Vital Signs: 2025 Annual Statistical Report pt. 2
Part 2 of the Vital Signs 2025 Annual Statistical Report covers ministers’ retirement confidence, multisite ministry trends, and what churches reported about giving, staffing, and mission investment.
Articles for tag: 3:STRANDS Consulting
Your Ministry Matters
In this Editor’s note, Shawn McMullen encourages church leaders—especially in small congregations—to remember that every faithful ministry matters. Prioritize personal holiness and depth with Christ, and trust God with the breadth of the impact.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: The Church of the Decade Is Real Life Ministries (Web-only Feature)
Real Life Ministries’ growth reflects a focus on relational discipleship, community outreach, leadership development, and partner churches rather than a personality-driven or performance-centered model.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: Mega See, Mega Do
Kent Fillinger reports how special baptism services at megachurches and emerging megachurches led to thousands of baptisms in 2009 through prayer, clear preaching, planning, and follow-up.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: Navigating at Compass
Compass Christian Church grew through a clear mission, four core values, and a multisite ministry model that opened new doors for outreach, leadership development, and community service.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: A Mega Decade
Kent Fillinger reviews a decade of megachurch growth, baptisms, leadership longevity, and sustainability challenges among Christian churches and churches of Christ from 2000 to 2009.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: Fun Facts Gleaned from This Year”s List
Kent Fillinger shares 2009 megachurch growth statistics, including weekend attendance, baptisms, fast-growing congregations, and total income across 114 megachurches and emerging megachurches.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: Repentance Leads to Real Life
Justin Miller led Real Life Christian Church through repentance, unified eldership, renewed vision, discipleship, and leadership development after becoming senior minister during a season of financial strain.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: A Closer Look at the Numbers
Kent Fillinger highlights 2009 megachurch and emerging megachurch attendance averages, fastest-growing churches, new churches crossing key attendance thresholds, and state-by-state reporting trends.
April 11, 2010
Megachurches: The First 100 Days
Gene Appel’s early leadership at Eastside Christian Church helped spark renewed vision, compassion outreach, baptisms, and 39 percent worship attendance growth in 2009.
September 20, 2009
MEDIUM-SIZED CHURCHES: The Leadership Factor
Kent E. Fillinger examines how senior minister age and tenure affect church growth and urges leaders to face succession planning, delayed retirements, and crucial conversations with courage.
September 13, 2009
MEDIUM-SIZED CHURCHES: The Elephant in the Room
Kent E. Fillinger compares medium-sized churches with megachurches and emerging megachurches, highlighting growth, baptisms, multisite ministry, church planting, giving, debt, and outreach trends.
April 19, 2009
Megachurches: Church Unique
Kent Fillinger highlights survey findings from megachurches and emerging megachurches, urging leaders to pursue unique vision while learning from growth, recession, and baptism trends.
Megachurches: Sustaining Ministry in a Shrinking Economy
Kent E. Fillinger offers practical guidance for churches navigating a shrinking economy through better budgeting, generous stewardship, Acts 4 community, and clear communication rooted in hope.
April 13, 2008
How Healthy Are Our Megachurches? (An Introduction)
Christian Standard’s annual megachurch issue expands its reporting with more analysis, health indicators, and an interview with Kent Fillinger. Learn about the 2007 Megachurch Report: Deluxe Edition and how readers can help identify missing churches.
April 9, 2008
Interview with Kent Fillinger
Kent Fillinger explains how megachurch metrics can become meaningful for smaller congregations, why adaptability matters, and how leadership transitions and succession planning may shape the movement’s future.
April 15, 2007
MEGACHURCHES: Why Count?
Kent Fillinger urges church leaders to move past “dysfunctional politeness” by setting clear expectations, monitoring results, and evaluating ministry programs so churches can adjust and bear fruit.
April 15, 2007
MEGACHURCHES: By the Numbers
A report on 117 megachurches and emerging megachurches among Christian churches/churches of Christ explores growth patterns, multisite momentum, facility expansion outcomes, and demographic shifts shaping what comes next for large congregations.
April 15, 2007
MEGACHURCH PROFILE: Parkview Christian, Orland Park, IL
A profile of Parkview Christian Church traces a pivotal 1997 congregational vote, the leadership decision that followed, and the relocation and expansion that accompanied rapid attendance growth and wider outreach.
July 23, 2006
Churches, Change, and Growth (Part 3)
Overchoice can confuse seekers and members when church calendars offer too many ministry options. Kent Fillinger shares a practical strategy to clarify priorities, define goals, and communicate growth pathways clearly.
