SKYLAND, N.C.—Biltmore Baptist Church was recently named the 40th fastest-growing church in America by Outreach Magazine. The Rev. James Walker, pastor of Biltmore Baptist, told the Asheville Citizen-Times that the church is growing in part because they have become experts in welcoming people.

"We get one shot at them, and that experience has to be a positive one," Walker said.

For a church whose membership now exceeds 4,000, that welcome could easily become overwhelming. So mega-churches such as Biltmore focus on smaller groups within the large body.

Member Josh Fowler, 19, said what he likes about the church is "the small-church atmosphere. Even though it's a big church, you find your niche," Fowler said.

That's also been the approach at Mud Creek Baptist Church in the Henderson County, N.C., village of Flat Rock, according to Pastor Greg Mathis. The 200-year-old church brings in 3,000 people at its Sunday worship services.

"Any church you go to of any size, you're probably not going to get to know more than 30 or 40 people really well," Mathis said. "So we really stress small groups, be it through discipleship or Sunday school. I think that's what's helping people adjust to a big church - you're giving people the opportunity to meet and get to know as many people as they're going to meet at a smaller church."

But mega-churches also hold the allure of a variety of programming that smaller churches do not. Biltmore offers live bands, game rooms, a bookstore and a full-service restaurant. They offer dozens of ministries from drug counseling to "Finding Your Place," a ministry to help you find your niche in service.

"For a church our size to remain healthy, she's got to give herself away," Walker said.

In addition, a healthy mega-church must be constantly looking to draw new members, according to Bill Leonard, dean of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and professor of church history. Leonard explains the growing trend of mega-churches in the U.S. because of families who want more options and even entertainment with their religion. But the consumer mentality, while generating great interest in church, also creates heavy turnover.

"One of the things we're finding is these churches are entry points for people who then move on," Leonard said. "The mega-churches have big front doors - and big back doors."

Anaise North, who joined Biltmore Baptist about nine years ago, said the long-term draw of the church is Scriptural teaching. "We have a pastor who preaches the word without compromise," she said.

The Rev. Isaac Owolabi, associate pastor over missions at another larger church in the area, Crossroads Assembly of God in south Buncombe, agreed.

"Especially for a mega-church, you have to hold the word of God exactly as it is - no compromise," Owolabi said. "If you don't, you might make it for a while but you won't stand the test of time."