50 Most Influential Churches in the United Kingdom
I wonder if anyone remembers me discussing this in previous blogs. Well I've finally completed the list and here it is below along with websites to the respective church sites. Like the USA version, I have compiled it in order of most influential (beginning at 1) through to not-so. It was an incredibly difficult thing to finish and sobering in many ways. It demonstrated above all how lacking we are in the United Kingdom compared to the USA for churches of glorious quality and New Testament style life. And above all has driven me to my knees again praying for revival - oh that this list would be difficult to compile because of which church to choose!!
As always - feel free to comment, criticise, complain. If you want to know why I put a particular church where I did, or why I didn't include your church - ask. But back up what you say - the "unexamined opinion isn't worth holding" - Dr Stanley Jebb.
1. Church of Christ the King, Brighton. - the founding church and flagship of the hugely successful New Frontiers family of churches. While membership remains modest by US standards at just over a thousand, the vast influence of this church is felt in every area. Terry Virgo - the father and apostle of the movement is based here. Some of the most popular and influential worship leaders in the UK are based here including Kate Simmonds, Stuart Townend and Phatfish. Also on the eldership team is the teacher John Hosier who has written a variety of books and Dave Fellingham.
Senior Pastor: Peter Brookes. Website: http://www.cck.org.uk/
2. All Souls, Langham Place. - home to Dr John Stott.
Rector: Hugh Palmer. Website: http://www.allsouls.org/
3. Holy Trinity, Brompton. - home to the hugely successful Alpha Course.
Vicar: Sandy Miller. Website: http://www.htb.org.uk/
4. Kensington Temple, London.
Senior Pastor: Colin Dye. Website: http://www.kt.org/
5. Kingsway International Christian Centre, London.
Senior Pastor: Matthew Ashimolowo. Website: http://www.kicc.org.uk/
6. St Helens, Bishopsgate.
Rector: William Taylor. Website: http://www.st-helens.org.uk/
7. Westminster Chapel, London.
Senior Pastor: Greg Haslam. Website: http://www.westminsterchapel.org.uk/
8. Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.
Senior Pastor: Dr Peter Masters. Website: http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/
9. St Andrews, Chorleywood.
Vicar: Mark Stibbe. Website: http://www.st-andrews.org.uk/
10. Community Church, Southampton.
Team Leader: Billy Kennedy. Website: http://www.community-southampton.org/
11. Soul Survivor, Watford.
Senior Pastor: Mike Pilavachi. Website: http://www.soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk/
12. Metro Church International (UK), Sunderland.
Senior Pastor: Ken Gott. http://www.mci12.org.uk/
13. Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge.
Senior Pastor: Julian Hardyman. Website: http://www.eden-cambridge.org/
14. Ruach Ministries, Brixton, South London.
Senior Pastor: Bishop John Francis. Website: http://www.ruach-ministries.co.uk/
15. Pioneer People, Surrey.
Team Leader: Gerald Coates. Website: http://www.pioneer.org.uk/
16. Abundant Life Church, Bradford.
Senior Pastor: Paul Scanlon. Website: http://www.alm.org.uk/
17. New Life, Lincoln.
Senior Pastor: Stuart Bell. Website: http://www.newlifelincoln.org.uk/
18. South-West London Vineyard.
Senior Leader: John Mumford. Website: http://www.vineyard-swlondon.org.uk/
19. Hillsong, London.
Senior Pastor: Gary Clarke. Website: http://www.hillsong.co.uk/
20. Peterbourgh Community Church, Peterbourgh.
Senior Pastor: David Smith. Website: http://www.pcc-uk.org/
21. St Pauls Cathedral, London.
Dean: Dr John Moses. Website: http://www.stpauls.co.uk/
22. Renewal Christian Centre, Solihull
Senior Pastor: David Carr. Website: http://www.renewalcc.com/
22. New Community Church, Sidcup
Senior Pastor: Matt Hosier. Website: http://www.newcommunitychurch.org.uk/
23. Cornerstone Church, Nottingham.
Senior Pastor: Peter Lewis. Website: http://www.cornerstoneuk.org.uk/
24. Riverside Church, Birmingham.
Team Leader: Nick Cuthbert. Website: http://www.riverside-church.org.uk/
25. Kingdom Faith Church.
Senior Pastor: Brain Nish. Website: http://www.klc.org.uk/
26. Christian Fellowship Church, Belfast.
Senior Pastor: Paul Reid. Website: http://www.cfc-net.org/
27. Christian Centre, Nottingham.
Senior Pastor: David Shearman. Website: http://www.christian-centre.org/
28. Methodist Central Hall, London.
Superintendant Minister: Martin Turner. Website: http://www.methodist-central-hall.org.uk/
