On Monday, I reported on Louisiana’s healthiest and fastest growing churches, per Dr. Bill Day’s definition of churches that have:

• 10% growth over a 5 year period.
• At least one baptism per year in that period.
• An attender to baptism ratio of 15:1.

Who are some of the churches on this list? Take a look:

(NOTE: If you think a church should be on one of these list and they are not – there were some with high % growth, additions, and baptisms that did not make the 15:1 Attender to Baptism ratio cut. Also, there are 300 churches or so that do not turn in an Annual Church Profile annually). 

Churches with the largest % growth between 2012 and 2016

1. Life Point Community, Mansura, Pastor Jacob Crawford, grew by 317%, from 60 to 250.
2. Ridge Memorial, Slidell, Pastor Paul Dabdoub, grew by 177%, from 26 to 72 regular attenders.
3. Brushy Creek, Bancroft, Pastor Jerry L Hext, grew by 175%, from 20 to 55.
4. The Church at Addis, Pastor Tom Shepard, grew by 161%, from 157 to 410.
5. Christ’s Community Church, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley, grew by 147%, from 273 to 675.
6. Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer, grew by 138, from 356 to 849.
7. Unity, Oak Grove, Pastor J. Kelly Coleman, grew by 112%, from 85 to 180.
8. Calvary Spanish, Morgan City, Pastor Daniel Brown, grew by 91%, from 55 to 105.
9. South Bossier, Bossier City, Pastor Chris Young, grew by 91%, from 140 to 267.
10. First Baptist Church, Moss Bluff, Pastor Steve Bennett, grew by 81%, from 655 to 1,186.

Churches that Added the Most People between 2012 and 2016:

1. Celebration Church, Metairie, Pastor Dennis Watson, added 2,750 attenders.
2. First Baptist Church , Moss Bluff, Pastor Steve Bennett, added 531 attenders.
3. Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer, added 493 attenders.
4. Christ’s Community, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley, added 402 attenders.
5. East Leesville Baptist, Leesville, Pastor John Hebert,  added 375 attenders.
6. The Church at Addis, Pastor Tom Shepard, added 253 attenders.
7. Cypress, Benton, Pastor John Fream, added 208 attenders.
8. Life Point Community, Mansura, Pastor Jacob Crawford, added 190 attenders.
9. First Baptist, Ruston, Pastor Chris Craig, added 189 attenders.
10. South Bossier, Bossier City, Pastor Chris Young, added 127 attenders.

Baptisms by these churches between 2012 and 2016:

1. Celebration Church, Metairie, Pastor Dennis Watson – 2,153
2. Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer – 445
3. Cypress Church, Benton, Pastor John Fream – 378
4. His Church, Pineville, Pastor Steve Speer – 323
5. First Baptist Ruston, Pastor Chris Craig – 310
6. The Church at Addis, Pastor Tom Shepard – 285
7. Christ’s Community, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley – 281
8. East Leesville, Leesville, Pastor John Hebert – 277
9. Pine Ridge, Melder, Pastor Jason Townley – 276
10. Life Point, Mansura, Pastor Jacob Crawford – 266