Two new reports on the size and strength of American congregations present contrasting pictures of church life today.
The October issue of Outreach magazine is all about growth. It lists the 100 largest U.S. churches, based on attendance statistics gathered by LifeWay Research, Nashville.
The congregations that do well, Roozen says, are participatory, involve lay leadership, and have a "strong, clear sense of their purpose." And drums. Churches with contemporary worship music grew while those with traditional music stalled....