29. Heath Evangelical Church, Cardiff.
Senior Pastor: Wyn Hughes. Website: http://www.heath-church.org/
30. St Aldates, Oxford.
Rector: Charlie Cleverly. Website: http://www.staldates.org.uk/
31. Oxford Community Church, Oxford.
Senior Pastor: Steve Thomas. Website: http://www.occ.org.uk/
32. All Nations Church, Cardiff.
Senior Elder: Dr Roger Aubrey. Website: http://www.allnationschurch.org.uk/
33. St Ebbes, Oxford.
Rector: Vaughan Roberts. Website: http://www.stebbes.org.uk/
35. Basingstoke Community Church, Basingstoke.
Team Leader: Phil Norris. Website: http://europe.saltlight.org/
36. Folleys End Church, Croydon, London.
Senior Leader: David Markee. Website: http://www.follysend.org/
37. Worthing Tabernacle, Worthing.
Senior Pastor: Mark Weeden. Website: http://www.worthingtab.org.uk/
38. St Johns, Harbourne, Birmingham.
Vicar: James Grier. Website: http://www.stjohns-church.co.uk/
39. Winchester Family Church.
Senior Pastor: John Groves. Website: http://www.winfam.org/
40. Above Bar, Southampton.
Senior Pastor: John Risbridger. Website: http://www.soton.ac.uk/~wphg/
41. Christchurch Clifton, Bristol.
Vicar: Mike Cain. Website: http://www.christchurchclifton.org.uk/
42. St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.
Senior Curate: Dr William Beaver. Website: http://www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk/
43. Worldwide Mission Fellowship, West Norwood, London.
Senior Pastor: Dennis Greenidge. Website: http://www.wwmf.org/
44. Hockliffe Street Baptist Church, Leighton Buzzard.
Senior Pastor: Phil Hill. Website: http://www.hockliffestreetbaptistchurch.org.uk/
45. Kings Community Church, Hedge End, Southampton.
Senior Pastor: Martyn Dunsford. Website: http://www.kcc.uk.net/
46. Every Nation Church, London.
Senior Pastor: Wolfgang Eckleben. Website: http://www.everynation.co.uk
47. St Marks, Sheffield.
Vicar: Adrian Alker. Website: http://www.stmarkssheffield.co.uk/
48. South Manchester Christian Fellowship, Manchester.,
Senior Pastor: Andy Barclay-Watt. Website: http://www.smcf.org.uk/
49. Open Heaven Church, Loughborough.
Senior Leaders: Rich and Ness Wilson. Website: http://www.openheaven.org/
50. City Temple, Holborne Viaduct, London.
Senior Pastor: Dr Rod Woods. Website: http://www.city-temple.net/
12 comments:
Thanks for this post Dan, its a really useful resource. I hadn't heard of some of the churches.
There used to be a challenge for people to visit all 92 football league clubs in one season. Perhaps we could set up the 50 church challenge - visit them all in a year and report back on the blog! (Actually I know its a crazy idea, but it would be fun)
Agreed!! Sounds a fab idea!!
But bags I take all the charismatic churches - and you take the conservative reformed ... hee hee!!
Dx
Agreed!! Sounds a fab idea!!
But bags I take all the charismatic churches - and you take the conservative reformed ... hee hee!!
And our reports should take the "Ship of Fools" format ...
Dx
Useful to have a gathering of those churches information. Curious as to how you rated churches.... are we talking just big churches... or ones that have influence on the wider church... and how does a church influence - by its direct ministry? by writing books? by conferences...
Can probably think of some churches that would claim a place on the list... others who prefer just to knuckle down to local ministry with great local effect.
CAN U REALLY ARGUE THAT A RESTORATIONIST HYPER-CHARISMATIC CHURCH IS THE MSOT INFLUENTIAL CHURCH IN THE UK?? IF SO, THATS PRETTY WORRYING.
Worrying for you maybe, heresy hunter - encouraging for the rest of us. I wonder how your church is going about affecting the country in which we live? Furthermore I wouldn't exactly call CCK hyper-charismatic. The amount of times I've been, the most wild thing I have seen is someone speaking in tongues. No snake-handling, no slaying in the Spirit ... seems pretty decent and in order to me!
Luke 6:26 ''Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.''
Some of the 'churches' and ministers that have been posted here I wouldn't visit if they were at the bottom of my garden.
If you're ever in N.Ireland then try this church. It would never make the top 50 but the people are friendly and the preaching is sound.
http://www.loughbrickland.org/cms/
St Paul's London? Only thing impressive about it its size. It is ugly. And the services are deadly.
I'm more concerned about the presence of hyper calvinist churches on the list. That doctrine has caused so much pain and division in christendom since it's Inception in the 16th century by John Calvin. We all have our opinions after all, I have just escaped for Mr Legality at one of these churches!
I've generally found the smaller church is far better and more Christian and gospel orientated than the larger churches. When a church gets too big it becomes like a business and starts to lose something special as it fractures into cliques.
Excellent resource which I've just discovered. Hope its not too out of date. Thank you so much Dan.
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