Shepherd of the Hills Church

Shepherd Church is a nondenominational megachurch based in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles, California, USA.[1] The senior pastor is Dudley Rutherford. In 2008, Outreach Magazine ranked Shepherd of the Hills 92nd in size in America, with attendance of 7,400.[2] Some criticize churches like this, calling them "church lite", but others say they help people who find the experience more accessible than traditional churches.[3]

Shepherd Church
The old sanctuary of Shepherd Church, Porter Ranch, CA
CountryUSA
DenominationNon-denominational
Websitehttp://www.theshepherd.org/
History
Founded1995
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Dudley Rutherford

The church was formed in 1995 when Hillcrest Christian Church in Granada Hills was united with First Baptist Church of Van Nuys to become the present Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch. Since then the church has expanded to more than 10,000 members worshiping at 21 different venues each weekend. There are four daughter churches and seven satellite campuses.[4]

In October 2006 the church opened its first hybrid, Westside Shepherd of the Hills Church, based at the Wadsworth Theatre on the grounds of the Veterans Administration in Brentwood, California. Rutherford travelled to the new location almost every Sunday to deliver the message.

The church now has campuses in Porter Ranch and Woodland Hills.[5]

In August 2009 Rutherford said attendance had grown from an average of 8,030 in the previous year to 9,673 in 2009, a 17% increase. He attributed the increase to a feeling of despair brought about by the economic downturn, and a need to focus on spiritual needs rather than pursuit of the dollar.[6]

The church also has divisions for kids, youth, and young adults. Shepherd Kids gives kids from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade the opportunity to make friends and learn about Jesus through activities. Shepherd Youth is for everyone from sixth grade through high school. There are Saturday and Sunday youth services, small group discussions every Wednesday during the school year, and fun events. Shepherd Young Adults is for those age 18-25. They meet every Thursday evening for worship, a sermon, and a dinner where you can socialize with others.

In addition, there are programs for seniors, veterans, those who have lost loved ones, small group discussions for adults, and much more.

See also
  • List of the largest churches in the USA

References
  1. Duke Helfand (October 11, 2009). "California Christians worship in a big way". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  2. "The Outreach 100". Outreach Magazine. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  3. Duke Helfand (October 25, 2009). "Megachurches: Worshipping in a Big Way". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  4. "ABOUT PASTOR DUDLEY". pastordudley.com. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  5. "Shepherd of the Hills". Shepherd of the Hills Church. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  6. Troy Anderson (March 8, 2009). "In time of economic hardship, houses of worship experience `spiritual tidal wave'". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
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