Some Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

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Some Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing
Churches

• By
• Dr. Tom Cheyney

A Sponsoring Church Resource
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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• While serving for the North American Mission
  Board, Tom Cheyney has attended worship services
  at five of the seven fastest-growing churches in
  the Nation. One church was Southern Baptist the
  other four are not identified with any particular
  denomination. Here are some common
  characteristics that Dr. Cheyney observed during
  his visits.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• A Positive First Impression.
• Each of these five churches makes a good first
  impression. Their best parking is reserved for
  visitors. Clearly marked signs point people to
  their desired destinations. Greeters are posted
  at every major entrance. The facilities are clean
  and attractive.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Visual Orientation.
• Three of the five churches used overhead
  projectors for song lyrics, Scripture readings,
  pictures that complement the music, and sermon
  texts.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Artsy flow and focus.
• At one church a woman performed a liturgical
  dance based on Psalm 1504, which says, Praise
  him with .dance.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Colorful Banners and Mosaics.
• Three of the five churches displayed colorful
  banners or mosaics in the worship centers, and
  most of them used occasional drama and/or dance
  in their services.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Celebrate Atmosphere.
• All of the churches had a spirit of
  celebration and expectancy. People obviously were
  happy to be at church and expected good things to
  happen.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Engaging Preaching.
• The pastors did not speak about abstract
  theology, but their messages were biblically
  based and relevant to daily living.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Illustrations and Storytelling abound.
• All used illustrations and stories in
  abundance. They spoke in conversational styles
  and interjected humor at several points
  throughout their sermons.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Contemporary Music.
• Perhaps the most common denominator in these
  churches is the extensive use of praise and
  worship choruses.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Not Bound to the Clock.
• None of the services finished in an hour. The
  shortest service was 1 hour and 10 minutes. The
  longest was 2 hours. Nobody seemed to mind.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Lay Involvement.
• Laypeople read Scripture, gave testimonies,
  performed drama, gave announcements, and
  performed musically.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Women were visible in worship.
• Women helped receive the offering, distribute
  the programs, and lead public prayer.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Multiple Services.
• Four of the churches offered multiple worship
  services. The four offered at least two services
  on Sunday morning, and one of them offered three
  services. One church offered a 6 p.m. Saturday
  service with a Bible Study hour before.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Other Factors.
• Each church had at least one support of
  recovery groups. Several of the churches had
  programs for various addictions. Others had
  support groups for single parents, women with
  small children, and people struggling with grief.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Strong Children and Youth Programs.
• All five churches have strong children and
  youth programs. Most have strong
  weekday-education programs.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Creative entry points.
• Special services, concerts, and lectures serve
  as entry points for unchurched people. People
  wear everything from jeans and T-shirts to
  three-piece suits.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Some Final Thoughts.
• Please understand that I am not advocating any
  particular style of worship or church programming
  here.
• I was not comfortable with everything I saw.
  Some of the churches have a charismatic flavor
  with which most Southern Baptists are not
  comfortable. I at times felt too much of an
  entertaining, cheerleading atmosphere.

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• However, I believe we can and must learn from
  these kinds of churches. They are attracting
  thousands of people all around the country. With
  85 percent of U.S. churches either stagnant or in
  decline, we would do well to ask the question
  Why are these churches reaching people?

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Common Characteristics of Fastest-Growing Churches

• Much of what I saw could be implemented in
  many Southern Baptist churches. Some of it could
  not. Each church must choose for itself what is
  appropriate for its particular setting. This
  presentation was written simply to foster thought
  and discussion among worship leaders and other
  concerned people.
• Thank You Tom Cheyney