My wife and I have visited Calvary Church in St. Peters, MO, which is #56 on this list.  I was actually very impressed with the service.  Yes, it had excellent “production value” and all that cool trimmings.  But the teaching was very biblical.  People there seemed genuinely excited to be there and anxious to serve.  We’ve been contacted about visiting small groups, etc.  And our children are playing Upward Basketball through there.  It’s a good place.  We’re not ready to join right now because we are still visiting other churches in the area.  It’s big, no doubt, which is a little intimidating.  But I’ve not encountered any reasons to be skeptical about what they do or how they do it.

very interesting blog… i think we’ve all heard about how awful “transfer growth” is and how it is really the equivalent to sheep stealing, but it seems to me that (more often than not) this kind of growth can be very positive…

i say this because if someone is engaged, and ministering, and serving in their present church, they will not be inclined to leave, merely to find greener pastures… i know of a number of people who have moved from stagnant, faltering, near-death churches into churches that are growing, alive, and vibrant - because they have found a new church (which may well be one of those fast-growing mega-churches) where they meet God regularly, and where they find opportunities to serve Him…

COMING - Oct-Nov 2007 , 200 Largest and 200 Fastest Growing Listings of U.S. Churches (non-Catholic) - Dr. John Vaughan, Church Growth Today.  For church leaders only. Includes separate on-site and multi-site attendance, % unchurched population in county, and area population size.  Details and to complete the survey form go to http://www.churchgrfowthtoday.org.  Includes churches omitted in other lists.