback Rick Warren inspires me with his integrity and purpose
3. Jack Deere God is not contained in the theological constraints I placed him in
4. Hillsong Lets be relevant and passionate okay?
5. Paul Borden Ministry is too important to get caught up in politics
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7 comments:
5:49 pm
Very interesting list (yours and their's). Question: how do you measure a church's influence? And what's the church's and what's the pastor's?
9:58 pm
very hard to distinguish a churches influence and the pastors.
I dont know what that says, but it says something.
11:44 am
Hillsong - a very successful money making machine.
The church earns tens of millions of dollars a year, but bugger-all goes back to good works.
Do Hillsong publish a detailed financial statement of all income, expenditure, assets and liabilities. I mean detailed, not just the legal minimum.
I bet you haven't seen such a statement.
For a detailed discussion of the adverse effects of Hillsong et al go to www.signposts.org.au. But be warned, you will need to use your brain.
3:22 pm
I have not got enough time to spend amongst all that bitterness John.
If half the energy that some people spend in putting down other Christians was put into mission, we would be half way there.
I am not saying Hillsong does not have issues, I just dont think it is a good use of our time and energy to be talking about it.
5:55 pm
Well, you may be surprised to learn that amongst "all that bitterness" (an exageration, of course) are some valid points, namely:
1. The dodgy theology regarding teaching of tithing.
2. The dodgy teaching favouring an explicit "prosperity gospel". Phrases like "millionaire mindset", for example, are contrary to the teaching of the new testament.
It is these issues of substance, rather than any "emotional noise" that you should pay attention to.
6:33 pm
Not much helpful stuff over there that from what I have seen John. I appreciate your commenting.
Hillsong has a been a massive blessing to me, both with their music and conferences. I have not got much if any of their actual teaching, but have appreciate the sermons I have heard from Brian Houston.
I stick to my main point with all this, why bother spending your time attacking another church, when there are plenty of people going to a Christless eternity who could do with out best energy.
There will not be any monuments built to critics.
3:45 am
You mentioned the music aspect of Hillsong, which I would suggest is purely a matter of preference.
Personally, the phrase "hell is other people" comes to mind. The Hillsong style of music and worship seems to be a hellish experience. Part of that could be because it is so oriented to a teenage-style mindset. Even my 16 year old daughter would find the music silly.
You seem to also be comfortable with the Hillsong (and it's not just Hillsong, but they are one of the most well known) approach to taking money from the public but being miniminally accountable in their public financial statements. If you don't see this as a major problem, then perhaps you are purposefully turning a blind eye to it.
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